Esther 8
On that day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews; and Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her. Then the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. So Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
Then Esther spoke again to the king; she fell at his feet, weeping and pleading with him to avert the evil design of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews. The king held out the golden sceptre to Esther, and Esther rose and stood before the king. She said, ‘If it pleases the king, and if I have won his favour, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I have his approval, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote giving orders to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. For how can I bear to see the calamity that is coming on my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?’ Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to the Jew Mordecai, ‘See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he plotted to lay hands on the Jews. You may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king’s ring; for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be revoked.’
The king’s secretaries were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews and to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language. He wrote letters in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed them with the king’s ring, and sent them by mounted couriers riding on fast steeds bred from the royal herd. By these letters the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to assemble and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, with their children and women, and to plunder their goods on a single day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. A copy of the writ was to be issued as a decree in every province and published to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to take revenge on their enemies. So the couriers, mounted on their swift royal steeds, hurried out, urged by the king’s command. The decree was issued in the citadel of Susa.
Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king, wearing royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a mantle of fine linen and purple, while the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. For the Jews there was light and gladness, joy and honour. In every province and in every city, wherever the king’s command and his edict came, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a festival and a holiday. Furthermore, many of the peoples of the country professed to be Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.
Reflection
There are many possible lenses with which we could read this passage but what strikes me as I read this chapter today is how humanity seems unable to break away from cycles of oppression.
While not explicitly mentioned in this book, God’s handprint in this plan is clear. We see many similar themes throughout scripture: a resourceful and unlikely hero whose apparent weakness becomes their power. Esther and Deborah, both women in a patriarchal society, Ehud the Judge whose left handedness gives him an element of surprise and of course Jesus whose death is not a weakness but a victory.
Esther’s actions are taken to save her own people and it becomes clear they are favoured by God. All good so far – God’s people are protected and we see in verse 16 it’s a time of great happiness and celebration. But by verse 17 we hear also, “but many non-Jews became Jews—now it was dangerous not to be a Jew!” (The Message).
It’s a tough read which can’t be resolved in a short reflection. We have to remember this reaction of happiness and relief was a response by a people who had lived under an oppressive regime and now were no longer living in fear. How quickly the tables seemed to be turning though, a new group was now becoming fearful.
The Bible reminds us over and over how quickly this happens when suddenly our circumstances improve. Pick once again any of the tales of the Judges! Or the people of Israel in the wilderness who once liberated start complaining and remember the ‘good life’ back in Egypt, or the people greeting Jesus with palms who were crying out for his crucifixion a week later.
Jesus reminded us that this tit for tat was not the way to live, “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family. (Matt 5:9 The Message)
How then do we break the cycle and bring about this world? How do we create a new story with a different ending?
Prayer
Elohim Shomri, God of Protection
We thank you for walking with us in whatever our circumstances
If we find ourselves in a position of privilege, help us to recognise it
If we find ourselves in a position of oppression or abuse, support and guide us
El Rachum, God of Compassion
We thank you for protecting us like a Mother Hen
Help us to refrain from using your favour to exercise power
Help us to recognise that your love is a gracious gift to be shared
Most High, Rope, the God who heals
Help us work with you to create a world where all know peace, happiness and joy
Amen