How Things Change Series

After Haman was hanged, King Xerxes gave his house to Queen Esther and after finding out that she and Mordecai are related, gave his signet ring to him. Before Haman was executed, he was stripped of the ring. Mordecai was appointed over Haman's house. Esther 8:1-2 A lot of people forget that God is a God of justice. He'll even strip your enemies of everything and give it to you. Proverbs 13:22 Had Haman known ahead of time that he would lose everything by unjustly hating Mordecai and setting up the Jews, he probably wouldn't have done it. Esther once again implored King Xerxes to counteract the scheme Haman devised against the Jews. The golden scepter was held to Esther and again she pleaded for him to revoke the letters Haman devised. Esther 8:3-6 Esther knew she couldn't endure seeing her people destroyed.

King Xerxes acknowledged that Queen Esther has been given Haman's house and that he had been hung on the gallows due to him trying to lay his hand on the Jews. However, he couldn't change the decree because Persian law can't be changed...not even the king can change it.

So, what King Xerxes did was allow Esther and Mordecai to write a decree concerning the Jews. This decree could be signed in the king's name and sealed with the signet ring. The king's scribes were called, and the decree was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces in all. Esther 8:7-9

After Mordecai had finished writing and sealing the decree, the letters were sent by the couriers on horseback, riding on royals horses bred from swift steeds. Esther 8:10 In these letters, the decree said that the king permitted the Jews in every city to gather and protect their lives - to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them. Esther 8:11-14

King Xerxes knew he couldn't change Haman's decree, but he allowed a newer and much better decree to come about. God is like that too. Many times, things happen in which we can't go back and change it. Our hands are tied. What's done is done. But God will give us a newer and much better beginning.

After the decree was issued in Shushan the citadel, Mordecai left the king's presence. Mordecai was dressed in royal apparel of blue and white with a great crown of gold, and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. Esther 8:15 It's interesting the Bible included what Mordecai was wearing because it shows how God can change things in an instant. Mordecai was sitting outside the king's gate and now he owned the house and position of Haman. While it's true that we might not always be granted earthly fame, power, wealth and position, the point is that God ALWAYS finds a way to elevate those who love and serve Him faithfully. And those who have made us our enemies unjustly will ultimately come to ruin.

The Jews were excited when this new decree came out. In every province, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast, and a holiday. As a result, many people in the land became Jews out of fear for them. Esther 8:16 Remember what God promised Abraham in Genesis 12:3? Well, the people saw what happened to Haman and most likely realized that God really was with the Jewish people. The wrath of God is a very scary thing to come under. Every nation and people who ever did harm to the Jews came under severe judgment. Nobody wanted that.