Today on Truth for Life, we're continuing our study in the Book of Esther.

We've reached a point in the story where Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai have quite

incredibly convinced the King of Persia to issue a new edict, one that allows the Jews

to defend themselves against their enemies.

Esther 9 from the 1st verse.

Now in the 12th month, which is the month of Adar on the 13th day of the same, when the

King's command and edict were about to be carried out on the very day when the enemies of

the Jews hoped to gain mastery over them, the reverse occurred. The Jews gained mastery

over those who hated them. The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces

of King Ahesweris to lay hands on those who sought their harm, and no one could stand

against them, for the fear of them had fallen on all peoples. All the officials of the provinces

and the satirats and the governors and the royal agents also helped the Jews, for the

fear of Mordecai had fallen on them. For Mordecai was great in the King's house and his

fame spread throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful.

The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and did

as they pleased to those who hated them. In Susa the Citadel itself, the Jews killed

and destroyed 500 men, and also killed Parshandatha and Dauffan and Aspatha and Puratha and Adalia

and Aradatha and Permashta and Arisee and Adede and Vizatha, the ten sons of Haymen, the son

of Hamadatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they laid no hand on the plunder. That very day,

the number of those killed in Susa, the Citadel was reported to the King, and the King said

to Queen Esther, in Susa the Citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men and also

the ten sons of Haymen. What then have they done in the rest of the King's provinces?

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