Esther, 3
1. In the days of Artaxerxes, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over one hundred twenty-seven provinces,
1. In the days of Artaxerxes, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over one hundred twenty-seven provinces,
Esther 3 is the chapter in which the character Haman, one of the Persian king's advisers, elaborates a plan to exterminate all the Jews from the kingdom. He can convince the king to issue a decree authorizing the killing, generating great anguish and fear among the Jewish people. Following, five verses related to the topics covered in Esther 3:
Proverbs 29:2: "When the righteous are magnified, the people rejoice, but when the wicked dominates, the people moan." Esther's book clearly portrays this reality: the people suffers the consequences of Haman's wickedness and greed, an wicked man who has achieved great power in the kingdom.
Isaiah 10:1-2: "Woe to those who decree unfair laws, those who write laws of oppression to deny justice to the poor, to snatch the right of the afflicted of my people, to strip the widows and steal from orphans!" Haman's decree was an example of an unfair law that aimed to oppress and eliminate a specific group of people.
Psalm 37:7: "Rest in the Lord and wait for him with patience; do not irritate you because of the one who thrives in his way, because of the man who carries out his evil designs." This psalm brings a message of trust in God, even when the wicked prosper and promote injustice. This is an important message to the Jews of Esther 3, who had to trust that God would take care of them and that Haman would not have the last word.
Proverbs 26:27: "What makes a pit, it will fall into it; and who rolls a stone, for her to return." This proverb talks about the fact that the evil that a person eventually sows returns to him. This principle applies to Haman, who planned the extermination of the Jews, but was eventually hanged in the gallows he had prepared for the Jewish Mordecai leader.
Romans 12:19: "Beloved, never seek to take revenge, but leave with God the wrath, for it is written, 'My is revenge; I will return,' says the Lord." This verse highlights the importance of not seeking personal revenge, but trusting that God is just and will bring justice at the right time. This is a lesson that Esther 3 Jews needed to learn, as they were initially encouraged to fight their enemies, but were eventually told to trust that God would fight for them.
“Que Nossa Senhora nos obtenha o amor à cruz, aos sofrimentos e às dores.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina
