Ester 3

Ester 3

Ironside applies this passage observing that Queen Esther... would fain strip her aged cousin of the coarse and ugly garb of repentance and robe him in some beautiful court attire, as though a change of clothing would assuage his grief. But are there not many who deal in a similar manner with troubled souls today? How common is the thought that outward reformation, a change of habits, will give peace to an anxious soul! O be persuaded, dear reader: no religious ceremonies; no ordinances, however scriptural in themselves; no turning-over of new leaves will ever give a sinner peace with God. Something more than an outward change is required. Mordecai might well have cried, Take away your beautiful garments! How can they give peace to a man under the death-sentence? Does one find delight in fine raiment on the gallows? It is deliverance from condemnation I want, not a mere change of attire. And for the sinner today there is no true deliverance until he sees the blessed truth that Another has borne the wrath, endured the condemnation, exhausted the judgment of God against his sin,-then, and then only, does he find rest and peace. “Mordecai received it not;” so the queen, realizing at last that his must be a grief she has failed to fathom, sends Hatach the chamberlain to him, to learn the cause of his strange behavior. Esther 4:5 Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king's eunuchs, whom the king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was.: Then - After Mordecai refused the clothes. He needed someone to convey an important message. As an aside what knowledge about Esther might Hathach (means "good" in Persian) be privy to? In conveying the message from Esther to Mordecai who was known to be Jewish, he would become aware of the fact that Esther was also a Jew (See Esther 4:8 - "her people") Ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was - The exact meaning of this is somewhat difficult to discern from the NAS translation. When you encounter passages that are hard to understand, it is always worth taking a moment to examine how the passage is rendered by other translations. Mattoon applies the Queen's use of Hathach in this great drama of "redemption"... Hathach relays the message. Hathach plays an important role in this entire story. He is the good messenger and is a picture of a Christian's responsibility today. We are to be good messengers too, bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost (Ed: A story of a far greater "redemption" then even in the Book of Esther). Notice that God uses an obscure man (Hathach) out of the blue to accomplish the work of the Lord. The Lord uses the unknown and obscure repeatedly. Five thousand men plus women and children needed a meal. The Lord uses a willing little boy with bread and fish to bring glory to Christ. Unknown men lifted Paul over the Damascus wall in a basket. Who were these men? We don't know, but God does. It was a little girl who told General Naaman to go see a prophet of God in order to be healed. Someone said, "Great doors swing on small hinges." Are you little enough to be used of God? NET So Esther called for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs who had been placed at her service, and instructed him to find out the cause and reason for Mordecai's behavior. NIV Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why. Warren