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Royalty and Ruin
The Death Decree Against God’s People
Meanwhile conditions in Medo-Persia were changing rapidly.
Darius Hystaspes was followed on the throne by Xerxes the Great.
During his reign those who had failed to leave faced a terrible crisis.
Having refused the way of escape God had provided, now they came
face to face with death.
[212]
Through Haman the Agagite, an unprincipled man high in au-
thority in Medo-Persia, Satan worked to oppose God’s plans. Haman
cherished bitter hatred against Mordecai, a Jew. Mordecai had done
no harm to Haman but had simply refused to show him worshipful
reverence. Not satisfied to “lay hands on Mordecai alone,” Haman
plotted “to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole
kingdom of Ahasuerus.”
Esther 3:6
.
Haman misled Xerxes, persuading him to order the massacre
of all Jews “scattered and dispersed among the people in all the
provinces” of Medo-Persia.
Verse 8
. The decree set a certain day on
which to destroy the Jews and take their property. Satan was behind
the scheme; he was trying to rid the earth of those who preserved
the knowledge of the true God.
“In every province where the king’s command and decree arrived,
there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping,
and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.”
Esther 4:3
.
The decree of the Medes and Persians could not be revoked;
apparently all the Israelites were doomed to destruction. But in the
wise provision of God, Esther had been made queen. Mordecai
was her near relative. In their desperation they decided to appeal
to Xerxes in behalf of their people. Esther would dare to enter into
his presence to plead for their lives. “Who knows,” said Mordecai,
“whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Verse 14
.
The Great Prayer Meeting
The crisis Esther faced demanded quick action; but both she and
Mordecai realized that unless God would work to help them, their
efforts would not succeed. So Esther took time to commune with
God. “Go,” she directed Mordecai, “gather all the Jews who are