30 Jul (Esther 2)

Esther 2

(v.5) Mordecai is Ether's cousin, and believed to be older than her by some years. Not only is he her cousin, but she probably thinks of Mordecai as a father figure whom she looks to for advice and guidance. Esther 2:7

Mordecai was a descendant of King Saul. 1 Sam 14:51 As we will see, Mordecai gave advice and encouragement to Esther...we all need a Mordecai in our lives. We don't need people who always say we're right, for how do we grow? We need friends and family who will remind us if we are sinning, or not acting godly. Also, we need someone whom we can turn to when we need wisdom and comfort.

(v.10) Mordecai is a counselor to Esther, and he gives her good advice the whole time. The whole Persian kingdom has many Jews amongst them, so they weren't being dishonest by not telling the court that she was a Jew...they never asked!

(v.11) Mordecai was more than a cousin to Esther...he was like a father, and like a father, he worried and was extremely interested in the state of Esther.

(v.15) This verse suggests that the other women brought extravagant things to try to impress the king, but Esther was humble, and her beauty did all the talking! As a father of girls, I remind them that beauty is more than skin deep...a godly man loves beauty, but beauty inside and out. If a woman is confident and humble, then an aura of beauty surrounds that woman!

(v.18) I remind my kids that this process took over a year...God is not mentioned here, but He is working the whole time! It is like that in our own lives...things happen now, and we may not see the meaning of it until many years later.

(v.22) Mordecai informed the king, via Esther, that there was a plot to kill the king...this will be critical a little bit later!

(v.23) The whole matter was recorded in the book of chronicles...Mordecai's service to the king will play a big role in this whole matter later.