Volume XII, Issue IVb
The Spirit of Esther
Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. -- Esther 4:15,16
There is an old bit of wisdom about how bank employees are trained to recognize counterfeit bills. One's first thought is that they would obviously have to spend a lot of time examining the phony money... not so! They instead spend a great deal of time handling and examining the REAL THING. I am told that after a long period of handling real money, they don't need to be told how to spot a counterfeit bill because the measure of the true bill is embedded in their minds.
Likewise, I think in our day we become very versed all too easily in what is wrong and tawdry around us. I believe that events in Washington proved that out just recently. I just listened to a commentary by Rick Joyner [1.] that brings this home. He spoke of the recent events in Washington. Indeed there was a shocking and vile display of vitriol that he identified as the 'Spirit of Jezebel.' He was quick to point out that it was a male as well as a female thing. Ahab, after all, was the husband of the notorious queen and together they contributed to the ruin of their nation.
But Joyner pointed out some important facts. Evil becomes ever more vocal and violent as it is being vanquished. That is not to say that marchers are necessarily evil, but there is a spirit over certain aspects of our culture that is hostile to that which is holy. What might be vanquishing that 'Spirit of Jezebel,' perchance? Joyner says that it is the Spirit of Esther! Esther, you will remember, was the young Jewish maiden, Hadassah, who became queen of Persia. She was an orphan and was being raised by her uncle, but when king Xerxes sought a new queen, she was suddenly pushed into the halls of power. Obviously she was beautiful, wise and gracious, but it is her courage and Faith that give her a place in the history of G-d's people.
The story of Esther's courage to save the Jewish people from the wiles of Haman is truly heroic, and is celebrated every year at the feast of Purim. It is the true calling and reflection of the Divine nature. We don't immerse ourselves in it enough. We perhaps spend too much time and energy reflecting on the wrong, rather we should celebrate the millions of noble and beautiful women in our own nation, our wives, daughters, granddaughters and colleagues, who quietly work to make our world a better and more beautiful place. You might not ever see them assembled on the national mall, but they are many! They are part of that 'Great Cloud of Witnesses' mentioned in Hebrews 12:1!
Sign at the Women's March on Washington.