After Queen Esther, at a banquet with King Xerxes, called out Haman as one who was trying to destroy the Jewish nation, Esther 8:3-6 suggests (to me, at least) that the king left the banquet and went back to his throne. If so, that passage recounts a second visit from Esther to the king (i.e., like the one described in Esther 5:1-8). Although she was afraid to do so the first time, and only did so after three days of fasting, she now seems more confident and the king again granted her an audience.
In the same way, even while we live by faith, we can find courage to do the right thing today because God has helped us – and countless others – do so in the past. And, those who follow Jesus can also approach God with the same confidence (see Hebrews 4:16, suggested by David Faust in the Lookout, cited below).
God does want us to trust Him, but He doesn’t ask us to do so without a vast collection of evidence for how He continues to do so. Our faith fills in the gaps where we don’t know all of the details, but it is neither a “blind faith” nor a foundationless faith.
Back in historical Susa, Esther again pleaded for her people. She wanted the king to repeal Haman’s order for the destruction of the Jewish people. (As it turns out, things weren’t that simple, but Esther could not abide having her nation wiped out.)
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. Now write another decree in the king’s name in 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.”
Esther 8:7-8 NIV
The king gives Esther and Mordecai the freedom to resolve the problem. After all, although Mordecai had the king’s signet ring, if the king found out that Mordecai was issuing proclamations or laws that the king didn’t agree with, Mordecai might end up hanging next to Haman (see Esther 7:9-10). In this case, though, the king has given these cousins (i.e., Esther and Mordecai) permission to fix the mess that Haman had made.
But, there is a catch: the law of the land doesn’t allow the king to repeal a previous decree. On the one hand, this means that whatever Esther and Mordecai write up and send to the provinces of Persia will be “locked in”. However, it also means that the “kill order” against the Jews that Haman had previously written and sent out couldn’t merely be repealed. So, a different solution would be required here.
We can learn more about how this conflict was resolved (although it does involve more conflict) in upcoming lessons, or you can just read the rest of this chapter and continue through the end of the book of Esther. (Unlike a TV drama, where you have to wait for the conclusion to the cliffhanger, the Bible is there for you to read – or to have read to you.)
However, as we watch all of the pieces of God’s plan coming together so far, I think that even those who don’t know how these events turned out can be confident that God still had more good in store for His people.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for July 21, 2024
References:
- The Lookout, July 21, 2024, © 2024 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The Bible and Archaeology, by J.A. Thompson, © 1962, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., p.166-171.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Esther & Daniel, by Mark Mangano. © 2001 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 