Celebrating Answered Prayer

It was peril-filled time in which the people of God found themselves. The ruling empire of the world had on its throne a man who loved material wealth and loved to show it off to everyone. “For a full 180 days he [the king of Persia] displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. [1]

When the elites of a powerful nation please themselves at the expense of others, people get hurt. Workers have to give an exorbitant amount of taxes to keep the elites happy. But even so, the worker’s safety and well-being is not guaranteed. Such was the case of the people of God in the days of King Xerxes and his right-hand man Haman. If it were not for God answering their prayers, Haman would have exterminated them all...

“Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents (375 tons) of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.” [2]

How did Haman come upon 375 tons of silver? How did he have this much disposal income to pay for the genocide of God’s people? Perhaps, unlike Jesus, he had bowed to Satan and Satan saw to it that he got great worldly wealth. “Again, the devil took him [Jesus] to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” [3]

The problem with the devil’s money is that it has strings attached. The recipient must do his bidding. Jesus, unlike Balaam in the Old Testament, would not bow to the devil at any price. Jesus and His faithful followers worship the Lord God and serve Him only. God takes care of them.

“In every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.” [4] The people of God pulled out all the stops. They fasted. They wept and wailed. They put on the garments of repentance. They prayed and God answered their prayers. Haman and his sons were hung on the gallows he made for others. 75,511 foes of God’s people were taken out in a day. [5]

The people who prayed to God, rather than genocide, experienced “a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.” [6]

Thus, let us also pray for the safety and well-being of God’s people around this globe. Those whose lives are threatened by tyranny! We can pray as David prayed: “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!” [7]

[1] Esther 1:4
[2] Esther 3:8-9
[3] Matthew 4:8-10
[4] Esther 4:3
[5] Esther 9:6, 12, 14
[6] Esther 9:19
[7] Psalm 80:19