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HELEN SANDERS
3-10-2023
THE SPIRIT OF MORDECAI
We know the story of Esther, and how she became Queen of Persia. She went from being an orphan to being a Queen for “such a time as this.”
Today let’s examine the person responsible for her success in saving the lives of thousands of Jews. That person is Mordecai.
We don’t know a lot about Mordecai. Esther 2:5 tells us that he was a Jew, and the offspring of a Benjamite named Kish. We learn that he was taken from Jerusalem into captivity when King Nebuchadnezzar carried the Jews into Babylon. In verse 7 of chapter 2 we learn that he raised Hadassah, who was his uncle’s daughter. There must have been an age difference. Verse 7 tells us that Hadassah’s mother and father were dead. We do not know how they died, but the Jews took care of near relatives.
In Esther 2:5 it says that Mordecai was in the palace at Shushan. Many Jews were used by kings while they were in captivity, including Daniel. Mordecai learned that the king was looking for the most beautiful women in his kingdom to choose as his queen. He knew that Hadassah would be chosen so told her to change her name to Esther and not reveal her identity. This was a very wise decision because Jews were not respected, having been slaves. At this time, they were no longer slaves, but some decided to stay in the Persian kingdom, and Mordecai was one of those.
Throughout the elevation of Esther to become Queen, Mordecai continued to give “Esther” advice. He watched over her during her preparation to see the king. He constantly kept in touch with her because he loved her. Mordecai was faithful to the King, including saving the king’s life from would be assassins.
As the story goes, Mordecai learns that the Jews would be annihilated. He let’s Esther know this and tells her that she also would be killed if she didn’t speak to the King. His wisdom in instructing her did save the kingdom. Yes, Esther did what Mordecai told her to do, but he was working behind the scenes continuously. It wasn’t just Esther’s “for such a time as this,” it was also Mordecai’s “for such a time as this.” He was there at the right time to raise Hadassah, and to help save a nation.
I see Mordecai as a type of Holy Spirit that imparts wisdom into believers. John 16 tells us that Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. Mordecai, like the Holy Spirit, was never interested in just himself. He never tried to elevate himself. He served Hadassah, his King, and his God. He was a humble man. So, too, Holy Spirit serves Father and Jesus.
When we have the kind of spirit that Mordecai had we do not think just of ourselves, we think of others first and then things work out for them and us.
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