Jewish parentage. Not even now did the hateful Mordecai bow before him, but he had prepared a gallows and the time of vengeance was at hand.

Esther and Mordecai

(Insert after Chapter I.)

Lesson Passage: Esther, Chapters 6-10.

The eventful night of the banquet arrived. Uppermost in the king's mind was his own escape from assassination by his two chamberlains. He had an examination of the records made. He found that a certain Mordecai had revealed the plot, and that no reward had been given him. The following day he was considering what honor should be bestowed upon him. Just at this juncture, Haman came asking an audience, seeking the king's permit to publicly execute Mordecai. As he approached, the king propounded the question, "What should be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor?" Supposing himself to be the man referred to, he answered, "Let a robe of state which the king himself hath worn be brought, and the king's own horse, with its royal trappings, and bearing the ornament of the royal crown, and let one of the great princes of the realm put the robe on the man and let him lead the man thus mounted through the streets of Susa crying, "Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor."" There were the costliest of robes, wonderful for beauty and splendor, one blaze of jewels and rich beyond all reckoning, worth possibly, in our modern money, millions of dollars. Haman little knew what he was doing. Not himself, but Mordecai, was brought forth. The hated Jew thus rode abroad through the streets the people falling in homage before him.

I. The Queen's Banquet. Haman did not dare to fail the royal appointment. Not yet did the king suspect his guilt. It was here that the crisis came. The queen disclosed his infamous plot against her race and against herself, and Xerxes (or Ahasuerus) passed out from the banquet in rage. Haman fell at Esther's feet pleading for mercy. As he clutched her robes in despair, the king reentered, and, infuriated still more at his daring to touch the queen, ordered his instant execution on the gallows he had raised for Mordecai the Jew.

II. The Fatal Edict. It was now too late to recall the swift couriers whose feet were flying in every direction along the imperial post-roads. But orders were despatched throughout the immediate province, and as far as possible the force of the edict was broken by allowing all Jews who were attacked to defend themselves. They were not to be treated as outlaws, and in case violent men laid hands upon them, they could protect their lives and property. Over 75,000 Persians were thus killed by the Jews they attacked. But Queen Esther seems to have been swayed by the spirit of relentless revenge. The story is vividly told.

"And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.

"Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do tomorrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.

"And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.

"For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew

three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand." Esther 9:12-15.

III. The Feast of Purim. This festival of the Jewish year was its most secular feast. In I Maccabees 15:36 it is spoken of as the Day of Mordecai, and its origin was traced to these incidents as related in the Book of Esther. The story itself probably rests upon certain historical events which may have become exaggerated or distorted in transmission (C. F. Kent). It is full of the intense rationalistic feeling of a time when the Jewish race was being hard pressed by its foes. This festival was therefore calculated to keep alive not alone the spirit of resistance, but to inspire with clearer, firmer confidence their outlook towards the future. "Then let all thine enemies perish, O Lord!" was the voice of a race feeble in numbers, beaten to and fro by powerful, oppressing nations, and yet carrying within its heart an undying faith, and an unconquerable sense of superiority to the whole world.

IV. The Jews in Christian History. During the past 1900 years the Jewish race has again and again needed the comfort and strength of such as this must have given. The wonderful persistence of that race, the indomitable courage it has shown in the midst of faith and hope, its unexampled courage and unconquered self-assertion-all this shows how much these tales of heroic men and women have signified in keeping alive the sense of nationality and destiny. It matters little now whether the details of the story are historically accurate. The Book of Esther is far greater than a merely accurate history. It is, with all its brevity, a romance of hate and love, of virtue and duty and patience. It was the best beloved of all their sacred books.

It was believed that it would outlast all the Hebrew Scriptures except the Pentateuch; more precious than Prophets or Proverbs or Psalms. It has been regarded as the most characteristically Jewish, and its narrowness and hatred and revenge are the unloveliest of all human qualities. Alone of all the Jewish books it does not contain the name of God. This was not owing to any lack of faith. It was possibly owing to the fact that at that time the use of the Divine Name was held too sacred for human lips. But the passionate love of country and faith is felt in every line, and it is therefore one of the most interesting books of the Bible.