Please your Bible text: Esther 9 to 10
‘But the Jews went ahead on the appointed day and struck down their enemies with the sword. They killed and annihilated their enemies and did as they pleased with those who hated them.’ 9:5 (NLT).
Today’s text shows an ugly side of the Jews. They took vengeance in their own hands! God in His mercy and grace had protected the Jews from near destruction yet far from returning God, the worship and praise – they went ahead to kill out of vengeful hearts. When bitterness and hatred lodge in the hearts – the result could be vengeful action leading to destruction.
1) Taking Vengeance in their own hands
God had graciously provided the 2nd decree (Chapter 8) to protect the Jews from the 1st decree to annihilate them. But what was meant for protection and defense, the Jews had turned it into a revenge to kill. Mordecai wrote the 2nd decree to take up arms to protect themselves should the Persians (the enemies) respond to the 1st decree to kill them. It was the Jews who went ahead on the appointed day and struck down the Persians with the sword. The killed and annihilated their enemies and did as they pleased (9:6). This is in spite that there weren’t any Persians who dare to attack the Jews and even the officials and commanders in the provinces were helping the Jews (9:3) for fear of the now powerful Mordecai, who had rose to the king’s favor. Yet the Jews killed and did as they pleased. They took vengeance in their own hands, whereas God says, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay” (Psalm 94:1, Isaiah 1:24, Romans 12:19).
2) The Letter of the Law as against the Spirit of Grace
In this terrible act of vengeance, as it appears in v.16, 75,000 of their assailants fell in the provinces and 800 were killed (9:6, 15) in the fortress of Susa alone. But what was intriguing was that on three occasions when the Jews took vengeance on their enemies – they did not take any plunders (9:5, 10, 15). Why? They were trying to obey the letter of the laws not to covet but in their murderous killing, they had broken the commandment, not to kill! In obeying the letter of the law they missed the ‘spirit’ of grace to forgive, even their enemies.
3) The Feast of Purim could have been Perfect
The feast of Purim was initiated by Mordecai and endorsed by Queen Esther to be an annual celebration of joy and feasting over their victorious deliverance. It was called ‘Purim’ (the Lots) because Haman decided on the day to annihilate the Jews by casting of the lots (9:23-24). It was to be an annual holiday of the Jews for feasting, rejoicing, giving of gifts and remembering the poor, but to our dismay, short of thanksgiving and praise to God. If not for the senseless killing in revenge, the feast of Purim would have been a perfect commemoration of victory.
THINK: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay”, says the Lord.
PRAYER: Lord, deliver me from religious spirits to take vengeance in my own hands. Help me to operate on the spirits of grace to forgive those who have wrong me. Amen.
David Quek
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