Esther 4: 1-3
When Mordecai learned about all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and went out into the city, crying with a loud and bitter wail. He went as far as the gate of the palace, for no one was allowed to enter the palace gate while wearing clothes of mourning. And as news of the king’s decree reached all the provinces, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and many people lay in burlap and ashes.
We are continuing with our series, “Esther: The Story of Purim”. Part 9 is called, “Mordecai Mourns for His People”, and we discuss why the Jewish people would rent their clothes, put on sackcloth, and cover themselves with ashes. The question we will address today is, what does godly mourning produce?
The right place at the right time:
Mordecai was a palace official for several years at this point. As such, he was able to hear the story in its entirety of how Haman convinced King Xerxes to turn against the Jews. Yes, this news was hard to bear, but he needed to know the accurate details. God will put you in the right place, at the right time, to hear the right information.
The renting of clothes, wearing of sackcloth, and covered in ashes:
There are several instances recorded in the Bible of people expressing their deep distress and sorrow by publicly wearing burlap or sackcloth and covering their bodies with ash.
Joshua 7:
The Israelites were in a battle with the men of Ai. Although the city had a small population, this small group of men were slaughtering the Israelites. Terrified, Joshua knew that if the news of their defeat spread, the surrounding cities would swarm down on the Israelites. In desperation, he and the elders ripped their clothes, scooped dust on their heads, and sought after God for a miraculous intervention. God answered Joshua by revealing why his army was defeated and giving him directions on how to win the battle.
Jonah 3:
Another famous incident occurred with Jonah, who was instructed by God to warn the people of Nineveh that if they did not repent, they would be destroyed. Everyone, young and old wore sackcloth and fasted. The king himself removed his royal robes and humbled himself by wearing sackcloth and sat in ashes (Jonah 3:6) . This happened between 900-800 BC, well before the time of Esther. Of course, Mordecai and Esther would have been familiar with this text. Nineveh was a Gentile city, and God in His mercy, heard the cries of the people who were not in covenant with Him and spared them.
Esther 4:
Mordecai, a palace official of the Persian Army, humbled himself before God by removing his uniform, donning mourning clothes of sackcloth, and covering himself in ash. He readied himself to appeal his case to God in the courtroom of heaven.
Mordecai cried a loud and bitter wail:
The word cry in this verse means: “an outcry, a cry of exclamation for aid” (1) .
This is the same word for cry that is used in Genesis 18:20. God heard the cry that came out of Sodom and Gomorrah. It was so extreme that all of heaven stopped to listen to it and two angels were immediately dispatched to investigate the matter.
I want you to notice the word “wept” In John 11:35. The verse reads, “Then Jesus wept”. The word for wept not only means the shedding of tears, but to mourn, to bemoan, to bewail (2) .
Sounds exactly like what Mordecai was doing, doesn’t it?! This was not a wail that came only from the human soul. Only with the aid of the Holy Spirit, can man express what cannot be put into words.
Romans 8:26-27
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
The Holy Spirit descended upon Mordecai and interceded through him. That cry parted from his lips, landed on God’s ears, and caught the immediate attention of heaven.
Keeping the laws of the land:
Notice that Mordecai complied with Persian laws and did not break any, not even “in the name of God”. He remained outside the palace gate while wearing mourning clothes just as the law required.
Esther 4:4
When Queen Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was deeply distressed. She sent clothing to him to replace the burlap, but he refused it.
Of course, Esther was shocked to hear that Mordecai was in mourning clothes. First of all, this practice pertains only to the Jewish culture and she may not have known that Mordecai had already disclosed to the public the fact that he is a Jew. A short while ago, he admitted it to the other palace officials when confronted as to why he disregarded the king’s order to bow down to Haman.
Secondly, Esther realized her foster father was deeply distraught. Raised as an observant Jew, she was well acquainted with this practice and what it meant. Only in extreme cases did the Jews put on sackcloth and ashes. Blind sided and unprepared, something devastating had just happened and Esther realized that her people needed a miracle.
Haman points out the Jews are scattered:
Let’s take a look at how Haman began his case against the Jews and God’s response to this accusation.
Esther 3:8
Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire that keep themselves separate from everyone else.”
Scattered and divided:
Unlike satan, God is omniscient and He was well aware of Haman’s conversation with King Xerxes. Haman observed that the Jews were scattered geographically, so that made them an easy target. Not only that, but it is safe to assume they were divided in their approach of how to express their faith. Like Mordecai, a good percentage of Jews hid their nationality and divorced themselves from their own people. Others, like Esther’s family, were open about their beliefs.
Miraculously united:
History tells us that the Jewish people have reacted in a number of different ways when they found themselves in a dire state of affairs. Notice that when they read the verdict in their respective provinces, they didn’t respond by signing a suicide pact or organizing a rebellion. No! Mordecai’s intercession activated the Holy Spirit to move on the hearts of all the Jewish people. The Holy Spirit descended upon them and they prayed God’s will through loud and bitter groans. Although the Jews were scattered geographically, miraculously, they became united in spirit.
God softened the hearts of His people, causing a unity of purpose. And that purpose is to paralyze the forces of darkness from annihilating them.
Let’s pray:
Father,
When something devastating blindsides me, soften my heart so I can pray in line with Your will and purpose. May the Holy Spirit descend on Your Church and unite Your people so we can be one in spirit. And together, I pray that we advance Your purpose which is always to paralyze the forces of darkness that come against us. In Jesus' name, Amen.
© 2020 Foundedonthebible.com
References:
When Mordecai learned about all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and went out into the city, crying with a loud and bitter wail. He went as far as the gate of the palace, for no one was allowed to enter the palace gate while wearing clothes of mourning. And as news of the king’s decree reached all the provinces, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and many people lay in burlap and ashes.
We are continuing with our series, “Esther: The Story of Purim”. Part 9 is called, “Mordecai Mourns for His People”, and we discuss why the Jewish people would rent their clothes, put on sackcloth, and cover themselves with ashes. The question we will address today is, what does godly mourning produce?
The right place at the right time:
Mordecai was a palace official for several years at this point. As such, he was able to hear the story in its entirety of how Haman convinced King Xerxes to turn against the Jews. Yes, this news was hard to bear, but he needed to know the accurate details. God will put you in the right place, at the right time, to hear the right information.
The renting of clothes, wearing of sackcloth, and covered in ashes:
There are several instances recorded in the Bible of people expressing their deep distress and sorrow by publicly wearing burlap or sackcloth and covering their bodies with ash.
Joshua 7:
The Israelites were in a battle with the men of Ai. Although the city had a small population, this small group of men were slaughtering the Israelites. Terrified, Joshua knew that if the news of their defeat spread, the surrounding cities would swarm down on the Israelites. In desperation, he and the elders ripped their clothes, scooped dust on their heads, and sought after God for a miraculous intervention. God answered Joshua by revealing why his army was defeated and giving him directions on how to win the battle.
Jonah 3:
Another famous incident occurred with Jonah, who was instructed by God to warn the people of Nineveh that if they did not repent, they would be destroyed. Everyone, young and old wore sackcloth and fasted. The king himself removed his royal robes and humbled himself by wearing sackcloth and sat in ashes (Jonah 3:6) . This happened between 900-800 BC, well before the time of Esther. Of course, Mordecai and Esther would have been familiar with this text. Nineveh was a Gentile city, and God in His mercy, heard the cries of the people who were not in covenant with Him and spared them.
Esther 4:
Mordecai, a palace official of the Persian Army, humbled himself before God by removing his uniform, donning mourning clothes of sackcloth, and covering himself in ash. He readied himself to appeal his case to God in the courtroom of heaven.
Mordecai cried a loud and bitter wail:
The word cry in this verse means: “an outcry, a cry of exclamation for aid” (1) .
This is the same word for cry that is used in Genesis 18:20. God heard the cry that came out of Sodom and Gomorrah. It was so extreme that all of heaven stopped to listen to it and two angels were immediately dispatched to investigate the matter.
I want you to notice the word “wept” In John 11:35. The verse reads, “Then Jesus wept”. The word for wept not only means the shedding of tears, but to mourn, to bemoan, to bewail (2) .
Sounds exactly like what Mordecai was doing, doesn’t it?! This was not a wail that came only from the human soul. Only with the aid of the Holy Spirit, can man express what cannot be put into words.
Romans 8:26-27
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
The Holy Spirit descended upon Mordecai and interceded through him. That cry parted from his lips, landed on God’s ears, and caught the immediate attention of heaven.
Keeping the laws of the land:
Notice that Mordecai complied with Persian laws and did not break any, not even “in the name of God”. He remained outside the palace gate while wearing mourning clothes just as the law required.
Esther 4:4
When Queen Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was deeply distressed. She sent clothing to him to replace the burlap, but he refused it.
Of course, Esther was shocked to hear that Mordecai was in mourning clothes. First of all, this practice pertains only to the Jewish culture and she may not have known that Mordecai had already disclosed to the public the fact that he is a Jew. A short while ago, he admitted it to the other palace officials when confronted as to why he disregarded the king’s order to bow down to Haman.
Secondly, Esther realized her foster father was deeply distraught. Raised as an observant Jew, she was well acquainted with this practice and what it meant. Only in extreme cases did the Jews put on sackcloth and ashes. Blind sided and unprepared, something devastating had just happened and Esther realized that her people needed a miracle.
Haman points out the Jews are scattered:
Let’s take a look at how Haman began his case against the Jews and God’s response to this accusation.
Esther 3:8
Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire that keep themselves separate from everyone else.”
Scattered and divided:
Unlike satan, God is omniscient and He was well aware of Haman’s conversation with King Xerxes. Haman observed that the Jews were scattered geographically, so that made them an easy target. Not only that, but it is safe to assume they were divided in their approach of how to express their faith. Like Mordecai, a good percentage of Jews hid their nationality and divorced themselves from their own people. Others, like Esther’s family, were open about their beliefs.
Miraculously united:
History tells us that the Jewish people have reacted in a number of different ways when they found themselves in a dire state of affairs. Notice that when they read the verdict in their respective provinces, they didn’t respond by signing a suicide pact or organizing a rebellion. No! Mordecai’s intercession activated the Holy Spirit to move on the hearts of all the Jewish people. The Holy Spirit descended upon them and they prayed God’s will through loud and bitter groans. Although the Jews were scattered geographically, miraculously, they became united in spirit.
God softened the hearts of His people, causing a unity of purpose. And that purpose is to paralyze the forces of darkness from annihilating them.
Let’s pray:
Father,
When something devastating blindsides me, soften my heart so I can pray in line with Your will and purpose. May the Holy Spirit descend on Your Church and unite Your people so we can be one in spirit. And together, I pray that we advance Your purpose which is always to paralyze the forces of darkness that come against us. In Jesus' name, Amen.
© 2020 Foundedonthebible.com
References: