Esther 10:3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed
There are a few characters in the story of Esther. You have Mordecai the Jew, Esther the queen, Haman the enemy of the Jews, and Ahasuerus the king. How much do you know of Ahasuerus? Do you even know who he is? Ahasuerus is not a proper name, but it is a title, like Pharaoh or King, of the monarch of the Persian Empire. We believe this man is Xerxes I. You can find a bit written in history about him, but most people who are familiar at all with the story know much more about Mordecai than they do about the head of the kingdom. Why is that?
First of all, Esther is a story of Purim, the story of Persian dice, sheer dumb luck, or chance, though that is really not the case because it is actually about God’s providence and provision. Esther 9:28 says “And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.” So, this story that seemed to be full of chance and luck turns out to be the story of God’s providence. It is a story of purim, but really of providence.
Second, it is a story of irony, of changes. Esther 9:1 says, “Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;). So, it was turned to the contrary. Verse 22 says, “As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day.” Again, there is a change, a turn, an irony. Verse 25 says, “But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device [Haman’s intent to kill the Jewish people], which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head.” So, it is a story of providence and turning.
Lastly, it is a story of promotion. Esther 9:3 says, “And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.” This courtier, cousin to the queen, Mordecai, was a man of whom others were fearful. Later on, verse 4 says, “For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces; for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.” It is a story of promotion.
Verse 29 says, “Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim.” Mordecai became a man who was feared and who had great authority. Why? It is because promotion comes from God. Psalm 75:6-7 say, “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge.” God is the one who knows the long game, who sets down one and raises up another. He raised up the Persian Empire. He called Nebuchadnezzar His servant. Promotion comes from God, and that changes the way we look at everything.
So, often we are scheming, conniving, and running as hard as we can to get ahead of other people. I think we should use what God has given us wisely, well, and with great energy, but we have to know that promotion comes from God, whether we are in a business or a church setting. Church work is the worst for people trying to get ahead and using God as their foil. God is not your foil; He is your sovereign. Promotion comes from God.
Promotion comes from God despite the short game. What was the short game in Esther? It was that wicked Haman was promoted and advanced. The king did this. He doesn’t seem to be all that brilliant in my estimation. He was all about his harem, his kingdom, and having people admire him, but he seemed easily swayed by his advisors and he promoted a wicked man named Haman. Yet, by contrast at the end of the book it says that the king made a “declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him.” So, despite the short game where Haman seemed to be getting ahead, God was in control. Sometimes we don’t know how things will come out. That takes time. Haman was quick to get ahead, but things hastily got away from him toward the end of the story.
Promotion comes from God for a purpose. It is not about you and me. It wasn’t about the king. Don’t grasp for power, but live with purpose in faith and obedience. It is not unwise to leave the unknown future with a known God. God will give the proud just enough rope with which to hang themselves. Esther 5:11 says that prideful Haman bragged about all his wealth, position, and power, but at the end Esther 9:13 indicates that Haman’s sons, of whom he bragged, were hanged on the gallows. His wickedness and pride came back on his own head. So, live with purpose in faith and obedience because God will take care of the wicked. The thumbnail sketch of Mordecai’s life was that he sought the wealth of his people and spoke peace unto all his seed. He spoke peace, not pride.
You will leave the same way you live. When you look at the last verse of Mordecai’s life, he was next unto the king, “great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.” Does it surprise you that this is the last that is said of Mordecai? That is the way he had lived his life. I’m sure he was a very flawed person, but when it came to the preservation of God’s people, he essentially left the way he lived. You will as well.
At the end of the day, promotion comes from God. Let us live well so we can leave well, and let us leave the things that are beyond our understanding to a God who knows everything.