[Chapters 9 & 10]

The closing events of Esther give us a picture of how God loved the Jews even during their enslavement and captivity and how God continued to care for the Jews right up to the coming of Jesus.

1. God is Watchful

Esther 9:1-17
1 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them.
2 The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those seeking their destruction. No one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them.
3 And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king's administrators helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had seized them.
4 Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.
5 The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them.
6 In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.
7 They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha,
8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha,
9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha,
10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
11 The number of those slain in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king that same day.
12 The king said to Queen Esther, "The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted."
13 "If it pleases the king," Esther answered, "give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day's edict tomorrow also, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on gallows."
14 So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman.
15 The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
16 Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king's provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of them but did not lay their hands on the plunder.
17 This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.

It's amazing how God works. Haman plan was to kill all the Jews. But in Esther 9:1-3, those who planned to persecute and kill the Jews were in turn persecuted and killed. God watches and blesses the righteous in heart. The Jews were supposed to be killed but infact the enemies were destroyed. In V.6, 500 enemies die, V.13 Haman ten sons were hanged, V.15, 300 die, V.16 75000 enemies die. What an incredible testimony to God's watchfulness and care on behalf of those he loves.

God especially continues to care and watch the disciples. God is watchful on your enemies and our enemy is Satan. He uses our family members, relatives, close friends, our ex boy or girl friends, boss to persecute you. Who is your enemy today? God is watching your enemies God has a plan for your enemies but you keep on praying for those who persecute us and hope that they will turn from being persecutors to become part of the persecuted who will be saved.

2. Lets celebrate

Esther 9:18-28
18 The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.
19 That is why rural Jews--those living in villages--observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.
20 Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far,
21 to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar
22 as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
23 So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them.
24 For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction.
25 But when the plot came to the king's attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.
26 (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them,
27 the Jews took it upon themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed.
28 These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never cease to be celebrated by the Jews, nor should the memory of them die out among their descendants.

The Jews were relieved from their enemies and their sorrow were turned into joy and there mourning into a celebration. God wants us to enjoy our Christian life. Not just to be burdened and weary with our problem. We need to look up to heaven. In Revelation 12:3,4 it says they will be my people. God himself will be with them and be their God. God will wipe every tears from their eyes there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain in heaven. As disciples we need to celebrate when some one turns from sin and gets baptized. We need to celebrate when a fallen away turns from sin and comes to God. We need to be joyful as disciples and joy comes when you look up to heaven.

Show your joy by having people for meals or tea have weak disciples over or have somebody. Tell them what is heaven is going to be like. In V.22 Jews showed there joy by giving gifts to the poor. How are you helping the poor? It will be awesome when you personally help the poor.