The previous article described how the Jewish people in the ancient Persian empire were saved from genocide, after their enemy Haman had persuaded King Xerxes to issue a decree for their extermination. Although the first decree (instigated by Haman) couldn’t be revoked, the king gave two Jewish cousins authority to fix the problem. These cousins were Esther (who also happened to be queen, and who had brought this travesty to the king’s attention), and Mordecai (who was given Haman’s leadership role after the king found out what Haman had done).
The solution was for a second decree to be issued. Although it couldn’t undo the original one (because of Persian law), it gave the Jewish people the right to defend themselves (see Esther 8), and they were overwhelmingly successful over those who sought to kill them and take their belongings (see Esther 9:1-19).
If you’ve read and/or studied the book of Esther before, or have just been following along with the past articles on this site, this isn’t news to you. However, I’d like to look back and consider the timing of these events. In a book of the Bible that can probably be read in one sitting, the gaps between key milestones might not be obvious. However, nothing is accidental in God’s plan. And, in this case, His purposes (per His past promises) included preserving His people (again) from destruction, because they still had key roles to play in the salvation of the world.
Let’s take a look…
Esther 3:7 says that the lot (or pur, probably like dice) was cast in the first month, and the twelfth month was selected. Esther 3:12-13 confirms that the law was given on the 13th day of the first month, and that the day selected for the original “government-sanctioned genocide” was the 13th day of the twelfth month. It looks like the first month of the Persian calendar would be around April by modern counting, making the twelfth month more like March. Regardless of the specific time of year, though, there were 11 months from Haman’s order to the fateful day.
Esther 8:9 indicates that the follow-up decree (that one from Mordecai) was given on the 23rd day of the third month. So, there were a couple of months (or so) from Haman’s order to when Esther brought it up to the king, and almost 9 months from Mordecai’s decree to the day when Haman’s order was due to take place.
By the way, the Persian empire apparently had something like the Pony Express (of the American West in the early 1860’s), where there were riders with good horses stationed 1 day’s ride apart. So, one rider would ride fast with a message from the king, and – at the end of that ride – would hand the message off to the next rider. (See Esther 8:14) As a result, there was plenty of time to get the word out to Jewish people throughout the empire, almost 9 months before the date in Haman’s decree.
If the lot had resulted in Haman choosing a month that was much earlier in the year, though, would there have been time to save the Jewish people? While God could have saved them some other way, it makes me wonder if God impacts even how dice are thrown?
In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur (that is, the lot) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
Esther 3:7 NIV
I am not suggesting that you should go out and gamble so that you can test this out, but I wouldn’t be surprised if God had a hand in giving His people just the right amount of time for His plan to play out.
How about you? Do you see how God is working in your life? I’ve run long on this article, but have more to say about this topic in the next one. In the meantime, I encourage you to pause and consider where you see His work around and in you. Where do you see His plan?
From Sunday School lesson prepared for July 28, 2024
References:
- The Lookout, July 28, 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 