Esther (Greek) 8:7-17: a reflection

7Then the king said to Esther, “If I have given and freely granted you all that was Haman’s, and hanged him on a gallows because he laid his hands upon the Jews, what more do you seek? 8Write in my name whatever seems good to you, and seal it with my ring; for whatever is written at the command of the king, and sealed with my ring, cannot be countermanded. 9So the scribes were called in the first month, which is Nisan, on the twenty-third day of the same year; and orders were written to the Jews, whatever the king had commanded to the local governors and chiefs of the local governors, from India even to Ethiopia—one hundred twenty-seven local governors, according to the several provinces, in their own languages. 10They were written by order of the king, sealed with his ring, and the letters were sent by the couriers. 11In them, he charged them to use their own laws in every city, to help each other, and to treat their adversaries and those who attacked them as they pleased, 12on one day in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is Adar. 13The following is a copy of the letter containing orders: [The great King Ahasuerus sends greetings to the rulers of provinces in one hundred twenty-seven local governance regions, from India to Ethiopia, even to those who are faithful to our interests. Many who have been frequently honored by the most abundant kindness of theirbenefactors have conceived ambitious designs, and not only endeavor to hurt our subjects, but moreover, not being able to bear prosperity, they also endeavor to plot against their own benefactors. They not only would utterly abolish gratitude from among men, but also, elated by the boastings of men who are strangers to all that is good, they supposed that they would escape the sin-hating vengeance of the ever-seeing God. And oftentimes evil exhortation has made partakers of the guilt of shedding innocent blood, and has involved in irremediable calamities many of those who had been appointed to offices of authority, who had been entrusted with the management of their friends’ affairs; while men, by the false sophistry of an evil disposition, have deceived the simple goodwill of the ruling powers. And it is possible to see this, not so much from more ancient traditional accounts, as it is immediately in your power to see it by examining what things have been wickedly perpetrated by the baseness of men unworthily holding power. It is right to take heed with regard to the future, that we may maintain the government in undisturbed peace for all men, adopting needful changes, and ever judging those cases which come under our notice with truly equitable decisions. For whereas Haman, a Macedonian, the son of Hammedatha, in reality an alien from the blood of the Persians, and differing widely from our mild course of government, having been hospitably entertained by us, obtained so large a share of our universal kindness as to be called our father, and to continue the person next to the royal throne, reverenced of all; he however, overcome by pride, endeavored to deprive us of our dominion, and our life; having by various and subtle artifices demanded for destruction both Mordecai our deliverer and perpetual benefactor, and Esther the blameless consort of our kingdom, along with their whole nation. For by these methods he thought, having surprised us in a defenseless state, to transfer the dominion of the Persians to the Macedonians. But we find that the Jews, who have been consigned to destruction by the most abominable of men, are not malefactors, but living according to the most just laws, and being the sons of the living God, the most high and mighty, who maintains the kingdom, to us as well as to our forefathers, in the most excellent order. You will therefore do well in refusing to obey the letter sent by Haman the son of Hammedatha, because he who has done these things has been hanged with his whole family at the gates of Susa, Almighty God having swiftly returned to him a worthy punishment. We enjoin you then, having openly published a copy of this letter in every place, to give the Jews permission to use their own lawful customs and to strengthen them, that on the thirteenth of the twelfth month Adar, on the self-same day, they may defend themselves against those who attack them in a time of affliction. For in the place of the destruction of the chosen race, Almighty God has granted them this time of gladness. Therefore you also, among your notable feasts, must keep a distinct day with all festivity, that both now and hereafter it may be a day of deliverance to us and who are well disposed toward the Persians, but to those that plotted against us a memorial of destruction. And every city and province collectively, which shall not do accordingly, shall be consumed with vengeance by spear and fire. It shall be made not only inaccessible to men, but most hateful to wild beasts and birds forever.] Let the copies be posted in conspicuous places throughout the kingdom. Let all the Jews be ready against this day, to fight against their enemies. 14So the horsemen went forth with haste to perform the king’s commands. The ordinance was also published in Susa. 15Mordecai went out robed in royal apparel, wearing a golden crown and a diadem of fine purple linen. The people in Susa saw it and rejoiced. 16The Jews had light and gladness 17in every city and province where the ordinance was published. Wherever the proclamation took place, the Jews had joy and gladness, feasting and mirth. Many of the Gentiles were circumcised and became Jews for fear of the Jews.

The story of Esther reaches its great turn. The wicked plot to destroy the Jews, which had seemed unstoppable, is reversed. The king grants a new decree allowing the Jews to defend themselves; their enemy has fallen, Mordecai is raised to honor, and the people who had faced destruction now have a very different prospect. The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor; wherever the news came, there was joy and gladness, feasting and celebration.

Notice the great reversal. Not long before, the people faced a decree of destruction, and there was mourning and dread; now there is light and gladness and joy. The situation that had seemed hopeless was turned completely around; what looked like certain doom became deliverance and celebration. God had worked, through a series of events, to turn the darkest of prospects into gladness for his people.

That reversal is a picture of hope for the dark situations we face. There are times when our circumstances seem hopeless, when we face what looks like certain doom, and mourning and dread fill our hearts. But the God who turned the Jews' destruction into gladness is able to reverse even the darkest situations. This does not mean every hard circumstance will turn as dramatically as Esther's; but it means no situation is beyond God's power to change, and that mourning can, in his hand, become joy. When you face what seems hopeless, do not conclude that the darkness is final. The God who brought light and gladness out of the Jews' peril can bring light into your darkness too; hold onto hope, for he is able to reverse what seems beyond reversal.

Lord, in the story of Esther, the plot to destroy your people, which had seemed unstoppable, was reversed, and mourning turned to light and gladness and joy. Give me hope from that great reversal for the dark situations I face. There are times when my circumstances seem hopeless, when I face what looks like certain doom, and mourning and dread fill my heart. But you, who turned the Jews' destruction into gladness, are able to reverse even the darkest situations. I know not every hard circumstance will turn as dramatically as Esther's; but no situation is beyond your power to change, and mourning can, in your hand, become joy. When I face what seems hopeless, keep me from concluding that the darkness is final. You who brought light and gladness out of the Jews' peril can bring light into my darkness too. Help me hold onto hope, for you are able to reverse what seems beyond reversal.