#BlessOurLeaders — Esther: The Story of Purim

Esther 2:21-23

One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthana and Teresh—who were guards at the door of the king’s private quarters—became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. But Mordecai heard about the plot and gave the information to Queen Esther. She then told the king about it and gave Mordecai credit for the report. 23 When an investigation was made and Mordecai’s story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pole. This was all recorded in The Book of the History of King Xerxes’ Reign.

Today we continue with Part 5 of our series, “Esther: The Story of Purim”. Our fifth blog, “Mordecai Saves the King” is about the assassination plot against King Xerxes. The question we will address is, why is Mordecai so loyal to King Xerxes?

The King’s most trusted bodyguards:

Bigthana, and Teresh, were two of the best body guards in the Persian Empire. They were brave, ninja trained, and completely trusted by King Xerxes. Stationed to guard the most vulnerable area of the palace, the king’s private quarters, their duty was to take a bullet for the king.

Evidently, Xerxes did something to these boys that made them so angry, they decided to assassinate him. Airing out their rage, they formulated an ingenious plot so they would never be caught in the act. One or several others caught wind of their conversation and reported it to Mordecai, who quickly relayed the information to Esther. Immediately, Esther informed the King about the intentions of his personal bodyguards.

Loyalty to King and country:

Mordecai’s family were exiled out of Jerusalem to Babylon. The Prophet Jeremiah wrote a letter to the exiles which explained the attitude and actions they should take as they lived out seventy years of captivity.

Jeremiah 29:4-7

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

Mordecai’s relatives took heed to Jeremiah’s prophecy. They built homes, married, and had families. They also made sure that they served the city where they inhabited by being law-abiding citizens and an asset to their society. Following the example of his forefathers, Mordecai also obeyed the word of the Lord. By reporting the plan for a violent overthrow of the king to the proper authority (Esther), he preserved the peace and prosperity of the Susa. He understood that his own welfare was dependent upon the peace and prosperity of the city.

Esther, in turn, followed Mordecai’s example. Her own welfare depended upon the safety and preservation of the king. Immediately, she informed the king and credited Mordecai for disclosing the assasination attempt.

Make sure it's good intel:

Before Xerxes have the guys picked up by the police, he checks out the information given to him. This shows us something about his character. Xerxes is a very careful man who no longer gives into knee jerk reactions. A lesson he learned the hard way when he banished Vashti.

Just the facts:

However, once the facts were proven true and the assassination plot was revealed, Xerxes made a swift and decisive judgement call. Declaring them traitors to the King, he made an example of them. The consequences fit the crime and Bigthana and Teresh were publicly impaled.

Documentation:

Xerxes also liked to document information. It was his way of writing his autobiography and keeping records of his legacy. Mordecai’s loyalty and heroism was noteworthy enough to be written into Persia’s permanent history. The name of Mordecai will always be embedded in Xerxes mind and he will never forget how this brave soldier preserved his life.

Let’s Pray:

Father,

It is Your will for us to work for the peace and prosperity of the city we live in and to pray for its welfare. As our city, our leaders and our citizens prosper, everyone benefits. We lift up our city, our leaders and its citizens to You this day. We ask for Your blessing of prosperity and safety, in Jesus name, Amen.