Scripture to Read: Esther 8
God used Esther in miraculous ways, and He carried out His perfect will. In Esther 8, after Haman had been executed by King Ahasuerus’s authority, Esther gave Haman’s estate to Mordecai. The king also elevated Mordecai to the position of authority that Haman had held before his execution. But at that time, the decree ordering the destruction of the Jews still stood because Persian law could not be revoked. Esther had to lay her life on the line one more time, but this time she had to plead with the king to stop the massacre of all the Jews. The king allowed Esther and Mordecai to issue a new decree in his name since, by law, the other decree could not be revoked. They wrote to the provinces authorizing the Jews to gather and defend themselves and to have the right to destroy any forces that attacked them. God shows us here both the strength and the limitations of the royal power of that day. The king was incredibly powerful, but the legal system he represented could not simply erase his earlier edict. Once the new edict was written and sent to all the provinces, Mordecai left the king’s presence in royal honor and the Jews responded with relief, joy, and celebration. In many places, the people of the land became Jews because their fear of the Jews had overtaken them, for they knew they could not defeat the Jews. Though God is not mentioned, we see how He protected His chosen people. We can rest in the fact that God is always working on behalf of His children.
Challenge & Application
How do you see God’s continued favor on Esther and Mordecai’s lives?
How have you seen God pour out His favor on your life?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!