One of the most interesting and intriguing books in the Bible is the book of Esther. No one knows who wrote the book, and it is unique in that it never mentions God nor divine involvement. The story concerns an episode in the experience of the captivity of Israel during the reign of Ahasuerus, or Xerxes, king of Persia 486-465 B.C. Since his reign succeeded the time of Daniel and preceded the decree of Artexerxes in 457 B.C.., the book of Esther should be chronologically located after the book of Daniel and before the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Also, although Esther played a key role in the story, it was actually Mordecai who was the star actor on the stage of action. It was he who was responsible for Esther's role in the drama.
Mordecai was Esther's uncle, and he acted as her protector and counselor in the place of her deceased parents. No doubt her father and mother were among those who were carried captive by the Babylonians and this captivity of the Jews had continued down through the Babylonian and Medo-Persian empires and would only end at the decree of Artexerxes in 457 B.C. to restore and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. A small company of Jews returned to Jerusalem at the time if the first decree of Cyrus, but the great majority chose to stay in Babylon. So we find Mordecai and his niece Esther as exiles in a strange land dominated by the absolute power of a Persian king.
Mordecai sat at the gate of the king's palace and was privy to everything that went on in the palace. He was friendly with the king's guards and actually uncovered a plot against the king’s life for which he was subsequently honored. He heard that the king in a drunken rage had deposed the queen and was looking for a replacement.
He urged Esther to apply for the job because he knew that the Jews were going to need access to the king's favor. He had incurred the wrath of a high noble named Haman and feared for his own life and that of his people. Sure enough as he had feared, Haman engineered a plot to exterminate Mordecai along with all of the Jews. However, Haman did not know that Esther, the queen, was a Jewess, and when the king found out that Haman's plan would result in the death of Esther, he was furious , and he had Haman hanged on the gallows designed for Mordecai. Due to Mordecai's watch-care at the gate and his wise counsel God’s people were spared from the death decree.
Through Esther and Mordecai the Lord delivered His people from certain destruction. Each step in the story seemed to be guided by divine intelligence that culminated in Haman's devilish plan being foiled.
Not only were God’s people delivered but Haman was executed. Thus Mordecai and the story of Esther is a metaphor of the experience of God’s people in the last days. On the battlefield of the last great conflict between good and evil we are not left in doubt as to the conclusion. In this great conflict the Lord will intervene to vindicate His people.
"The same spirit that in ages past led men to persecute the true church will in the future lead to the pursuance of a similar course toward those who maintain their loyalty to God. The decree that will finally go forth against the remnant people of God will be very similar to that issued by Ahasuerus against the Jews. Today the enemies of the true church see in the little company keeping the Sabbath commandment a 'Mordecai at the gate'" (Prophets and Kings, p. 605).
