Esther 8
Following the, probably timely, execution of the enemy Haman king Xerxes gave all the estates of Haman to Queen Esther.
Esther told the king everything about her people including that Mordecai was her uncle , so Mordecai was bought into the presence of the king who gave Mordecai his signet ring (having first retrieved it from Haman) and the queen asked Mordecai to take charge of Haman and his affairs.
No record is given of what happened to Haman's wife, I suspect she ended up living with friends with nothing to her name since the disgrace and execution of her husband.
Esther pleaded with the king to overturn the edict that Haman had issued in the kings name to kill all the Jews in the 12 month of the year.
The king said that no law written in his name and sealed with his seal could be annulled. But Mordecai was given instruction to write another edict in favour of the Jews to be written in the kings name and sealed with his seal - which meant that this law could also not be changed.
Mordecai wrote that on the appointed day in December the Jews were allowed to group together in towns and to defend themselves with force and plunder the properties of anybody who attacked them.
When the appointed day came the Jews formed large crowds in their towns and they were allowed to be armed. Other nations in fear aided the Jews in their defence and the regional and provincial governors were also in fear of Mordecai who was more powerful than even Haman had been.
Esther 9
On the day the Jews killed 500 men in Susa who tried to attack and kill them along with the 10 sons of Hama.
In the rest of the empire they killed 75,000 men who attacked them, but no plunder was taken that day
Esther went to the king again and got permission for the Jews to gather a second time and if anybody wanted to attack them, well they were fair game - and another 300 men tried to attack the Jews.
The Jewish festival of Purim was established at this time and a letter from Mordecai to all Jews gave instruction to make Purim a day of celebration and gifts which the Jews have continued to this day - Purim next year is in March
Esther 10
Mordecai, who was dressing in sackcloth when Haman had his law passed, left the kings presence wearing the finest royal clothes, in blue and white (both expensive colours) and with a purple robe (again very expensive colour) and a large gold crown on his head and wearing the kings ring.
As time went on Mordecai became the kings chief of staff and advisor. he was second in command only to the king and was very highly regarded among the Jews as he was always working for their benefit.
Thus ends the story of Esther - notice that God has not been mentioned in this book.
For me the story shows that God can and does work through human arranged circumstances to achieve his ends
Was God behind Queen Vashti and her refusal to go to the kings drunken party?
Was God behind the beauty contenst that gave the king sexual access to several hundred young women?
Was God behind Haman's genocidal plan?
I do not think so - these things were dreamt up by people
Was God behind Esther becoming queen?
Possibly
Did god save his people through Mordecai and Esther's actions?
I think so, yes.
Following the, probably timely, execution of the enemy Haman king Xerxes gave all the estates of Haman to Queen Esther.
Esther told the king everything about her people including that Mordecai was her uncle , so Mordecai was bought into the presence of the king who gave Mordecai his signet ring (having first retrieved it from Haman) and the queen asked Mordecai to take charge of Haman and his affairs.
No record is given of what happened to Haman's wife, I suspect she ended up living with friends with nothing to her name since the disgrace and execution of her husband.
Esther pleaded with the king to overturn the edict that Haman had issued in the kings name to kill all the Jews in the 12 month of the year.
The king said that no law written in his name and sealed with his seal could be annulled. But Mordecai was given instruction to write another edict in favour of the Jews to be written in the kings name and sealed with his seal - which meant that this law could also not be changed.
Mordecai wrote that on the appointed day in December the Jews were allowed to group together in towns and to defend themselves with force and plunder the properties of anybody who attacked them.
When the appointed day came the Jews formed large crowds in their towns and they were allowed to be armed. Other nations in fear aided the Jews in their defence and the regional and provincial governors were also in fear of Mordecai who was more powerful than even Haman had been.
Esther 9
On the day the Jews killed 500 men in Susa who tried to attack and kill them along with the 10 sons of Hama.
In the rest of the empire they killed 75,000 men who attacked them, but no plunder was taken that day
Esther went to the king again and got permission for the Jews to gather a second time and if anybody wanted to attack them, well they were fair game - and another 300 men tried to attack the Jews.
The Jewish festival of Purim was established at this time and a letter from Mordecai to all Jews gave instruction to make Purim a day of celebration and gifts which the Jews have continued to this day - Purim next year is in March
Esther 10
Mordecai, who was dressing in sackcloth when Haman had his law passed, left the kings presence wearing the finest royal clothes, in blue and white (both expensive colours) and with a purple robe (again very expensive colour) and a large gold crown on his head and wearing the kings ring.
As time went on Mordecai became the kings chief of staff and advisor. he was second in command only to the king and was very highly regarded among the Jews as he was always working for their benefit.
Thus ends the story of Esther - notice that God has not been mentioned in this book.
For me the story shows that God can and does work through human arranged circumstances to achieve his ends
Was God behind Queen Vashti and her refusal to go to the kings drunken party?
Was God behind the beauty contenst that gave the king sexual access to several hundred young women?
Was God behind Haman's genocidal plan?
I do not think so - these things were dreamt up by people
Was God behind Esther becoming queen?
Possibly
Did god save his people through Mordecai and Esther's actions?
I think so, yes.
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