Book of Esther, chapter 2 vs 16-23

Chapter 2 vs 16-17 When the king saw Esther, the contest was over and he made her his queen. Was it by accident or chance that Esther became the winner? It was by the providence of God. In the next chapter we will see how important it was for God to go ahead and set the stage for protecting His people. This is the reason for the background in chapter one . God wants us to see His overruling in the affairs of men and Satan. In the times that we live in, we should comfort in this Book, in the story of Esther. The king loved Esther, but this is not the love that is presented in the Book of Ruth. The love story of Ruth and Boaz, a picture of the love of Christ for His bride, the church. The king is old and at the end of his time, and remember this is a pagan love. The event is still of the greatest importance. God has moved Esther into a unique position.

vs 18 King Xerxes has a new queen and has another feast. Happy after a long period of time, (alone for four years after setting Vashti aside) the king suspends taxes to all of the provinces for an entire year! Just a side note, King Xerxes died 13 years later and Esther lived far into the reign of her step son, Artaxerxes and as queen mother, probably had influence in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah.

vs 19 Mordecai could have held the position already or this was nepotism. His position was as a judge, because the gate represents the courthouse.

vs 20 Married to the king, Esther did not forget and continued to take advice from Mordecai. We will discover that Mordecai is one of the outstanding men in scripture, a man of remarkable ability. Here is where the story starts to take the shape that makes someone say, “God swings big doors on little hinges.” God in His providence, moving behind the scenes.

vs 21-23  This good service which Mordecai did to the government, in discovering a plot against the life of the king, is here recorded, because the mention of it will again occur to his advantage. God gives Mordecai an opportunity of doing the king a good turn, that he might have the fairer opportunity afterwards of doing the Jews a good turn. 1. A design was laid against the king by two of his own servants, who sought to lay hands on him, not only to make him a prisoner, but to take away his life, this type of thing was very common in those days. v. 21. Probably they resented some affront which they thought he had given them, or some injury which he had done them. 2. Mordecai got notice of their treason, and, by Esther’s means, discovered it to the king, hereby confirming her in and recommending himself to the king’s favour. How he came to the knowledge of it does not appear. Whether he overheard their discourse, or whether they offered to draw him in with them, so it was that the thing was known to him. Mordecai, as soon as he knew it, caused it to be made known to the king. 3. The traitors were hanged, as they deserved, but not till their treason was, upon search, fully proved against them (v. 23), and the whole matter was recorded in the king’s journals, with a particular remark that Mordecai was the man who discovered the treason. He was not rewarded presently, but a book of remembrance was written.Why do you think nothing was done for Mordicai? God’s providence, overruling and guiding the entire affair. See Heb. 6:10.