Esther Chapter Four
Esther Agrees to Help Save the Jews
1 When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 2 He went up to the entrance of the king’s gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth.
Mordecai hears about the decree and immediately tears off his clothes and put on sackcloth (a transliteration of the Hebrew word ‘saq’,[1] referring to a fabric made out of goat hair, which would be very uncomfortable) and covered himself with ashes, a long-held Jewish tradition for those in deep distress. Mordecai then went outdoors to publicly display his lament, but was only able to go up to the king’s gate, as Persian law prohibited anyone from entering the king’s palace wearing sackcloth (likely to prevent someone from upsetting the king).
3 And in every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.
The Jews in every province responded just as Mordecai had done. They fasted and cried loudly to God while many also wore sackcloth and ashes.
4 When Esther’s young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.
Esther hears about her cousin’s behavior from her servants and eunuchs, and not knowing about the king’s decree she becomes concerned and sends him new clothes to wear, but he refuses to put them on.
5 Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was. 6 Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate, 7 and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews.
Esther sends Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, to visit Mordecai to inquire what was troubling him. Mordecai informs the eunuch about the plan to kill all of the Jews and about how the king was going to encourage the people to execute the Jews by offering them money.
8 Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people. 9 And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said.
Mordecai not only explained the situation to the eunuch, he provided a copy of the decree to take back to Esther with the hopes that she could persuade the king to reverse his decision.
10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”
Esther appears to be willing to approach the king, but there is a problem. She informs Mordecai, through the eunuch, that unless she has been called by the king, she risks her life by entering into the inner court if he does not wish to see her at that time. Since it has been thirty days since she was last allowed in the inner court, she is concerned that she might not be welcomed.
12 And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. 13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Mordecai reminds Esther that even though she is a queen that she would still be subject to this new law and the fact that she was a Jew would eventually catch-up with her and be executed as well. Mordecai further explains that the Jews will be delivered from bondage from another source, however her, all of her family (including him) and her family’s name will perish. In one of the greatest verses in the Bible, Mordecai explains that God’s purpose for her becoming queen was to defend her people. Mordecai proposes the thought provoking idea that Esther, a Jew, was made queen of a pagan empire to influence its king and stop him from exterminating all Jews.
Mordecai knew that God would not forsake His people (see 1 Samuel 12:22; 1 Kings 6:13; 8:57; Psalm 94:14) and let them destroyed. The Bible teaches us that God always has a faithful remnant (for example see 1 Kings 19:18). Mordecai had great faith in God’s promises, but he also knew that if Esther did not try to intervene, someone else would. Even today God offers opportunities for Christians to serve and evangelize, the only question is whether one chooses to serve Him (remember Joshua 24:14-15).
15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” 17 Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
It would be an understatement to say that serious situations require serious prayer! This was certainly one of those situations. Esther understood and agreed with Mordecai, she was indeed in a position of great influence but even that advantage could be compromised or defeated if not properly guided and blessed by God. Esther asked that the Jews in Susa fast for her, and after three days of prayer and fasting she was going to visit the king. She responded that if she dies well she dies but she wasn’t going to let this opportunity go without trying! Mordecai did just as Esther requested.
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[1] Strong’s Hebrew 8242.