Esther 8:9-17
Relax, Read and Reflect
Prayer- Lord, open our hearts and open our minds and help us learn. Go-Fight-Win. Amen
9 At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.[a] These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language. 10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.
11 The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children,[b] and to plunder the property of their enemies. 12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. 13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.
The Triumph of the Jews
15 When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. 16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. 17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.
Okay, so a law from the king can not be revoked, but the king can make other laws that make the first law not as attractive. Mordecai knew he had really one chance to save his people. So he had the king make a law that gave the Jews the right to defend themselves, and then take the property of anyone who attacks them.
Xerxes sends the edict out by his own messengers riding his special Arabian horses. This would be like giving bucks weapons and license before deer season. Not only could deer defend themselves, they could take the human hunters property if they tried to kill them.
The non-Jews were scared.
Questions:
1. If a law can't be reversed, why can the opposite be made law?
2. Why was what the messengers rode important?
3. Would this be enough to save Esther and the rest of the Jews?
Prayer- Lord, keep us brave and strong as we face those who would do us harm. Give us the courage to stand against wrong, and the wisdom to see what is wrong.
Go-Fight-Win. Amen
Prayer- Lord, open our hearts and open our minds and help us learn. Go-Fight-Win. Amen
9 At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.[a] These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language. 10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.
11 The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children,[b] and to plunder the property of their enemies. 12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. 13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.
The Triumph of the Jews
15 When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. 16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. 17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.
Okay, so a law from the king can not be revoked, but the king can make other laws that make the first law not as attractive. Mordecai knew he had really one chance to save his people. So he had the king make a law that gave the Jews the right to defend themselves, and then take the property of anyone who attacks them.
Xerxes sends the edict out by his own messengers riding his special Arabian horses. This would be like giving bucks weapons and license before deer season. Not only could deer defend themselves, they could take the human hunters property if they tried to kill them.
The non-Jews were scared.
Questions:
1. If a law can't be reversed, why can the opposite be made law?
2. Why was what the messengers rode important?
3. Would this be enough to save Esther and the rest of the Jews?
Prayer- Lord, keep us brave and strong as we face those who would do us harm. Give us the courage to stand against wrong, and the wisdom to see what is wrong.
Go-Fight-Win. Amen
posted by Steve Killam TMTL | 9:19 AM
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