Isaiah  Esther

Isaiah 17:12-18:7 and the book of Esther.

¹²Woe to the armies of many people which make a noise like the roaring of the seas and to the rushing of peoples that rush like the rushing of mighty waters. ¹³He will rebuke them and they will flee far off and will be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind and like dry grass before the whirlwind. I Jonah 4:8 ¹⁴In the evening time violence and before the morning they are no more. This is the portion of our oppressor and the lot of those who plunder us. Isaiah 17:12-14 FE ¹Woe to the land of shadowing wings which is beyond the rivers of Cush ²that sends ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of papyrus on the waters, saying, Isaiah 18:1-2Go swift messengers to a people who will be plundered and uprooted, to a people whose strength was inside it before, to a people who will be dishonored and trampled down, whose land the rivers have ruined. Isaiah 18:2³All you inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the land, you will see when the ensign will be lifted up on the mountains and when he blows a trumpet you will hear. ⁴For thus said the Master to me, I will rest and I will look from my dwelling place as heat shimmering on the river and as a cloud of dew in the day of harvest. ⁵For before the harvest, when the bud has perished and the grape is ripening in the flower, he will both cut off the lean shoots with pruning hooks and pass over and cut off the branches. ⁶They will be left together to the birds of the mountains and to the animals of the land and the birds will gather on them and all the wild animals of the land will devour them. Isaiah 18:3-6⁷At that time presents will be brought to the Master of hosts from a people plundered and uprooted whose strength was inside him before, from a people dishonored and trampled under foot whose land the rivers have ruined- to the place of the name of the Master of hosts, even to the mount of Zion. Isaiah 18:7 (Isaiah 17:12-18:7 BRB)

Isaiah says in one day those who want to plunder will be gone, according to lot. This matches Haman casting lots.

⁷In the 1st month, FE that is the month of Nisan, in the 12th year of King Ahasuerus, they cast pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day and from month to month to the 12th month, FE that is Adar. Esther 3:7⁸Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus and their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not keep the laws of the king therefore the king ought not to spare them. ⁹If it please the king let it be written that they may be destroyed and I will weigh 10,000 talents of silver to the hands of those who have charge of the business to bring it into the treasuries of the king. Esther 3:8-9¹⁰The king took his ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, FE the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹The king said to Haman, The silver is given to you and the people to do with them as it seems good to you. Esther 3:10-11 (Esther 3:7-11 BRB)

Isaiah says woe to the land which sends messengers to plunder. This matches sending the decree to kill and plunder the Jews.

¹²The scribe of the king was called on the 13th day of the 1st month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded, to the commanders of the king and to the governors that were over every province and to the princes of every people of every province according to its writing and to every people according to their tongue, in the name of King Ahasuerus it was written and sealed with the ring of the king. ¹³The letters were sent by couriers to all the provinces of the king to destroy and to kill and to cause to perish all Jews both young and old, little children and women in 1 day, even on the 13th day of the 12th month, FE which is the month Adar, and to take their wealth as spoil. In the same day on the 13th day of the month FE of Adar they were written. ¹⁴The copy of the writing was given in every province commanding all the people to be ready for that day. Esther 3:12-14¹⁵The couriers went out being hurried by the command of the king and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. The king and Haman sat down to drink and the city of Shushan was in an uproar. Esther 3:15 (Esther 3:12-15 BRB)

Isaiah talks about cutting off shoots and leaving them for the birds and animals. This matches the Jews slaying their enemies, but leaving the plunder.

Isaiah says presents will be brought to Mt. Zion. This matches sending gifts for Purim.

²⁰Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus both near and far ²¹to agree among themselves that they should keep the 14th day of the month Adar and the 15th day of the same yearly ²²as the days on which the Jews rested from their enemies and the month which was turned for them from sorrow to joy and from mourning to a good day, that they should make them days of feasting and joy and of sending portions of food to each other and gifts to the poor. Esther 9:20-22 (Esther 9:20-22 BRB)

Haman cast a lot to determine when his plan to eradicate the Jews should be executed. Like Esther or Mordecai, the reader of Esther is caught in the trap and wonders what will come of the whole thing. The reader rejoices to see Yahvah work through Mordecai and Esther when Haman is executed and the decree is made that allows the Jews to defend themselves when the fateful day arrives. Then, with favor from god, the Jews gained the upper hand and were able not only to protect themselves, but to eradicate those who would dare take advantage of Haman's legislation. Maybe by the end of the story it's obvious, but certainly with Isaiah's prophetic insight it is; Haman's lot was a true lot. It was a lot for the Jews, not against them, as Haman thought. Yahvah wanted it cast, to eradicate the enemies of the Jews. Amazing.

Ryan Eaton 2008-09-13 2013-07-09