Properties
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- 864
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- 2026-01-26T19:09:21.162Z
- extracted_by
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- text
- 584 Immediately the King commanded him to take the apparel and the horse, and confer this honor upon Mordecai the Jew, who sat in the King's gate. This humiliation was almost too great for Haman to endure. With unspeakable sorrow he returned to his house lamenting his mortification. While bewailing his humiliating condition in the presence of his friends, one of the Queen's chamberlains came to his house and hastened him to the banquet. No sooner had he taken his place
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587 at the banquet than the King again asked Esther what was her petition. Esther preferred a request for the salvation of herself and her people, and she also informed the King that a design was laid for the destruction of both. In answer to the King's angry request, she told him that Haman, then present, was the author of the wicked plot. Rising with wrath from the banquet the King walked into the adjoining garden; then Haman fell before the Queen supplicating his life. In this posture the King found him, and choosing to put the worst construction on his position, he gave his orders, and the servants immediately covered Haman's face, and hanged him on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai. The royal command being thus immediately executed, all Haman's goods were given to the Queen, who appointed Mordecai to be her steward in the management of the riches thus secured.
588
589 The same day the King was informed of the relation which Mordecai sustained
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591 ESTHER BEFORE AMASUERUS
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592 .
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595 to her, and he was taken into the royal household and advanced to high honors in the empire, being made keeper of the King's signet. A second time the King was petitioned to have the destruction decreed against the Jews turned away; but according to the law of the land this could not be done, though the Jews by a new decree were given power to defend themselves, and when the 13th day of Adar drew near, when the decree for their execution was to be enforced, they were prepared to defend themselves in every city where they dwelt throughout all the provinces of the empire. A war was therefore commenced between the Jews and their enemies, and on that day the Jews slew of their enemies seventy-five thousand persons; and in the city of Shushan on that day and the next eight hundred more, and among this number were the ten sons of Haman, who were hanged, probably on the same gallows on which their father Haman died. The Jews made great rejoicing over their deliverance,
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598 and, by order of Esther and Mordecai, the 13th, 14th, and 15th days of Adar were consecrated to be annually observed as a commemoration of this deliverance. The 13th is a fast because of the destruction intended, and the other days are a feast because of the deliverance vouchsafed. The fast is called the Fast of Esther, and the feast Purim.
599
600 One lesson which we may learn from this narrative is that God always raises up fitting instrumentalities for the accomplishment of great purposes in His kingdom. Wherever there is a crisis there is a man or woman to meet its responsibilities and to discharge its obligations. This principle is illustrated in every age in the history of the Church. When Israel is to be led out of Egypt, God has a Moses. When Moses lays down the honor of leadership, God has a Joshua, courageous and strong, to lead the people through trial into triumph. When the Philistines were to be destroyed, God sent Samson into the conflict. When kingdoms were to be
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