以斯帖記 第九章 Esther 9
- 馬克牧師
- 4 days ago
- 9 min read
各位平安！我們今天來看《以斯帖記》第九章的故事。
昨天第八章我們提到，皇帝授予了以斯帖與末底改極大的權力，讓他們可以奉王的名義寫聖旨，頒布猶太人可以集結自保、保護家園，並反擊那些想要攻擊他們的仇敵。
但你以為這樣就天下太平了嗎？不！事情並沒這麼簡單。
因為——皇帝先前那道「可以屠殺猶太人」的命令也還有效！這意味著：兩道聖旨都合法、都可以執行。所以，一些人覺得自己早就計畫好了，反正有王的命令撐腰，還是決定發動攻擊。
然而他們沒想到的是，猶太人這次是有備而來！聖經記載：「猶太人轄制恨他們的人，無人能敵，因為各族人都懼怕他們。」——為什麼會怕？因為現在掌握王國實權的，是猶太人末底改，他成了宰相，是「一人之下，萬人之上」！
所以，各地總督、官員、軍隊，全都轉向支持猶太人，沒有人敢輕舉妄動。這種政治風向的變化，也讓那些原本敵視猶太人的人，突然對猶太人「畢恭畢敬」。
接下來我們看到具體的記載：
在首都書珊，猶太人殺了500人；
特別提到10個人的名字，都是哈曼的兒子；
哈曼本來想滅絕猶太人，結果全家反而被「滿門抄斬」——這真是天道好輪迴，從未放過誰；
但猶太人並沒有搶奪他們的財物，這一點非常值得注意——代表這不是出於貪婪，而是正義的防衛。
在整個波斯帝國中，猶太人總共擊殺了75,000個仇敵，但同樣地，都沒有奪取財產。
這是一場震撼性的逆轉，一個本來預定要滅族的日子，竟然變成了猶太人的得勝與平安之日。
因此，猶太人開始訂下這個日子為節日，稱為「普珥節」（Purim）。「普珥」的意思就是「抽籤」——當年哈曼就是抽籤定下猶太人要滅亡的日子，但神翻轉了這個命運。
從那時起，猶太人世世代代都在那兩天設宴歡樂、送禮施捨，紀念這個大翻盤，普珥節就像他們的「反敗為勝紀念日」。而這一天也是要禁食禱告，紀念當時猶太人為以斯帖皇后禁食三天的事情，而後來迎來了極大的恩典。
這個節日，也有點像我們華人的中秋節。傳說明朝開國皇帝朱元璋要起義推翻元朝的時候，就是在八月十五那天發動起義，還偷偷把字條藏在月餅裡，讓百姓吃了月餅就知道要「殺韃子」了！從此八月十五吃月餅就成了一種習俗。
同樣地，普珥節對猶太人來說，不只是吃喝快樂，更是對神救恩的記念——從死亡轉向生命，從悲哀變為歡喜！
當我們讀到這裡，可能有些人會有疑問：「哇，猶太人會不會太殘忍了？不是已經得勝了，為什麼還要殺那麼多人？難道不能和平共處嗎？」
這是一個很合理的疑問，但我們要從更深的角度來理解。
首先，我想請大家思考一件事：我們今天每個國家都有「國慶日」，不是嗎？
像是：
中華民國（台灣）是 10 月 10 日，
中國大陸是 10 月 1 日，
美國是 7 月 4 日，
法國則是 7 月 14 日（巴士底日，紀念法國大革命）。
我們每年都在慶祝這些「國家的生日」，但你有沒有想過——這些新國家的誕生，都是建立在「推翻原本政權」的基礎上？
這些歷史轉折，背後都有一段血腥與抗爭的過程。國慶日不是在歡慶殺戮，而是在紀念戰勝黑暗勢力、暴政統治的得勝之日。
同樣地，猶太人的普珥節，也不是在慶祝殺人，而是在紀念上帝翻轉命運、讓他們脫離滅族危機的救恩之日。
我們回到經文來看，猶太人所擊殺的，都是那些已經公開仇視他們、計畫要殺害他們的人。這不是主動侵略，而是自衛性質的戰爭。他們若不還擊，反而將再次成為屠殺的受害者。
你說這些人「無辜」嗎？但他們早已宣戰在先，是他們選擇了敵對與暴力。這場內戰的本質，其實是咎由自取。
我們在理解歷史的時候，要記得每一個節日、每一場紀念，不只是為了回顧勝利，更是提醒人類不要忘記那段黑暗、不要再讓歷史重演。
我們盼望不再有戰爭，不再有屠殺，但歷史告訴我們：人類的本性，總是忘記教訓，總是重蹈覆轍。
然而，在所有節日中，最重要的一個勝利紀念日——就是復活節。
這是一場人類最重要的戰爭。勝過全人類罪惡的戰爭。這一天，被殺的，是我們的主耶穌基督；得勝的，卻是全世界的人類，因祂的復活，我們有了真正的平安與永生的盼望。
所以，讓我們明白：普珥節紀念的不是殘殺，是救恩；復活節同樣也是紀念，神對黑暗的終極勝利。
每一個節日，都不是對仇恨的延續，而是對真理、自由、公義的記念與傳承。
《以斯帖記》的最後一章——第十章，雖然只有短短幾節，但給這整個驚心動魄的故事畫下了一個穩重的句點。
經文提到，亞哈隨魯王向全地與海島的人民徵稅進貢。這看起來像是一個行政性的描述，但從中我們可以看出，雖然在故事中這位王給人一種「婚姻糊塗、情緒化決策」的印象，但在治國方面，他其實還是有兩把刷子的。
他不但讓波斯帝國的統治延伸到廣大地區，甚至能讓各地百姓進貢、臣服，顯示出當時國家的強盛與穩定。
而在這樣一個強權帝國的政治體系下，猶太人末底改竟能高升為宰相，這是一件極為難得的事。經文說他「位居次位、為本族所尊敬」，顯示他不只是政治地位高，更贏得了人民的敬重。
更重要的是，末底改「為本族的人求好處、向他們說和平的話」。這一點特別感人：他沒有因為自己高升就忘記自己的民族，反而在帝國體制內，成為保護族人的遮蓋與代言人。
整個《以斯帖記》在這裡畫下了美麗的句點：
猶太人不但逃過了滅族的危機，
還在異族政權下獲得尊重與平安，
並且有一位像末底改這樣的信仰勇士，在關鍵位置上為民發聲、行公義、好憐憫。
有時候，我們以為神不說話、不顯神蹟，就是沒有作為；但《以斯帖記》告訴我們：即使神的名字沒出現，祂的手卻從未離開。即使你今天還沒看見神的作為，也不要懷疑祂的同在。神在你生命中的以斯帖記，可能正悄悄進行中。
以斯帖記的分享到這邊告一段落，感謝各位的聆聽，願上帝祝福各位。
Peace to you all! Today we’re diving into chapter 9 of the Book of Esther.
Yesterday in chapter 8, we saw the king grant Esther and Mordecai enormous authority. They were given the power to write royal decrees in the king’s name, allowing the Jews to gather and defend themselves, protect their homes, and strike back against anyone who intended to harm them.
But—did that mean peace was finally secured? Not quite.
Because the original decree—the one allowing people to slaughter the Jews—was still in effect! That meant both decrees were now legally valid and executable. So, some people who had already planned their attack figured: “Hey, we’ve got the king’s backing. Let’s go for it!”
But what they didn’t expect was that this time, the Jews were ready.
Scripture tells us: “The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. No one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them.” (Esther 9:2–3)
Why the fear? Because Mordecai, a Jew, had now become the king’s right-hand man—second only to the king. The political tides had turned dramatically.
Governors, officials, and the military throughout the empire quickly shifted their allegiance to support the Jews. No one dared oppose them. And those who once despised the Jews were now bowing low in fear and respect.
Here’s what happened:
In the capital city of Susa, the Jews killed 500 men.
Among them were the ten sons of Haman—specifically named in the text.
Haman had once plotted to annihilate the Jews, and now his entire household was wiped out. A stunning reversal.
But notably, the Jews did not seize their enemies’ possessions. This wasn’t about greed—it was about justice and self-defense.
Throughout the Persian Empire, the Jews killed 75,000 enemies, yet again, they took no plunder.
This was an astonishing reversal. A day once marked for their destruction became a day of victory and peace.
So the Jews commemorated that day by establishing the Festival of Purim.The word “Purim” comes from pur, meaning “lot”—because Haman had cast lots to decide when to destroy the Jews. But God overturned the outcome of that lottery.
From then on, generation after generation of Jews celebrated those two days with joy, feasting, gift-giving, and helping the poor—remembering the dramatic turnaround, like their own personal “From Death to Deliverance Day.”It also became a day of fasting and prayer, remembering how the Jews fasted for Queen Esther before her brave action—leading to God’s great deliverance.
You could say it’s a bit like our Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.
Legend says that when Zhu Yuanzhang—the future first emperor of the Ming Dynasty—planned a rebellion against the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty, he secretly hid messages inside mooncakes to coordinate the uprising on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. Since then, eating mooncakes became a tradition.Similarly, Purim is more than just a day for food and joy—it’s a celebration of God’s salvation, a day when mourning was turned into rejoicing, and death into life.
But reading this, you may ask:
“Wait, weren’t the Jews being a bit too violent? I mean, they had already won—why go on to kill so many? Couldn’t there have been peace?”
That’s a valid question. But let’s consider a broader perspective.
Today, every nation has a National Day—a birthday of sorts:
Taiwan (Republic of China) celebrates on October 10,
China on October 1,
The United States on July 4,
France on July 14 (Bastille Day).
But how were these nations born? Usually through revolution, resistance, and overthrowing a previous regime.
These national holidays aren’t about glorifying violence—they’re about remembering the victory over oppression and celebrating freedom from tyranny.
Likewise, Purim isn’t about celebrating bloodshed. It’s about remembering how God turned a planned genocide into deliverance.
And according to the text, the people the Jews struck down were those who had openly declared their hatred and intended to kill them. This wasn’t aggression—it was defensive warfare. Had the Jews not fought back, they would have once again become helpless victims.
So were their enemies truly “innocent”? No—they had already chosen violence and declared war. This internal conflict was, in truth, self-inflicted by the aggressors.
As we interpret history and commemorate events, we must remember: every festival, every memorial, is not just a reminder of victory—but also a warning not to repeat the darkness of the past.
We long for a world without war or bloodshed. But history shows that humanity often forgets its lessons and repeats the same tragic mistakes.
And yet—among all the memorial days in human history—the most important victory celebration is Easter.
It commemorates the most important battle ever fought—not against an empire, but against sin and death.
On that day, the one who was slain was our Lord Jesus Christ, but the ones who gained victory were all of humanity.Through His resurrection, we now have true peace and the hope of eternal life.
So let us understand:
Purim commemorates salvation, not slaughter;Easter commemorates God’s ultimate victory over darkness.
Every sacred festival is not a tribute to hate—but a remembrance of truth, freedom, and righteousness.
Now let’s look at the final chapter—Esther chapter 10.It’s short, just a few verses, but it brings the entire thrilling narrative to a powerful and peaceful close.
It tells us that King Xerxes imposed tribute across the land and to the distant coastlands. On the surface, this sounds like a simple administrative note. But it reveals something deeper:
Though he came across as indecisive and easily swayed in the story—especially in his personal life—he was actually quite capable as a ruler.Under his leadership, the Persian Empire expanded and flourished, commanding respect and submission from distant peoples.
And in such a powerful empire, for a Jew like Mordecai to rise to the position of prime minister was truly remarkable.
Scripture says he was “second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews.”He wasn’t just powerful—he was respected and beloved.
Most touching of all, Mordecai “worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.”
He didn’t forget his roots or use his power for selfish gain. Instead, he became a shield and a voice for his people within the very system that had once threatened their lives.
So the Book of Esther ends on a beautiful note:
The Jewish people not only survived a planned genocide,
They gained honor and peace in a foreign empire,
And they had a faithful leader like Mordecai standing for justice and compassion.
Sometimes we think that God’s silence means He isn’t working.But the Book of Esther shows us:
Even when God’s name isn’t mentioned, His hand is never absent.
Even if you don’t see what God is doing today, don’t doubt His presence.
Your own “Book of Esther” may be unfolding quietly behind the scenes.
That concludes our study of the Book of Esther.Thank you for listening—and may the Lord bless you all.
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