For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Esther 8:1-6

 1 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. 2 The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate.

3 Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then the king extended the gold sceptre to Esther and she arose and stood before him.

5 ‘If it pleases the king,’ she said, ‘and if he regards me with favour and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?’

A. Find Out

1. How were Mordecai’s circumstances reversed? v.1,2
2. What did Esther then do? v.3
3. What was the king’s response? v.4
4. What did Esther then request? v.5
5. What reason did she give for making this plea? v.6

B. Think:

1. What were the circumstances that meant Mordecai was so rewarded?
2. How was Esther again putting herself at risk?
3. How does she show wisdom in her approach?

C. Comment:

     Two things come together to ensure Mordecai is well-rewarded and which put the king in a good state of mind to receive Esther’s plea.

      First there is the fact of dealing with Haman. He has become rich by using the king’s name, and so the king, having had him hanged, now confiscates his estates and, because he feels Esther has been slighted by Haman, he gives Haman’s estate to Esther for her to use as she will.

The second thing was that all this business with Haman had interrupted the king’s train of thought about rewarding Mordecai, so he now continues with that. He has Mordecai brought in and has his signet ring taken from Haman, and given to Mordecai, as a sign of being his representative.

     To confirm his position, Esther appoints him as the controller over the queen’s new estate. He is indeed now a powerful man. After he leaves the king’s presence (we presume) Esther now picks up the job of pleading for her people. Approaching the king, despite all that has gone on, without him calling for you was still risky, but as she falls before him, he extends the sceptre indicating that she is accepted and can continue.

Three times she emphasizes that she realises that it can only be if the king decides it is all right, and then asks that the order condemning her people be revoked. She presents the reasonableness of her request as her care and concern for her own family and friends. How could she possibly sit quiet while they remain condemned?

D. Application:

1. When God moves behind the scenes, see how things come together.
2. Even when He seems to move, faith is still needed.

Passage: Esther 8:7-17

7 King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, ‘Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled him on the pole he set up. 8 Now write another decree in the king’s name on behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring – for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.’

9 At once the royal secretaries were summoned – on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language. 10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.

11 The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies. 12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. 13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

14 The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.

15 When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. 16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honour. 17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.

A. Find Out

1. How had the king brought judgement to the situation? v.7
2. Now what instruction did he give? v.8
3. So what then happened? v.9,10
4. What did the edict allow? v.11,12, 13b (be careful)
5. Where was it sent? v.13a,14
6. What happened as a result? v.15-17

B. Think:

1. What was the extent of the king’s judgements?
2. What exactly was the extent of the edict now issued?
3. Why do you think it was such?

C. Comment:

      We sometimes refer to ‘rough justice’ meaning justice that deals with the issue in hand in a very quick and basic way. Haman has been dispatched via the gallows and now the king puts all of Haman’s power into Mordecai’s hands and instructs him to send out a second decree that will save the Jews. He gives him carte blanche as to how he writes it.

Now this is where it may become difficult to cope with what we read, so let’s do it carefully. The instruction is initially simply for the Jews to PROTECT themselves (v.11) from those who might attack them. It is obvious that already there was opposition to the Jews in various places and plans to kill them had already been drawn up.

    The boundaries had already been drawn so it was obvious who was against them. Maybe there had even been the start of collecting them into potential death camps (but that is pure speculation based on later history!). However, the text also is clear that this was an opportunity for the Jews to avenge themselves (v.13b) on their enemies. As much as this may appear distasteful to us, we must remember that sometimes the only way to counter a threat against life, is to completely remove it. There is a sense where, seen in the light of God’s judgements on those who came against His people, this was a completely legitimate act of judgement on those who had clearly decided to wipe out God’s people.

D. Application:

1. God does protect His people, wherever they may be.
2. God’s right to judge is sovereign and right.