Courage for Life for Women - Flipbook - Page 15
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twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, lots
were cast in Haman’s presence (the lots
were called purim) to determine the best
day and month to take action. And the day
selected was March 7, nearly a year later.*
8
Then Haman approached King Xerxes
and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of
your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are
different from those of any other people,
and they refuse to obey the laws of the
king. So it is not in the king’s interest to
let them live. 9 If it please the king, issue a
decree that they be destroyed, and I will
give 10,000 large sacks* of silver to the
government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury.”
10
The king agreed, confirming his decision by removing his signet ring from
his finger and giving it to Haman son of
Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of
the Jews. 11The king said, “The money
and the people are both yours to do with
as you see fit.”
12
So on April 17* the king’s secretaries
were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Haman dictated. It was sent
to the king’s highest officers, the governors of the respective provinces, and the
nobles of each province in their own
scripts and languages. The decree was
written in the name of King Xerxes and
sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13Dispatches were sent by swift messengers
into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jews—young and
old, including women and children—
must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. This was scheduled
to happen on March 7 of the next year.*
EsthEr 4
listen to the ord
The property of the Jews would be given
to those who killed them.
14
A copy of this decree was to be issued
as law in every province and proclaimed
to all peoples, so that they would be ready
to do their duty on the appointed day. 15At
the king’s command, the decree went out
by swift messengers, and it was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa. Then the
king and Haman sat down to drink, but
the city of Susa fell into confusion.
Mordecai Requests Esther’s Help
When Mordecai learned about all
that had been done, he tore his
clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and
went out into the city, crying with a loud
and bitter wail. 2He went as far as the gate
of the palace, for no one was allowed to
enter the palace gate while wearing
clothes of mourning. 3And as news of the
king’s decree reached all the provinces,
there was great mourning among the
Jews. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and
many people lay in burlap and ashes.
4
When Queen Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai,
she was deeply distressed. She sent clothing to him to replace the burlap, but he refused it. 5 Then Esther sent for Hathach,
one of the king’s eunuchs who had been
appointed as her attendant. She ordered
him to go to Mordecai and find out what
was troubling him and why he was in
mourning. 6So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the square in front of the palace
gate.
7
Mordecai told him the whole story, including the exact amount of money
Haman had promised to pay into the royal
treasury for the destruction of the Jews.
Listen to Esther 3, and reject
the worldly lie that you should
put yourself above others, doing
whatever it takes to achieve
power, prominence, and success.
Replace it with the truth that
God calls you to prioritize him
and others above yourself (see
also Matt 22:37-40; Phil 2:3-4 ).
4
3:7b As in 3:13, which reads the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar; Hebrew reads in the twelfth
month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. The date selected was March 7, 473 B.C.; also see note on 2:16. 3:9 Hebrew
10,000 talents, about 375 tons or 340 metric tons in weight. 3:12 Hebrew On the thirteenth day of the first month, of
the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was April 17, 474 B.C.; also see note on 2:16. 3:13 Hebrew on the thirteenth
day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. The date selected was March 7, 473 B.C.;
also see note on 2:16.
God’s answer to hatred
3:8-15
P R A Y • Abba Father, you created and love all people. Help me to be a godly example by loving
all people well.
O B S E R V E • Haman approached King Xerxes and bribed him to issue a decree that would
destroy all the Jews in the empire. He convinced Xerxes that this race of people, who kept
themselves separate and refused to obey the laws of the king, should not be tolerated. The king
told Haman that he could do whatever he wanted to the Jewish people.
I N T E R P R E T • Haman’s plot is an example of extreme ethnic and religious hatred. God disap-
proves of hatred against any group of people, and he will hold those who attempt to carry out
such plots accountable for their thoughts and actions (Ps 34:19-21). He created all people, loves
all people, and accepts people from every nation (Acts 10:34-35). Racial, ethnic, and religious
hatred are sins that keep us from loving others as God does, and they should not be tolerated
(Matt 22:37-40).
A P P LY • Overcome obstacles:
Does racism or ethnic hatred
hinder you from loving others as
God does (Esth 3:8)? Journal a
prayer asking God to forgive you
and to awaken your love for all
people. • Commit to change:
Read Acts 10:34-35. In the margin,
describe how you plan to show
love to those who are different
from you.
What other COURAGE steps do
you need to take in order to love
others well?
