The big day arrived, the 13th Adar (twelfth month), for the edict to be executed. The enemies of the Jews had expected to overpower them, but the opposite occurred, the Jews overpowered their enemies (v1-5).
It is difficult to explain what happened next. The Jews defeated those who were against them. All the king’s officials and leaders supported the Jews because they were in fear and awe of Mordecai whose fame had spread throughout the provinces of the kingdom of King Ahasuerus. The Jews defeated all their enemies. In Shushan, 500 men and they killed the ten sons of Haman but did not take any plunder (v6-10).
It was reported to the king of those who were killed in Shushan, and he told Queen Esther of the 500 and the ten sons of Haman, and he asked her what had been done in the provinces. He seemed to anticipate that she had another request, and he told her that her request would be granted (v11-17). She asked for the same again tomorrow in Shushan, but also, that the ten sons of Haman (or I presume their dead bodies) be impaled on the gallows. The king agreed and on the fourteenth of Adar, they killed 300 in Shushan but did not take any plunder.
In the rest of the provinces, they had slain 75,000 on the thirteenth of the month but did not take any plunder. On the fourteenth they rested and feasted made a day of gladness. Thus, the Jews had protected their lives and had rest from their enemies.
It seemed like revenge and revenge should never be our motive for getting rid of our enemies. However, there seems to be another explanation. Haman and his sons were descendants of the Amalekites who King Saul had been commanded to destroy (see 3:1 and 1 Samuel 15) and wipe them out. Saul had failed to do that, and God said that He would do it. This was, evidently, the completion of wiping out the Amalekites.
There was great celebration among the Jews (v18,19) in Shushan on the fifteenth of Adar, and in the provinces on the fourteenth of the month. Days of feasting, gladness, and a holiday as well as occasions for sending presents to one another.
Mordecai wrote and sent letters to all the Jews in the provinces of the king to establish them and that they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth of the month Adar to commemorate the days when their sorrow turned to joy, from mourning to a holiday. They should hold days of feasting and joy, send presents to one another and give gifts to the poor. They commemorated that Haman, their enemy, who tried to eliminate the Jews, had been thwarted. He had plotted and cast lots (Pur), but Esther had obtained reversal from the king, thus the Feast was called Purim (v20-32). They celebrated and should continue to celebrate throughout every generation and Esther confirmed Purim and it was recorded in a book, and it continues until this day among the Jews.
We should commemorate God’s goodness to us and one of the chief ways of doing this is by celebrating The Lord’s Supper, Communion, when we remember The Lord’s death until He comes again. The Lord Jesus asked us to do this in memory of Him and it is recorded in The book, God’s word. There is no greater deliverance than the deliverance from sin and death. Great though the deliverance of the Jews might have been to them, but the deliverance we experience is far greater for this was for the sin of the world. Of course, we can only do this if we recognise that He died for our sin, having repented of our sin, and received Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord.
