Esther 9:1-19.  Finally the thirteenth of Adar came, the day of the battle.  But by the time the fight came not many were interested in attacking the Jews.  In the months between Mordecai had become quite powerful in the government of Xerxes, so even the kings governors and generals would not fight against the Jews, in fact many fought with them.

What is very interesting in all of this is three times we are told that the Jewish people would not take the possessions of those they killed.  This was about self defense.  Even Xerxes was impressed at the end of the day when he found out 500 people had been killed by the Jews in the capital alone.  This time he went to Esther and offered her whatever she wanted.  What she wanted was a second day of fighting in the capital, she also wanted the bodies of the sons of Haman which had been killed that day to be hung up for everyone to see.  Esther’s actions may seem harsh by we have no idea the situation in the capital.  This second day of fighting may have been necessary to assure peace in the capital.  The first day was a response to the first edict it was defensive.  The second day would have been a display of power by Esther.  The message from the second day of fighting and the hanging of the bodies would be clear, “Don’t mess with the Jews anymore.”  And even on that day they were not offensive but defensive, if the other people in the kingdom had just walked away there would have been no more loss on the second day.

After the fighting the Jewish people who did not live in the capital made a day of rest on the following day, the fourteenth of Adar.  In Susa the capital the fighting continued on that day so they had a day of celebration on the fifteenth.  Evidently by the time Esther was written the annual day of remembrance was celebrated on two different days so verse 19 explains the difference as a reflection of the actual events.  In Jeremiah 30:14-17 God explains to the Jewish people that they are suffering because thay have been unfaithful to him but he eventually will destroy those who try to destroy the Jewish people.  Even when we are distant from God he is near us and caring for us.  The Bible teaches that the God causes the rain to fall on those who are right with him and those who are not (Matthew 5:45).  We also know that he doesn’t want any to perish (2 Peter 3:9) and that Jeus died for everyone’s sins (1 John 2:2).  The sad reality is that some will perish, many will be sent to the hell for eternity.  Not because God wanted to destroy them but because they chose to continue to fight against him.  In Luke 11:23 Jesus told his followers that those who were not for him were against him.  In Luke 9:50 Jesus told his followers that the person who was not against them was for them.  It appears there is not middle ground we each must decide if we are for Jesus or not.  John told us that as many as receive Jeus will be considered a part of God’s forever family.  And Paul told the people in Corinth that today was the day to decide (2 Corinthians 6:2).  God is there right beside you turn to him today and follow him forever.

God thank you for being so faithful.  Thank you for being there when I turned to you.  Thank you that even though my faith was very small and weak you stayed there, calling to me, encouraging me to follow more.  Thank you for your unending love.  Increase my love for you each day and be honored in my life among all who are around me.