Esther: A Christmas Story
Esther 9:21-22
Pastor Wes
Join our Facebook page to keep in touch.
In 1977, George Lucas released Star Wars: A New Hope. It was unknown at the time whether the movie would even make back the money that was put into its production. Well, it ended up becoming one of the most successful films of all time, and it was followed up by two sequels, and then years later 3 prequels, then some more sequels to the previous sequels- and if you’re like me you’ve probably lost track by now. Within the past 4 years or so, 2 films were produced a little bit outside of the larger chronological narrative, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. These 2 movies weren’t part of THE Star Wars story, but they were stories within the larger narrative, within the plot/setting/theme of Star Wars. Today I want to present to you not THE Christmas Story, but rather Esther: A Christmas Story.
Taking place a little less than 500 years before Jesus’ birth, the story of Esther resulted in a celebration very similar to our modern day celebration of Christmas. As a result of the historic events recorded in this book, Esther 9:21-22 tells us the people from that time on celebrated “the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same month, annually, because on those days the Jews rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was turned for them from grief into joy, and from mourning into a holiday; that they were to make them days of feasting and rejoicing, and sending portions of food to one another, and gifts to the poor.” This holiday became known as the celebration or festival of Purim. Both Christmas and Purim are celebrated in honor of salvation from death, enemies, and sadness, both are celebrated annually, both span over a period of one month with 2 days specifically dedicated for celebration, and both holidays are celebrated with food, gifts, and charity.
Christmas is really the story of God rescuing mankind. It’s the greatest rescue event to have ever taken place in history. Christmas is the one great rescue event that all the other rescue stories throughout the bible are pointing to. God’s rescue of Noah and his family on the ark, God’s rescue of Abraham and taking Him to a new place, God’s rescue of Jacob and His 12 sons through Joseph in Egypt, God’s rescue of the forming nation of Israel through Moses, God’s rescue of Israel through the judges, God’s rescue of Israel though David against Goliath, God’s rescue of his exiled people through Queen Esther. During these days of Esther, the people of Israel were living as foreigners in Babylon and Persia because of their unwillingness to follow God- because of their unwillingness to recognize Him as their rescuer- as their Savior, their King, their Lord.
Yes, after the accumulation of many God orchestrated rescuing events, Israel still rejected God, which led to them being conquered and exiled and thus the story of Esther. During this time leading up to their exile, God began to more clearly announce His greatest and final rescue. As we looked at last week with Pastor Dave- prophets like Jeremiah would speak on God’s behalf, saying things like “Behold, days are coming… when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel.” (Jer. 31:31) Prophets like Isaiah, through whom God said “The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them. (Is. 9:2) For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Is. 9:6) Prophets like Micah, through whom God said: “But as for you, Bethlehem… From you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His times of coming forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” (Micah 5:2)
So the stage is set: historical years and years of God rescuing His people, God then promising a seemingly impossible final and eternal rescue, and right before that great rescue in which Jesus the Messiah would be sent, God Himself- born, crucified, and resurrected- just before that, He would give His people a rescue that would give them a glimpse into the Christmas rescue He was planning, that we His people would one day celebrate. Instead of reading the entire book of Esther to you, I am going to paraphrase it to you using my own words, but you are more than welcome to open your Bibles to the book of Esther and loosely follow along, and fact check me along the way. So are you ready to hear this Esther Christmas Story?
During Esther’s time, there is a king who rules over multiple countries, his rule stretching all the way from Northern Africa to South Asia. His name is King Ahasuerus, but because that name sounds a little bit like the name of a dinosaur, we’ll just call him by his other known name- King Xerxes- which might be what some of your bibles call him anyway. Now King Xerxes, having been ruler over such a massive area of taxable people, accumulated a massive amount of wealth. No nation could compare- they had conquered and conquered, plundered and plundered, taxed and taxed- and he decides to throw a massive seven-day party in the courtyards of his palace in Susa, a city in what is now known as modern day Iran. Anyone who could fit in his palace courtyard was invited- and we’re talking marble floors and solid gold and silver couches- and everyone could drink as much or as little as they wanted- drinks were on the house. It was party central, but the men and the women are celebrating separately in two different areas. On the last day of the party, the king is pretty tipsy, and he decides to call in his wife, Queen Vashti, basically to show her off and have all the guys gawk at how good looking she is.
Well, Queen Vashti has a little more dignity than that, and she refuses the king’s request, which after counseling with his servants, results in her being banished from his presence, and him thus seeking a replacement queen-wife. And what happens, is that the king sends out troops in order to find and bring to him the most beautiful, single ladies from across the entire land. They were all collected into basically a massive spa house, where they would spend a whole year receiving beauty treatments- fragrance and cosmetic treatments. Then each would have their one night with the king in his bedroom, and after spending the night with each, he eventually would choose one of them to be titled his queen.
Now just as a side note, as I’m telling you this biblical story, realize that some of what the bible records is descriptive and other parts are prescriptive. In other words, some things are describing events just as they were- right or wrong- good, bad, or ugly- not saying that we should imitate and do those things- and other parts are telling us prescriptive things- things to do and imitate. King Xerxes actions are obviously something the bible is describing not prescribing, so guys- realize this is not the biblical way to find a wife. Ok, back to the story-
As it turns out, Esther was one of the most beautiful, single ladies collected from the land, and King Xerxes eventually names her as his favorite, and she becomes queen. Esther, however, just happened to be Jewish- one of God’s people exiled from the land of Israel. Now the Jews living in the land were despised, picked on- there was racial inequality for sure- and because of this, Esther had not let the king know she was Jewish.
Now, just to make sure you’re tracking with me up to now, let me re-iterate that life is pretty crummy right now for God’s people. Things are bad politically- a tyrant dictator is in charge who can do whatever he wishes completely unchecked. Things are bad religiously- there is no temple, no assembling of God’s people, no sacrifices that cover the people’s sin. Things are bad socially- no one likes the Jews- they’re outcasts. Things are bad for women’s rights- if you’re slightly good looking you’ll probably get nabbed and imprisoned so that the king can have his fun and then display you as a conquered trophy, which I assume probably ended up putting all the online dating apps out of business. Yeah, all the young guys looking for a date were like, dude- all my potential candidates keep disappearing.
Now Queen Esther had an uncle named Mordecai who had raised her, and despite things being as bad as they were, he still respected the authority placed over him and when he heard about some wanting to take King Xerxes life, he reported it and saved the king from assassination. But the king soon placed in high power a guy named Haman who Mordecai just could not bring himself to respect. Mordecai was just not willing to bow before anyone except his God, or perhaps Haman was just a particularly super evil guy. Either way, Haman becomes super angry at Mordecai, and wants not only Mordecai dead, but he wants ALL the Jewish people dead. So, Mordecai asks the king if he would send a proclamation throughout the entire land, decreeing that each province was to carry out an annihilation attack on anyone Jewish- to take their stuff and kill them. The king says why not, and puts his official stamp of approval on the decree.
Upon hearing the news, Jews across the land- including Esther, lost all hope and wept and wailed bitterly. Everyone was thrown into deep despair, except for one man- Mordecai. Mordecai convinced Esther that, as scary as it would be, even though she was not permitted to do so, she would have to approach the king and attempt to do something to change the fate of God’s people. She rallies herself and agrees to do it, but requests that all the Jews in the city would fast for her- abstaining from food and drink for three solid days. At the end of those three days, Esther approaches the king, illegally, and invites the king and Haman to attend a special dinner she would prepare. The three of them eat a rich meal, and the king knows Queen Esther is buttering him up for something but Esther just delays and asks that they do another special meal together the following night.
Well, after the first night, Haman goes home feeling pretty good. He feels honored by Queen Esther and the king, but then he sees Mordecai on the way home and is filled with rage at the sight of him. He wants Mordecai dead now so that he can relax the next night at the second installment of Esther’s special dinner. After talking to his wife and friends, he commands that a massive hanging gallows be constructed in preparation for him acquiring the king’s consent to kill Mordecai. Meanwhile, that same night, the king can’t sleep. He needs someone to read him a bedtime story, and so a servant reads him a book of recent history that has occurred within his kingdom. And it’s read to the king about Mordecai the whistle blower who had once stopped an assassination attempt.
Now in the morning, Haman arrives to the king in order to ask about killing Mordecai. Before he can ask his question, the king offers him a question. The king asks “What is to be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?” (Est. 6:6) Haman assumes the king is talking about him, and he responds “give him a royal robe, horse, and crown and then honor him by parading him throughout the city.” The king says “brilliant!” and then to Haman’s horror, the king tells Haman to do this for Mordecai. The irony! As soon as he gets back from parading around Mordecai, it’s time for the second special dinner with the king and queen.
At this dinner, the king again asks what it is that Esther wants, and she spills the beans asking for him to save her and the rest of the Jews from Haman who is intent on annihilating them. Haman is instantly terrified, the king storms off in anger, and when he returns he finds Haman begging, falling on the couch next to Esther and he assumes that Haman is already trying to get close to her to assault her there on the couch. So, the king orders Haman to be hung on the gallows that Haman intended for Mordecai, and then Mordecai is instantly promoted to take over the lofty position that Haman held. Rags to riches, it’s a fairy tale ending, except for the fact that the king had already decreed that the Jews were to be slaughtered on a certain day, and the king’s decrees cannot be revoked. But the king gives Mordecai and Esther the authority not to change his law, but the authority to make a new law in addition to the previous one.
So they get to quickly writing, and in their royal edict, they wrote that on the day assigned for the annihilation of the Jews, the Jews now had the right to unify, to defend, kill off, and plunder anyone who might rise up against them- without consequence. And this decree was then sent out throughout the entire land, from Africa to Asia, in multiple languages. When the day of annihilation arrives, the Jews defend themselves, killing off and plundering all those who had been their enemies. And then Queen Esther asks the king if, there within the city of Susa, if the Jews could fight another day, and it was granted to them. And ever since, that day and the following day of rest, became the celebration of Purim- two days to celebrate with feasting, rejoicing, gifts, and charity- two days within a whole month of gladness.
Now no analogy is perfect, every analogy breaks down at some point- but I want you to see some of the symbolism and parallels between this real-life story of Esther and the real-life story of Christmas. A decree has been made that people must die. And a very real enemy is extremely happy about this, and is working very hard to see this decree take full effect. But, a hero is sent who will intercede on behalf of the people condemned to death. The enemy would see to it that even the hero would be put to death. But because of the hero’s intercession, the tables are turned, and ironically it is the enemy who will be put to death. The hero, in the name of the King, pronounces the opportunity by which to escape the first decree of death. And in great gratitude for what the hero accomplished through saving the lives of the people and putting the enemy to death, the people thus honor and celebrate him for a whole month, with two days in particular of celebration- with gladness, food, gifts, and charity.
The hero of the great rescue we call Christmas is Jesus. The whole reason He was birthed to us in this world, was so that He might intercede between the people and God, and between the people and death. His life, death, and resurrection turned the tables on our enemy that wanted to see death come to Jesus and to us His people- and now it is rather our enemy and his followers who will experience death. Under God’s authority, Jesus pronounced a new decree of life for those wishing to escape the death that results from mankind’s disease of sin. In gratitude, and in honor of what Jesus did in coming to this earth, we celebrate Him. We celebrate His rescue. We rejoice, for Immanuel- God with us- has come, and will come again. We celebrate over food with family because light has entered this dark world. We give and receive gifts as reminders of the gift our hero Jesus has given us. Our hearts are drawn towards being extra charitable and giving, celebrating the charity, mercy, generosity of our King born to us, who desires to share His kingdom with us.
This Christmas, may you connect the dots of the Bible like never before, and really be able to soak in the heaviness of what we are celebrating. And I challenge you to look for opportunities to share with those who don’t truly understand what Christmas is all about. Speak up, because the reality is, that a true understanding of Christmas is a matter of life and death. And as always, if you have any questions about your relationship with Jesus, or any questions about what is being proclaimed from this platform- please see Pastor Dave or myself after the service and we’d be more than happy to listen and attempt to walk together alongside you in your spiritual journey.