Est 8:8-11 | KingComments | STEP | Ahasuerus answers and acts as God will for the benefit of His people. He addresses his answer to Esther and Mordecai, who will have been present at Esther’s plea ( ). First, he refers to two favors he has already granted. The first favor is that he gave the house of Haman to Esther. Thus, in the future, God’s people will receive all that satan has possessed. The second favor is that Haman – “him”, with emphasis first mentioned – has been hanged. The king’s justification for Haman’s execution is interesting. After all, Haman was hanged “because he had stretched out his hands against the Jews”. The direct reason for the execution is Haman’s supplication to Esther, where he fell on Esther’s couch, which the king interpreted as sexual assault ( ). This happened in the privacy of the king’s palace. The king’s observation and conclusion are correct. Haman had nothing to do with Esther. Although he did not try to approach her physically, he did try to persuade her to adopt an attitude that would make her unfaithful to her calling. This showed blatant overconfidence and could only be punished in this way. Here we see the devil’s work and fate in the secrecy of the heavenly realms, according to God’s judgment. Now it is about what Haman has been in public. He has revealed his depraved plans everywhere and they will be carried out because they are written down in an irrevocable law. This applies to the remnant in the future as well as to us. The power of the enemy remains and turns against the people of God. Nothing can be changed. Even the greatest faith cannot stop that oppression. But the salvation is also unstoppable! To undo Haman’s plans, a new order must be issued, a counter-order. The king hands the matter over to Mordecai and Esther with the order to write a new letter ( ). They may do so as is right in their eyes and in his name. They must then seal this letter with the king’s signet ring. This results in a new law that cannot be revoked. This new law does not replace the previous law, but makes it powerless. Thus, death as the wages of sin is an unchangeable law. God cannot take back that word. That is why Christ died. Thus, the law of sin is met, and then God’s love can go out to sinners. We can say that Christ is the second commandment for us, enabling us to escape the first commandment. The solution is not that God takes away oppression, but that He gives His people the strength to fight and overcome their enemies. This also applies to us. Satan has been sentenced – of which the hanging of Haman is a picture – but his power has not yet been taken away from him. We live in the midst of hostile elements, so to speak in the midst of ‘the sons of Haman’, who have not yet been put to death – that will happen in the next chapter. The consequences of sin are not yet gone. We still have to go through a hostile world. But we have the strength to overcome. Through the struggle of the present, we are being formed for the reign of the future. Our lives are a preparation for our final destiny. The scribes of the king are called ( ). They write everything “according to all that Mordecai commanded”. Not Esther, nor Esther and Mordecai together, but only Mordecai writes in the name of the king what must be done. Earlier the commands of Haman were written down ( ), now everything Mordecai commands is written down. Mordecai takes Haman’s place in all things. And not only that. Mordecai’s authority and splendor are beyond those of Haman. We can already see that from the content of the writing. Haman has written to all nations in their own writing and language ( ). Mordecai also writes to all in the same way, adding “to the Jews”, specifically saying that the writing is directed “as well as to the Jews according to their script and their language”. Mordecai’s letter is not only about the Jews, but is also addressed to the Jews.

‏ Esther 8:8-11

The King’s Second Command

Ahasuerus answers and acts as God will for the benefit of His people. He addresses his answer to Esther and Mordecai, who will have been present at Esther’s plea (Est 8:7). First, he refers to two favors he has already granted. The first favor is that he gave the house of Haman to Esther. Thus, in the future, God’s people will receive all that satan has possessed. The second favor is that Haman – “him”, with emphasis first mentioned – has been hanged. The king’s justification for Haman’s execution is interesting. After all, Haman was hanged “because he had stretched out his hands against the Jews”.

The direct reason for the execution is Haman’s supplication to Esther, where he fell on Esther’s couch, which the king interpreted as sexual assault (Est 7:8). This happened in the privacy of the king’s palace. The king’s observation and conclusion are correct. Haman had nothing to do with Esther. Although he did not try to approach her physically, he did try to persuade her to adopt an attitude that would make her unfaithful to her calling. This showed blatant overconfidence and could only be punished in this way. Here we see the devil’s work and fate in the secrecy of the heavenly realms, according to God’s judgment.

Now it is about what Haman has been in public. He has revealed his depraved plans everywhere and they will be carried out because they are written down in an irrevocable law. This applies to the remnant in the future as well as to us. The power of the enemy remains and turns against the people of God. Nothing can be changed. Even the greatest faith cannot stop that oppression. But the salvation is also unstoppable!

To undo Haman’s plans, a new order must be issued, a counter-order. The king hands the matter over to Mordecai and Esther with the order to write a new letter (Est 8:8). They may do so as is right in their eyes and in his name. They must then seal this letter with the king’s signet ring. This results in a new law that cannot be revoked. This new law does not replace the previous law, but makes it powerless.

Thus, death as the wages of sin is an unchangeable law. God cannot take back that word. That is why Christ died. Thus, the law of sin is met, and then God’s love can go out to sinners. We can say that Christ is the second commandment for us, enabling us to escape the first commandment.

The solution is not that God takes away oppression, but that He gives His people the strength to fight and overcome their enemies. This also applies to us. Satan has been sentenced – of which the hanging of Haman is a picture – but his power has not yet been taken away from him. We live in the midst of hostile elements, so to speak in the midst of ‘the sons of Haman’, who have not yet been put to death – that will happen in the next chapter. The consequences of sin are not yet gone. We still have to go through a hostile world. But we have the strength to overcome. Through the struggle of the present, we are being formed for the reign of the future. Our lives are a preparation for our final destiny.

The scribes of the king are called (Est 8:9). They write everything “according to all that Mordecai commanded”. Not Esther, nor Esther and Mordecai together, but only Mordecai writes in the name of the king what must be done. Earlier the commands of Haman were written down (Est 3:12a), now everything Mordecai commands is written down. Mordecai takes Haman’s place in all things. And not only that. Mordecai’s authority and splendor are beyond those of Haman.

We can already see that from the content of the writing. Haman has written to all nations in their own writing and language (Est 3:12b). Mordecai also writes to all in the same way, adding “to the Jews”, specifically saying that the writing is directed “as well as to the Jews according to their script and their language”. Mordecai’s letter is not only about the Jews, but is also addressed to the Jews.

The King’s Command Made Known

The letter dictated by Mordecai is a letter “in the name of King Ahasuerus” (Est 8:10). What Mordecai speaks and causes to be written down are the words of the king. That the letter indeed comes from the king can be seen on the seal that is attached to the letter with the king’s signet ring. Everything that Mordecai commands bears the authority and stamp of the king’s approval. After the letter has been translated, the letters are sent. Haman sent his letters by couriers (Est 3:13), Mordecai sends them “by couriers on horses”. Mordecai’s messengers are much faster and can spread the new command throughout the kingdom as quickly as possible.

This second command indicates how the Jews can avert the threat of the first command (Est 8:11). They are told by the king that they may assemble. Being together gives strength and encouragement. We experience this when we gather as believers while the world threatens us (cf. Acts 4:23-31). It is not good for believers to forsake their own assembling together (Heb 10:25) because then they become an easy prey for the opponent. In the assembling together, believers build each other up and exhort each other to remain faithful to the Lord.

Haman has issued his command to “to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews” (Est 3:13). Mordecai’s command reverses and allows the Jews to “to destroy, to kill and to annihilate” those who threaten them, wherever they live. According to the first command, the enemies must kill the Jews’ wives and children and plunder their possessions. Mordecai’s command states that the Jews may kill the women and children of the enemies and plunder their possessions. Mordecai enables his people to defend themselves against anyone who threatens them, without calling for them to slaughter at random.

Mordecai’s law has the same scope and validity as Haman’s (Est 8:12). It concerns the whole area of authority of King Ahasuerus and it concerns that one day, “the thirteenth [day] of the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar)”. On that day the Jews may, in accordance with the written law that has been promulgated, “be ready ... to avenge themselves on their enemies” (Est 8:13). This contrasts with the first commandment issued and “published to all the peoples so that they should be ready for this day” (Est 3:14) to annihilate the Jews.

Mordecai is given a free hand to do whatever is necessary. Thus, the Lord Jesus will soon lead His people along the path of battle to victory. He will make His now still divided people one people again and give them the strength to be one people to defeat the enemies (Isa 11:14).

The extensive similarities between the two commands increase the effect of the differences. The main difference is that the roles are reversed and that the Jews may do to their enemies what their enemies are commanded to do to them. This fits in with the Old Testament command to retaliate evil with evil, according to the principle of retaliation as the law says: “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (Exo 21:24). For the New Testament believer, he should not retaliate evil with evil, but learn to endure and seek what is good for all men (Rom 12:17).

The announcement of the command runs parallel to the first announcement, except that the couriers now ride on horses (Est 8:14; Est 3:15a). There is more haste in the salvation of the people than in the imminent annihilation of the people. If we apply this to the gospel, we see that the gospel is a power that can save the deepest fallen man under judgment from judgment. But there is an urgent need to bring the gospel. The message of grace must, as it were, overtake the message of judgment.

Permission to resist comes from the highest authority, for us from God. It means that He is for us. We have every reason to start this battle courageously. The enemy is judged on the cross – see Est 8:7, where the king refers to the hanging of Haman – and the Victor is with us. God says, as it were: “See what I have done for you on the cross. Then we may say: “If God [is] for us, who [is] against us?” (Rom 8:31b). As believers, we are not left on earth to become the happiest people, but to be delivered from our own will, so that we will dedicate ourselves to His cause. We have received the greatest blessings (2Pet 1:3-4), but does it encourage us to serve Him faithfully?