Bible Commentaries
Esther 10

Verses 1-3

THE GREATNESS OF AHASUERUS AND MORDECAI

This remarkable book closes with the announcement of the greatness of the Persian Empire as ruled over by King Ahasuerus.As with every other kingdom of the nations however, this magnificence was only fleeting, for Alexander the Great, being very swiftly exalted to the place of head of the Grecian Empire, overcame and displaced the Persian Empire, as the Lord had prophesied through His servant Daniel (Daniel 8:4-7; Daniel 8:20-21).But for a brief time Ahasuerus accomplished great things, and specially because he had advanced Mordecai the Jew to a position of great prominence.Mordecai is typical of the Lord Jesus in His being given His place of great power in the millennium.It is always true that when this blessed Son of God is given His true place, whether in a nation or in the history of an individual, the result is great blessing.

King Ahasuerus in this case serves as a very faint type of God the Father, for whose glory

the Lord Jesus will eventually reign.But all types must pass away, that Christ may take His place as Lord of all.The believer longs for the accomplishment of this great end, not simply that this may mean great blessing for us, but rather that Christ will be supremely glorified, in perfect unity with the Father.

No mention is made of Mordecai's death, since he is a type of Christ whose kingdom will have no end.Having once died as a sacrifice for sin, now in resurrection He "dieth no more."Mordecai then continued being well received by the Jews, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen, a lovely picture of the peace of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus.

The post-captivity books, Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, etc. maintain a continuity of the history of Israel that goes on into the New Testament; but the history in Esther is not part of that continuity, for the Jews in Esther were outside their land. The book then is significant in showing something of the Jews' condition for the many centuries they have continued away from the land of promise, being called by God, "not my people," yet still watched over for good, and eventually to be restored to the Lord Jesus, and blessed as never before. What a celebration then!