Esther had saved Mordecai's life, but their troubles weren't over! Remember, the law of the Medes and Persians couldn't be changed once it was passed. All the Jews would be attacked by their enemies on a specific day all across the empire.
Esther 8:3-6- And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews. Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king, And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces: For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?
Esther begged the king to reverse the law. She cried and pleaded with him to spare her people. The king new that the law couldn't be changed.
Esther 8:7-8- Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.
The king wanted to help his queen. So he gave her the ring that meant his royal power was behind whatever was written, and told her that she could write a law that couldn't be reversed. Perhaps, she could help her people that way.
She couldn't stop the evil men who would attack her people, but she could give her people a fighting chance.
Esther 8:9-13- Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language. And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries: Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey, Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar. The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
The new law that Esther wrote said that on the day when the Jews enemies attacked them, the Jewish people were allowed to fight back. No one would be held guilty of breaking the law if the ones attacking them died- it would now be considered self-defense.
Esther 8:14-17- So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace. And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour. And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.
The fear and despair that the Jews had felt now turned into joy and rejoicing. In every province that Esther's law was read, there was both gladness by the Jews, and fear from the people who had hated them.
Esther 9:1-2- Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;) The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.
So, the day came that Haman had devised to kill his enemies, and the Jews assembled to defend themselves. God helped them to defeat their enemy's advances.
Esther 9:3-5- And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater. Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.
Not only did the Jews fight against their enemies, but the king's army helped them to fight. Mordecai had become famous throughout all the king's realm. And, the king's army wanted to help the Jews!
Esther 9:6, 10 - And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand.
So, they counted the number of the dead and brought it to the king.
Esther 9:11-12- On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king. And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.
The king asked the queen what more she would like done. Maybe she thought about the enemies that would try to hide out and were going to plot a revolution.
Esther 9:13-14- Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows. And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.
Esther asked that the king would allow the Jews one more day to kill any of the enemies that had escaped. She also asked that the bodies of Haman's sons be hanged on the gallows for all to see the consequences of wicked threats.
Esther 9:15-16, 18-19,- For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand. But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey, But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.
The day after the madness, there was a feast! A day to praise God for his goodness.
Esther 9:20-22, 26a- And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far, To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor. Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur.
So, Mordecai made it a rule that on Adar the 14th, all Jews would remember how Haman cast lots to chose a day to kill all the Jews. The casting of lots was called "Pur", so they named the holiday Purim.
Esther 9:29-30, 32- Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim. And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.
Esther's feast of Purim was written in the chronicles of the Medes and the Persians, and her story was also written down in the chronicles of the Jews. The story of how the Jewish Queen saved her people was kept in the temple and passed down every Adar the 14th during the feast of Purim.
Esther 10:1-3- And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea. And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.
King Ahasuerus went on with his reign, with Mordecai by his side. Together, they brought peace to the Jews.
The war that the king started with the Greeks would take a bloody turn in the future of the Persian empire. A man named Alexander III of Macedon would begin to conquer all the provinces of the known world.
He would gather together warriors from everywhere that he conquered, and would make them all learn to speak his language- Koine Greek. In every area that Alexander the Great would conquer, this would become the main language for trade and travel.
After Alexander's death, his four generals would take over his territory- like it was prophesied by Daniel.
Daniel 8:8, 21-22- Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.
These four generals were not as powerful as Alexander was. They began to war among themselves. For over 300 years war would break out throughout the region formerly known as the Persian empire. In the end, all would be conquered by the Roman empire under the dictator Julius Caesar.
The land would be ruled by the Romans, but they would keep the Greek language, which was now considered the Universal language since almost everyone in the Roman Empire could speak it.
During all these years, the Hebrew people lived in Israel. They were told by the prophet Malachi to remember the law of Moses, and to look for the prophet Elijah to return.
Malachi 4:4-5- Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
The Jewish people combined their religion with different elements that they had learned while in captivity. Because of this, God fell silent. For around 400 years, the only word from the Lord God Almighty was when the Jews read their copy of the Scriptures that were kept in the temple.
For 400 years the religious leaders taught a lifestyle of strict religious laws and traditions. Not all of these things were pleasing to God! But, God kept silent until the time was right- then He would do something would change the world forever!
