Hero Enters Stage Left (Mordecai enters the story)

There are simply some introductions of characters that are memorable. The first words of a book often introduce a setting, scene, or person. In Esther chapter 2 we become acquainted with Mordecai. 

2:5 Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, 

We read this and tons of questions come up. It's the sort of engaging beginning that makes us want to dive in, get curious, and keep reading. Who was this Mordecai? Who were his family? Why is he in the citadel of Susa? What did it mean to be a Jew in Persia? What consequence is he in relationship to Xerxes, and Esther? 

"Mordecai’s situation"

Mordecai’s family had been carried off into Babylon. Note that Mordecai isn’t now in Babylon, he or his family somewhere along the way had moved to the new capital - Susa. Babylon was the capital of Nebuchadnezzar, the ruler whom God allowed to conquer Israel and pillage Jerusalem in 597 BC. By bringing up Mordecai's background he is somewhat of a loser when first introduced. Mordecai is identified as a loser in the conflict between Babylon and Israel. He's a loser in comparison to Xerxes when it comes to material possessions. Mordecai is a loser when compared to Xerxes in terms of earthly power. While Xerxes was introduced in the midst of a lavish feast with many important people who are named in Esther 1, Mordecai is seemingly alone. His closest family was his cousin Hadassah, and her parents were dead and go unnamed in the account until Esther is in the beauty pageant (2:15 is where we learn Esther's father's name was Abihail). Mordecai is in someway mysterious but that only is in regards to his future, what will he be in this story, what will become of him. In all ways that are identifiable in the story up until Esther chapter 2 he's no earthly equal to Xerxes. 

While we could dwell on Mordecai's identity as a potential "loser", I don't think that's all the intent in Esther 2's introduction of Mordecai. While he is certainly lacking in many ways compared to Xerxes, Mordecai is certainly overflowing with qualities that are lacking in Xerxes! Xerxes got drunk and was harsh to the woman who was closest to his equal, queen Vashti. Mordecai however, is gracious and dutiful in raising Esther. When Esther's parents died, it was Mordecai who stepped up and cared for the child. We aren't given much by way of detail regarding the raising of Esther, but we are given this detail. Mordecai accepted the responsibility of parenting a child whom he did not conceive. Here is an example of God's very own love to his people! Throughout the New Testament adoption language is used to describe gentiles included in God's family. Mordecai had an opportunity, which would bring with it a challenge, and he took that opportunity to render service. I see far too many men slouching off or discounting earnest reliance on God's Word and God's Ways. So much of this world cries out, calls out with it's own definitions of manhood. You want to be a man? You want to be masculine? You want to be respected? At this point you may think I'll say something like "good, be like Mordecai", but ultimately we don't have nearly the detail about Mordecai to say "be like Mordecai". We do have enough detail to say "be like our heavenly Father" so I'll say that instead. Love those who are put under your care. Accept the challenges of responsibility that you have been given. Care for your family. Provide and protect for those whom God has given you jurisdiction over. 

The ongoing unveiling of Mordecai's importance to the story of the book becomes apparent as we see Mordecai's relationship with Esther. Mordecai offered provision and protection for Esther as a child. When she is taken to participate in "Persia's Got Talent" (or "Who Wants To Be A Queen!" hosted by the Persian equivalent of Regis Philbin) Mordecai follows along closely:

2:11 Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.

Mordecai must have been torn by this whole proceeding. He was a Jew, his adopted daughter was being entered into a contest to either (a) lose her virginity to the king and then never again be eligible for marriage or (b) be such a delight to the king that he keep her as queen to eventually father an heir. Frankly, from Mordecai's perspective I can't imagine which of these two options was worse. It reminds me somewhat of our options in current climates. What do we do when our options are all atrocious? What do we do when all our choices are foreseeably bad? How do we react when evil seems to rise and the people of God are crushed? We are not told that Mordecai prayed, or wept, or schemed. We are told that he cared for Esther and everyday he kept up with how Esther was and what was happening to her. Here is another contrast with Xerxes. While Xerxes was expecting to be with a different woman each night to satisfy himself, Mordecai was dedicated and committed to his family charge.

After Esther becomes queen, Mordecai hears of a plot to assassinate king Xerxes. At this point, I'm not certain, nor am I convicted that the text directs how we should feel about this. On the one hand, I might see Mordecai tempted to either go along with, or simply willfully neglect reporting this conspiratorial plot. Could any of us blame Mordecai had he chosen either of those options? Xerxes had taken Esther away from Mordecai and was an uncircumcised, warmongering, self indulgent dictator who was not a worshipper of Mordecai's God. Earthly speaking, Mordecai had every motive and now opportunity to help rid the world of this fiend. Yet, Mordecai doesn't. Instead, we're told he is loyal to his adopted daughter's new husband.

21 During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. 22 But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. 23 And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.

Rather than seeking the moment to deal out justice himself, Mordecai goes through the channels he has available in order to serve loyally. Mordecai was presented with two awful options when Esther was taken for king Xerxes. Mordecai was again presented with two awful options when he heard of this conspiracy. The book of Esther presents so many comparable situations to our days and seasons! What do we do when we are presented with two awful options? I'm not speaking about options where one option is clearly better. I'm talking about when two options are atrocious! 

"A rock and a hard place"

How do we live our lives when our options are limited and we are left between a proverbial "rock and a hard place"? What wisdom can we rely on, what religion can we rely on in such circumstances? This tension and place of anxious nervousness is where the book of Esther is so tangibly relatable to our own lives. While so much of the Bible speaks so clearly about what is best, what is right, what God expects, and what God forbids, Esther as a narrative tells us about some regular people (Esther and Mordecai) living under the leadership of a decadent, warmongering, unbelieving ruler (Xerxes) and the very real predicaments of life under such conditions. While we might think the book of Esther should give us some hint, some peak "behind the curtain" to know what beliefs and behaviors we ought to have. The book rejects such an overt approach. The book of Esther invites us into a relatable position that we so often find in our own present lives - not knowing the outcome of our decisions, and not having clear choices to make. 

It's noticeable that Mordecai doesn't cry out in prayer when Esther is taken into the house of preparation for Xerxes, and it's again noticeable that he doesn't do anything overtly religious in all of chapter 2. Yet I would like to re-assert that he does do something keenly religious as a man of God. Mordecai led and protected Esther, and he submits to leadership and protection. Just as God the Father has lead and protected his people, freeing them from Egypt, saving them from many foes in the wilderness and in the land of Canaan, so too Mordecai led Esther to be obedient (2:10). Just as Jesus the Son of God submitted to the will of God the Father saying in the garden of Gethsemane "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." (Matthew 26:39) Mordecai submitted to Xerxes rule even as his own adopted daughter was led away. Mordecai submitted to helping save Xerxes from a conspiracy. 

The book of Esther never says in so many words, "Do you trust God, even in terrible circumstances?". This is because the whole book acts like a purse with a brick in it. It confronts us with tremendous force demanding that we make a choice. Do we believe that circumstances come about out of coincidence, happenstance, luck, or some force of chance? Or do we believe that circumstances, even and especially the awful ones, are a part of God's work in this world? You may say "Oh sure, I believe Romans 8:28 'And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."' But does that mean you believe that God is at work even when all your options are atrocious? Does that mean you believe that God is at work in the midst of Covid-19? In the midst of political upheaval? Does that mean you believe that God is at work in the midst of church decisions you hate? What about relationships that you are sick of being in? How about work environments that are awful? 

We are tempted in our current world to believe that God's goodness is only revealed in the bright light of the noon sun, when all is well and we walk barefoot on the beach. When our faith is reliant on our circumstances we quickly find that we are believers in a fickle god, a weak god, a god who is overcome by any setback, tragedy, or foul wind that blows. The God of the Bible, the God who was at work in all these circumstances of Esther, is the same God who is actively at work today. That God never changes, is powerful enough to conquer and use every circumstance and atrocity. That God is not overcome by, but rather overcomes every setback, tragedy, and foul wind. He overcomes circumstances by setting the powers of this world low and exalting his own glory.

15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:15)

Even in the moments of awful tragedy God is still at work. We are called to believe, and to behave in such a manner that points to God's power, God's majesty, God's glory and God's overwhelming, jealous zeal for accomplishing his purposes. The darkness of this world is not greater than the God who is active. The God who is active burst forth onto the dark scene of our present reality and is the source of hope in this life and in eternity. Isaiah 9:2 tells us "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." Mordecai was a man who was walking in a dark time. He was living as an exile, most likely had never seen the promised land, much of his family was dead, and his adopted daughter was taken by a pagan king. His belief about God is evidenced in his behavior. If we believe that God is at work in all things, even in the toughest moments, then our behavior ought to reflect that. Rather than self-seeking or self-serving, Mordecai passed up the opportunity to help murder Xerxes. Rather than leaving Esther alone and disregarding her welfare, he cared for her well-being and took actions for the benefit of Esther. 

May our beliefs and our behavior point towards the reality that God has sent his great light, Jesus the Christ into our world to live, die, and rise again. May those of us who are men, lead and protect those we've been called to lead and protect. May those of us who are fathers care for and provide for those we've been entrusted to raise. May we all care for one another, following God's example in Christ, even in the midst of atrocity and a plethora of seemingly bad options.