A Devotional Thought From The Book Of Esther

And the king said, What honor and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.     Esther 6:3

Mordecai, the uncle of Esther, Queen of Persia, was probably a low level executive in the administration of Ahasuerus, as he is called in the Bible, known to secular history as Xerxes. Modecai “sat in the king’s gate.” On one occasion he became aware that two of the door men in the king’s palace were plotting against the king. Bigthan and Teresh were their names, and their plan was to terminate Ahasuerus’s reign “with prejudice.” Mordecai discovered the plot, and sent word to the Queen who informed the king. The king judiciously had the matter investigated, and when the truth was discovered he had Bigthan and Teresh hung, when we hear that term we think hung by the neck until dead, but in Persia in those days it meant hung by being impaled on a giant stake with a spear point at the top. A full police report was then included in the official court documents (chronicles) of King Ahasuerus.

Mordecai may have been disappointed. There was no “Citizen Hero” ceremony in the court, no cash reward, not even a participation ribbon. All that happened was the report of Mordecai’s patriotism went into the Congressional record.

Well, if you know the story of the book of Esther you know  it was all good, that God was in control, and since the King’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, God was getting ready to turn it whithersoever he will.

On the very night that Haman, the would be “Hitler of the Old Testament,” had decided to execute Mordecai and the Jewish people, across town at the palace Ahasuerus could not  get to sleep. God would not let him although the king didn’t know it. So to pass the time and get himself good and drowsy the king called for the most boring thing he could think of, the chronicles of the administration, to be read to him. Normally that would put anybody to sleep, but not tonight. Tonight the historian just happened, I think by God’s direction, to read how Mordecai saved the king’s life, and the king asked, “What did we do to reward Mordecai?” The historian replied, “Nothing, nada, niente, niets, zero, zilch, zippo” (So to speak).

This little incident and that answer, saved Mordecai’s life, and eventually the lives of all the Jewish people of Persia. If you want to know the details pick up the story at Esther 2:21 and read through the end of chapter 9.

But here’s a lesson for modern-day believer/citizens. Do what is right as a citizen of the nation realizing the nation is called to obey and honor God’s righteousness. Even when you disagree with the king’s direction of the country, honor him. Follow God’s directions for life even if the nation is turning away from them. Work, save, take care of your family, vote, protest peacefully, obey the law, be a good neighbor, love your enemies, seek peace, pray for the nation, be a part of the quiet majority who want a great, honorable, righteous, way of life to be the essence of your country.

            Having done this, like Mordecai, wait and see what God will do, what blessings He will bring, and pray that the nation’s king will not be able to sleep.