Exaltation: the fame of Mordecai (Es. 10:1–3)

1 And King Ahasuerus imposed tribute on the land and on the islands of the sea. 2 Now all the acts of his power and his might, and the account of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 For Mordecai the Jew was second to King Ahasuerus, and was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.

This brief chapter tells us that Mordecai, unlike his predecessor Haman, used his office to serve the king and help the Jews. Sometimes when people are elevated to high office, they forget their roots and ignore the needs of the common people. Mordecai wasn’t that kind of man. Even though his political deeds are recorded in the official annals of the empire, what he did for his people has been recorded by the Lord and will be rewarded.

I. The new tax program.

A. What does this have to do with Mordecai and the Jews?

Some think that it was Mordecai who engineered this new system of tribute as a substitute for war and plunder as a source of kingdom wealth. Now that there was peace in the kingdom, the Jews were free to work, earn money, and prosper; and the prosperity of the Jews increased the prosperity of the empire in general.

B. Mordecai reminded the king that the throne deserved a share in that prosperity.

It was, after all the king who had chosen Esther, a Jewess, and promoted Mordecai, a Jew; and all three of them had worked together to save the Jews from destruction. Didn’t the people of the empire, Jews and Gentiles alike, have an obligation to their monarch?

II. The important message in this chapter.

A. God continued to use Mordecai to help the Jewish people.

The Jews were aliens in a foreign land and subject to all kinds of harassment and abuse. Mordecai saw to it that they were treated with fairness.

The last words of the book are, “ and speaking peace to all his countrymen.” suggesting that he encouraged the Jews and kept them at peace with one another. This implies that there were still forces at work in the empire opposing and threatening the Jews, but Mordecai represented them and protected them.

B. Under such a regime who would have thought that a Jew would become right-hand man to the king?

The King had raised Mordecai to greatness, and the circumstances surrounding this appointment were written in the royal annals of Media and Persia. Mordecai was therefore well-placed to represent his people, and secure their best interests.

Earlier in the reign of King Ahasuerus they were at the mercy of the tyrant who would have exterminated them. Thanks to Mordecai the empire was enjoying normal life once more, and the Jews felt secure though they were under foreign domination.

III. Mordecai’s Work for the People.

A. Why was Mordecai so highly esteemed?

He worked for the good of his people. He did not think only of his own advancement or even of his own family.

Also he spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews. Many times it is dangerous to speak up in the midst of a hostile environment. God needs servants today who will speak up when his people are in danger or when injustice and corruption are rampant in society.

B. The book closes with a picture of peace and prosperity for the Jews.

The author did not mention God even one time in the book. But it is evident that he wanted his readers to see God’s hand in preserving the Jews. The Feast of Purim celebrates a historical event and has been repeated many times over two thousand years. Over that time period, the Jews have often been in danger of annihilation by their enemies, but God has “miraculously” preserved them.

Look at the Holocaust, many Jews died while others were saved from such an end. God is still faithful to his promise to Abraham and his descendants: “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen 12:3). The challenge the Book of Esther presents is that we must recognize when our “time” has come to act.

The exciting drama of Esther is over, but the blessings go right on. God preserved the Jewish nation so that we today can have a Bible and a Savior. Now it’s our job to tell the whole world about this Savior and seek to win as many as we can to the Lord. We are the King’s couriers, and we dare not fail.