Okay, this evening we're going
to take a look at Esther chapter 8. Esther chapter 8. And I'm taking the title for
the message from over here in verse 16. Esther chapter 8 verse
16. It says here that the Jews had
light and gladness and joy and honor. When that new decree was
declared and when the new decree came, it was written in their
language. When they read it, heard of it,
and the good news of it, they rejoiced and they were glad. They were glad. Now what a remarkable
turnaround. These people were under the sentence
of death by the decree of King Haziorus, by the wicked request
of Haman, remember? And back there, when that decree
was given, the city, it says in chapter 3, was perplexed.
And you remember Mordecai cried out with a bitter cry, his heart
was broken. because of that decree to destroy
the whole Jewish race in all the kingdom. Complete annihilation. Now you can imagine hearing such
a decree against your family. How it would affect you. You'd
be devastated as well. But now we find them rejoicing.
Rejoicing in the good news. In the good news that they had
just heard. The good news. And it says there
they had joy and gladness and a feast day. And it says in verse
17 they had a good day. That's a good day when you hear
the good news. We too were under sentence of
death for violating the law of God, the unchanging law of God. But now we rejoice in the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ who delivered us from the penalty
of that law. from the penalty of our sin,
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a
curse for us. Now Haman, the Jews' enemy, being
hanged for treason, a new decree was given unto the Jews to defend
themselves and to fight against them that were appointed to slay
them in the day that had been appointed for their death. When
the Persians were to kill and to destroy the whole race, That
was according to the old decree. By the new decree, the Persian
army actually helped the Jews defend themselves. Now they have
much to rejoice in. and even many pagan Persians
seeing the joy of these people and fearing them because of how
God in his providence, sovereign providence, protected them and
delivered them. It says there in that last verse,
they became converts to serve the true and living God. Now what an amazing turn of events. Haman sought to stamp out the
race and to stamp out their religion and yet it grew. It grew like
in New Testament times when they tried to persecute the gospel
and the apostles and the church. It just grew. It got bigger. It got bigger. Now we left the
plotter Haman, we left Haman swinging from a tree, swinging
from the gallows that he prepared for Mordecai. And now we see
what becomes of his wicked plot, his plot to enrich himself and
destroy Mordecai and Mordecai's people, the Jews, but the Lord
protected them and destroyed him and his family and his riches
were given away. It reminds me of this verse.
Don't turn, let me just, let me turn and read it to you. In Hebrews chapter two, for as
much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
he also himself, that is the Lord Jesus, likewise took part
of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had
power of death, or who had introduced sin, that is the devil, He destroyed
the devil and delivered them. And that's what God has done
for us. Destroyed our sin and delivered
us. And that's a picture of what
we see here in this story. Now, in verse one and two of
chapter eight, we find Esther and Mordecai are being enriched
and honored And the king did give the house of Haman the Jews
unto the queen. And Mordecai came before the
king, for Esther had told what he was to her. You remember she
was an orphan, her parents had died. Mordecai graciously took
her into his home and raised her as his own daughter. And
the king took off his ring which he had taken from Haman, and
gave it unto Mordecai, and Esther set Mordecai over the house of
Haman. Now Haman is gone, Esther and
Mordecai are blessed and honored and enriched. They had much sorrow
and much heartache, But now they have blessings to rejoice in
by the hand of Almighty God. You can't account for this any
other way. It wasn't by luck, fate, or chance. It was by the sovereign purpose
and providence of God. David said this in Psalm 126,
those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. And they had many
tears, but they are now reaping much joy. John 16, we read this,
the Lord said, these things have I spoken unto you, that in me
you might have peace in the world you shall have. Tribulation,
but be of good cheer. I have overcome I've overcome
being a believer Does not exempt us from sorrows of this sin cursed
world But in the Lord Jesus Christ we have great deliverance from
our sin being a believer does not exempt us from heartache
and grief, sorrow over our sin and the sin that goes on in this
wicked world but we have deliverance because Christ put away our sin. We read this in Galatians 1,
the Lord Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins that he might deliver
us from this present evil world according to the will of God
our Father to whom be glory now and forever. The Lord has promised us not
only deliverance from all our sin, but has also promised us
grace for every trial. That's why trials that the Lord
sends are called precious trials. The Lord gives us grace for every
trial. You remember in 2 Corinthians
12, The Apostle Paul who knew much about rejoicing in the Lord,
but he also knew much about sorrow, grief, and heartache, didn't
he? He said to Paul, the Lord said,
my grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect
in weakness. Paul said, most gladly therefore
will I rather glory in my infirmities at the power of Christ. may rest
upon me. Esther and Mordecai are believers
and the Lord protected them and the Lord blessed them and even
advanced them and honored them. But how much more are we in the
gospel of Christ blessed and protected and even enriched with
all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in the Lord Jesus
Christ. You remember that scripture where
the apostle says, and you know the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
that though he was rich, Yet for your sakes he became poor,
that you through his poverty might be rich." We've been made
heirs of God and joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. We've
been made partakers of an eternal inheritance. that never fades
away, exceeding great and precious promises that God has given unto
us. Esther, yeah, she was blessed. And Mordecai, yeah, he was blessed
and honored. But how much more believers are
resting in the Lord Jesus Christ. Here's a second point. Esther
in verse 3 down through verse 6, Esther again pleads for an
inner siege for her people, asked for their deliverance from death
to put away the wicked mischief of Haman, and the king holds
out the golden scepter, and Esther arose and stood before the king. Esther spake unto yet again before
the king and fell down at his feet and besought him with tears
to put away the mischief of Haman and he devised against the Jews
and the king held out that golden scepter as he did before toward Esther and she arose and
stood before the king and said if it pleased the king and if
I found favor in his sight and the thing seemed right before
the king and I And I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written
to reverse the letters devised by Haman, which he wrote to destroy
the Jews, which were in all the king's provinces. For how can
I endure to see the evil that shall come upon my people? Or
how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?" She's still thinking
about, even though she's honored and she's blessed, she's still
thinking about her people. Still thinking about those people,
and she intercedes for them, asks for deliverance for them.
The king again holds out that golden scepter of mercy, and
she makes her plea with tears for her people. Well, how can
I endure, she said, to see evil and destruction upon my people?
Esther and Mordecai were blessed and enriched, but they did not
forget their own people. and the decree of death that
was against the Jews. They were eager to have the first
decree overturned and satisfied and a new decree issued. Now, there's a big problem here. Like in the story of King Darius
and Daniel, That decree that Darius made could not be made
null and void. Those who worshiped another god
but the king had to go to the lion's den. He just couldn't
strike that through and say, well, we're not gonna count that
anymore. The law of the Medes and Persians
could not be changed. So is it true in this story as
well. That first decree that King Ahasuerus made that all
the Jews must die on the 13th day of the 12th month of Adar,
it was still in effect and it could not be altered. The law
of the Medes and Persians could not be changed. No law made can
be appealed or changed. And that is how, as we read earlier,
how Daniel ended up in the lions then. The king studied and studied
how to deliver Daniel from going down to the lion's den and he
could not find a way to do it without violating his law so
Daniel went in the den of lions and God delivered him. Now let's
apply this to the gospel of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.
There is that holy law of God that does not change, that cannot
change because God does not change. He said, I'm the Lord, I change
not. And we all have violated and sinned against that law of
God. We all stand guilty before the law of God. And that law
of God has not changed. Let every mouth be stopped and
all the world become guilty before God. We've all sinned to come
short of the glory of God. We know the wages of sin is death.
We know the guilty must die. But now here's the beauty and
glory of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord our God
has not changed His holy law in order to save us. He has not
lowered the standard of the law. It still says the guilty must
die. God provided a substitute to
die in our place. The Lord Jesus Christ, in love
for His people like Esther, was pleading for her people. The
Lord Jesus Christ came and honored His own law in every precept
and penalty, satisfied His own law by taking our sin to Himself,
putting away our sin by the sacrifice of Himself, and has set us free. He didn't violate His law, did
He? He honored His law. The Lord Jesus appeared once
in the end of the world to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself. The law of God killed the Lord
Jesus Christ that we might be set free. Now the Lord can save
us and justify us, his covenant people, and not violate his own
law, not violate his own holy character. That's why Isaiah
said he is both a just God and Savior. That's why Paul writes
that God is both just and the justifier of the ungodly. Now the Lord ever lived to intercede
for us? He's able to save them to the
uttermost, all that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lived
to make intercession for them. And we know none can perish for
whom the Lord Jesus Christ stood as our head, our husband, as
our surety, and as our substitute, and as our Savior. None can perish.
He says that in John 6, doesn't he? All that the Father giveth
to me shall come to me, and those that come to me I will never
cast them out. For I came down from heaven,
not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And
this is the Father's will that sent me, that all He had given
me I'll lose nothing, but raise it up again at the last day.
He said, I give my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish.
And here's the third thing I wanted to see. In verse 7 down to verse
14. King Ahasuerus said unto Esther
the queen, the Mordecai the Jew, behold, I've given Esther the
house of Haman, and him have they hanged upon the gallows,
because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Write ye also for the
Jews, as it liketh you in the king's name, seal it with the
king's ring, for the writing which is written in the king's
name, and seal it with the king's ring. No man can change this
new law either. Then were the king's scribes
called at that time in the third month, that is the month Savan. Now this is nine months before
that twelfth month, that day that was decreed for their death.
On the three and twentieth day of the Revenue it was written
according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and
it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto
the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and to the deputies, the rulers
of the providence, which are from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces,
unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto
every people after their language, and to the Jews according to
their writing, according to their language, and he wrote it, and
sent the word out everywhere. Verse 11, when the king granted
the Jews which were in every city, to gather themselves together,
to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause
to perish all the power of the people in the province, that
would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the
spoil of them for prey. Upon one day in all the province
of King Ahasuerus, namely on the thirteenth day of that twelfth
month, that was the original decree, Now here's another decree
that says you're to stand and fight. You're to stand and fight. The copy of the writing for the
commandment to be given in every province was published unto all
the people that the Jews were ready to be ready against the
day to avenge themselves on their enemies. So the post that rode
upon the mules, the camels, went out being hasted and pressed
on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan
the palace. Now, I thought about this a long
time. The king instructs Mordecai to
write a new law in his name sealed with the king's ring and again
we read this law cannot be reversed. And then he sends this word out
to the whole kingdom in the language of the people that they could
read it and understand it even in the language of the Jews.
And the Jews were granted the right to prepare, to defend,
to fight against the enemies that would come against them
according to the decree of Haman on that thirteenth day of the
twelfth month, the day of Adar. Now we will study next time in
chapter 9 that no man could withstand them, that is God blessed them
with might and power, the Lord gave them dominion over the enemies,
and even the king, King Ahasuerus sent the Persian army to help
those Jews defend themselves against any that would come against
them. What does all that have to do
with the gospel of Christ? I want us to see another gospel
promise given to us here in the new covenant of the everlasting
grace of God that's ordered in all things and is sure. The Lord
said that He will never leave us nor forsake us. In the new
covenant of God, we know that the war has been won, right? Christ has won the war. Christ
has won the victory, and in Christ we have the victory, right? But
now here's where I'm going with this. In this life, as believers,
we still have many battles to fight. We still have many battles
to fight as we stand for the gospel in this world. Let me
just remind you a few of them. 1 Timothy 1.18, This charge I commit
unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecy which went before
on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare, holding faith. And then in 1 Timothy 6.12, we
are told to fight the good fight of faith. And then in 2 Timothy
2.3, Paul writes, Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Seems like he's telling the people
to stand and fight. Stand and fight, contend for
the gospel. And then in 2 Timothy 4, 7, we've
been told to fight the good fight of faith and to prepare for the
battle. And then the Apostle Paul reminds
us in Acts 14 that we through much tribulation must enter into
the kingdom of God. Now I want you to turn and read
this one with me. Find Ephesians chapter 6. Ephesians chapter
6, we're to put on the whole armor of God. Now why should
we do that? The war has been won, right?
But we have many battles to fight. In the name of the Lord, Ephesians
chapter 6 verse 11, put on the whole armor of God that you may
be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle
not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and
powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto
you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in
the evil day, having done all to stand. Stand therefore, having
your loins girded about with truth, having on the breastplate
of righteousness your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel
of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye
shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." He's
describing the soldier, isn't he? describing the believer dressed
in the blessed armor of God. Above all, take the shield of
faith, by which you shall be able to quench all the fiery
darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of salvation, which
is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and the take
the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is
the Word of God, praying always with all prayers and supplication
in the Spirit, watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication
for all the saints, all the saints. Now, we've been told in Scripture
as believers to contend for the faith, that's once delivered
unto the saints. And the Lord Jesus Christ has
given us this promise. He said that He'd give us the
victory. He always calls us to triumph
in Christ. Let me read that to you. 2 Corinthians
2 14. Now thanks be unto God which
always causes us to triumph in Christ. and make manifest the
savor of his knowledge by us in every place. He always gives
us the victory when he sends us out into the battle. We're
never failures. Not in his kingdom. He gives
us grace for the fight. In Philippians chapter 4 verse
13, Paul said, I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth
me. Now, here's the last thing I
want us to see. In verse 15, 16, and 17, several
gospel nuggets here in the closing, this message, Mordecai's honor
and the Jews' joy. Verse 15, Mordecai went out from
the presence of the king in royal apparel, blue and white, with
a great crown of gold, with a garment of linen and purple, and the
city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. The Jews had light,
gladness, joy, and honor. And in every province, in every
city, whatsoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews
had joy and gladness, a feast day and a good day. Over in chapter
9, they made this an annual memorial feast day to remember this day,
and a good day, and many of the people of the land became Jews
for the fear of the Jews fell upon them. Now verse 15, Mordecai,
was especially blessed, promoted, and honored. If you look over
in chapter 9 verse 4, chapter 9 verse 4, Mordecai was great
in the king's house, and his fame went throughout all the
providence, for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater. And then if you look over in
chapter 10, Verse 3, Mordecai the Jew was
next unto King Ahasuerus, great among the Jews, accepted of the
multitude of his brothers, seeking the wealth of his people, speaking
peace to all his seed. All that is type and picture
of the Lord Jesus Christ, is it not? When the Lord pleases
to work, How soon can he give beauty for ashes, the oil of
joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Here we see Mordecai in authority,
in second authority under the king. Mordecai is arrayed in
royal apparel with a crown of gold upon his head, once despised
and hated. Now the city of Shushan rejoices
and glad that Mordecai is now second in command rather than
wicked Haman. We could easily use this as a
type and picture of the Lord Jesus Christ in the gospel and
see how the Lord Jesus Christ was a great man, a man of great
sorrow and grief. tempted and tested in every point
like as we are, yet without sin, and He has won the complete victory
over all our enemies, and has given us everlasting salvation. Colossians 2 tells us, having
spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly,
triumphing over them in himself. God has highly exalted him to
the right hand of the throne of God. He is now highly exalted
to the right hand of the throne of God, having put away our sin,
and there he ever lives to make intercession for us. In verse
16 and verse 17, Mordecai was blessed with honor, and those
to whom he represented were also blessed through him. And God's
people are abundantly and eternally blessed in the Lord Jesus Christ,
our prince and our king, and he has even made us kings and
priests unto our God. Wherever the king's decree and
command came, the Jews had joy and gladness, and they had a
good day. Whenever the gospel of God's
decree comes to us with power, by the power of God the Holy
Spirit, His people have what? Joy, gladness, and a good day. They have light. Christ is our light. We have
gladness and joy. We rejoice in the Lord Jesus
Christ. And we have no confidence in
the flesh. And we have honor too. Did you
know that? We have honor. We are honored
and we are blessed in Him. We are accepted in the Beloved. blessed with all spiritual blessing
in the heavenlies in Christ. And many of the people were also
converted from paganism to worship a true and living God. As it
says there in the last part of verse 17, many of the people
of the land, they became Jewish converts. for the fear of the
Jews fell upon them, really the fear of God fell upon them. Now think about it, Haman sought
to stamp out the whole race and as he sought to stamp it out,
God added to the church daily such as should be saved. Similar
to what happened in the early gospel church, similar to what
happened on the day of Pentecost when Peter preached the gospel,
many Gentiles were converted. I think this is a foretaste and
a picture of that happening, of the conversion of the Gentiles
into the gospel church. We could say this is a type and
picture of the conversion of many Gentiles being made partakers
with Christ, being added the Lord added daily to the church
such as should be saved. In Acts chapter 2, then they
gladly received his word, were baptized, and the same day were
added unto them about 3,000 souls. Now, we don't have the number
here of the Jewish converts, but in all those 127 provinces, That decree went to all those
provinces, and the Lord used that decree and this whole happening
to convert many pagan Gentiles to worship a true and living
God. You see, God even uses the persecution
of His people to the furtherments of His gospel. Remember what
Paul said when he said, "...whatsoever things happen unto me, Whatsoever
things happen unto me, Philippians chapter one, they happen unto
me to the furtherance of the gospel, not the hindrance of
it, furtherance of the gospel. Okay, we'll pick up there next
time. One more message from the book
of Esther. We'll look at chapter nine and then those three verses
in chapter 10. And again, we're always looking
for the gospel