Restraint in the Face of Success

Tonight, we are nearing the end of our series in Esther and things seem to be going well. Esther is spared, Mordecai is exalted, and Haman is dead. But things are far from clear. In Esther 8:8, we are given a valuable piece of information about how things worked when it came to the King’s signet ring. There we are told that whatever is sealed with the King’s ring cannot be revoked. The reason this is relevant is that earlier in the book, Haman talks the king into applying his signet ring on a decree that everyone in the kingdom was to turn on the Jews on the 13th day of the 12th day.

Esther 8:8 NKJV

8 You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke.”

So, while things seem good at this point, and while the king is on there side, there is no changing what has been set in stone. So, what hope do the Jews have? Esther and Mordecai wisely ask the King to make a decree that on the 13th day of the 12th month, all Jews are to unite and defend themselves against anyone who attacks them. This is important for you to remember when you read the book, because if you forget about Haman’s decree, you’re simply going to think that the Jews are going crazy and killing people for fun, but that’s not the case. What you’re seeing here is a brilliant case of legal self-defense.

Now, while that is important, I’m not wanting to simply discuss self-defense today. But I do want to apply what we’re seeing play out in front of us. You see, the life of Mordecai is supposed to be more than just the story of a Jewish guy named Mordecai, and that’s highlighted by the repetitious mentioning of the fact that the Jews didn’t touch the plunder. The reason this matters is because the author of the book wants you to know that Mordecai is the greater version of King Saul.

You see, in 1 Samuel 15, King Saul the Benjaminite goes to war against the wicked King Agag. In that war, God has commanded Saul to exterminate them all, to fear no man, and to take no spoils. But what does Saul do? He spares Agag, he fears the men, and he takes the spoils of their war. And that is the mark of his steep and rapid decline.

Well, now we fast forward to Esther. Here we see Mordecai the Benjaminite facing off against Haman the Agagite and, like Saul, Mordecai is the commander of the Jews. So, we have men from the same groups facing off, but what happens? Well first, Haman the Agagite is killed is Esther 7. In Esther 9:2-3, we read that instead of Mordecai fearing men, the men all fear him.

Esther 9:2–3 NKJV

2 The Jews gathered together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could withstand them, because fear of them fell upon all people. 3 And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and all those doing the king’s work, helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.

And in verses like Esther 9:10,15-16 we read that they did not take the spoils of this war.

Esther 9:15–16 NKJV

15 And the Jews who were in Shushan gathered together again on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed three hundred men at Shushan; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. 16 The remainder of the Jews in the king’s provinces gathered together and protected their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

So, what do we see going on when we compare and contrast these two men? Well, it’s pretty clear. In Saul, we see the danger of a man who decides to forsake God’s commands and to follow his lusts without restraint. In the life of Mordecai, we see a man who models restraint and trust in God. So what do we learn from this episode for our own lives?

Don’t fall for pride and greed when things go your way

Don’t let your fear of others dictate your life

There is no justification for disobedience