In every town and village there is one individual who is an object of interest, and none more so; he is eagerly looked for and listened for daily, not for what he is, but for what he brings. I refer to the postman. And day by day this brings that which makes some hearts glad, while others are bowed with sorrow through the intelligence he brings. As they break open the black-edged envelope with trembling hand and beating heart, the eye rapidly scans the lines until the dreaded part is reached that makes known that―father’s gone, or mother’s gone, or some other relative or well-known friend is gone. Yes, gone; but where? To heaven or which? That is the question. My friend, have you settled it yet―where you are going to spend eternity?
Just turn with me for a little to the book of Esther, while we look at the postmen, with their different letters, hastened on by the king’s commandment, and the results when these letters are delivered, real, and believed. And while we do so we shall see another of God’s pictures, out of His picture book (the Old Testament), of man’s complete and total ruin, and God’s perfect and blessed remedy, though brought out more specially in this Scripture in the way of contrast.
The first thing we find is the Jews have an enemy. “The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman” (7:6). And, my friend, do remember this. You, too, have an enemy. One who will minister to your lusts and passions just now, and appear to be your friend, but who seeks in reality to blast all your hopes for eternity and lead you to hell.
Now, notice the contrast here. It was through the faithfulness of one man (Mordecai), who would not bow to the Agagite, that sentence of death was passed upon the whole race of Jews (3:1-13). But it was by the unfaithfulness of one man (Adam) that “sin entered into the world, and death by sin, so DEATH passed upon ALL men, for that all have sinned” (Rom. 5:1212Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)). And, mark, Haman gets the decree signed the king. Sentence of death issues forth from the king himself, but the city Shushan is perplexed. The sentence is pronounced on the first month (3:12), but was not to be executed till the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (vs. 13). And, my friend, remember that Adam listened to his enemy, though he professed to be his friend, sinned against his God, and the sentence of death, a righteous sentence too, has been passed by God Himself. It was He who said, “In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die,” and, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” And man has sinned, “all have sinned.” You have sinned, and are under the sentence of death pronounced by God Himself. The decree was given in Shushan the palace. The sentence came from heaven itself; but God could not be happy, and heaven could not rejoice, while men lay under that terrible righteous sentence without a way of escape. No wonder the city Shushan was perplexed (vs. 15).
Then we get another thing in verse 13. “The letters were sent out by posts to destroy, to kill, to cause to perish all Jews, young and old, little children and women, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month.... And the posts went out, being hastened by the king’s commandment” (vs. 15). See the speed the postmen make with their message of death. It was sad news they carried that day, and the people trembled as they heard their doom read out in their ears. The king had signed it. It was real.
The sentence had gone out against them, and no man could reverse it (8:8)
Now read the first three verses of chapter 4, and see the effects of this DEATH MESSAGE.
Would to God I could see the same effects in you. “There was great, mourning, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.” They believed the message.
Like the people of Nineveh who believed the preaching of Jonah and repented, so these souls believed the king’s message of death, and consequently were in the deepest sorrow.
But oh! how sad, how sad! how little of that has been seen in you, sinner! Surely it is that you do not believe what God says when He writes, “The wages of sin is death” ― “All have sinned” ― “It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment,” and suchlike solemn Scriptures. Can it be possible that you believe that, and yet no tear has wet your cheek? Condemned by God’s lips, and yet you do not tremble? Guilty before Him, conscience accusing you and charging lame your guilt, and yet you are not startled by it and led to cry out for mercy? Oh, what a hardened state! “The devils also believe and tremble;” and yet you are unmoved.
O sinner, sinner what are eternity awaits you, unless you are converted to God. Think of it.
You, not your neighbor, but YOURSELF IN HELL, and that Forever. Then you grill get what you could not find here― “Time to think.” Yes, and eternity to sorrow over your sins, which would have been washed away in the blood of Jesus had you trusted Him; but you knew not your danger and felt not your load, but were blinded by Satan, the God of this world, till the thirteenth day of the twelfth month arrived and found you out in your sins, and the sentence was put into execution, and you passed from this scene into eternity WITHOUT GOD, WITHOUT CHRIST, WITHOUT HOPE. Oh, sinner, may God read His message of death in your ears now, cause you to hear it, press it borne on your conscience, put you into the deepest distress, lead you to repentance, and make you ready to receive the good news which the second postmen bring!
We have seen the sentence is pronounced on the thirteenth day of the first month, but has not to be executed fin the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, so that they have eleven months’ grace, during which time a mediator comes in, who puts her life in her hand, saying, “If I perish, I perish” (4:16). Esther goes to the king, obtains favor, and life is granted to the Jews. Like another one we read of (David) who “put his life in his hand” to save Israel (1 Sam. 19:55For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause? (1 Samuel 19:5)). But when I turn again to the contrast, I read, “There is one Mediator between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus; who gave His life a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Tim. 2:5-65For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:5‑6)).
Yes. Jesus did not “put his life in his hand” ― i.e. risk it―but He gave it up, a ransom for many. Oh, what wondrous love! He “suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, to, bring us to God.” He came to save those who were doomed to die. He died upon the cross, finished the work, rose from the grave, passed into the heavens, and sat down. All is done. Now the postmen are being sent out to tell sinners that whosoever believeth shall have eternal life, forgiveness of sins, the Holy Ghost, and soon, glory with Christ up there. Thank God, the heaven-sent postman brings joyful news, blessed news to the believer. Every question is settled forever, and a straight path opened up to glory.
Oh, if there is an anxious soul, the Lord lead you to believe the letter!
Through Esther’s going to the king, life is granted to the Jews. Fresh letters are written, sealed with the king’s seal, and no man can reverse them, and sent out as fast as they can go, and mark a little word you get here when the MESSAGE OF LIFE is sent out― “pressed on.” Yes, the posts were “hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment” (8:14). Time was short; the execution of the sentence was near at hand; baste was needed. “The king’s business requires haste.” Oh! what a hurry God is in to bless a sinner, and how slow to judge the sinner. “And the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad” (vs. 15). Thank God the second lot of postmen had good news. A MESSAGE OF LIFE.
Suppose some of them had refused to believe this message of life? Then their enemies would have slain them. And now that God sends His postmen with the message of life, will you refuse to believe it? Well, then, you will perish for your unbelief. You will go to hell in your folly.
Now what were the effects of the second message when it was received? They had light instead of darkness, gladness instead of sadness, joy instead of sorrow, honor instead of shame, feasting instead of fasting, a good day instead of bad one. And what are the effects when a sinner receives the message of life, believes on the Lord Jesus Christ? He is turned from “darkness to light,” for the apostle was sent “to upon their eyes, and turn them from darkness to light” (Acts 26:17,1817Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 26:17‑18)). So he gets gladness, joy, honor, feasting, and a good day and the day he commences has no evening―it is an eternal day. Luke 15 says “they began to be merry,” but it does not tell us when they stopped. Ah, no! The prodigal began to be in want, but it ended in plenty. They began to be merry, but it never ends. Philip preached Christ in Samaria, and there was great joy in the city. Oh, what joy when a sinner takes Christ! The message of life came from Shushan the palace, and Shushan the city rejoiced. The message of life comes from heaven itself, and “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” The prodigal sat down to feast. And the desire of God’s heart is that poor wandering sinners on the downward road, under sentence of death, should listen to and believe the message of life and have light, joy, gladness, honor, feasting, and a good day. The Lord grant that every unconverted soul who hears this may believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved, test the thirteenth day of the twelfth month arrive and find you Christless, and the sentence be executed, and you are sent to hell because you would not have life when brought to you, and brought to you at such a cost. Life is brought to you through Jesus’ death and resurrection. “It is finished.” Yes.
“All is done.” Believe it and live.
W. E.