Est 9:2 | KingComments | STEP | This chapter begins with a detailed description of the date ( ). There are about eight months between this date and the events in the previous two chapters. A new section begins here. The date is also mentioned in the command of Haman eleven months ago ( ) and the command of Mordecai eight months ago ( ). Now that important day has arrived. It is “the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them”. On this day “it was turned to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them”. The day of oppression of the Jews by their enemies turned into a day of triumph of the Jews over their enemies. Both one and the other happen to execute “the word of the king and his law”. What the enemies wanted to do is according to the word of the king and his law ( ) and what the Jews do is also according to the word of the king and his law ( ). In its application to the believer, we see the miraculous result of God’s action through Christ. Through Him and His work on the cross, the believer has been freed from one law, that of sin and death, and that law has been replaced by another law, that of the Spirit and of life ( ). On this particular day the Jews come together to kill all those who want to harm them ( ). They assemble in their cities which the king had allowed them to do ( ). Together they are strong. No one is equal to them. Yet even as a group they do not form a majority. Their strength is the hidden power of God Who let dread fall upon all the peoples (cf. ; ; ; ; ). Dread has a paralyzing effect. God thus makes the nations powerless, so that they cannot withstand the Jews (cf. ). The Name of God is not mentioned, but for faith it is unmistakably His work that we see here. The Jews assemble “in their cities”. They seek one another in the cities that have been given to them by the king as dwelling places. Only there they kill their enemies with the sword ( ). They do not seek the enemy and do not challenge him. If we go to places without the Lord telling us to go there, we expose ourselves to the attacks of satan and will be defenseless. It is important that we go to places where we can come together with fellow believers to honor the Lord and strengthen each other in the spiritual warfare. If the enemy wants to attack us there, he will suffer defeat. To resist him, we have been given “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” ( ). In addition to the dread of the Jews, there is also the “dread of Mordecai” ( ). The people are weak in themselves, but the Mordecai of these people inspires dread. This brings all the dignitaries and all those who work for the king to support the Jews and help them in their struggle. Everything revolves around Mordecai. His position is the foundation of the triumph of the Jews. The people owe everything to him who is fully committed to them. Mordecai is “great in the house of the king” ( ), the center of power. As a result, his fame is spreading throughout all the regions and he is gaining more and more prestige (cf. ). His person and his name are emphasized: “The man Mordecai.” It’s him and no one else. In this he is a picture of the Lord Jesus, Who will soon be publicly held in high esteem and will gradually become greater in prestige ( ; ; ). According to the righteous law of retribution, the Jews act without pity with “all their enemies” and “those who hated them” ( ). Through their connection to Mordecai, they are able to defeat their enemies. Thus, “the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, ... like a lion among the beasts of the forest” and annihilate all their enemies ( ). Their enemies are not only people who want to do them harm for the benefit it would bring them, but they are also driven by intense hatred of the Jews. Their actions are evil and their motives are evil. A census at the citadel in Susa shows that the Jews there alone “killed and destroyed five hundred men” and also “the ten sons of Haman” ( ). Haman has already been killed, but now his descendants are being killed as well. Haman is mentioned here for the last time in this book. With another mention that he was “the Jews’ enemy”, he disappears from history without any offspring. Similarly, first the leaders of the great rebellion against Christ and His people, the beast and the false prophet, are “thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone” ( ). Then, “the rest” ( ) are killed, all those who have followed these two and in whom their marks have become visible. Although the Jews have permission to plunder the spoils of their opponents ( ), they do not ( ; ). It seems that the people uphold the old tradition that the spoils of the enemy fall to God, although nothing is said about this here (cf. ).

‏ Esther 9:2

The Jews Kill Their Enemies

This chapter begins with a detailed description of the date (Est 9:1). There are about eight months between this date and the events in the previous two chapters. A new section begins here. The date is also mentioned in the command of Haman eleven months ago (Est 3:13) and the command of Mordecai eight months ago (Est 8:12). Now that important day has arrived.

It is “the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them”. On this day “it was turned to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them”. The day of oppression of the Jews by their enemies turned into a day of triumph of the Jews over their enemies. Both one and the other happen to execute “the word of the king and his law”. What the enemies wanted to do is according to the word of the king and his law (Est 3:12-14) and what the Jews do is also according to the word of the king and his law (Est 8:8-11).

In its application to the believer, we see the miraculous result of God’s action through Christ. Through Him and His work on the cross, the believer has been freed from one law, that of sin and death, and that law has been replaced by another law, that of the Spirit and of life (Rom 8:2).

On this particular day the Jews come together to kill all those who want to harm them (Est 9:2). They assemble in their cities which the king had allowed them to do (Est 8:11). Together they are strong. No one is equal to them. Yet even as a group they do not form a majority. Their strength is the hidden power of God Who let dread fall upon all the peoples (cf. Exo 15:15; Jos 2:9 ; 11; 1Sam 14:15; 2Chr 14:14 ; 2Chr 17:10 ; 2Chr 20:29; Psa 105:37-38). Dread has a paralyzing effect. God thus makes the nations powerless, so that they cannot withstand the Jews (cf. Jos 10:8 ; Jos 21:44 ; Jos 23:9). The Name of God is not mentioned, but for faith it is unmistakably His work that we see here.

The Jews assemble “in their cities”. They seek one another in the cities that have been given to them by the king as dwelling places. Only there they kill their enemies with the sword (Est 9:5). They do not seek the enemy and do not challenge him. If we go to places without the Lord telling us to go there, we expose ourselves to the attacks of satan and will be defenseless. It is important that we go to places where we can come together with fellow believers to honor the Lord and strengthen each other in the spiritual warfare. If the enemy wants to attack us there, he will suffer defeat. To resist him, we have been given “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph 6:17).

In addition to the dread of the Jews, there is also the “dread of Mordecai” (Est 9:3). The people are weak in themselves, but the Mordecai of these people inspires dread. This brings all the dignitaries and all those who work for the king to support the Jews and help them in their struggle. Everything revolves around Mordecai. His position is the foundation of the triumph of the Jews. The people owe everything to him who is fully committed to them.

Mordecai is “great in the house of the king” (Est 9:4), the center of power. As a result, his fame is spreading throughout all the regions and he is gaining more and more prestige (cf. 1Chr 11:9). His person and his name are emphasized: “The man Mordecai.” It’s him and no one else. In this he is a picture of the Lord Jesus, Who will soon be publicly held in high esteem and will gradually become greater in prestige (Lk 1:32-33; Mic 5:3b; Jn 3:30).

According to the righteous law of retribution, the Jews act without pity with “all their enemies” and “those who hated them” (Est 9:5). Through their connection to Mordecai, they are able to defeat their enemies. Thus, “the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, ... like a lion among the beasts of the forest” and annihilate all their enemies (Mic 5:7-8). Their enemies are not only people who want to do them harm for the benefit it would bring them, but they are also driven by intense hatred of the Jews. Their actions are evil and their motives are evil.

A census at the citadel in Susa shows that the Jews there alone “killed and destroyed five hundred men” and also “the ten sons of Haman” (Est 9:6-10 ; 12). Haman has already been killed, but now his descendants are being killed as well. Haman is mentioned here for the last time in this book. With another mention that he was “the Jews’ enemy”, he disappears from history without any offspring.

Similarly, first the leaders of the great rebellion against Christ and His people, the beast and the false prophet, are “thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone” (Rev 19:20). Then, “the rest” (Rev 19:21) are killed, all those who have followed these two and in whom their marks have become visible.

Although the Jews have permission to plunder the spoils of their opponents (Est 8:11), they do not (Est 9:10; Est 9:15-16). It seems that the people uphold the old tradition that the spoils of the enemy fall to God, although nothing is said about this here (cf. Jos 6:17-21).