Esther 8:1-8 – Getting the Job Done

It worked! The plot has been exposed, the baddie is dead, Esther has saved the day! But don’t celebrate too soon: the sword is still hanging over God’s people.

Haman’s body may be broken but his legacy is very much intact. His holocaust remains the law of the land.

Esther’s job is only half done. Somehow she and Mordecai must deal deal with Haman’s decree.

That’s easier said than done. Haman may have been the architect, but the massacre was ordered in Ahasuerus’ name. In the Persian Empire, the King’s word is everything. So absolute is his rule that nothing can ever annul his pronouncements. Esther can’t do it. Mordecai can’t do it. Even the King himself can’t do it! (v8; also see Daniel 6:8)

Sure, Haman’s got his comeuppance, but that’ll be scant consolation when armed mobs kick down Jewish doors. But what’s the solution? The problem seems insurmountable.

Yet, if there’s one thing we learn from the Book of Esther it’s that God doesn’t start a job and then leave it unfinished. Whatever happens, God will see it through. But how? The answer is a surprising one.

Ahasuerus doesn’t come out of this chapter well. Sure, he’s very fond of Esther and owes his life to Mordecai, but as for the rest of the Jews…let’s just say he’s not terribly concerned whether they live or die. That may seem like bad news, but in God’s providence, that is exactly what the situation demanded. The King was so indifferent to the Jewish plight that he let Esther and Mordecai completely take control. He could banish the problem from his mind; they could have the blank cheque they needed. Everyone wins!

The Jewish saviours could write anything they wanted and it would be legally binding. You would think Ahasuerus would have learned from the last time, but God ensured he didn’t. The true King of Kings used this folly to secure his people’s deliverance. The true King gets the job done. Let Esther convince you of that.

Questions
1. Ahasuerus did not learn from his foolish mistake (3:10). Why was this good news?
2. God doesn’t leave a job half finished. What does this mean for us? (Romans 8:29-30)

Prayer Points
1. Praise God because he does not leave a job half finished. Rejoice in what that means for you, your church, and the world.
2. Use prayer points from your congregation.
3. Pray for family matters.