Victory

Introduction

We are continuing our theme of victory this month, and this morning, we are going to be in the book of Esther. The reason why we are in the book of Esther this morning is because it’s a story of great victory.

In the story, we are introduced to Esther – a young Jewish woman who becomes Queen in Persia, we are introduced to Mordecai – Esther’s adoptive father, and we are introduced to Haman – an enemy of the Jews.

In the book of Esther, Haman plots to kill all of the Jews by using the power of the Persian government. This is a big problem for the Jews because at this moment in history, Persia is a world super-power.

So, the Jews were destined for defeat, but they weren’t defeated. They were victorious.

Someone may ask, “What does this have to do with victory in Jesus?”

In my opinion, Esther is a story that foreshadows the cross, and this makes sense because the Old Testament is fulfilled in Jesus.

In this book, it seems like God’s people are going to be defeated, but God – through his power – saves them.

This is very similar to the Jesus story, isn’t it? That’s why I want to talk about Esther. Esther’s story is very similar to the story of the cross.

So in this lesson, we are going to learn about victory from the story of Esther.

Victory should be anticipated (Esther 9:1-4)

Esther 9:1–4 ESV

1 Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them. 2 The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could stand against them, for the fear of them had fallen on all peoples. 3 All the officials of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the royal agents also helped the Jews, for the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful.

Notice in this text that the enemies of the Jews gather to destroy them, and what do the Jews do? They gather to defend themselves. They didn’t have a defeatist mentality. They believed that they could win.

This is seen with Mordecai in Esther 4. When Mordecai found out that there was this plot to kill all of the Jews, he does mourn for a little while, but then he goes and tries to fix the problem.

Mordecai believes that God can and will save them. Esther 4:14.

Esther 4:14 ESV

14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Mordecai believes that God was with them, and that God would save them.

That’s what the Jews believed in Esther 9, They believed that God would lead them to victory.

That’s the lesson for us. Victory should be anticipated.

This isn’t always easy because there are going to be times when the enemy seems bigger and stronger than us.

Think about death. Death is like this specter that looms over all of us, and as we live our lives, death continues to take and take and take. At times, it seems like death is going to win.

There are times when it seems like the entire world is against us. In those times, it can be easy to lose hope, and think that Satan is winning.

During those times, we need to remember that it doesn’t matter how powerful the enemy is. If God is on our side, then victory should be anticipated.

This is what we saw in the book of Esther.

Like we talked about earlier, Persia was the world superpower during that time. If they were against you, then you would lose.

In spite of this fact, the Jews still anticipated victory.

This is what we see in the life of Christ. Jesus faced some massive enemies.

He was facing Satan. While Jesus was on earth, he was waging war with Satan.

He was facing the Jewish leadership. He faced the political power of the Jewish nation, and they were trying to kill him.

Jesus also faced death.

With all of these things in mind, it certainly looks like Jesus is going to lose.

But Jesus doesn’t lose. Jesus anticipated victory.

There are times where it seems like we are going to lose, but we must anticipate victory.

Victory should be regulated (Esther 9:5-16)

Esther 9:5–16 ESV

5 The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them. 6 In Susa the citadel itself the Jews killed and destroyed 500 men, 7 and also killed Parshandatha and Dalphon and Aspatha 8 and Poratha and Adalia and Aridatha 9 and Parmashta and Arisai and Aridai and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, but they laid no hand on the plunder. 11 That very day the number of those killed in Susa the citadel was reported to the king. 12 And the king said to Queen Esther, “In Susa the citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men and also the ten sons of Haman. What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! Now what is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what further is your request? It shall be fulfilled.” 13 And Esther said, “If it please the king, let the Jews who are in Susa be allowed tomorrow also to do according to this day’s edict. And let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows.” 14 So the king commanded this to be done. A decree was issued in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged. 15 The Jews who were in Susa gathered also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and they killed 300 men in Susa, but they laid no hands on the plunder. 16 Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also gathered to defend their lives, and got relief from their enemies and killed 75,000 of those who hated them, but they laid no hands on the plunder.

Did you notice any repeating phrases in this section? Over and over again, the author tells us that they laid no hand on the plunder (vv. 10,15,16). Why are we told this?

In the previous chapter, the King of Persia issues an edict that allows the Jews to defend themselves, and the edict explicitly states that the Jews are allowed to plunder the attackers. So why don’t they?

We aren’t told, but here’s what I think. Throughout scripture, there are numerous times where God’s people defeat their enemies, but don’t take any of the plunder.

Genesis 14:21-24.

Genesis 14:21–24 ESV

21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”

In this example, Abram wins but refuses to take the plunder so that the king of Sodom couldn’t say that he made Abram rich. This attitude is continued throughout Israelite history.

Joshua 6:17.

Joshua 6:17 ESV

17 And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.

In this chapter, the Israelites are about to march around the walls of Jericho, and God tells them not to take anything. Everything is devoted to destruction.

Unfortunately, someone does take something. Joshua 7:10-12, 19-21.

Joshua 7:10–12 ESV

10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.

Joshua 7:19–21 ESV

19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

Ultimately, Achan is put to death because he took plunder that he wasn’t supposed to take.

1 Samuel 15:1-9, 17-19.

1 Samuel 15:1–9 ESV

1 And Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord. 2 Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ” 4 So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. 6 Then Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.

1 Samuel 15:17–19 ESV

17 And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And the Lord sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?”

Here we see that Saul does the same think as Achan. He takes what he’s not supposed to take, and the author of Esther wants us to make this connection. Who’s the king that Saul spared?

King Agag… Who’s the enemy of the Jews in Esther?

Haman the Agagite. Haman is a descendent of King Agag… The King that Saul was supposed to kill.

The Jews in Esther succeeded where Saul failed. Saul took what he should not have taken, but the Jews in the book of Esther refused to make the same mistake.

Saul believed that he gain victory by doing it his own way, but he should have done it God’s way.

That’s the lesson for us. Victory should be regulated.

Instead of trying to define victory for ourselves; Instead of trying to gain victory by doing it our own way, we need to rely on God.

There are so many voices in our culture that tell us, “here’s how you get victory,” and usually it’s all about pleasing self and doing what we want to do.

If stuff makes you happy, then get a lot of stuff.

If sex makes you happy, then sleep with as many people as you can.

These people are just wrong. Victory is not obtained by making self happy. Victory is not obtained by winning wars. Victory is not obtained by this party/that party winning the election.

Victory is only obtained by living life God’s way. Our victory should be regulated by God’s will.

Victory should be communicated (Esther 9:16-32)

Esther 9:16–32 ESV

16 Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also gathered to defend their lives, and got relief from their enemies and killed 75,000 of those who hated them, but they laid no hands on the plunder. 17 This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made that a day of feasting and gladness. 18 But the Jews who were in Susa gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth, and rested on the fifteenth day, making that a day of feasting and gladness. 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the rural towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and as a day on which they send gifts of food to one another. 20 And Mordecai recorded these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 obliging them to keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year, 22 as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor. 23 So the Jews accepted what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them. 25 But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 26 Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur. Therefore, because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them, 27 the Jews firmly obligated themselves and their offspring and all who joined them, that without fail they would keep these two days according to what was written and at the time appointed every year, 28 that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants. 29 Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew gave full written authority, confirming this second letter about Purim. 30 Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth, 31 that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther obligated them, and as they had obligated themselves and their offspring, with regard to their fasts and their lamenting. 32 The command of Esther confirmed these practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing.

After the victory that was achieved, Mordecai makes a record of everything, and he tells the Jews to always remember this victory by partaking of a feast called Purim.

This is something that Mordecai and the rest of the Jews took seriously. They wanted everyone to know about, and remember, the victory that they achieved.

So, to this day, the Jews still celebrate Purim to remember what happened during Esther’s day.

This is the final lesson for us. Victory should be communicated.

The victory that we have as God’s people is a victory that we should want everyone to know about, so we need to tell people.

This is our mission. Our mission is to spread the borders of God’s Kingdom. We do this by talking to people about the great victory that we have.

Romans 1:15-16.

Romans 1:15–16 ESV

15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Why does Paul want to preach the gospel in Rome? Because it is the power of God for salvation. This is gospel offers victory… This is something that people need to hear.

I’ve already talked about how death is a specter that hovers over all of us.

Who wouldn’t want to have victory over death?

So, the victory that we have should be communicated.

Conclusion

This is what Esther teaches us about Victory.

Are you a part of this victory?