Originally posted: 7/28/2020
After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and established his authority over all the princes who were with him, (3:1).
Mordecai knew. Man does not advance or establish authority. There is only One.
All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage, (3:2).
Mordecai knew, and was not ashamed to give the reason why. Mordecai was a Jew.
Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why are you transgressing the king’s command?” 4 Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew, (3:3-4).
Because of his Jewish heritage, Mordecai knew Truth. And not only did Mordecai know Truth, he also chose to serve Him, the God of the Jews, the Living God Who alone Advances and Establishes all Authority.
But the Lord is the true God;
He is the living God and the everlasting King.
At His wrath the earth quakes,
And the nations cannot endure His indignation, (Jeremiah 10:10).
Consider Him Who Advances and Establishes His Authority
- He Advanced and Established His Authority through Abraham.
- “Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
2 And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
3 And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed,” (Genesis 12:1-3).
- “Go forth from your country,
- He Advanced and Established His Authority through Jacob.
- And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. 14 Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you,” (Genesis 28:13-15).
- He Advanced and Established His Authority through David.
- “I have made a covenant with My chosen;
I have sworn to David My servant,
4 I will establish your seed forever
And build up your throne to all generations,” (Psalm 89:3-4).
- “I have made a covenant with My chosen;
- He Advanced and Established His Authority through Jesus.
- For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, (Hebrews 9:13-15).
- He Advances and Establishes His Authority through His Wisdom and Power.
- “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever,
For wisdom and power belong to Him.
21 “It is He who changes the times and the epochs;
He removes kings and establishes kings;
He gives wisdom to wise men
And knowledge to men of understanding.
22 “It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And the light dwells with Him,” (Daniel 2:20-22).
- “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever,
- He Advances and Establishes His Authority through His Rule over the Realm of Mankind.
- “This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers
And the decision is a command of the holy ones,
In order that the living may know
That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind,
And bestows it on whom He wishes
And sets over it the lowliest of men,” (Daniel 4:17).
- “This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers
- He Advances and Establishes His Authority through His Church.
- And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:19-20).
- He Advances and Establishes His Authority by His Will.
- Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above…” (John 19:11).
- He Advances and Establishes His Authority Over Every Authority.
- Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God, (Romans 13:1).
And while man may attempt to advance his own plans and establish his influence, it is God, and God alone, Who Advances and Establishes His Authority.
After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and established his authority over all the princes who were with him, (3:1).
And though man may bow down to the rule of man, it is God, and God alone, Who Advances and Establishes His Authority.
All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage, (3:2).
And even when man convinces himself he is in the position to determine what is in the best interest of social order, it is God, and God alone, Who Advances and Establishes His Authority.
Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain. 9If it is pleasing to the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry on the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” 10 Then the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 The king said to Haman, “The silver is yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please,” (3:8-11).
And whether or not man cooperates in obedience, God, and God alone, will Advance and Establish His Authority, Relief and Deliverance.
Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” (4:13-14).
How do we respond to Him Who Advances and Establishes His Authority?
The enemy knows it is God, and God alone, Who Advances and Establishes His Authority. And this is exactly why the enemy is relentless in his schemes to convince the world that God’s Laws are not in the best interest of society: politically, socially, and morally.
There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain, (3:8-11).
When it seems as though the enemy’s agenda is gaining the upper hand, we must intentionally call to mind that it is God, and God alone, Who Advances and Establishes His Authority.
“For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure,’” (Isaiah 46:9-10).
May we never lose hope for this world or for our nation. As His Church, we can trust His Authority. But when the events of our times appear to be careening out of control, let us follow the example of Mordecai and Esther, who understood the need to cry out in humility, repentance and absolute dependence to God, and God alone, Who Advances and Establishes His Authority.
When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly, (4:1).
Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish,” (4:15-16).
We would also do well to follow the example of King David. In his times of fear, he knew where his strength and assurance would be found. As we daily seek Him in His Word, He will be faithful to grow our confidence in His Truth. When we believe that man can never thwart His purposes, our fear will be overcome and replaced with praise for Him Who Advances and Establishes His Authority.
When I am afraid,
I will put my trust in You.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
In God I have put my trust;
I shall not be afraid.
What can mere man do to me? …
9 Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call;
This I know, that God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
In the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 Your vows are binding upon me, O God;
I will render thank offerings to You.
13 For You have delivered my soul from death,
Indeed my feet from stumbling,
So that I may walk before God
In the light of the living, (Psalm 56:3-4, 9-13)
And let us commit to pray for all who are in authority. Whether we understand their appointment or not, let us remember God is the One Who Advances and Establishes His Authority. And what may appear as a total lost cause to the naked eye, may actually result in the lost coming to the saving knowledge of His Truth.
First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
Oh may we be strengthened in His Truth, knowing that because He is faithful to uphold all His promises, the day is coming when His Truth will reign victorious; for it is God, and God alone, Who Advances and Establishes His Authority.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; (Hebrews 10:23).