I read the story of a Jewish boy who grew up in Europe just before WWII. One day at Hebrew school, his teacher told a legend of the ten lost tribes of Israel being taken by the king of Assyria across the mythical yet extremely dangerous Sambatyon river. There, they became noble, valiant warriors, with gleaming shields and swords. And then to comfort his class, the teacher told his his boys, if only word could reach the tribes beyond the river of the current suffering of Judah, Benjamin and Levy, they would not hesitate to come to our defense.
That evening, the boys in desperation went to their nearby river and imagined it to be the Sambatyon. With courage they crossed its banks, only to be met with nasty rocks thrown by the Gentile boys on the other side, and so they made a hasty retreat home.[1]
Though Sambatyon is mythical, this story highlights the plague Jewish people have faced from the scourge of antisemitism. Many times, Israel has faced existential threats, but the Lord has delivered them from them all! Though the tale of the tribes living beyond the Sambatyon is fictional, it resonates in my heart, for there is a people in the earth uniquely connected to Israel like no other. They are not the ten lost tribes, but they have been made the Commonwealth of Israel. (Eph. 2:12) They may not be genetically related, but they have been brought near by the blood of Messiah. (Eph. 2:13) Should not the Church hear Israel’s cry, and stand against rising antisemitism?
Perhaps nothing highlights this more than the story of Purim in the Bible. At Purim, synagogues unfurl their Scroll of Esther, one of the most mysterious books of the Bible. Though it depicts events of just over 2,400 years ago, it exposes the bitter root of antisemitism from almost 4,000 years ago between two brothers, Jacob and Esau. But this fight is not Israel’s alone, God Himself has enjoined in battle against this ancient foe from “generation to generation”, until the day it will be wiped out.
Join me as we expose the mysterious words and deeds of Mordechai – his refusal to bow, bitter cry, and exhortations to Esther. Those, like a secret code, unmask the mystery.
I. A Hidden Identity
“Now Esther had not revealed her family and her people, just as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai as when she was brought up by him.” Esther 2:20 NKJV
Tradition says the book of Esther was composed by the men of the Great Assembly under Ezra in keeping with Esther’s wishes.[2] A book like no other, it avoids mentioning the name of God. This was the fulfillment of God’s warning that the day would come when He would “hide” His face (hester panim) as a result of Israel turning away from Him.
“And I will surely hide (astir; אסתיר) My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods.” Deuteronomy 31:18
By His great love and oversight, the very phrase God uttered, “I will hide”, “astir” (אסתיר) in Hebrew, formed the root of the name who brought Israel’s deliverance – Esther (אסתר)! Indeed, Esther, at Mordechai’s instruction, hid her Jewish identity until just the right time. Her given name, Hadassah, was hidden behind Esther, which in Persian likely meant Ishtar, but in Hebrew means, “I will hide”. Though God is not mentioned in the scroll, the providential orchestration of events reveals the hidden face of God.
The Esther code parallels, however, go much deeper. The very words and actions of Mordechai hint at the anti-Semitic roots in the battle of his generation and ours.
II. A Man Who Would Not Bow
“When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled with wrath. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.” Esther 3:5-6 NKJV
Why did Mordecai refuse to bow to Haman? He himself revealed the answer saying, “he was a Jew”. (Esther 3:5) Until then, Mordecai and Esther’s lineage had been hidden. This revelation likely to stirred rumors in the palace.
The book calls him, “the Jew”, the first time such a designation appears for the entire people. His specific lineage however was the “son of Kish, a Benjamite”. (Esther 2:5) Haman, was an Agagite. It was Agag, the Amalekite king whom Saul, son of Kish, was tasked with destroying. (I Sam. 15) And so, two ancient families, the House of Saul and the house of Amalek, once again meet on the stage of history.
The lineage of these two men however goes back even further. Benjamin was the son of Jacob, while Amalek was the grandson of Esau. And with this background we can understand something about Mordecai’s refusal to bow that the ancient sages of Israel also understood.
When Jacob returned to Canaan, his wives, servants, and sons all felt compelled to bow before Esau. All, that is, but one son. Benjamin, the youngest, yet to be born, did not bow. (Gen. 33:2-7) Benjamin’s tribe seems to have been destined bring deliverance. When Saul, the Benjamite, failed to utterly wipe out Amalek, the battle passed to a new generation within the tribe, Esther and Mordechai.
But there is another textual hint in these verses to remind us of the lineage Haman. Haman, upon hearing the people of Mordecai, “disdained” (וַיִּבֶז)to lay his hand on Mordecai alone. He wanted to annihilate the entire Jewish race. That exact phrase for “disdained” only occurs in one other place in Scripture, when it says Esau “disdained (וַיִּבֶז) “his birthright![3] (Genesis 25:34)
Esther, as scholars note, makes textual allusions to a “different biblical narrative”.[4] I believe the existential battle of the Jewish people in the book of Esther exposed an ancient conflict of antisemitism beginning in Genesis with Esau and culminating in a future conflict between the people of God and the Antichrist. The anti-Semitic spirit behind Haman, which demanded all bow down to him, is the spirit of Antichrist which will demand all to bow in the book of Revelation. (Revelation 13:7-8) Like Mordecai, we must stand against that spirit in these end times.
III. A Bitter Cry
“When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry.” Esther 4:1 NKJV
By design, Esther, one of the last books of the Hebrew Bible, copies and pastes from earlier Scripture, forming a Jewish code based on the Second Temple hermeneutic called “gezerah shavah”. This method of interpretation was described by Hillel in the First Century, and even used by Yeshua to connect two separate commands, Deuteronomy 6:5, and Leviticus 18:19, to love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.[5] According to Hillel, repeated words or phrases should give the reader pause to ask, is there a connection?[6] The “bitter cry” of Mordechai, at revealing of Haman’s plot to exterminate the Jewish people, provides a powerful example.
“He (Mordechai) cried out with a loud and bitter cry.” Esther 4:1
וַיִּצְעַק צְעָקָה גְּדֹלָה וּמָרָה…” בראשית כז 34”
That exact Hebrew phrases occurs in just one other place, Genesis 27:34, when Esau cried out under the deception of his brother Jacob.
“He (Esau) cried out with a loud and bitter cry” Genesis 27:34
“וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה…” אסתר ד 1
Why would the writer of the Esther Scroll remind us of Esau? Is there a connection between Mordechai’s “loud and bitter cry” under Haman, to Esau’s “loud and bitter cry” under Jacob? [7] Louis Ginzberg, compiler of Jewish commentary gives insight.
“Only then did he (Isaac) say, “Yea, he (Jacob) shall be blessed,” whereat Esau cried with an exceeding great and bitter cry. By way of punishment for having been the cause of such distress, a descendant of Jacob, Mordecai, was also made to cry with a loud and bitter cry, and his grief was brought forth by the Amalekite Haman, the descendant of Esau.” Legends of the Jews, Louis Ginzberg[8]
Esau’s unresolved cry in the dining hall of Isaac was answered by the anguished cry of Mordechai on hearing the plot of Haman the Agagite, the Amalekite, called the “enemy of the Jews”. (Esther 3:10, 8:1, 9:10, 9:24) By understanding Haman’s bloodline, we understand his “causeless hatred” of not only Mordechai, but the Jewish people as a whole.
“But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.” Esther 3:6 NKJV
Tearing Away the Mask
It was not simply the cry of Mordecai, but the tearing of his robe, which sent shockwaves through the court of Esther. The ripping of his robe in 4:1 has been called the removal of his “Persian mask”[9]. His Jewish identity was made known, and shortly, Esther’s would be also. Esther, who had worked so diligently to hide her Jewishness, sent new clothes to cover her dear Mordechai, but he refused in light of the tragedy that would befall his nation.
Mordecai’s cry is our own call to stand, not hide nor be silent in the face of antisemitism and the spirit of Antichrist in the world today.
IV. For Such a Time as This
“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 NKJV
Saul lost the kingdom because he did not destroy Amalek. Esther, a royal granddaughter of Saul, came to the kingdom “for such a time as this”! This brings us to our final clue in Mordechai’s words, the mystery of Esther’s father’s house.
Mordechai was not speaking about Esther’s deceased father. These words warned that the royal house of Saul would perish. Providence brought Esther to this position. The battle she faced was ancient, but not hers alone. The Lord enjoined Himself to this battle long before.
A Generational Battle
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” Exodus 17:14 NKJV
Amalek’s role as the arch enemy of the Jewish people, is woven through from Genesis to Samuel to Esther. Amalek was the first people who sought to destroy Israel after the exodus simply out of “causeless hatred”, the genesis of antisemitism.[10]
Unprovoked, they attacked in the vilest manner, targeting the stragglers, and the weak. (Deut. 25:17-18) Haman, descended from this people sought the annihilation of an entire race without cause, just as his ancestors had done.
Amalek was the son of Timna and Eliphaz, grandson of Esau! (Gen. 36:12) Somehow, a bitter root of hatred fostered in Amalek was evidenced later in the unprovoked attacks after the exodus, and much later with Haman.
A Hand on the Throne at Rephidim
The Amalekites attacked Israel at Rephidim, which means “weakening of the hands”, (Raphu- Yadeihem). Joshua weakened Amalek but did not destroy them. The spiritual aspect of the battle is evidenced by the fact that at this place, when Moses’ hands became heavy and dropped, the battle turned for Amalek, and when his hands were raised, Israel prevailed! But we also have this mysterious statement from the Lord about a hand on the throne, and war with Amalek.
“Saying, “A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” Exodus 17:16 ESV
Israel faced Amalek at a place called the weakening of the hands (Rephidim). This may even refer to Israel’s hands becoming lax, murmuring, and losing their focus. Moses, however, was not alone in the battle, though his hands were heavy, the Lord declared, “the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation” to blot out Amalek’s remembrance. Why? One way of reading the Hebrew is that a hand was placed on the throne. This may mean either God’s hand as an oath, or an enemy hand touched God’s throne. The spirit behind Amalek wanted to abort the plan of salvation.
It is not by accident that we make noise to obliterate Haman’s name when it is read during Purim. That is a symbolic way of wiping out Amalek. But we are still enjoined in this battle. Though this ancient foe may be weakened from time to time, each generation still sees antisemitism to some degree. Our generation is witnessing a rapid resurgence this Antichrist spirit. God is at war, and we must be also!
V. Remain Not Silent
“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place…”
It takes courage to speak out. We are not at war with a flesh and blood. We are engaged in battle against the spirit of Amalek. The spirit that prompted the Amalekites to try to abort Israel from reaching Mt. Sinai, is the same spirit which prompted Nazi Germany to enact the Holocaust. That spirit of antisemitism is the spirit of Antichrist. That spirit thrives when godly men and women are silent. Mordechai’s admonition to Esther is our admonition today – Do not remain silent! (לא אחשה)
Conclusion
Esther masked the Jewish Hadassah with the Persian Esther for a time by her silence. The time came however when the masks were removed. In truth, Esther, of the royal house of Saul was of more noble birth than her husband Ahasuerus. Like in the book of Esther, we too may find it difficult to discern God’s hand. Perhaps there are even seasons when the Lord “hides” His face. But know this, even in the darkest days. He has not left our lot to chance. Though Haman cast the “pur”, (the dice), from which we get the name Purim, gambling on Israel’s destruction, the Lord orchestrated Israel’s deliverance. As Albert Einstein wrote once in a personal letter regarding the laws of physics, “God does not play dice with the universe.” He then clarified, “God tirelessly plays dice under laws which He has Himself prescribed.”[11] The message of Esther is that nothing happens by chance.
Mordechai’s told Esther that if she did remain quiet, deliverance would arise from another place – ultimately, the Lord and King Messiah Himself. However, I began this message by telling the story of the gleaming swords and shields of the lost tribes on the other side of the Sambatyon river, and the tale of how if word could reach them, they would not hesitate to cross that chasmous river to come to their brother’s defense. Have we heard the call?
[1] Shachan, Avigdor, Solomon Kokubo, and Koji Soma. In the Footsteps of the Lost Ten Tribes. Kobe: Kobe Peace Research Institute, 2013.
[2] Bava Batra 15a
[3] Grossman, Jonathan. “‘Dynamic Analogies’ in the Book of Esther.” Vetus Testamentum 59, no. 3 (2009): 400. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20699991. See also Esther Rabbah, 7.10.
[4] Ibid, 395.
[5] Yeshua, in Mat. 22:37-39, used the Hebrew phrase, “v’ahavta”, “And you shall love”, to connect two separate passages, “And you shall love your neighbor” (Lev. 19:18) and “And you shall love the Lord…” (Deut. 6:5)
[6] This hermeneutic method, developed by Hillel, is called Gezara Shavah, literally an “equal cutting and pasting”.
[7] See Genesis Rabbah 67.4, and Esther Rabbah 8.1. Haman was an Agagite, descendant of Amalek, the grandson of Esau. This conflict began in Isaac’s dining room, with two brothers, Jacob, and Esau.
[8] Louis Ginzberg, “Legends of the Jews 1:6:73,” Sefaria, accessed March 2, 2022, https://www.sefaria.org.il/Legends_of_the_Jews.1.6.73?ven=The_Legends_of_the_Jews_by_Louis_Ginzberg_%5B1909%5D&lang=en&with=all&lang2=en.
[9] Grossman, Jonathan. “‘Dynamic Analogies’ in the Book of Esther.” Vetus Testamentum 59, no. 3 (2009): 402. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20699991.
[10] (Sinat Chinam) “causeless hatred” is a concept in Jewish literature attributed to the destruction of the Second Temple.
[11] ‘God Plays Dice with the Universe,’ Einstein Writes in Letter About His Qualms with Quantum Theory | Live Science