I was listening to the book of
Esther when it came to me that Mordecai was a really exceptional character. He
is the epitome of greatness considering his circumstances. Listening to the
Bible being read (audio Bible) is something I enjoy immensely as it is able to
give me the overview of a book in a short time.
Let me hasten to add that
listening does not replace the need to read the Bible. In fact it makes reading
even more enjoyable apart from enriching your reading. A friend listens as he
works. I enjoy listening when I go to sleep so that even in my sleep the Bible
is being read to me. Any time I wake up I am hearing a portion of the Bible
being read. It has really enriched my sleep. Let me remind us of the progress
of being able to take in the word of God. It starts with hearing, then reading,
studying, memorizing, meditating and applying. This is what will make you an
all round disciple.
But I was talking about Mordecai.
He was a Jew who was in captivity through no fault or choice of his. The place
of his captivity was the city where the king dwelt. He had been posted to the
palace gates but his responsibility is not given. But he appears to have been
an insignificant cog in that machine.
The first sign of his greatness
is Esther. She was a very beautiful orphan. An orphan and exploitation are
almost synonymous in most societies. But he did not take that advantage. The
other day we were talking about ministry when a friend asked us a question
about this pastor whose wife died and he married her sister. But that was not
the problem. This sister had been more like their child. They had raised her
and educated her. How possible was it that the pastor was ‘innocent’ toward her
before his wife died? This because there were other questionable things he did.
But that is speculation.
Anyway, we know that orphans are
extremely vulnerable. Mordecai could have married her without any objection. He
could even have traded with her in whichever way he wanted from using her
beauty for prostitution to selling her to the richest merchant around
especially in that godless society. Nowadays we are hearing of parents selling
their own children to prostitution or even worse. What about an orphan?
Even more is that he sought
anonymity for that deed. He did not parade his goodness so that people
appreciate his good heart. Then he raised her as his own daughter, meaning that
she never lacked anything, from discipline to goodies. She therefore literally
worshipped him and he could have done anything he had wanted with her. Yet he
didn’t!
The second thing we see with him
is that he took prophecy seriously. I am sure he remembered Jeremiah’s prophecy
about seventy years and the advice to seek the prosperity and peace of the
place the captivity took them.
When he hears sedition being
planned he takes the patriotic route and uncovers it. I won’t be surprised to
learn that they were discussing it in his presence confident that he would not
leak it as he was a captive and must have had enough bitterness against his
captors to even want to be a partner in
it. An enemy is vanquished, or isn’t he?
As with the first act he behaves
as if he had done nothing. He doesn’t mind that nothing is done for him after
he uncovers the king’s planned assassination. Due to that the thing is
forgotten, only being recorded in the archives.
The third thing which for me is
pivotal is that he took God too seriously. Though he was in a foreign land
where most didn’t care for the God of Israel, he still trusted Him enough to be
willing to risk his life by refusing to bow to a man. Reminds me of David in
the Goliath confrontation, his willing to venture where the whole army had been
paralyzed for forty days because he took God maniacally seriously. I suspect
there might have been other Jews in that gate. Certainly there were other Jews
in the city who might have carefully concealed their defiance of Haman. But
Mordecai did not hide that defiance. He didn’t bow just a bit when Haman was
looking at him to avoid confrontation. He didn’t care to die for his defiance
just like the other captives we see in the book of Daniel about the same time.
The fourth thing we see is that
he trusted in the efficacy of prayer. That is what he turns to when the scheme
against the Jews becomes public. Why did he not lobby for the removal of the
enemy? Why did he not organize protests? He knew that he had a case with a
great probability of succeeding in legal terms. He knew that he was the main
reason the Jews were to be annihilated. But he knew that it went farther. His
God was the indirect target. But he also knew that even in captivity God had
not changed.
He therefore resorts to fasting
which is a deeper level of prayer. This is shown by humbling himself by wearing
sackcloth and applying ashes. This is an act of deep repentance and submission.
It is absolute surrender to the will and intervention of God. He was in actual
fact handing over the issue to God to deal with conclusively.
But he does not leave it at that.
Bathed in that prayer, he goes to the person who offered a window of
opportunity for the Jews. Esther was the queen and he pulled any strings
concerning her. Why did he not start there? I think he knew that anything bathed
in prayer is due to succeed. I think that prayer gave them an opportunity to
get God’s direction. And I think that is the reason his request to Esther is
more of a command requiring not an argument but obedience as we see him giving
her no option than to step in (3: 14).
Esther is scared of breaching the
constitution and asks for more prayer. That is where we see another aspect of
this great man.
He is not ashamed to raise an
army of prayer partners. In fact he goes farther. He is able to raise a team
that fasts dry for three days which was the whole Jewish population in the
city.
We also see that he was really
humble. When he is elevated and paraded in the city he does not look for the
audience of the king. He just went back to his duty station. Some people will
desert their friends if they shook the hands of the king or president
especially in public. This guy has worn the king’s clothes, ridden the king’s
horse and had the king’s crown placed on his head yet goes straight back to the
same humble place he worked.
He eventually gets promoted and
his position is such that great fear falls on all who are in his way, yet not
like it had been with Haman because he never pushed his weight around. He was
just diligent in doing his job like Daniel was recognized for.
When he is able to avenge the
hatred of the enemies of the Jews, we are able to see another quality he had,
his lack of greed. They were not in a hurry to take the spoil of their enemies,
certainly because their leader was not in a hurry to do the same. They were
able to wait until they finished their assignment before thinking spoil.
Finally we are able to see that
even in his greatness he sought not his interests. He is recognized as one who
fought for the welfare of his people. The last verse of the book says that very
eloquently.
I am reminded of a similar
person. This must have been the one who not only showed him how to live but
also empowered him for the same.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal
with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a
servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a
man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which
is above every name:
(Philippians 2:5 – 9)
May this Old Testament character
challenge us to live lives that exemplify the spirit of the Christ we love to
associate with.
And like Christ we see Mordecai
also being elevated beyond compare by being made second to the king in all
ways.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty
hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: (1Peter 5:6)
God bless you
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