Transcript

D-Day was the name given to the June 6, 1944, invasion of the beaches at Normandy in northern France by troops from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries during World War II.

France at the time was occupied by the armies of Nazi Germany, and the amphibious assault landed some 156,000 Allied soldiers on the beaches of Normandy by the end of the day.

Despite the Allies’ air superiority and hours of heavy bombardment against the beach defenses by the warships’ guns, the Germans stayed intact as thousands of brave men in the landing craft motored toward shore.

Nothing stood between these troops and the German guns but the morning air. At Omaha, Gold, Sword, Juno, and Utah beaches, the troops’ only chance was to run, swim, and crawl up the beach to the sea walls, where they could reassemble for assaults on enemy gun positions.

Some 4,000 Allied troops were killed by German soldiers defending the beaches. At the time, the D-Day invasion was the largest naval, air, and land operation in history.

By August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and in spring of 1945 the Allies had defeated the Germans. Historians often refer to D-Day as the beginning of the end of World War II.

Esther chapter 9 is the “D-Day” of the events of the Book, the day appointed by Haman’s decree for the slaughter of the Jews. But by the counteracting decree of Mordecai, the Jews had permission to organize, resist, and fight back against their enemies.

In this chapter, the day arrived when both of these decrees dramatically clashed. In Esther, we find God working to protect His people from annihilation, and due to that, in the end, we find the Jews victorious over those who hated and would destroy them.

Esther 9:1-10: “Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)

“The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.

“And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.

“For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.

“Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.

“And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha, And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,

“The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand.”

Eight and a half months had now elapsed since the close of chapter 8, and the 13th day of the twelfth month Adar was drawing near, the day that both Haman’s and Mordecai’s decrees were to be carried out.

Instead of having to endure their slaughter with no self-defense, due to the courage and wisdom of Esther and Mordecai, the Jews now had royal legislation that allowed them to organize and fight against those who tried to kill them.

Verse one says the day approached when Haman’s decree of death was to be executed and carried out, “the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them.”

“To have power over them” means to get the mastery over them. The Jews’ enemies hoped and expected to overpower and have mastery over the Jews, but as verse 1 says, “it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them.”

The opposite occurred, and it happened the other way around, as the Jews overpowered and had mastery over their enemies on that day.

Throughout the entire Persian empire on the 13th of Adar, “The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.”

The Jews were readied on this day, as they assembled, united, organized themselves, and were armed. They did so “to lay hand on such as sought their hurt,” or to defend themselves and slay any who sought to do them harm.

And on this day, “no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.” No one was able to stand against the Jews, and the fear of the Jews fell on “all people,” within the Persian empire.

Without fear and with courage, following the example of their queen, Esther, and Persia’s chief officer, Mordecai, the Jews stood strong against their enemy, and their great courage put great fear into the hearts of their enemy, and none could stand before them.

This fear of the Jews reminds us of what God told Israel before they passed into the Promised Land: “There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon” (Deut. 11:25).

God had quietly turned the tables in the Jews’ favor in the Book of Esther, and His people were now emboldened, united, and strong, and their valor and the God who was sovereignly working “behind the seen” caused all to fear them.

In verse 3, we see that the governmental officials of Persia also feared, as the “fear of Mordecai fell upon them.” They feared Mordecai to such an extent that they even “helped the Jews,” the people of Mordecai, defend themselves.

Mordecai was now the second most powerful man in the empire, and verse 4 tells us he was “great in the king’s house,” or he had great clout and influence in the palace.

But not only was Mordecai great in the palace, but his fame spread so that his power and influence grew, and he became continually greater and greater in and throughout the entire Persian empire.

And because of Mordecai’s great authority, popularity, and influence he had with the king, the Persian rulers suddenly became pro-Jewish, which in turn would keep them in good standing politically.

Verse 5 starts with a “Thus,” referring to the fact that because the Jews were feared and because they were united and supported by the governmental officials, they “smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction.”

Out of hatred for the Jews and with the opportunity to get rich at their expense by plundering their property after they were killed; many still attacked the Jews on this day.

But verse 5 tells us that the Jews dealt them death blows, slaying and destroying all who hated and tried to kill them. And they “did what they would unto those that hated them,” defending, retaliating, and vanquishing their foes.

The Jews’ enemies fell in great numbers on this day. The Jews slew 500 in the city of Shushan alone. And besides these 500, the 10 sons of Haman also fell on this day, whose names are carefully recorded in verses 7-9.

It’s not hard to imagine that these 10 sons, with a great hatred for the Jews and seeking to avenge their father’s death, had decided to attack and kill the Jews on the 13th of Adar. But all of them perished at the hands of the Jews.

In verse 10, we find that, even though they had the right to do so according to the edict, the Jews did not take the spoil from any of those slain in Shushan.

Unlike their attackers, the Jews were not out for personal enrichment on this day but simply to protect their people as a whole and their families and homes.

Esther 9:11-19: “On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king. And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.

“Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day’s decree, and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged upon the gallows. And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman’s ten sons. For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand.

“But the other Jews that were in the king’s provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,

“On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

“Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.”

Verse 11 says, “On that day,” or the 13th of Adar, the figures from the day were reported to the king, of “the number of those that were slain in Shushan.”

The king then reported this number to his queen, telling her of the 500 dead in Shushan, along with Haman’s 10 sons. King Ahasuerus asked Esther if she knew what had happened in the rest of the empire, as he wondered if the Jews were faring just as well elsewhere in the kingdom as they were in Shushan.

Knowing now of her wisdom and character, the king trusted Esther, so he asked if she had any further petition or request, telling her that whatever she would ask would be granted.

Concerned about the continued safety of her people, Esther asked for permission to extend the Jews’ right to defend themselves for one more day in Shushan. And she also requested that Haman’s ten sons be publicly hanged on the gallows, or on impalement stakes.

Both requests were made to save the lives of her people. Not all the Jews’ enemies were killed on the first day in Shushan, where Haman had numerous friends and supporters. So she was protecting her people against those who might seek revenge on the Jews.

This gave the Jews an additional day to root out any further deadly enemies, who did not come out in the open on the first day, and who might have caused the Jews further trouble in the days, months, and years ahead.

The public hanging of Haman’s ten dead sons on impalement stakes was done to serve as a visual warning to deter further persecution or attacks on the Jews and to show what would happen to those who might attempt to harm them.

The king, true to his word, had Esther’s request carried out just as she said. The decree was issued and proclaimed, and Haman’s ten sons were impaled for public display.

These ten sons of Haman, who shared in their father’s fate, prefigure the “ten horns,” or ten kings who will be aligned with and serve under the Antichrist in his worldwide government during the Great Tribulation.

These future kings will promote the Antichrist’s agenda and will “make war with the saints” and seek to destroy all believing Jews. In the end, they will share in the Antichrist’s fate and be destroyed by Christ at His Second Coming.

In verse 15 we learn that the following day in Shushan on the 14th of Adar, the Jews gathered and armed themselves like they had the day before, and showing the wisdom of Esther, they slew 300 more enemies, bringing the total dead in Shushan to 810. And just like the day before, they did not plunder the property of those whom they slew.

Verse 16 takes us outside of Shushan, and we see that elsewhere in the Persian provinces, the Jews had united and armed themselves and “stood for their lives,” or defended themselves and fought for their lives.

And in total, the Jews killed 75,000 foes. With there being 127 provinces, this averages to about 590 enemies killed per province. Just like in Shushan, none of the Jews in the entire Persian empire plundered the property of the dead.

The beginning of verse 17 connects to verse 16 and the literal idea is: “[All this took place] on the thirteenth day of the month Adar.” Then verse 17 adds that “on the fourteenth day” the Jews had rest, and it was a day of celebrating their deliverance.

Verse 18 explains that in Shushan, however, they had TWO days of fighting their enemies. They were assembled to fight their enemies “on the thirteenth day…and on the fourteenth,” so their celebration day took place “on the fifteenth day.”

Verse 19 explains how the Jews in the provinces in the rural areas and towns, made the fourteenth day of Adar a day of rejoicing and feasting, and declared it a “good day,” or a holiday where they sent “portions,” or presents/gifts to one another.

Esther 9:20-22: “And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,

“To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.”

The Passover feast celebrated Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and took place on the 14th day of the first month, Nisan. And God’s hand, as we know, was clearly seen in that deliverance.

The rest of chapter 9 goes on to explain the institution of the Feast of Purim, which celebrated this deliverance of Israel from the decree of Haman. It took place on the 14th and 15th days of the last month of the year, Adar.

Thus, Israel celebrated deliverances at the beginning and end of every year on the 14th day of each of those months. Unlike Passover, however, this deliverance took place by God’s UNSEEN hand, but it was just as powerful.

Verse 20 tells us that “Mordecai wrote these things,” or he recorded all the events that had taken place during these historic days in Adar.

Mordecai then sent letters to all the Jews throughout the kingdom of Persia, “both nigh and far,” to inform them of all that had taken place.

The letters recounted their utter victory throughout the empire on the 13th, and how the Jews in Shushan fought again on the 14th and were victorious on both days.

It would have also informed them how the Jews throughout the country celebrated and rested on the 14th while the Jews in Shushan did the same on the 15th.

The Jews had been united in victory over their adversaries but were divided in their celebration, celebrating on two different days.

Thus, Mordecai wrote these letters to establish an annual two-day feast, uniting the two days the Jews defended themselves, the 14th and 15th of Adar, as a “yearly” holiday.

The two-day celebration, verse 22 says, was to be observed as a remembrance of the time when the Jews got rest and relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned to joy, and when their mourning was turned “into a good day.”

On the days of this joyful holiday, Mordecai’s letters said that they should be days of feasting and rejoicing, and giving of gifts to one another and to the poor.

Verse 23 states the Jews had already celebrated their deliverance that year, and upon receiving Mordecai’s letters, they willingly agreed and resolved to observe this celebration annually in the same way they did the first time in obedience to Mordecai’s charge.

Verses 24-26 explain how the feast got its name, giving a summary of the events that led to the establishment of this holiday: how Haman, “the enemy of all the Jews,” had schemed and plotted to annihilate the Jews.

And in doing so, he “had cast Pur, that is, the lot” to determine the perfect day for his evil plan to be carried out, and for the Jews to be consumed and destroyed.

But “Esther came before the king” and turned the favor of the king toward the Jews and exposed Haman, this led to a turn of events where the king commanded that Haman’s wicked plot “should return upon his own head,” and he reaped what he sowed.

And though not at the same time, the king ordered that both Haman and his sons be hanged on the gallows.

The days that were instituted by Mordecai as an official annual holiday, were called “Purim,” after the “Pur,” which Haman had cast. The term “Purim,” is the plural form of “pur,” meaning “lot.” And thus, the Feast of Purim was instituted.

Because of Mordecai’s letter and all they had personally seen and lived through, the Jews “ordained” and took it upon themselves and their descendants to observe this holiday and these two days without fail, every year in the way prescribed and at the time appointed.

In verse 29, we learn that Esther and Mordecai jointly wrote a second letter concerning Purim. In their positions of authority, they “wrote with all authority” to confirm that the Jews were to celebrate the Feast and also to confirm an added activity to the festival.

Mordecai ordered that copies of this letter be sent to all the Jews in all 127 provinces of Persia. The letter was written graciously “with words of peace and truth,” assuring the people of peace after a year full of fear, anxiety, and dread.

The second letter confirmed the days of Purim, “in their times appointed,” or confirmed the 14th and 15th of Adar as a holiday.

The letter also “enjoined,” or charged the people to add “fastings and their cry” to the Feast of Purim. Time was to be designated during the feast to also fast and lament.

Now, it may seem strange to add fasting to a feast and mourning to a festival of joy, but fasting and mourning were part of the events that took place.

You’ll recall that Esther and her maidens and Mordecai and all the Jews of Shushan fasted for three days before Esther went to the king to intercede for the Jews (4:16).

And when Mordecai learned of Haman’s decree, he put on sackcloth and ashes, “and cried with a loud and a bitter CRY” in the streets of Shushan (4:1).

And when the Jews throughout the kingdom got word of the decree, it states in Esther 4:3 that “there was great MOURNING among the Jews, and FASTING, and weeping, and wailing.” So it was appropriate for fasting and lamenting to be a part of the Feast.

The Feast of Purim is still celebrated today by the Jews, and Warren Wiersbe explains the order and events of the feast:

“Today, the Jews begin their celebration with a fast on the thirteenth day of the month, commemorating the date on which Haman’s evil decree was issued.

“They go to the synagogue and hear the Book of Esther publicly read; and whenever the name of Haman is mentioned, they cry out, ‘May he be accursed!’ or ‘May his name perish!’

“Children bring a special Purim rattle…and use it to make noise every time they hear Haman’s name read.

“On the morning of the fourteenth day of the month, the Jews again go to the synagogue, where the Esther story is read again and the congregation engages in prayer…

“Then the celebrants go home a festive holiday meal with gifts and special foods…They also send gifts and food to the poor and needy.”

As an interesting aside, when the Book of Esther is read, and they come to Haman’s ten sons, they read their ten names in one breath because they believe they all died together.

The second letter of Esther and Mordecai confirmed the various prescribed parts and regulations about Purim and it was then written “in the book,” which is “the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia” (10:2).

Esther 10:1-3: “And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea. And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?

“For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.”

The book of Esther closes by speaking of the power and might of King Ahasuerus and how he imposed a tax on all lands under his vast dominion. His chief officer, Mordecai, also was great and had great power in Persia.

Verse two tells us that all the acts of power and might of Ahasuerus, together with “the declaration,” a full account of the greatness of Mordecai was recorded in the “Book of the Chronicles,” or the royal annals, in Persia’s official history and records.

The king advanced Mordecai and exalted him in all the affairs of the kingdom. Verse 3 says he was “next unto king Ahasuerus,” or second in rank to the king, reaching great heights in governmental authority like his fellow-Jews, Joseph and Daniel, before him.

Mordecai was great in the Persian government, but most importantly, he was “great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren,” as this good man was highly esteemed and admired among his people.

And out of his genuine love for his people, Mordecai sought “the wealth [or welfare, the best interests] of his people,” and he spoke “peace to all his seed,” treating all his countrymen with kindness.

It’s been said well about this Book, “The Book of Esther shows that God’s sovereign direction, also called providence, doesn’t require high visibility. It is present in many little, seemingly insignificant things—like beauty contests and insomnia.

Things that, when the tale’s all told seem less like coincidences and more like gracefully orchestrated events…God’s sovereignty, His “coincidences,” always have a purpose. Stretched like a banner across the Book of Esther is His message: “I care.”