Esther 8:15–17

All the people of Shushan had already seen Mordecai clothed in royal dignity, because he had "spoken good for the king" (Esther 7:9). But up to this point that dignity was only moral dignity, so to speak. Right afterwards he went back to his position as a servant at the king's gate. From this point on, he is no longer at the gate; he comes before the king. His dignity becomes effective and official.

He stood like a rock and let the whole tide of difficulty and opposition roll over him. He would not bow to the Amalekite, whatever the cost. Obedience was his path. The results were with God. And look at the result! In one moment the tide turned. The proud Amalekite fell from his high position. The exiled Jew rose from his sackcloth and ashes to a place next to the throne. Haman exchanged his wealth and honours for a gallows; Mordecai exchanged his sackcloth for a royal robe.

Persia no doubt knew nothing of what these things meant in God's eyes. But Scripture treats blue as the heavenly colour and white as purity of moral character. So Scripture sees Mordecai as a picture of the Lord Jesus, the Man from heaven in whom is moral perfection. The crown of gold reminds us that Christ is far more than man, for gold speaks of the glory of God... The garment of fine linen and purple shows that royal glory (the purple) belongs to Christ, joined with the grace of perfect purity (the fine linen)... Christ on earth wore the clothes of the poor, but He will soon have His rightful place, with garments of glory and beauty.

The royal robes were blue, white and purple, the Persian colours. They show the ancient Persian view of the world: white was the colour of light, blue the sky, and purple was linked with the sun.

God will not fail to give the greatest honour to Christ, who glorified Him on the cross. God has exalted Him to the place of honour at His right hand, and one day God will honour Him publicly. Mordecai "went out from the presence of the king in royal robes... with a great golden crown" (v. 15). In the same way Christ will appear in glory, coming from the presence of God, so that the earth will recognise and honour Him.

Men may feel ill will toward a life that condemns them without a word. Even so, conscience must justify the truehearted. So when it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. Compare Esther 8:15-17.

What a change had taken place. Perplexity gave way to gladness; feasting took the place of fasting. Why? The thirteenth of Adar had not yet come. The first decree stood unrepealed. Why this change? The written word of that second decree had made all the difference. Relief had come; a way of escape from that dreadful doom now stood open to the Jews. They believed it, and they acted as if they believed it.

Through grace and mercy they do sometimes have a feast and a good day; they do have answers to their prayers, special marks of God's favour, and striking interventions on their behalf; they may also be much used in leading others to turn to God, as we read, "Many of the people of the land became Jews"; but I press it, they are still short of their true, full blessing.

I need hardly say how Esther and her people were delivered at the moment of deepest despair. The struggle between hope and fear ended in the most glorious and wonderful triumph of hope. The Jews had the sentence of death in themselves. But there is One who raises the dead, and turns the shadow of death into the morning.

What a change had been brought about. Perplexity gave way to gladness; feasting took the place of fasting. Why? The thirteenth of Adar had not yet come. The first decree stood unrepealed. Why this change? The written word of that second decree had made all the difference. Relief had come; a way of escape from that dreadful doom was offered to the Jews. They believed it, and they acted as if they believed it.

They learnt that the king counted them an accepted people. Yet most of them had never seen the king, and had probably never been to Shushan. But Mordecai had seen him, and stood accepted before him. Anyone could know this who heard how he came out from the king's throne room, dressed in royal robes of blue and white, with a crown of gold on his head.

What a change of scene! For souls plunged into the night of despair, the sun has risen. There is light for the Jews "at evening time." (Zech. 14:7) Where fear and terror reigned, there is now only joy and happiness. It is a feast day, a day of celebration. One solitary man, Mordecai, has been the instrument and the organizer of this immense deliverance.

In keeping with Mordecai's exaltation, "The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor" (v. 16). This will be wonderfully true when Christ is recognised by Israel at the beginning of the millennium... many of the Gentiles became converts and took their place with Israel. That may not be the case in the millennium. Even so, the joy of the Gentiles over the blessing of Israel will be a striking sight.

Even before vengeance is carried out, the Jews rejoice. Rest and perfect confidence are born in their hearts when He appears — the only One who can turn wrath away from the head of the people. In just this way, the appearance of Christ will put an end to the great tribulation, even before the final blow has been struck.

Through grace and mercy they do sometimes have a feast and a good day. They do have answers to their prayers, special marks of God's favour, and striking help on their behalf. God may also use them greatly in leading others to turn to Him, as we read, "Many of the people of the land became Jews." But I press it: they are still short of their true, full blessing.

How things had changed under God's merciful dealings with His people! When that first decree was issued Mordecai sat in sackcloth and ashes and all the Jews wept and wailed. But now came the second decree. Mordecai went out from the king's presence in royal clothing of blue, white and purple, the Persian colours... On his head he had a great crown of gold. There was great joy in the city of Shushan. The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and glory. Throughout the vast kingdom there was nothing but joy. Furthermore many people became Jews.

Men may resent a way of life whose quiet example condemns them. Even so, their conscience is forced to admit that the true-hearted are right. So when it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. Compare Esther 8:15-17.

What a change had been worked. Perplexity gave way to gladness; feasting took the place of fasting. Why? The thirteenth of Adar had not yet come. The first decree stood unrepealed. Why this change? The written word of that second decree had made all the difference. Relief had come; a way of escape from that dreadful doom was offered the Jews. They believed it, and they acted as if they believed it.

The written word in those days spoke to people. They heard it, they believed it, and it affected them according to what it said. Now God, not Ahasuerus, has spoken to all of us, and has announced a coming judgment... But what is man? He is more ready to believe the decree of Ahasuerus than the word of God.

One man alone, Mordecai, has been the instrument and organizer of this huge deliverance... But the terror of the Jews also falls on a great number of the peoples of the land, who become Jews to escape judgment.

Certain separate features of the coming kingdom are also displayed here. The fear of the Jews falls on their enemies, on those around them, and they are held back from all attempts to harm them... Shushan was the capital of the Gentile world in that day, and it rejoices in the exaltation of the Jew. As all Scripture tells us, the whole world will rejoice under the shadow of the throne of Israel in the time of the coming kingdom. Many of the people of the land became Jews, as we read the same kind of thing in the prophets again and again.

Through grace and mercy they do sometimes have a feast and a good day. They do have answers to their prayers, special marks of God's favour, and striking interventions on their behalf. They may also be much used in leading others to turn to God, as we read, "Many of the people of the land became Jews." But I press it: they are still short of their true, full blessing. They cannot worship as they should while away from the place where God has put His name.