The More, The Merrier

In every province and in every city, wherever the edict of the king went, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.

Esther 8:17

With Esther’s prayerful approach to the king in the royal palace, the drama intensifies. Xerxes cannot rescind his order to kill the Jews (8:8); but he can allow a counter-order to protect themselves (8:11). To this day the Jews celebrate their rescue with the feast of Purim: when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration (9:22).  

Tucked into those days of celebration we find this statement: many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them (8:17). How much was fear? How much did they recognize the blessing of God on the Jews? As Zechariah had prophesied some forty years earlier: “In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you’” (Zechariah 8:23).

Consider the even greater blessing that came upon all of mankind some 375 years after Esther became queen. As the angel Gabriel explained to the “virgin” Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God: “nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:26-37).

Now fast forward to that day at the end of time: before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9-10).  

The big questions become: Do we each live a life that brings glory to God? Is fear transposed to joy and gladness and celebration in our churches today? Is it evident that God is in our midst? “The More the Merrier” at the throne and in front of the Lamb!   

Nancy P

All Scripture quotations are from the NIV Translation 1973, 1978, 1984, unless otherwise noted