via TJC
“Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them. The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could stand against them, for the fear of them had fallen on all peoples. All the officials of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the royal agents also helped the Jews, for the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them.”
Esther 9:1-3 ESV
As we approach the end of The Book of Esther, all the pieces seem to be in place for a fairy tale ending. We have seen a humble Jewish woman of no noble birth become the exalted queen of Persia. Her God-honoring, faithful guardian, Mordecai, has been publicly honored for disclosing a plot against the king, much to the chagrin of his vengeful enemy, Haman. The king’s favor for Esther has outweighed any displeasure he could have lawfully shown toward her for defying protocol in coming before him unsummoned, ultimately resulting in the exposure of Haman’s insidious plot against the Jews and his execution. Furthermore, Haman’s signet ring and position of power have been bestowed upon Mordecai. Love wins the day. And everyone lives happily ever after. Right?
Well, actually, the story isn’t over quite yet. As it turns out, Haman’s edict for the Jewish people’s annihilation on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, which was made law with the seal of his signet ring, still is in effect and cannot be reversed. The lives of every Jew in the 127 provinces are threatened, including Esther and Mordecai. In this situation, Mordecai does what must be done to counteract this edict by writing an edict of his own, granting his people the right to bear arms and defend themselves from their enemies. I imagine there were many Jews who desired an alternative that did not require bloodshed and casualties, but this was not the way the Lord delivered them. Yet because of Mordecai’s position and power, those who sought their lives feared him and were conquered.
Brothers, many of us would wish that we could have an easy deliverance from our trials and enemies. We want the Lord to remove them with a single command. Certainly, God could do this, but much more often the way that we experience victory is on the battlefield. We are called not onto to have faith but to “wage the good warfare” (1 Tim. 1:18) and fight “the good fight of faith” (2 Tim. 4:7) against a very real enemy who “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). There is no easy way out of suffering in this life. But take heart, brothers! “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5)
Daily Battle Order
As we wage war in the spiritual realm, let us not get discouraged when we don’t get a quick deliverance, but be encouraged that the Lord will give us the victory as we fight the good fight of faith.
Have you gotten rusty or maybe never heard the preparation you need to be victorious on your battlefields? This is your call to action – Join The Joshua Commission and your Kingdom brothers at Manassas Battlefield May 19-21, 2023.
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