Esther Series Part 6: Evil Day Turned Into Victory!

Esther 3:12-14
“12 Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province according to its script, and to every people in their language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring.
13 And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.
14 A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province, being published for all people, that they should be ready for that day.”
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We have seen in this story so far that the Jewish people were sent into exile because they had strayed time and again away from worshipping the true God. But though they were in Babylon as a result of their own mistakes, God never left them or forsook them.  We also discovered that, although His Name is not mentioned anywhere in the entire book, it appears in acrostic form at critical junctures where He was orchestrating events in favor of His people.

Finally, we will discuss the typologies of this wonderful story.

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Two Decrees.

The story of Esther is really the story of two decrees. The first royal and binding decree is a typology of the Old Covenant, i.e., The Ten Commandments.  Like the binding nature of that covenant, the decree sent out by the king in our story could not be rescinded.

The second decree, which is no less binding, depicts the New Covenant.  It gave the Jewish people the right to defend themselves and plunder their enemies.

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The First Decree.
In the Persia of Esther’s day, if the first decree put forth by the king had been allowed to proceed, it would have caused the death of all the Jewish people a single day.  Being lawfully signed by the King himself and sealed with his signet ring, it was not only valid, but binding and irrevocable. How did this evil decree come to be?

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The King had been entreated by a wicked man named Haman. He was incensed that Mordecai refused to bow before him.  But he wasn’t content only to be rid of Mordecai.  No; he sought to kill all of his people as well!  Sound familiar? It should. Many other evil leaders just like him down though history, both before and after, also sought to destroy God’s covenant people, but all of them suffered the same fate as Haman.  It never ends well for those who set themselves against those whom God loves!
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(Mordecai refused to bow to Haman)

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Haman’s Plot.
Here’s the scene:

In Esther 3:8 he Haman said to the king, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain.”
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This genocide was scheduled to occur on the 13th day of the Jewish 12th month of Adar. We discussed the meaning of the number 13 in part 5 of this series.
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Casting Of Lots.
The date for this evil plot to be carried out was determined by the casting of lots, called “Pur.”  In Hebrew, when you want to make a word plural, you add “im” to the end of it, which functions like our letter, “s.”  The plural of the word pur is “Purim,” hence the name of the feast.  This definitely qualifies as an evil day!

Pur also brings to mind what happened at the foot of the cross.  You recall that the soldiers cast lots or “Purim,” to decide who would get Jesus’ robe, which was no ordinary garment.  It was something called a “Kettoneth,” made of the purest fine linen, a very expensive commodity in those days.

(For more on that topic, you may follow the link below:

https://emmausroadministries.international/2020/05/03/coat-of-many-colors-story-of-joseph-part-1/)

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Mary had made Jesus’ robe for Him.  It was so expensive those days that only royalty and the ultra rich could afford it. So how did she come to have that kind of money?  From the gifts given to her family by the Magi from the East!

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So, copies of this evil decree were sent out to all the provinces in the vast empire of Ahasuerus.  Curious, isn’t it, that it is recorded in verse 13 of chapter 3, long before there were chapter and verse designations of any kind.  It’s almost as if God is winking at us, demonstrating that He knows all things before they happen. Oh wait; He does!
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Law Of first Mention.
There exists a principle in Bible interpretation called, “The law of first mention.”  It states that the first mention or occurrence of a subject in Scripture establishes an unchangeable pattern, with that subject remaining unchanged in the mind of God throughout Scripture.” The first mention of the phrase, “Evil day” in the Bible is in Ephesians 6 verse 13.  This is  NO coincidence.  (Do you see God winking at you? 😉)  Let’s look at that verse:

“13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand IN THE EVIL DAY, and having done all, to stand.”

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Bible Numerics.
This passage shows us what to do to turn around any “EVIL DAY.”  13 in Bible numerics means “Rebellion,” as we have discussed.  Haman’s plan was definitely evil and most certainly rebellion! What Biblical evidence do we have to support that 13 means “rebellion?”

You may follow the link below to a short series on that topic:

Secrets In Bible Numbers Part 1.

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Typologies.

The first law put forth WITH THE KING’S AUTHORITY (God) that was working for our death was “The Law: The Ten Commandments.”  Haman’s name means “The wrathful; the angry man.”  It brings to mind what Paul wrote that “The law worketh wrath.”  (Romans 4:15)

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You’ve heard the phrase, “The devil goes about as a roaring lion, right?”  Yep; that’s the picture!  Haman was angry, just like the devil is angry, going about roaring and raging, always trying to make us think that the King, God, is angry at us when, in fact, He is not.  Though the Law in and of itself is holy, just, and good, the devil uses it to accuse us.  But our Advocate, Jesus, declares us “Not guilty,” by reason of His sacrifice!
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The second decree put forth by the King and also sealed with his signet ring was no less legally binding. The Jews had FULL, legal, and rightful authority to defend themselves against the first decree.  They gathered themselves together to do just that.
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(The King drafts the 2nd law)

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The Sword Of The Spirit.
Esther 7:11-12
“The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies. 12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.”

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In those days they fought with swords.  We today have the same kind of weapon against our enemy, the devil.  We have “THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT,”  in our mouth; the SPOKEN word of God. That’s the message of Ephesians 6:17.

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I’m sure you’ve heard that the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.  God’s written word only becomes “The sword” the instant it is “SPOKEN.” This is the “RHEMA word.”  It is a very effective weapon against any situation, any lack, or any disease that would be contrary to us.

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You and I also have a sword to combat whatever enemy comes against us IN OUR MOUTH:  the Word of God.  What is your enemy?  Is it cancer, diabetes, heart disease, depression, poverty, debt?  Speak His word over your situation.  Jesus paid the FULL PRICE for us so we could have His complete Shalom.

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Water Like A Flood.
Our old adversary, the devil, spews out “Water like a flood:” A flood of words that is, to accuse us. He tries to convince us that God doesn’t heal today, that He doesn’t save or deliver any more, He’s an absentee landlord, and He is angry with you.  So we use our “sword,” our tongue, and remind him that HE’S DEFEATED!  HE HAS NO MORE RIGHTS OF ANY KIND to put poverty, sicknesses, diseases or any such thing on us!  His rights were CANCELLED the moment we accepted Jesus as our Savior!

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NO MORE FLOODS, DEVIL!!!

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This whole story is about how God reversed the first decree and NAILED THE LAW TO THE CROSS! He has given us a new covenant based on better blood; better promises; ETERNAL RIGHTEOUSNESS!

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Foolish And Slow Of Heart.
Much of the The church today still doesn’t realize this…..YET.  Most Christians, pastors, even theologians, if you asked them, “Was the devil was defeated at the cross,” will readily say, “Yes.”  But ask them if they know that the Law was also nailed nailed to the cross…..uh…..um…..well…..they’re not so sure.  Some even flatly deny it.

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(The Law, the “handwriting of requirements,” was nailed to the cross.)

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Haman was hanged on his own 50′ gallows in chapter 7.  It’s a picture of the devil being DEFEATED AT THE CROSS.  Though it happened sometime later, Haman’s 10 sons were also hanged on the gallows. They typify the law.  Prophetically speaking, it is a picture of the law being nailed to the cross and the Church catching on to the idea…..eventually…..since the sons death occurred sometime after Haman’s hanging.

It means the church will be SLOW to recognize that they are not under law anymore. But she will, at LONG last, come to grips with this truth.  It perfectly pictures what Jesus said on the Emmaus Road to the two disciples, describing the Church:  “Oh foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken…”

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Blank Check.

Church, Jesus death did so much more than UTTERLY DEFEAT the devil, as AWESOME as that is!!!  As a result of His finished work, God has given us a BLANK CHECK!  Read what the King said to Esther:

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(Haman to be hanged on his own gallows)

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Esther 8:7-8
“7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “Indeed, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he tried to lay his hand on the Jews. 8 You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, AS YOU PLEASE, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke.”

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See?  AS YOU PLEASE!  They could write anything they wanted to and it would be sealed with the Kings ring, making it IRREVOCABLE!  He even told her he would give her up to half his kingdom. Today, as sons and daughters, you and I don’t get just half the kingdom;  WE GET THE WHOLE THING!

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Matthew 16:19
19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and WHATEVER you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and WHATEVER you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

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WOW!!!  See? That’s a blank check!

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HALLELUJAH!!!  The first decree–the Law–has been overruled by the second decree–GRACE!  Abba has given us a blank check.

What beautiful lessons and reassurance for us in these last days in the wonderful story of Esther!