| International Bible Studies |
LESSON FOR AUGUST 28, 1983
Mordecai and Esther:
Challenge and Commitment
KEY VERSE: “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” —Esther 4:14
SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Esther 2:7; 4:13-16; 8:3-8
ESTHER was the daughter of Abihail, of the tribe of Benjamin. She was brought up an orphan, in the house of her cousin, Mordecai. King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) deposed his wife, Vashti, and as a result he set about to find the most beautiful virgin in the realm to be his queen. Esther, because of her great beauty, was chosen for this high honor. The king did not know that Esther was a Jewess, and this fact was kept from him at the insistence of Mordecai. One day it came to Mordecai’s attention that there was a plot to murder the king. Mordecai conveyed this information to Esther, who in turn notified the king. And it came to pass that when the inquiry was made and the report confirmed, the plotters were put to death. The entire incident crediting Mordecai with having saved the king’s life was “written in the book of the chronicles.”—Esther 2:23
There were a very large number of Jews living in the area at this time, and because of the craftiness and hatred of Haman, the chief court favorite, they were all in danger of being massacred in one day. Mordecai learned of the plans of Haman and conveyed the information to Esther. Mordecai then instructed Esther to go to the king and reveal her identity as a Jew, and ask that the decree to slaughter the Jews be rescinded. This was a very dangerous thing for Esther to do because to confront the king without a previous appointment was punishable by death. But Esther requested Mordecai to gather the Jews together, and for them to fast and pray for her, and she would do likewise, “And so will I go unto the king, which is not according to the law, and if I perish, I perish.”—Esther 4:16
Mordecai in the past had refused to pay obeisance to Haman when they had met in a public place, and because of this he incurred the hatred of Haman. It was Haman’s plan to have Mordecai hung from the scaffold he had constructed in the public square when the slaughter of the Jews began. And it seemed as if all of Haman’s plans would come to pass because of his high esteem in the eyes of the king. But after three days of fasting and prayer, Esther went into the king and he received her. She did not immediately make her request known but asked the king and Haman to come to a banquet the following day.
The remarkable providential care of the Lord over his people began to be evident at this point in the account. The king was not able to sleep during the night and he called for the book of the chronicles to be read to him. It was found written “that Mordecai had told of … two of the king’s chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king, Ahasuerus. And the king said, What honor and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king’s servants, … There is nothing done for him.”—Esther 6:2,3
As a result of this revelation to the king, Haman was asked what great honor should be bestowed upon one who enjoyed great favor with the king. Haman, of course, thought that the king was speaking of him, so he described a very elaborate ceremony. The king then instructed Haman to do those things for. Mordecai, and afterward “Haman hasted to his house mourning, having his head covered.” (vs. 12) And the same day the king sent for Haman to accompany him to the banquet that Esther had prepared. At the banquet Esther revealed herself as a Jewess, and also told of the plot to destroy the Jewish people. Then the king said, “Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman.”—Esther 7:5,6
The king was very angry and went into the garden where he learned that the scaffold that had been placed there by Haman was to hang Mordecai. When he returned he ordered that Haman himself be hanged upon it. Subsequently Esther revealed to the king who Mordecai was and her relationship to him, and the king gave Mordecai a high post in the kingdom.
The account, we believe, was given to us for an admonition and encouragement, showing how the Lord is willing and able to overrule in the lives of his people if only they will place their confidence and trust in him.