VICTORY IN THE SPIRIT (Esther 9:1-19)
INTRODUCTION:
The end of chapter 8 saw the splendor of Mordecai as he departed the palace arrayed in the garments that spoke of his prominence and his role as the prime minister of the Media-Persia empire. His edict which was written to counter the edict of Haman which called for the destruction of the Jews, had just been issued in Susa and was in the hands of the couriers as they rushed it to every part of the empire. With the issuing of Mordecai’s edict, the city of Susa had erupted in joy and elation as they rejoiced in their deliverance. Throughout this book there has been the constant reminder of a day when the edicts of Haman and Mordecai would be executed. If you remember from last week Mordecai issued his edict about nine months before the day chosen by Haman for the annihilation of the Jews. As we come into chapter nine this morning, the nine months have passed, and the day has now arrived. Mordecai’s edict has made its way to every part of the empire and the Jews are ready to defend their lives. Let’s pray and then get into our Scripture passage for this morning.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles this morning to Esther 9:1-19. I am not even trying to do a whole chapter this morning. Lord willing, we will finish up the book of Esther next Sunday. Please, if you are able, stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word, and follow along as I read.
Esther 9:1-19,
“Now in the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on the thirteenth day when the king’s command and edict were about to be executed, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, it was turned to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them. The Jews assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm; and no one could stand before them, for the dread of them had fallen on all the peoples. Even all the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and those who were doing the king’s business assisted the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. Indeed, Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai became greater and greater. Thus the Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying; and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. At the citadel in Susa the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men, and Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. On that day the number of those who were killed at the citadel in Susa was reported to the king. The king said to Queen Esther, ‘The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa. What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! Now what is your petition? It shall even be granted you. And what is your further request? It shall also be done.’ Then said Esther, ‘If it pleases the king, let tomorrow also be granted to the Jews who are in Susa to do according to the edict of today; and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.’ So the king commanded that it should be done so; and an edict was issued in Susa, and Haman’s ten sons were hanged. The Jews who were in Susa assembled also on the fourteenth day of the month Adar and killed three hundred men in Susa, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces assembled, to defend their lives and rid themselves of their enemies, and kill 75,000 of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. This was done on the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. But the Jews who were in Susa assembled on the thirteenth and the fourteenth of the same month, and they rested on the fifteenth day and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. Therefore the Jews of the rural areas, who live in the rural towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a holiday for rejoicing and feasting and sending portions of food to one another.” (Esther 9:1–19, NASB95)[1]
THE RIGHT TO DEFEND (Esther 9:1-5)
Throughout Scripture we see God testing those who have put their faith in Him, seeing if they will trust Him, seeing if they will rely on Him. The same is true for us, God will test us after we have learned through the study of His Word, illuminated by the Holy Spirit to us, what He would have us learn. Then this must be put to the test. Though our hearts may be filled with joy with the truth that we have learned of the possibility of full deliverance from the bondage of the flesh, from our old nature, the day will come when we must return to the place of testing, to the circumstances of former defeat, to test our knowledge of what we have learned. This testing must take place because victory is of no real value unless it can be lived out in the reality of daily experience.
So, like the Jews in the empire of Ahasuerus, we must come to the actual day of combat. When that temptation blindsides us, when we feel the pressure to give way to the old nature and let it have its way, what do we do? The history of Esther and the deliverance of the Jews gives us the means by which the provision for victory can be applied to the specific time of combat. The first provision is the authority of faith.
Under the edict of Haman, the people of the Media-Persia empire were commanded to fight against the Jews, and under that same edict there was no provision for the Jews to defend themselves, they were in this sense forbidden to defend themselves. To make any effort to defend themselves was a violation of the law that was signed and sealed by the king. The law written by Haman was against the Jews, legally they could not fight to defend themselves. This can be seen in our own lives as well. Paul writes in Romans 7:5, “For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.” (Romans 7:5, NASB95)[2] The verse is telling us that when we seek to please God but do so in our own strength, not relying on the Spirit of Christ within us to do the work in us, our old nature, our flesh is aroused by the law that we are trying to obey. The very law that commands our obedience also arouses our resentment against it.
Before the fateful day when Haman’s edict would be carried out another edict was written. The edict written by Mordecai with all the authority of the king, written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring, this edict set the Jews free so that they would no longer be disobedient to the law if they defended themselves. The same is true for us as Paul wrote in the next verse of Romans 7, verse 6 says, “But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.” (Romans 7:6, NASB95)[3] We now have the full authority of God to stand on the basis of an imparted life—that life is the life of the Lord Jesus Christ made real to us by the indwelling Holy Spirit. We now have the right and full authority to withstand every appearance of the flesh. The Holy Spirit has taken up residence in us in the very place of power to free us from the effects of this fallen humanity that we call the flesh, or our old nature. In the same way, the Jews of Esther’s day now had the right and the full authority to withstand the attack of any who would seek to harm them. This right and full authority was given to them in the edict of Mordecai, signed and sealed by king Ahasuerus.
Returning to Esther 9:3 we read, “Even all the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and those who were doing the king’s business assisted the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them.” (Esther 9:3, NASB95)[4] This is an example of the authority of faith, as we step out in faith, often even the circumstances we thought against us now combine to help on to victory. Think of Joseph, he was sold into slavery and then sent to prison, and from there exalted to the second highest in the kingdom of Egypt. His brothers who had sold him into slavery came to Egypt to buy grain because the famine was severe. When Joseph revealed who he was to his brothers they were very afraid. Joseph comforted them and told them not to be afraid. He said to them in Genesis 50:20, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Genesis 50:20, NASB95)[5] Often it is the very circumstances that we blame for our defeat and the bondage we find ourselves in that God uses to help us to victory.
More than this authority of faith but that faith must rest in the right place, that faith must be in dependance of the man of power (remember He represents the Holy Spirit.) Verses 4-5 tell us, “Indeed, Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai became greater and greater. Thus the Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying; and they did what they pleased to those who hated them.” (Esther 9:4–5, NASB95)[6] The Jews defending their lives and the lives of their families understand and fight against their enemies knowing that the man of power is on their side, seen in the fact that all the government officials are assisting them. The power in which they fought was not their own but came right from the throne itself. Because of this they were simply irresistible in their fighting and destroyed those who came to do them harm. We must find this truth as well in our battle and say, “in my own strength I can’t, but He can; therefore, in His strength I can.” Power flows from the very throne of the universe when we depend on the Holy Spirit to do battle for us, through us. Faith in Christ and dependence upon the Holy Spirit who indwells us is all we need to bring us into the victory He intends for us.
EVIDENCES OF VICTORY (Esther 9:6-15)
As we continue through chapter nine of Esther and come to the next section of verses, we find examples for us of evidences of victory. In other words, how can we really know that we are walking in the Spirit? There are certain evidences of this, that are impossible to imitate, by which we can know that we have found the way to victory. We see three of these evidences given to us here.
The first is the slaying of Haman’s ten sons, in verses 6-10 we read, “At the citadel in Susa the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men, and Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.” (Esther 9:6–10, NASB95)[7] This seems to indicate that Haman’s ten sons were cut from the same cloth as their father and sought to carry out their father’s edict possibly in revenge for his execution. Many like to focus on the meanings of their names and how they correspond with traits of the old nature, just as their father represented the old nature of man. Just as our Haman must be put to death in our lives, his ten sons must also be put to death and when these traits disappear from our lives this is the first great evidence that we have discovered the secret of walking in the Spirit that leads to the way of victory.
The second is seen in verses 11-13, “On that day the number of those who were killed at the citadel in Susa was reported to the king. The king said to Queen Esther, ‘The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa. What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! Now what is your petition? It shall even be granted you. And what is your further request? It shall also be done.’ Then said Esther, ‘If it pleases the king, let tomorrow also be granted to the Jews who are in Susa to do according to the edict of today; and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.’ ” (Esther 9:11–13, NASB95)[8] Esther requests two things from the king, another day for the Jews to destroy those who would seek to do them harm, and that the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows. Esther desires to see an end of those who are the enemies of the Jews and even though the ten sons of Haman are already dead, she requests that their dead bodies be publicly displayed. There is no clearer evidence of the victory of the Spirit than when a Christian is willing to share with others the story of his battle with the evil of his own old nature. If we attempt to control the flesh by our own willpower, the last thing we want to have anyone know is that we have problems with our old flesh. But when we begin to walk in the Spirit and He begins to eradicate these things from our life we want everyone to know. We no longer fear discovery, for the end of these traits of the old nature are obvious to all, as we all struggle against them.
The third and final evidence that we find in this passage is mentioned three times. Throughout this passage we read of the Jews victory in each place that they defended themselves, wherever they defeated their enemies it is recorded that they did not lay their hands on the plunder. They did not take advantage of the victory to enrich themselves. They were not interested in personal advancement as a result of the remarkable turn of events. This is possibly the clearest evidence of a true spiritual victory. They showed that they wanted victory simply because they wanted to live their lives in peace. The mark of true spiritual victory is that you do not care a bit what happens to you, you simply want victory because it is God’s desire for you.
THE JOY OF VICTORY (Esther 9:16-19)
What comes after a great victory? Joy and gladness. The words rest, feasting, rejoicing are repeated in the last four verses. Verses 16-19 say, “Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces assembled, to defend their lives and rid themselves of their enemies, and kill 75,000 of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. This was done on the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. But the Jews who were in Susa assembled on the thirteenth and the fourteenth of the same month, and they rested on the fifteenth day and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. Therefore the Jews of the rural areas, who live in the rural towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a holiday for rejoicing and feasting and sending portions of food to one another.” (Esther 9:16–19, NASB95)[9] As we read this do not get hung up on the fact that 75000 of those who hated the Jews were killed, God granted them a great victory which works out to about 600 killed in each province, remember the empire consisted of 127 provinces. The emphasis in these final verses is the celebration that took place after the battle was won. It was a day of feasting and rejoicing; it was a day of rest. It was a holiday, enjoying what had been accomplished. It was a day of showing generosity and deep concern for others, sending portions of food to one another. All of this is an indication of the results of the victory that was accomplished. This is a picture for us of the enjoyment of the fruit of the Spirit.
How much did the kingdom of Media-Persia experience these blessings while Haman was prime minister? None whatsoever! When Haman ruled, the result in the kingdom was confusion, mourning, weeping, dejection, and despair. How clearly this describes the experience of a Christian who is truly struggling in his own strength to do his best for God but has not learned what God wants to teach him about a rest and dependence on the indwelling life of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus who desires to empower and work through him. That each of us would learn this lesson.
CONCLUSION:
As I close this morning with the rest, feasting, and rejoicing in our minds and knowing that each of us can have this same type of rest when we depend on the indwelling Holy Spirit to empower and work through us to live the victorious Christian life. But we must be careful when we make this point. We are so used to looking at our circumstances as the source of our happy feelings, and when we hear that we can experience rest, rejoicing, and concern for others continually, we might feel that this somehow means that we will have joyful circumstances all the time. We must be careful to understand exactly what is offered. The promised supply of peace, victory, joy, and a continual out-flowing of love does not necessarily mean that there will be a change in our circumstances. Victory does not mean freedom from weariness, sickness, sorrow, heartache, pressure, defeat, or danger in the Christian experience. What it does mean, in the midst of these things we shall, at the same time, experience a quiet inner joy, a sense of sustaining strength, and a freedom from the traits of the old nature, as we allow the indwelling Holy Spirit to control us.
The Lord Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NASB95)[10] There is a place of relief and release despite the circumstances. Deliverance comes not by a change in our conditions, but by another means, the continual imparting to us by the indwelling life of the risen Lord through His Spirit whose adequate and infinite resources maintain our spirits despite the circumstances we may encounter.
[1]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[2]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[3]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[4]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[5]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[6]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[7]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[8]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[9]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[10]New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.