Esther 9:1: “Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, the time came for the king’s command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them.”

November 24th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

The new decree of Mordecai, which allowed the Jews to defend themselves, was written and signed with the king’s ring. The next step was to get the information to all 127 provinces in the kingdom as quickly as possible. They employed the best means of communication available in that day, heralds on horseback. They rode in every direction, taking the decree. If the Jews received the message in time and believed it, then it could save their lives. The parallels here to the gospel of Jesus Christ are profound. This is just one of the many symbolic pictures of our salvation found in Scripture.

The King of kings has also sent out a decree: “The soul who sins shall die” (Eze. 18:4). And: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). God cannot save anyone in the world based on their own perfection because not one person has perfection to offer. Nor can God save us on our own merit in spite of our imperfections because He can’t lower His standard. It is God’s decree, and it stands unalterable. God has to judge humanity, and we are all guilty sinners.

But thank God, another decree has gone out from the throne of God that reads: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). And: “Be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). King Ahasuerus made a provision for the children of God and all they had to do was believe the new decree, act upon it, and it would rescue them from certain death. We also must believe and act upon the decree our King has issued to save us from certain death. And then we, like the heralds riding out with Mordecai’s decree, must take Jesus’ message to the world around us: “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20).

“LORD, please use us to take Your message of salvation to others all around us this day.”