After listing the names of
the ten sons of Haman whom the Jews killed while defending themselves
against their enemies, in chapter nine and verse eleven the writer of
Esther goes on to tell how the reports of those slain were given to
King Ahasuerus. We read:
On that day the number
of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the
king.
The
verse begins, “On that day...” This was the dreaded day
for the Jews at one time. The thirteenth day of the month of Adar was
to be the day of their extermination. As far as they knew, this one
day would alter the fate of every Jew within the Persian empire. No
Jew would be safe if there was not a second edict given that gave
provision for them to defend themselves. However, there was a second
command given, and “on that day” there was a different
report given to the king than once thought by the Jews.
The
verse goes on to say, “...the number of those that were slain in
Shushan the palace was brought before the king.” As those who
must give an account in battle, someone provided the king with a
report about the losses within his palace. We read in verse six of
this chapter that five hundred men were killed in the palace of
Shushan alone. No doubt as the accounting came in, there were great
losses reported all over the kingdom. Can we imagine the king's
reaction when he heard this news?
At one
point in time, the Jews thought themselves to be on a path to
destruction. We remember their mourning, weeping, and sitting in
sackcloths and ashes. There was an empire wide fast called for by
Esther to intercede on her behalf before she made her appeal to the
king. Fate was uncertain, and devastation appeared to be on the
horizon. We might feel this way sometimes. It seems that doom is our
destiny, and without any intervention, demise will be our future.
When these times occur, we must not forget to factor God into our
circumstances. Without Him, there is no telling what our fate will
be, but with Him, “nothing shall be impossible.” The
report to the king was evidence that God intervened on behalf of the
Jews, and if we look and listen long enough, we too will have
testimony that God has been and is involved.
Next
time we will see King Ahasuerus ask Esther another question, so read
ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation” and the new marriage book “So, You Want
to Be Married” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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