The Mordecai Principle

There are important principles God taught us through the Bible book of Esther; Principal characters being Mordecai and his cousin Esther, and their wicked contemporary, Haman. This is a short book to read, and it is wonderfully encouraging. It will make the reading more enjoyable and meaningful to have a little background on these characters.

Mordecai was a Jew who lived about 500 years before Christ in the early 5th century BCE. Mordecai and his family were a part of those carried away by the Babylonians, and it was shortly after the Jewish nation had been repatriated to their homeland from 70 years captivity in Babylon. It was while the temple in Jerusalem was still being rebuilt. Mordecai was not among those returned to their homeland but lived in Persia, and he was a Benjamite. (A descendant of Abraham's great grandson: - Abraham > Isaac > Jacob > Benjamin.) Esther was a younger cousin of Mordecai, and he was her guardian from her youth as her parents had died.

Haman lived in Persia as well. He was an Amalekite and a descendant of Agag. He was likely considered royalty among the Amalekites. Jehovah had decreed the extermination of the Amalekites (Ex 17:14-16) because they attacked the Jews without provocation while the Jews were wandering in the wilderness. [Remember, the world of their day was full of knowledge of what Jehovah had done to set the Jews free from slavery in Egypt. The Amalekite assault on the Jews was thus an assault on Jehovah's sovereignty.*]

Ahasuerus was king of Persia, and like most of mankind today, he was largely ignorant of the spiritual war going on right and in his kingdom and even in his home. Ahasuerus had deposed his queen (Vashti) for disobedience to the authority of his kingship. He sought a replacement from all the beautiful virgins of the land. Mordecai arranged for Esther to be among the group considered for queen.

Haman was prospering before King Ahasuerus, and came to be appointed second in the kingdom. None of it mattered to Haman though, for his hatred of Mordecai and of Mordecai's God Jehovah consumed Haman. He conceived and initiated a plot to kill not only Mordecai, but all the Jews in the realm of the kingdom. This no doubt mostly because of Haman's worship of false Gods.

In the mean time: Mordecai, as a loyal servant to the king had uncovered and revealed a plot by some to kill King Ahasuerus. His service in protecting the king went largely unnoticed except for being recorded in the book of the affairs of the king. Ester had been chosen as queen by Ahasuerus, and it was unknown to him or to Haman that she was a Jewess.

Haman made it an irrevocable law that Mordecai and all the Jews in the kingdom were to be destroyed on a given day. His plot to destroy all the servants of the God who had pronounced destruction for his wicked forefathers seemed as good as done in his eyes; But...

King Ahasuerus had a dream that disturbed and woke him from sleep, and he had the book of the affairs of the king read to him. He found the account of the great kindness extended him by Mordecai, and asked what had been done in exchange for Mordecai's loving kindness. He found nothing had been done for Mordecai the Jew. Haman was that morning coming in to the King to ask to hang Mordecai of the stake he had prepared for him. The king interrupted Haman before he could make his request, and appointed him to conduct a great ceremony honoring Mordecai. Haman was subsequently revealed to be a liar and an enemy of the interest of the King. As a result of his own plan, Haman brought about the destruction of not only himself, but his family and all who supported his murderous plot. At his own hand, Haman accomplished the destruction of the last descendants of his wicked forefathers. He demonstrated himself to be one with a "hand against the throne of Jah," and he was dealt with accordingly. It is plain to see God's hand in all this. There is no record Mordecai gave explicit instructions to Esther to have two dinners for Haman. In any case, they could not have imagined the kings sleep would be troubled the night between those dinners, nor could they have planned for the decision by Haman to request to kill Mordecai on the morning after that same fretful night for the king. Jehovah was working it out for the preservation of life to those he loved. It reminds us of the words of Christ Jesus while on trial just before he was killed. Pilate said to Jesus: "Are you not speaking to me? Do you not know I have authority to release you and I have authority to impale you?" Jesus answered him: "You would have no authority at all against me unless it had been granted to you from above. This is why the man that handed me over to you has greater sin." (John 19:10-11) With knowledge of truth comes power to help by supporting the truth; And responsibility before our Father if we cover over and hide truth.

In addition to the efforts of the three principle characters of this spiritual drama, trying to work out what they believed to be important, (or in the case of Haman, just what he desired,) we find many who were simply observers. In Ester 3:3-5 we see some of the king's court officials try to warn Mordecai that he should join them in bowing down to Haman. Mordecai refused! Mordecai gladly bowed before the king, as it was appropriate to show respect for his office. Haman however, was another matter. Mordecai knew Haman was an enemy of Mordecai's God Jehovah, and Mordecai thus understood why Haman hated him. (Proverbs 29:27) When the king's servants saw that Mordecai still didn't bow down to Haman even after they had warned him, they went and pointed it out to Haman. They did so to "see if Mordecai's affairs would stand," because he told them he was a Jew. That is what most of mankind is doing today, watching to see who's affairs will stand. With knowledge of the truth contained in the Bible, you become an active character in the drama that still surrounds us today. It may be those court officials were not judged wicked, even when they brought the affairs of Mordecai before Haman. Maybe they were just trying to learn what was truth. Sooner or later though, they had to take a stand. So must you!

You should never imagine the hand of Jehovah is cut short in regard to any matter. His purpose to create a paradise earth full of those who love peace will be carried out. The establishment of the kingdom that will bring about that paradise is being worked out in this very day. This book of Ester is faith strengthening; to see how God can work things out for the righteous even when things seem bad; And how he can stop the wicked even when it seems they have won. Would you have been as bold as Esther and Mordecai? Will you be?

Familiarity with this Bible drama leaves a question that cries out to be asked: Do you know what is happening around you today? King Ahasuerus with his Persian empire, along with the co-ruling Median kingdom, were rulers of the earth in his day. The Bible paints him as a wise and mostly upright man. He surrounded himself with some of the considered wisest men in the earth. Yet for it all, he didn't see what was going on right in front of him, until Esther and Mordecai revealed it to him while acting as servants of Jehovah. Although the characters have changed, that same spiritual war continues today. The way we listen to the servants of God today is by reading the Bible. We today live in the judgment period leading to a preservation of life into the promised land of our day. No one today stands spiritually as king, or queen, or co-ruler of a kingdom. Everyone stands today at the same level, with his or her feet planted on faith in the good news of Christ; or not. The Mordecai principle then? Never fear or bow before those who strive to hide what is truth. (Philippians 1:27-28) (And yes, it might just as easily be considered the Esther principle.) Learn what the Bible teaches and build you faith on what is real.

* By decreeing the Amalekites would be exterminated, Jehovah apparently pronounced judgment they were all wicked. The Bible teaches the son will not die for the error of the father, nor the father for the son. (Ezekiel 18:20) It says each one will die for his own sins, while the righteous will live through their faith. (Romans 1:17) God's judgment that all the Amalekites would die might indicate there was something bad about them that would preclude their being repentant and gaining life. What ever the reason, Jehovah had announced judgment against the entire nation and this drama likely portrays the destruction of the last of them. We can see from the attitude displayed by Haman toward Mordecai; he certainly fit the pattern of persons needing to be destroyed. It is impossible to create a paradise if it includes persons who will do harm to others. We can not judge others but we need to recognize Jehovah can and does. We need to exercise faith He is doing so through his appointed king, Christ Jesus. That is the truth surrounding us today!

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