They adopted Mordecai’s instructions, trusting wholeheartedly that this new festival would forever mark their deliverance.
Thus the Jews undertook what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. (Esther 9:23)
In this verse, we see a defining moment in the Book of Esther: the Jewish people resolve to continue celebrating and protecting one another just as Mordecai instructed them. The Persian Empire, under King Xerxes (also called Ahasuerus) who reigned from 486-465 BC, stretched from India to Ethiopia, administering an enormous geopolitical realm. In this expansive empire, the capital city of Susa (Shushan) set the stage for Esther’s story. Mordecai, a Jew appointed to a position of influence, wrote letters throughout the provinces to urge the Jews to establish a commemorative feast known as Purim, named for the “pur” (lot) used to determine the day set for their annihilation. When the verse says, “Thus the Jews undertook what they had started to do,” it highlights how the Jewish people united under Mordecai’s instructions to transform a day of impending doom into an occasion of triumph and gratitude, recognizing God’s providential hand in their deliverance.
The essence of Esther 9:23 lies in the obedience of the Jews to continue the practice outlined by Mordecai’s decree. Thus the Jews undertook shows that they actively followed through, recognizing that their survival was secured in what might have seemed like a hopeless crisis. Mordecai told them to commemorate both the sorrow they had faced and the subsequent relief that God provided in a hostile foreign land. This festival was designed to be kept year after year. By formally adopting Mordecai’s words, they allowed the memory of their deliverance to become a lasting tradition, uniting all Jews, whether in Persia or anywhere else throughout the empire.
The verse also reminds us that human beings, when faced with a crisis, grow closer to God’s provisions and to one another. As the Jews resolved to celebrate Purim annually, they benefited practically and spiritually. In many ways, Purim prefigures themes of redemption also found in the New Testament, where believers celebrate deliverance from sin and death (Romans 8:2). Just as Mordecai’s decree called upon every Jew to protect and help one another, the church is similarly enjoined in the New Testament to care for one another as part of God’s family (Galatians 6:2). This festival of Purim, born out of fear and sorrow, stood as a powerful symbol of continual hope for God’s people.
The annual celebration of Purim came to represent God’s providence, ensuring that His covenant people are never spiritually abandoned (Genesis 12:1-3). The success of the Jewish people’s self-defense in the Persian kingdom is another reflection of how God works behind the scenes in historical events to protect and sustain those who rely on His faithfulness. The people’s actions also demonstrate the reality that obedience to God and remembrance of His works bind communities together in worship and gratitude.
The Jews continued the practice as a perpetual reminder that, even in the midst of foreign powers and royal edicts, God’s plan can prevail through individuals who choose faithfulness.
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Esther 9:23 meaning
Thus the Jews undertook what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. (Esther 9:23)
In this verse, we see a defining moment in the Book of Esther: the Jewish people resolve to continue celebrating and protecting one another just as Mordecai instructed them. The Persian Empire, under King Xerxes (also called Ahasuerus) who reigned from 486-465 BC, stretched from India to Ethiopia, administering an enormous geopolitical realm. In this expansive empire, the capital city of Susa (Shushan) set the stage for Esther’s story. Mordecai, a Jew appointed to a position of influence, wrote letters throughout the provinces to urge the Jews to establish a commemorative feast known as Purim, named for the “pur” (lot) used to determine the day set for their annihilation. When the verse says, “Thus the Jews undertook what they had started to do,” it highlights how the Jewish people united under Mordecai’s instructions to transform a day of impending doom into an occasion of triumph and gratitude, recognizing God’s providential hand in their deliverance.
The essence of Esther 9:23 lies in the obedience of the Jews to continue the practice outlined by Mordecai’s decree. Thus the Jews undertook shows that they actively followed through, recognizing that their survival was secured in what might have seemed like a hopeless crisis. Mordecai told them to commemorate both the sorrow they had faced and the subsequent relief that God provided in a hostile foreign land. This festival was designed to be kept year after year. By formally adopting Mordecai’s words, they allowed the memory of their deliverance to become a lasting tradition, uniting all Jews, whether in Persia or anywhere else throughout the empire.
The verse also reminds us that human beings, when faced with a crisis, grow closer to God’s provisions and to one another. As the Jews resolved to celebrate Purim annually, they benefited practically and spiritually. In many ways, Purim prefigures themes of redemption also found in the New Testament, where believers celebrate deliverance from sin and death (Romans 8:2). Just as Mordecai’s decree called upon every Jew to protect and help one another, the church is similarly enjoined in the New Testament to care for one another as part of God’s family (Galatians 6:2). This festival of Purim, born out of fear and sorrow, stood as a powerful symbol of continual hope for God’s people.
The annual celebration of Purim came to represent God’s providence, ensuring that His covenant people are never spiritually abandoned (Genesis 12:1-3). The success of the Jewish people’s self-defense in the Persian kingdom is another reflection of how God works behind the scenes in historical events to protect and sustain those who rely on His faithfulness. The people’s actions also demonstrate the reality that obedience to God and remembrance of His works bind communities together in worship and gratitude.
The Jews continued the practice as a perpetual reminder that, even in the midst of foreign powers and royal edicts, God’s plan can prevail through individuals who choose faithfulness.