The letters commanding the annihilation of all Jews in Persia had gone out. The king and Haman celebrated with more drunkenness. However, when Mordecai heard what was planned, he had a much different response. This was hitting right close to home now. He went into mourning and demonstrated that with putting on sackcloth with ashes. This was not for “ash Wednesday” that the Catholics like to keep. This was a serious problem that had come up.
Mordecai would no longer be silent about his identity. Now he went into the midst of the city and cried with a loud and bitter cry. Now it was time to draw attention to the plight of his people.
In verse 2 we see that Mordecai came dressed like this to the king’s gate. The king had passed a law that no one was allowed to enter into the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. He wanted those at the gate to look presentable for any traveller coming through. He did not want it to look like there were beggars or otherwise destitute people at his gate. Mordecai was not concerned about this now. He had a serious problem and he wanted the king and everyone else to know about it.
In verse 3 we see that the Jews in every province went into mourning due to this command. The Jews were fasting and weeping and wailing. They too dressed in sackcloth and ashes. This was a major shock to them. They had grown quite comfortable in Persia and now all of a sudden this death warrant on their heads.
In verse 4 we see that Esther’s maids told her about what was going on. They told her of the response of the Jews, but it does not seem that she understood the gravity of the event at this point. She sent out clothes for Mordecai to change into. She did not want him to get into trouble with the king. She did not seem to realize he was already in trouble with the king, and so was she.
Mordecai could not be silenced at this point. This was far too serious a matter for him to remain silent about. In verse 5 Esther took the next step. She needed to know what the reason for this change in attire and behaviour was. She sent Hatach, one of the king’s chamberlains to find out what this was all about. Thus far she had been kept out of the loop on this whole matter. Keep in mind, the king and Haman did not know she was a Jew. It would not have mattered to Haman, but it certainly would matter to the king. He might not have allowed the letters to be written and sent out had he known his new wife was part of the target of Haman’s wrath.
In verse 6 we see that Hatach approached Mordecai and in verse 7 Mordecai explained to him what had taken place. Money had been put into the treasury for the destruction of the Jews. Mordecai also gave Hatach a copy of the letter that was given in Shushan. Esther needed to see this letter.
Mordecai demanded that Esther go in before the king and make supplication before him and the Jews in general. She needed to go and intervene in this situation and plead for the survival of her people.
Hatach came to Esther with this news from Mordecai. In verse 10 we see that Esther was hesitant to go before the king even though Mordecai had demanded it. She was concerned about her life. She did not seem to grasp the seriousness of this matter. It was more than her life that was at stake. She was a Jew as well and all the Jews’ lives were under threat.
Esther reminded Mordecai that no man or woman was allowed to come unto the king in the inner court unless he was called. Esther had not been called now for thirty days. The king had a strange relationship with Esther. Of course he had other concubines and Esther was just one of several women that he had.
God had called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees to separate him from the idolatry of that land. He brought him into a new land where He could teach him the importance of identifying with the truth God. Abraham was reluctant to do so, but God brought about some circumstances that forced Abraham to identify with the true God he knew and needed to serve Him more faithfully.
God eventually settled His people in the land of Canaan and blessed them greatly. Sadly, it did not take many years for them to forget about their right relationship with Him. He did not abandon them. He continued to work with them to show them the danger of forsaking Him. They have been extremely slow learners. God is longsuffering and He will always have a remnant of righteous Jews. In the end the nation will repent and acknowledge Him as their Messiah. In the meantime, many Jews have died and will spend eternity in hell along with many lost Gentiles. There is no hope for them.
Today, we who are saved, have the opportunity to glorify God. We cannot hide and try to blend into the woodwork of the secular culture. The love of God that is within every true believer will move them to speak up for Him and seek to help others to know the truth. Yes there are threats to our freedom if we speak the truth, however those threats are not greater than the privilege to serve the true and living God.
Pastor Bartel