The Victory of the Jews. God will preserve His chosen people.
Esther 9:1-19 NLT
The Victory of the Jews
9 So on March 7 the two decrees of the king were put into effect. On that day, the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but quite the opposite happened. It was the Jews who overpowered their enemies. 2 The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the king’s provinces to attack anyone who tried to harm them. But no one could make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them. 3 And all the nobles of the provinces, the highest officers, the governors, and the royal officials helped the Jews for fear of Mordecai. 4 For Mordecai had been promoted in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces as he became more and more powerful.
5 So the Jews went ahead on the appointed day and struck down their enemies with the sword. They killed and annihilated their enemies and did as they pleased with those who hated them. 6 In the fortress of Susa itself, the Jews killed 500 men. 7 They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha— 10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not take any plunder.
11 That very day, when the king was informed of the number of people killed in the fortress of Susa, 12 he called for Queen Esther. He said, “The Jews have killed 500 men in the fortress of Susa alone, as well as Haman’s ten sons. If they have done that here, what has happened in the rest of the provinces? But now, what more do you want? It will be granted to you; tell me and I will do it.”
13 Esther responded, “If it please the king, give the Jews in Susa permission to do again tomorrow as they have done today, and let the bodies of Haman’s ten sons be impaled on a pole.”
14 So the king agreed, and the decree was announced in Susa. And they impaled the bodies of Haman’s ten sons. 15 Then the Jews at Susa gathered together on March 8 and killed 300 more men, and again they took no plunder.
16 Meanwhile, the other Jews throughout the king’s provinces had gathered together to defend their lives. They gained relief from all their enemies, killing 75,000 of those who hated them. But they did not take any plunder. 17 This was done throughout the provinces on March 7, and on March 8 they rested, celebrating their victory with a day of feasting and gladness. 18 (The Jews at Susa killed their enemies on March 7 and again on March 8, then rested on March 9, making that their day of feasting and gladness.) 19 So to this day, rural Jews living in remote villages celebrate an annual festival and holiday on the appointed day in late winter, when they rejoice and send gifts of food to each other.
Examine the Scriptures
Esther 9:1-19 NLT
The Victory of the Jews
9:1 So on March 7 the two decrees of the king were put into effect.
Esther 3:13 NLT
13 Dispatches 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. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them.
Esther 8:10-11 NLT
Mordecai sent the dispatches by swift messengers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king’s service.
11 The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies. 12 The day chosen for this event throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was March 7 of the next year.
- On March 7th Haman’s decree and Mordecai’s decree were put into effect.
Two opposing forces will come face to face.
Many thought it was the enemies of the Jews vs. the Jews.
In reality it was the enemy of the Jews vs. God.
On that day, the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them,
According to verse 16 we know that there were at least 75,000 enemies of the Jews.
- The enemies of the Jews hoped to overpower the Jews.
but quite the opposite happened.
The tables are turned.
It was the Jews who overpowered their enemies.
God was preserving the Jewish race.
Genesis 17:1-8 NLT
17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”
3 At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, 4 “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! 5 What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. 6 I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!
7 “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”
2 The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the king’s provinces to attack anyone who tried to harm them.
But no one could make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them.
The enemies of the Jews were now afraid of the Jews.
The opportunity to get rich at someone else’s expense lost its appeal.
Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
- The enemies of the Jews could not make a stand against the Jews, for everyone was afraid of them.
3 And all the nobles of the provinces, the highest officers, the governors, and the royal officials helped the Jews for fear of Mordecai.
The government authorities helped the Jews.
To be pro-Jewish would put one in favor with the king and his court.
Numbers 24:9 NLT (Genesis 12:3)
Like a lion, Israel crouches and lies down;
like a lioness, who dares to arouse her?
Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel,
and cursed is everyone who curses you.”
- The nobles of the provinces, the highest officers, the governors, and the royal officials helped the Jews.
4 For Mordecai had been promoted in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces as he became more and more powerful.
- By God’s sovereign intervention, Mordecai was now in a position of authority.
The popular phrase found in Esther chapter 4:14, “Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” could easily be adapted to apply to Mordecai by saying, “Who knows if perhaps you, Mordecai, have “been promoted in the king’s palace” for just such a time as this?”
This principle also applies to us:
Ephesians 2:10 NLT
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
1 Corinthians 12:18 NLT
18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.
5 So the Jews went ahead on the appointed day and struck down their enemies with the sword. They killed and annihilated their enemies and did as they pleased with those who hated them.
They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, (8:11)
This was a defensive (self-defense) action.
6 In the fortress of Susa itself, the Jews killed 500 men.
7 They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha— 10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews.
Esther 5:11 NLT
11 and (Haman) boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children.
- Everything Haman had boasted about was gone.
- In the fortress of Susa alone, the Jews killed 500 men plus the ten sons of Haman.
But they did not take any plunder.
The enemies of the Jews were motivated by “plunder”.
The king’s decree gave the Jews permission to take plunder (Esther 8:11)
The Jews were fighting to save their lives and to preserve the Jewish race.
By not taking any plunder it made their motives clear.
- The Jews killed and annihilated their enemies and did as they pleased with those who hated them. But they did not take any plunder.
11 That very day, when the king was informed of the number of people killed in the fortress of Susa, 12 he called for Queen Esther. He said, “The Jews have killed 500 men in the fortress of Susa alone, as well as Haman’s ten sons.
If they have done that here, what has happened in the rest of the provinces?
But now, what more do you want? It will be granted to you; tell me and I will do it.”
This is the fifth time King Xerxes agreed to give Esther what she asked for.
(5:3, 5:6, 7:2, 8:8 similar, here)
13 Esther responded, “If it please the king, give the Jews in Susa permission to do again tomorrow as they have done today,
Probably because Esther knew that there were still armed enemies in Susa committed to carrying out Haman’s decree.
and let the bodies of Haman’s ten sons be impaled on a pole.”
A visual warning. (This was not an unusual practice in the ancient Near East.)
14 So the king agreed, and the decree was announced in Susa.
The King granted Esther’s wish, but this was also a good political move. It was not in the king’s interest to have warring parties in the capitol city plotting to kill one another.
And they impaled the bodies of Haman’s ten sons.
15 Then the Jews at Susa gathered together on March 8 and killed 300 more men,
300 more men were killed in Susa.
- The Jews killed an additional 300 men in the fortress of Susa. (Totaling 800 plus the ten sons of Haman.)
To allow enemies of the Jews to remain active in one of the capitols of the Persian Empire could have had long lasting negative impacts on the Jewish community.
Haman alone was a huge political threat to the Jews.
and again they took no plunder.
The Jews were not doing this for money.
16 Meanwhile, the other Jews throughout the king’s provinces had gathered together to defend their lives. They gained relief from all their enemies, killing 75,000 of those who hated them.
- Outside of Susa the Jews killed 75,000 of their enemies.
Anti-Semitism exists throughout history,
BUT
God promises to preserve His Chosen People.
Jeremiah 30 NLT
Promises of Deliverance
1 The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, 2 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Write down for the record everything I have said to you, Jeremiah. 3 For the time is coming when I will restore the fortunes of my people of Israel and Judah. I will bring them home to this land that I gave to their ancestors, and they will possess it again. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
4 This is the message the Lord gave concerning Israel and Judah. 5 This is what the Lord says:
…
11 For I am with you and will save you,”
says the Lord.
…
16 “But all who devour you will be devoured,
and all your enemies will be sent into exile.
All who plunder you will be plundered,
and all who attack you will be attacked.
…
19 There will be joy and songs of thanksgiving,
and I will multiply my people, not diminish them;
I will honor them, not despise them.
20 Their children will prosper as they did long ago.
I will establish them as a nation before me,
and I will punish anyone who hurts them.
…
22 You will be my people,
and I will be your God.”
- Anti-Semitism exists throughout history, but scripture records God promises to preserve His Chosen People.
But they did not take any plunder.
Clearly the Jews were not in this for financial gain. They were in this to defend their lives.
17 This was done throughout the provinces on March 7, and on March 8 they rested, celebrating their victory with a day of feasting and gladness.
18 (The Jews at Susa killed their enemies on March 7 and again on March 8, then rested on March 9, making that their day of feasting and gladness.)
It was only in Susa that the fighting lasted for two days.
- The Jews rested and celebrated their victory with a day of feasting and gladness.
19 So to this day, rural Jews living in remote villages celebrate an annual festival and holiday on the appointed day in late winter, when they rejoice and send gifts of food to each other.
This will be discussed in more detail in the next lesson.
