哈曼已死了,末底改现在戴着王的戒指并管理哈曼的家产。可是,末底改、以斯帖,和犹大人仍然要面对哈曼安排了的灭族计谋,因为每一个省都已经收到灭绝犹大人的谕皆了,而王立的谕旨,是没有人能废除的。那怎么办呢?
亚哈随鲁王便灵活地运用他的权力:消灭犹大人的命令虽然不能废除,但现在犹大人却有权保护自己的性命了,戴着王的盖印戒指的末底改,在谕旨上盖了印。
现在,波斯人要作决定了,有许多“因惧怕犹大”, 就入了犹大籍。要做一个保住性命的犹大人,还是做一个没命的外邦人,你说那一个选择比较上算呢?
当日神在伊甸园曾告诉亚当:“分别善恶树上的果子,你不可吃,因为你吃的日子必定死。”(创世记 2:17)这条命令也是不能废除的,凡犯罪的就必定死。然而,神为我们提供了一条出路:“神爱世人,甚至将他的独生子赐给他们,叫一切信他的,不至灭亡,反得永生。”(约翰福音 3:16)
我们有两个选择:一个是敬畏神、并且相信衪的儿子耶稣基督,一个是抗拒衪、以至灭亡。你会选择那一个呢?
天上的君王,祢以自有永有的智慧,赐永生给凡相信祢的人,我们感谢祢。今天求祢帮助我跟从祢,选择永生之路。奉耶稣的名祷告,阿们。
以斯帖记 8 Esther 8
1当日,亚哈随鲁王把犹大人仇敌哈曼的家产赐给王后以斯帖。末底改也来到王面前,因为以斯帖已经告诉王,末底改是她的亲属。
2王摘下自己的戒指,就是从哈曼追回的,给了末底改。以斯帖派末底改管理哈曼的家产。
3 以斯帖又俯伏在王脚前,流泪哀告,求他除掉亚甲族哈曼害犹大人的恶谋。
4王向以斯帖伸出金杖;以斯帖就起来,站在王前,
5说:“亚甲族哈米大他的儿子哈曼设谋传旨,要杀灭在王各省的犹大人。现今王若愿意,我若在王眼前蒙恩,王若以为美,若喜悦我,请王另下旨意,废除哈曼所传的那旨意。
6我何忍见我本族的人受害?何忍见我同宗的人被灭呢?”
7亚哈随鲁王对王后以斯帖和犹大人末底改说:“因哈曼要下手害犹大人,我已将他的家产赐给以斯帖,人也将哈曼挂在木架上。
8现在你们可以随意奉王的名写谕旨给犹大人,用王的戒指盖印;因为奉王名所写、用王戒指盖印的谕旨,人都不能废除。”
9三月,就是西弯月二十三日,将王的书记召来,按着末底改所吩咐的,用各省的文字、各族的方言,并犹大人的文字方言写谕旨,传给那从印度直到古实一百二十七省的犹大人和总督省长首领。
10末底改奉亚哈随鲁王的名写谕旨,用王的戒指盖印,交给骑御马圈快马的驿卒,传到各处。
11-12谕旨中,王准各省各城的犹大人在一日之间,十二月,就是亚达月十三日,聚集保护性命,剪除杀戮灭绝那要攻击犹大人的一切仇敌和他们的妻子儿女,夺取他们的财为掠物。
13抄录这谕旨,颁行各省,宣告各族,使犹大人预备等候那日,在仇敌身上报仇。
14于是骑快马的驿卒被王命催促,急忙起行;谕旨也传遍书珊城。
15 末底改穿着蓝色白色的朝服,头戴大金冠冕,又穿紫色细麻布的外袍,从王面前出来;书珊城的人民都欢呼快乐。
16犹大人有光荣,欢喜快乐而得尊贵。
17王的谕旨所到的各省各城,犹大人都欢喜快乐,设摆筵宴,以那日为吉日。那国的人民,有许多因惧怕犹大人,就入了犹大籍。
The King's Wisdom
Haman was dead, and now Mordecai wore the king’s signet ring and managed Haman’s estate. But Mordecai, Esther, and the Jewish people still faced the destruction Haman had planned, for all the provinces had received the decree to annihilate the Jews. And a royal decree could not be revoked. What were they to do?
Xerxes now exercised his power shrewdly: although the order to destroy the Jews had to remain, the Jews would now have the right to defend themselves. Mordecai, bearer of the king’s signet ring, signed the decree.
Now the people of the empire had to decide. Many became Jews, “because fear of the Jews had seized them.” Which would be better, to be a living member of the Jewish people or a dead Gentile?
God had told Adam in the Garden: “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17). That decree could not be revoked either. All who have sinned will die. But God provided a way out: “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
That is our choice: fear God and believe in his Son, Jesus Christ, or oppose him and lose our life. Which do you choose?
Heavenly King, thank you for your eternal wisdom to grant life to all who believe in Jesus Christ. Help me to follow you and to choose life today. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳