82. Esther, Queen of the Jews

Scene 2:

Mordecai The Spy

Since Mordecai was a member of the royal court, part of his job was to sit in the king's gate.  Ostensibly the purpose was to ascertain the "pulse" of the common people.  One day while he was there he heard the plot of two angry men who were planning to assassinate the king.

Mordecai to Queen Esther: Today while I was sitting in the gate I heard the plot by Bigthan and Teresh to kill the king.  You must go and warn the king.

Esther: Surely you know that if I go into his presence without being asked to, he could execute me!

Mordecai: That I know, but the king needs to be warned.

Esther to the king: Mordecai told me that Bigthan and Teresh are planning to assassinate you.  

When the matter was searched into, it was found out, and the two of them were hanged on a tree.  2:22-23.   

The daring fortitude of the queen and the astuteness of Mordecai were recorded in the royal archives but apart from that they were completely ignored and forgotten.

Scene 3:

Esther In A Hopeless Situation

After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman to be the prime minister ... and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. And all the king's servants in the king's gate bowed and worshiped Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. Esther 3:1-2.  Haman was so "full of himself" that he could not imagine that anyone would not be thrilled to bow to him.

When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow nor worship him, then Haman was full of wrath. 3:5.  This lack of obedience on Mordecai's part was enough to warrant the death penalty.  Mordecai was a descendant of King Saul of Israel and he knew what had happened to Israel because they had bowed to gods other than Jehovah.  He was not going to make the same mistake his forefathers had made.

Haman was not content to kill only one Jew, so he plotted an evil scheme whereby he could eradicate all the Jews in all the provinces of Persia; from India to Greece and Africa.

Haman to the king: There is a certain people scattered abroad ... in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from all people, neither do they keep the king's laws. And it is not for the king's gain to allow them to live.   If it pleases the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed. 3:8-9.

Xerxes, the thoughtless, spineless king to Haman: I have given you signing authority for anything that happens in my kingdom; do with those people as you see fit.

So Haman wrote letters to all the provinces, signed them with the king's seal and had them delivered, as fast as possible, by "pony express".  The letter said, "you have the king's permission to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month." 3:13.

Esther, being secluded in "the house of the women" was not aware of the letter which was sent, but Mordecai, who mingled with the people heard about it and tore his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes and went out into the middle of the city, and cried with a loud and bitter cry. And in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping and wailing. And many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4:1+3

Mordecai to Esther: Go in to the king to make supplication to him, and to seek help for her people. 

Esther: whoever, whether man or woman, shall come to the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his, execution, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter so that he may live. But I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.

Mordecai: Do not think within yourself that you shall escape in the king's house more than all the Jews. ... how do you know if Jehovah has not placed you into the palace at this time so that you might be the source of our rescue? 4:8-13.

Esther: If all the Jews in this city will fast for three days and three nights I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law. And if I perish, I perish. 4:16.  For the preservation of the Jewish race, I will offer my life as a sacrifice!

She was graciously received by the king, so now she must devise a plan to foil Haman's wicked plot.