Esther 9

Read Esther 9

The thirteenth day of the twelfth month was supposed to be Haman's day of triumph over the Jews according to his own evil plan. Instead, when that day came Haman was already dead. The man who had refused to pay homage to Haman, Mordecai, had now become a very powerful and well-known leader throughout the Persian Empire. The exact day that Haman sought out by casting lots was the day when the Jews destroyed their enemies, including the ten sons of Haman.

The enemies of the Jews desired to see harm come upon the Lord's beloved people. Though they were still under the dominion of the Persians, the officials throughout the 127 provinces of Ahasuerus stood with the Jews in this moment of justice, “for fear of Mordecai had fallen on them.”

The judgment of the Lord came upon His adversaries and many people died throughout the territory of Ahasuerus. The fourteenth day and the fifteenth day in the twelfth month became a time of great celebration for the Jews, not just for one year, but forever. A new feast was added to the calendar for the Lord's Old Testament people. Each year would close shortly after the celebration of Purim. The cycle of festivals would begin again with Passover during the first month of the next year.

Passover was a festival of redemption through the blood of the lamb. It was a new beginning for Israel. In Purim the victory spread to all of the Lord's beloved children who became agents of His vengeance against His and our enemies.

How can we ever celebrate the death of the wicked? Life begins with God. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. When the day comes for final judgment there will be one good Man leading us in the right way to go. The Son of God will be the Judge of all the earth and He will do what is right. He who gave His own blood for us as the Lamb of God will lead us in the holy celebration of the vindication of His church.

The final book of the Bible warns us of the difficulties that the Lord's assembly will face during the New Testament era. It also reminds us again that trial must eventually give way to triumph. The victory of Jesus will be clearly seen as a celebration for all who belong to Him.

Those who have plotted our demise will have no share in the final kingdom of glory. Yet the Lord chose an enemy of the Way, Paul of Tarsus, to be a great ambassador of the good news of Christ's mercy to Jews and Gentiles. Today is a day of mercy. It is a day for the enemies of the Lord's church to turn away from death and to find eternal life in the light of the glorious Lamb. It is a perfect time for persecutors of the church to find the mercy of God in the wounds of Jesus.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

O God, a great Day of the Lord is surely coming. A large and angry league of enemies would suppose that their victory is at hand. You will never allow this to be the final story for Your beloved bride. You will bring those who hate her to justice in a most surprising way. Your judgments against the wicked are not just for one or two days. Your justice is eternal. Because we know that Your day of complete victory is surely coming, even now we celebrate with gladness, for Your promises are very certain. It will not go well for the wicked, but we who are righteous in Christ will be kept in Him forever. Teach us to celebrate even now, though at the present moment an enemy would seem to be too close for our comfort.