Esther 8-10 Vengeance or Vindication.

 

Well the world series is beginning tonight – Yankees

Phillies? - 

A)There is a practice in Baseball. – Rules tried to reduce – But older days – More common.

 

B)One teams star – hit a Home Run – the next batter is going to get drilled – fastball in the back

1)Today pitcher is thrown out – but yrs ago common occurrence – loved to be the guy hitting behind the HR hitter

 

C)Well when the opposing team came up to bat – it was expected that the Pitcher would retaliate

1)1st batter – Fast ball in the back or at the head

 

D)Retaliation is an interesting thing: You hurt me so I am going to hurt you worse – Human nature.

 

E)To take Vengeance on someone.

 

The English words avenge and Vengeance come to us through the French.

A)And both languages got it from the Latin – vendicare which has the same root as vindicate.

 

B)That is interesting to me: Vengeance which is passion out of control based on hatred.

1)And Vindicate which is what God does when defending his people derive from the same root word

Vendicare. - And yet they are contrary messages.

In order for there to be the restraint of Vengeance self control must be applied.

A)That is what we see here in chapters 8,9 of the book of Esther

 

B)We saw in our study last time that the evil villain Haman had been killed.

 

C)The motive behind his evil plot uncovered.

 

Chapter 8 begins with Esther and Mordecai being rewarded. RD V.1-2

A)The greek Historian Herodotus wrote that the property of a condemned criminal reverted back to the crown. –

 

B)It became the property of the King

 

C)Remember Haman was a wealthy man – agreed to pay the King – 10 thousand talents of silver for the permission to annihilate the Jews

 

D)375 tons of silver – a lot of silver – so Haman was a wealthy man –

1)The King gives Haman’s house to Esther and she in turn gives it to Mordecai –

 

E)Mordecai is promoted – given Haman’s job – signet ring – 2nd in command.

1)Complete turn of events

 

Problem: Haman is dead but the affects of his sin are very much alive.  There are lasting affects of sin!

A)The edict is still in place – it is only a matter of months until D- Day { Jews destroyed.

 

B)Reminds me – the affects of sin live for a long time.

1)Drugs and Alcohol addiction

2)Bitterness

3) A lie

 

C)We can be forgiven – but the affects of sin remain

1)The ramifications carry on.

 

Haman is gone – but his sin is still present.

Remember Edict couldn’t be reversed! Persian law

 

RD V.3-6   

 

So Esther falls before the King and pleads with him for something to be done to save her people.

A)This is note worthy to be – Here Esther and Mordecai have been blessed and rewarded

 

B)But they are not celebrating – they are not even focused on their blessing

1)All they can think about his their countrymen who are still in danger

 

C)I think that is a perfect picture of where our hearts should be – but too often are not.

 

We live in a land of plenty and of blessing – It is easy for us as believers to get distracted by Materialism

A)The current economic crises has been sobering for most of us.

 

B)But I think it is easy for us living in America and especially So Cal –

1)Get caught up into thinking – those are the blessings – the goals – good job – cars – stuff

 

C) We can get so caught up in those things and lose sight that pp all around us are doomed.

1)Going to hell.

 

D)When is the last time you shared your faith with someone?

1)When is the last time prayed for an unsaved friend or family member?

 

E)Pray for a Burden for the lost

1)Pray Lord let me share with someone today or this week – God will honor that

 

Here we also see I think a picture of the power of prayer – Esther on her knees before the King.

A)Pleading in tears –

 

B)Broken and contrite heart God will not despise

1)Don’t want to take the picture too far – this is after all a pagan king –

 

C)But I was reminded of Ezekiel  22:30-31

So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.

 

D)Encouragement for all of you prayer warriors out there to keep praying

1)If you are not a prayer warrior become one.

 

E)We are in the last days – Souls are in the balances!

 

RD V.7-12

 

So the King gave them the permission to write an edict counteract the old one.

A)They wrote an edict that the Jews could protect themselves.

 

B)It used the same language – the Language in Haman’s edict was that the Persians could destroy, kill, annihilate and plunder the Jews – Men women and Children.

 

C)So they wrote it in the same way: What is interesting is the Jews are not going to do that

1)They only defended themselves against their attackers –they kill only the men.

 

D)They didn’t take any of the Plunder – none of the spoil. –

Instead of vengeance – they simply vindicated themselves – Instead of Retaliation / retribution.

A)It would be an amazing act of restraint

 

13 A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province and published for all people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14 The couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king's command. And the decree was issued in Shushan the citadel.

 

Now I have to tip my hat to the King here – because – this new edict makes him look crazy.

A)Two months earlier he issues a decree – the Jews annihilated –

 

B)Now he issues one – they can defend himself

1)Talking potential civil war in his kingdom

 

C)The people don’t necessarily know what has gone on in the Palace. –

1)The ones in Shushan saw Haman impaled – maybe could put two and two together

 

D)But – this doesn’t make the King look good at all!

 

E)Rather than looking good he is more interested in doing the right thing. – Good mark of leadership

1)Humility in action

                                    RD V.15-17

God’s purpose in all these matters goes farther than the sparing of the Jews from destruction;

A)He also purposed to raise up Mordecai as the prime minister – as a replacement of Haman.

 

B)Gloom turned to Joy

 

This whole scene in Ch.8 also makes me think about the picture of Salvation.

A)I don’t want to take the analogy too far because Ahasurus is a pagan King

 

B)But think about God’s situation: He is a Holy God – Just God – Righteous.

1)The Decree has been issued – Wages of sin is death

 

C)Mankind has sinned – they are doomed – it cannot be reversed.

 

D)God has to punish sin? What does He do?

1)He send Jesus – to take the punishment

 

Romans 3:26 – He would show himself to be Just and the Justifier of our sins.

 

Just like with the message of the Gospel the word went out and the result was Joy and conversion.

 

Then many of the people of the land became Jews: As they saw God working on behalf of His people, they wanted the same relationship with God.

Ch. 9:1-10

 

Notice that last phrase: They had the freedom to take the spoils from those they annihilated – those who would have annihilated them –but they did not.

A)They defended themselves, but went no further.

 

B)They protected themselves and didn’t carry it to the extreme.

 

C)How did that happen? – Throughout the whole region? – Act of God.

1)Unity of action amongst the Jews

 

But I think this is a beautiful picture of what happens when we are walking in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16-18 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

 

How walk in the Spirit? Submitted yielded –

A)In the word – Let the Word dwell in you richly

 

B)Be filled with the Spirit { Connection

 

C)A fruit of the Spirit is Self Control!

 

RD v.11-14

Haman and his sons were descendents of the ancient Amalekites

A)God commanded Saul, the son of Kish, to execute the full extend of God’s judgment against the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:2-3).

 

B)Saul failed; but this later descendent of the tribe of Benjamin and a son of Kish named Mordecai  completed God’s judgment against the Amalekites.

 

“Now it was God’s intent that a last conflict should take place between Israel and Amalek: the conflict which began with Joshua in the desert was to be finished by Mordecai in the king’s palace.” (Spurgeon)

 

RD V.15-19

 

So here we see the celebrating of what would become known as the feast of Purim

A)Purim is the plural of the word Pur- Ch. 3 – to determine the day Haman cast Pur - = the lot

 

B)In our English Language – we add an (S) to make something plural.  Purs

1)Hebrew they add im – Seraph – Angelic being

Plural Seraphim – Cherub is Cherubim

 

C)So it became know as the feast of Purim – the casting of lots

 

D)Day they still celebrate this victory –

Still celebrated over two days:

A)The Jews in the city celebrate it on March 14th

The Jewish outside of Jerusalem on the 15th

 

C)Like our harvest festival – Games / Music / Dress up – Girls Esther – Boys Villian Haman / or hero Mordecai

 

RD v.20-32

 

So the day was made an official holiday written on the books to remember.

A)The day that was to be their death turned and became their hope for the life in the future.


B)We celebrate Communion - 

1)Christ died in our place –

2)Life became our future.

 

C)God is into memorials – He doesn’t want us to forget those things – Devil meant for Destruction – God turned to Good.

 

Enterprise Alabama ?
A)That is the place – where their Cotton crops were being destroyed by the Boll Weevil –

 

B)Led the farmers to look to plant other crops things that- Bollweevils didn’t like

 

C)One planted Peanuts – Huge – major grower of peanuts –other crops – Enterprise

1)Monument – Boll Weevil

 

D)What in your life – Caused Pain – heartache

Seen God work – through the brokenness

1)Make a memorial – Write it down – not forget

 

E)Those things cause Scars –

1)Two possibilities: One a vicious reminder of a horrible time in your life – what caused life to be ruined

 

Jesus is the healer – restorer – he doesn’t want us to be crippled by our past –

A)Crippled by pour decision –

 

B)Turn to the Lord – Let Him lead – let him work

 

C)That Scar can become a memorial – in your life of the Victory of Jesus –

1)His healing – His grace- His restoration

 

D)Then make a memorial plant a tree – or write it down.

 

RD Ch. 10

 

 

 

 

 

This last chapter is just a conclusion of the story.

A)We are told of the greatness of King Ahasuerus and of Mordecai.

 

B)Ahasuerus imposed tribute on the land and on the islands of the sea.

1)This appears to be a statement of his power: he had power so widespread that people throughout the land and sea paid him tribute.

 

Also his power and the greatness of Mordecai were recorded in the written chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia (cf. on 6:1).

 

This would emphasize that these men and the story we have studied were real history, not myth or legend.

 

Many things about their lives and work could be confirmed by the Persian history.

 

The story ends by concluding that Mordecai was a powerful man, second only to the king.

 

The Jews respected him and viewed him as a great man, because he did what was good for the people and worked for their peace and well being.

 

Picture of Messiah – That is what Jesus will do!

 

 

As we wrap up this study I want to remind you of three themes we have seen in this study of Esther.

 

#1 God’s Protection of the People of Israel.

A)Since the beginning of man it has always been Satan’s desire to destroy Israel.

 

B)Curse in the Garden the seed of the women would crush his head – he was determined to prevent the Messiah from coming.

 

C)In the book of Exodus – Pharaoh sought to destroy all the babies – God saved Moses – Savior

 

C)Various Gentile Kings who invaded Israel – There was always a remnant

 

C)Herod in the NT –

 

Modern History Hitler – Iran Ama….

A)Messiah has come but Satan knows that he is going to return – restore Israel

 

B)Satan wants to thwart the plan of God.

 

C)The book of Esther reminds us that plan for Israel will be carried out.

1)God’s plan for your life will be carried out.

Complete the work that He started in you.

 

 

#2 God is Sovereign.

A)God is not mentioned – but he was always moving behind the scenes to orchestrate his plan.

 

B)Orphan Esther – Queen – position to speak to the king – Such a time as this

 

C)Mordecai – His position

 

D)Never forget the providence of God – things don’t make sense He is working –

1)Look back and see what He was doing.

 

#3 A Picture of the Battle between the flesh and the Spirit.

A)Haman represented the man after the flesh –

 

B)Prideful- Never satisfied always wanting more – always ready to knock down whoever got in his way

1)Flesh is bitter angry – hateful –

 

C)Flesh sees what it doesn’t have instead of what it does have.

 

D)In order for God’s purpose to be carried out the flesh had to be put to death.

 

Mordecai – Great example of a man led by the Spirit

A)Broken Humble – Man of prayer –

 

B)Seeking the good of the pp and seeking peace.