The Signet Ring

Background: Esther 8 Haman has now been hanged to death in the gallows he had made for Mordecai. The king not only gives the signet ring he took from Haman to Mordecai, queen Esther appoints him over Haman's estate.Queen Esther and Mordecai have revealed themselves as Jews before the king and Esther pleads with the king to do something about Haman's edict. The king hands over the work to Mordecai to "..write another decree in the king's name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king's signet ring—for no document written in the king's name and sealed with his ring can be revoked"

Lessons I learnt

1. Related to the deliverer-"And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her." I see Esther as a deliverer for the Jews during this time, being the one who could speak to the king on their behalf. When humans had gone far astray from God the Father, only His Son could plead our case before Him, as there was no one good, not even one to stand before the Father in Heaven. And those who know Jesus, God's Son as their Saviour and Lord, them He introduces to His Father(the King) "This one is related to me".


2. Transfer of authority-"2 The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman's estate." With the introduction to the king, Mordecai received authority, and suddenly he now becomes an important man. Once an ordinary citizen not knowing what his plight would be, now has the power to change the very edict Haman had written for his death. For us who have been introduced to our Father in Heaven through our connection with our deliverer, Jesus says"19I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you." Luke 10:19


3. The New Edict- This is what was amazing to me, when the king tells Mordecai "8 Now write another decree in the king's name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king's signet ring—for no document written in the king's name and sealed with his ring can be revoked." it would make sense to me if Mordecai had just written a decree cancelling the previous one, but we know, that was stamped with the king's signet ring and no one could change it. However as Mordecai wrote "11 The king's edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate any armed force of any nationality or province that might attack them and their women and children; and to plunder the property of their enemies" we see the edict wasn't to sit back and watch, but to get up and fight for their lives. Jews were not saved just by watching Esther and Mordecai do the works, and we are not saved by sitting and reminiscing on what Jesus demonstrated 2000 yrs ago, ours is a battle too and every time the enemy attacks, we have the right and work to resist and the enemy will flee from us. The enemy does not go if we just wait for him to leave, we've got to show some resistance. Matthew 11:12 "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it."

Conclusion:So what have we been doing with the signet ring we have received from our King of kings?

Behind the Scenes...

Background:Today I put myself in Esther's shoes on the night she risks her life to meet with the king. I am nervous almost to death, yet I take that step toward the hall as I am noticed by the king and the king is pleased with me. I touch his scepter and bow down to greet him. Now what!!! How can I tell the king whats weighing down my heart? Well, he has offered me up to half the kingdom, I could probably take that and move all the Jews in there, but the enemy....what about the enemy of the Jews, Haman, and his edict? That would still be hanging like a noose over our necks. The king esteems him highly and has bestowed upon him an honor much higher than all other nobles in his court, even to the effect that people must bow to him just like they would bow before the king himself. The king's special man. I don't know what to say or how to plead my case against Haman's edict to annihilate the Jews sealed with the king's signet ring given to Haman, moreso the king has no idea I am a Jew too. Will my life end up like Vashti? It cannot - for her it was only her life at stake, for me, its all these people who have stood by me in fasting, my people, my uncle/brother Mordecai who has loved and cared for me like his own daughter since I lost my parents.
Thus must have Esther thought and decided to do what she thought best to do for that moment, Esther 5:4"If it pleases the king," replied Esther, "let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him." As the banquet continues, the king asks again what Esther's petition was, but she had not mustered enough courage yet (I guess) for she says Esther 5:8 "If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king's question.". She had got away from the situation she so dreaded (the possibility of offending the king) another time.

Lessons I learnt

1. Taking the step of faith-She risked her life , by stepping out to meet the king without being summoned.


2. The Wait-She had survived the meeting with the king, this would have probably encouraged her that God was involved for her life had been spared..especially with a king who would rather listen to his advisors and nobles, than his wife. She would have probably waited for that special hint from God, the nudge, when God says in your heart "Ok go ahead", "speak, for I am with you". And as she waited, that nudge from God came, quite vividly and clearly, because God moved in a powerful way.


3. God moved-What are the odds for a sleepless king, entertaining himself by reading the chronicles of his reign? I'd think for the kind of king Xerxes has been portrayed so far, he should have called for some dancers or something. More than that, ironically, Haman was in the courts to talk to the king about hanging Mordecai while the king investigates v3 "What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?". As the event unfolds, Haman gets the task to honor Mordecai whom he had sought to kill.


4. Go for the knock out-With all this now donoe for Mordecai, Esther suddenly has found her strength in going before the king, as she sees, an impossible turnaround in the circumstances, Haman(the enemy) honouring her uncle Mordecai before the entire country. So she spoke "If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king. [a] "


5. Victory-In a blink of an eye the atmosphere changes from one of fear, to stress(hoping what the king would do about Haman), then in quick succession Esther views the fall of Haman, the enemy. She sees her victory manifest right before her eyes as "v9 ..Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, "A gallows seventy-five feet [b] high stands by Haman's house. He had it made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king." The king said, "Hang him on it!" 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's fury subsided."

Conclusion:Our God calls us more than conquerors . Every conquest requires careful planning and strategy. If we are conquerors, we would surely have a lot to conquer. Esther's experience with the king has taught me how God desires for us to fully win all the battles the enemy intends to use to annihilate us. In a battle though our face is turned toward the enemy our ears and concentration must be behind the scenes in our camp to wait and listen for our Leader's command to charge at the opportune time and not be moved by what is happening in the enemy's camp no matter how powerful the enemy might seem as Haman had seemed to Esther.