THE SECOND BANQUET
Again the king and his grand vizier sat at the banquet table with the queen. The king again asked Esther to make known her petition. Mark now the fairness of Esther in having Haman present when she presented her charge against him. This is further evidence that God's guiding hand was directing her, because his law judges no man without giving him a hearing. The beautiful queen, with studied and well chosen phrase, said: "If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my
people at my request; for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage." — 7:3,4.
Esther asked not only for her own life, but for the life of her people as well, thus disclosing to the king and to Haman that she was a Jewess. This was the crucial hour, and she met the test bravely. Today God's remnant appeal to the heavenly King for the preservation of God's people to his own honor. They do not appeal to Satan's organization for protection from their enemies, yet they are plainly telling the political and commercial elements of the world that the clergy of so-called "organized Christianity" are hypocrites and are seeking the destruction of God's witnesses who are espoused to Christ. The remnant must definitely identify themselves as members of the Lord's 'elect servant' class. This they do not do egotistically, but do so in taking their firm and unequivocal stand for Jehovah.
King Ahasuerus then said to Esther: 'Who and where is he who dares thus to do this terrible crime?' With emphatic and dramatic speech Esther replied: 'There is the man, the adversary and enemy, the wicked Haman.' It was then that Haman showed fear. He knew that "the jig was up" with him. May it not be that the Haman class will show some fear when they awake fully to the fact that it is by the hand and power of Jehovah God that the witness work of the rem-
nant is now going forward in the land? Seeing that their efforts to stop the work have been futile, and being exposed and humiliated, they will see that their end is come and that their destruction is at hand. It will be somewhat of a surprise to see themselves turned away by their worldly allies, the political and commercial rulers, as the Scriptures foretell will come to pass.
Greatly disgusted and angered, the king withdrew to the garden, while Haman stood up to plead with Esther for his life. Here the action of the king well pictures what righteousness there is left in the mind of imperfect men who rule the world. There are a great many men among the rulers of the world who hate hypocrites and men who hide behind the hypocritical garb of the clergymen while they carry forward a dastardly conspiracy to accomplish their wicked purposes. Such men in the affairs of the world will turn with disgust away from the hypocritical clergy, when their eyes are fully opened to the facts as they really exist.
For Esther to have shown mercy and relented toward Haman would have been displeasing to God, for the reason that Jehovah had declared that the Amalekites should be completely destroyed. King Saul had spared Agag, and God cast him away. Haman was an Agagite, and if Esther would be faithful she must show no quarter to him. This seems to foreshadow that, when the time approaches for the destruction of the Haman class at the hands of the Lord the King, the remnant will keep hands off and will not make any plea in their behalf. In the
meantime the remnant cannot refrain from telling the truth and declaring the judgment of God against those who hypocritically and falsely claim to represent him.
Returning from the garden, Ahasuerus the king found Haman upon the couch whereon Queen Esther was, and making an appeal to her for some quarter. "Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face." It is not at all probable that it was Haman's purpose to take advantage of the body of the queen at that time, but the words of the king on that occasion are significant.
The clergy of "organized Christendom" and their cosupporters have tried to "force" the bride of Christ, the witnesses of God on earth, into a compromising position of unfaithfulness and uncleanness toward the Lord. The clergy themselves are guilty of unclean conduct and are denounced in the Scriptures as adulterers. (Jas. 4:4) They have tried to compel God's true children to take a like compromising position. The King Eternal is angry at such attempts of force. The clergy have put themselves in a very awkward position by trying to shield themselves and to seek protection from being exposed by the light of the truth delivered by God's witnesses. They hate the light, because their deeds are evil. As Esther turned the light on Haman by telling the truth, and Haman begged her to desist, even so has the remnant turned the light on the clergy and exposed their
duplicity and hypocrisy. They plead that they are being persecuted, and ask for quarter and that they might be shielded from the so-called "bigotry" of Jehovah's witnesses.
Harbonah, one of the king's chamberlains, must have been near at hand, even though he was not a guest at the banquet. Probably he appeared when the king went into the garden. When the king uttered the words in disgust concerning the unseemly conduct of Haman on the couch of the queen, Harbonah recommended that Haman be accommodated by being hanged on the gallows that he had built for Mordecai. "And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon." — 7:9.
Haman had prepared to destroy one who had rendered faithful service to the king, and, learning this fact, Ahasuerus the king was incensed against him and directed that Haman should be hanged on the gallows that he had built for Mordecai.
There are men in the control of the public offices of the governments of the world who tolerate the clergy but who will hardly be convinced at this time that the clergy conspire to destroy the humble remnant who are God's witnesses. Brave and honest men laid the foundation of such countries as America, and provided in the Constitution of the United States that everyone should be privileged to worship God
as he may choose. Religious liberty has ever been the pride of the American rulers. The clergy should have at all times encouraged a full and complete freedom in the preaching of the gospel and the explanation of the Bible, but they have been and are the most violent opposers thereof, and have diligently endeavored to prevent the people from getting a knowledge of the Bible. Their desire to get Jehovah's witnesses out of the way is entirely selfish. When the honest-hearted men of the governments learn that the real purpose of the clergy has been and is to destroy those who tell the truth of the Bible, and that for their own selfish ends, they will turn against the clergy and do unto them as the clergy have desired should be done unto the remnant. The law of retribution is a righteous law, because God has so provided. "He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate." (Ps. 7:15,16) "The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands." (Ps. 9:15,16) Thus Haman was hanged by members of his own organization. Even so the Lord permits some portion of Satan's organization to destroy that class whom Haman represented.
The vindication of the word and name of the King Eternal is the matter of greatest importance. "So they hanged Haman on the gallows
that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified." — 7:10.
Jehovah pictured the vindication of his name, in the hanging of Satan's representative, the wicked Haman. That, together with the hanging of his sons, cleared out the last of the Amalekites so far as mention in the Bible is concerned, and thus as God declared it should be. In recent years Jehovah has shown his people that the all-important thing is the vindication of his word and name. For their aid and comfort, and that they might keep bright their hope, he graciously reveals more clearly to them his purposes now, and this must indicate that the day is near when the name of Jehovah will be vindicated in the great battle of Armageddon.
Jehovah changes not; neither do his laws change. Being no respecter of persons he fixes his laws, and his creatures are rewarded according to their compliance therewith. When a creature is favored by receiving from the Lord the privilege of doing service to the Lord and then fails to show an appreciation of such privilege, or abuses the same, he is certain to lose God's favor, and the privileges will be taken away from him and given to another. Haman had received great favors from the king and had the privilege and opportunity of using his substance for good. He did not appreciate his privilege. He had no gratitude or thankfulness for what he had received. He abused his privilege to gratify a selfish desire, and he lost everything. What he had was taken from him and given to another. "On that day did the king
Ahasuerus give the house of Haman, the Jews' enemy, unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her. And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman." — 8:1, 2.
Jesus gave a demonstration of this same rule when he said: "Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath." (Matt. 25:28, 29) The same divine rule is shown in the case of Shebna and Eliakim. (Isa. 22:15-25; The Watchtower, 1928, page 198) Many have been given opportunities of serving God and his kingdom, and for selfish reasons have abused such privilege and have lost God's favor, and that which they had received in the way of service has been taken away from them and given to another. This rule proves that everything done in the name of Jehovah that is pleasing to him must be done because of love for God. The very opposite of love is selfishness; and where the motive for service is selfish the service cannot be pleasing to God.
When Christ Jesus came for judgment at the temple of God he found a selfish class who had been serving God with a selfish motive; and the Lord removed their privileges from them, which they had enjoyed, and such formed the "evil servant" class. At the same time he found a faithful company who have been giving atten-
tion at the altar of the Lord because they love the Lord, and of these he constituted the "faithful and wise servant" class, and to this class he committed all his goods, namely, all the privileges of service to the Lord on earth from the time of coming to the temple until Armageddon.
Mordecai and Esther were of the same family, thereby picturing those who are espoused to Christ and who are represented in the remnant. Mordecai pictures the class that was found faithful when Christ came to the temple for judgment, while Esther pictures that part of the remnant that the Lord has brought unto himself since the judgment began at the temple. The house of Haman was given to Esther after Haman was hanged; and this foreshadows that the privileges of those forming the "evil servant" class, and which they once had and enjoyed and might have continued to enjoy had they been faithful and true to God, were taken away from them and given to the class pictured by Esther. It is interesting to note at this point that those who have come fully into the truth since 1922 have joyfully and zealously entered the service of the Lord and have not been heard to murmur or complain.
Haman had enjoyed the privilege of serving close to the king. He was privileged to have the king's ring with which to seal decrees or documents and which constituted them unalterable. He was, therefore, clothed with much authority and responsibility. He abused that privilege and selfishly used it to gratify his own wicked desires. Haman pictures the clergy in particu-
lar, and all others of those who with them were once in line for the kingdom and who enjoyed the. distinctive privilege of speaking in the name of the Lord, and who abuse the privileges had and use the same to gratify self. This class includes the "evil servant" class, "the man of sin," "the son of perdition."
The privileges taken away were given to the "faithful servant" class, represented by Mordecai, and to the Esther class, representing specifically the bride. This rule was again forcibly stated by Jesus to the Pharisees when he said: "Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." — Matt. 21:43.
The Amalekites were the descendants of Esau who sold his birthright because of his lack of appreciation thereof and to gratify his selfish desires. (Gen. 25:27-34) Esau pictures the clergy, "the man of sin," and all such like who fail to show an appreciation of what God has done for them and who treat God's favor in a contemptuous manner. The birthright once enjoyed by Esau was given to Jacob, who pictured God's faithful people, that is, those who now constitute the remnant. Peter declared the same divine rule when he stood before his faithful brethren and said of Judas: "For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein; and his bishopric let another take," (Acts 1:17,20) This is further proof that Judas foreshadowed the "evil servant"
class, "the man of sin," "the son of perdition." — John 17:12.
Preservation is sure only to those who love God, and love for God is proven by the full obedience of the. creature to the commandments of the Lord and doing so with a proper and unselfish motive. At so many times and in so many places in the Scriptures God has stated and illustrated the unchangeable rule, in this regard in particular. It surely appears that many have been exceedingly dull of comprehension in failing to see and observe such rule. Their faculties have been dulled by selfishness in the heart. With this in mind, with what force are the words of wisdom: "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." — Prov. 4:23.
OTHER DANGERS
The Scriptures support the conclusion, as hereinbefore stated, that the close relationship between the commercial, political and ecclesiastical elements of the world will be broken and the ecclesiastical element will be cast away and destroyed before Armageddon. (See Light, Book Two, page 108.) But even after that the remnant will be in danger from other enemies, and must walk circumspectly and strictly obey God's law, if they would be preserved. Bear in mind that Satan's purpose now is to destroy the remnant, and he will continue to have and use earthly agents until Armageddon sweeps his power and organization completely away. God's people must be prepared and be on the alert,
that they may be sure of receiving the protection of Jehovah from these other enemies.
Esther had once risked her life by appearing unbidden before the king, and it became necessary for her to do so again. On the first occasion she had exposed the wicked work of Haman, which brought about his execution. Probably Esther thought that such was sufficient to arouse the king to the necessity of taking further action to save her people. The king had not taken any action to save the Jews, and this gave Mordecai and Esther much concern. Two months and more had passed since the hanging of Haman, and the day was rapidly approaching when the terrible slaughter that had been ordered by the king's decree, which Haman had written, would take place. It must be remembered that the laws of the Medes and Persians could not be changed. Whatever this part of the divine drama of Esther shows, it forcibly illustrates this fact: that God has purposed to permit the Devil to go his limit in wickedness until Armageddon, and that there he will clean out the Devil and his organization, and that until that time God's witnesses on earth must continue to bear testimony to the Word and name of Jehovah. They must continue doing that which will merit their preservation by Jehovah and their deliverance from the enemy and his agencies, and this they must do even after the ecclesiastics are entirely out of the way. The fight will not be done until Satan and his organization are completely done.
Again Esther approached the king unbidden, but this time without the bait of a banquet. Before the king she prostrated herself and wept with deep emotion. "And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews." (8: 3) Ahasuerus then knew that Mordecai and Esther were of the same family, that both of them had rendered to him unselfish and valuable service, and the presumption must be indulged that he loved his queen. "Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king." (8:4) This was an invitation from the king for Esther to make known her request. This appearance before the king was evidently upon the advice of Mordecai, because he was either present or very near by at the time, as the facts show. The queen then spoke and said: "If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces; for how can I endure to see the evil that shall come upon my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?" (8: 5, 6) Esther was willing to face death, but she would save her people.
Even though Esther requested the king to reverse the decree devised by Haman, that was
impossible, because it had been written amongst the laws of the Persians and Medes, therefore could not be altered. (1:19) Likewise God has decreed that Armageddon shall be fought and that all Satan's forces shall be gathered together against his people, and this is unalterable. — Zech. 14:1-3.
Some have foolishly deceived themselves and others by saying that all days of danger for the people of God passed with the ending of the World War. Be not thus deceived. God has also caused to be written by his prophet: "Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up. Let the [nations] be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the [nations] round about." — Joel 3: 9,12.
Neither will the earthly elements of Satan's organization relent to alter their decree to exterminate God's remnant. They are acting under the direction of Satan. (See Revelation 12:17; 16:13-16.) It may therefore be expected that every part of Satan's wicked organization will continue to march on to Armageddon with the full determination to completely destroy God's remnant and to stop all witness work to Jehovah's name upon the earth. There is no alternative left for the remnant. They must take the course which God has pointed out for them, knowing that their continuous unselfish devotion to the Most High will insure his preservation and deliverance of them.
While Ahasuerus could not reverse his written decree, he could make provision to meet the
emergency, and this he did. "Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen, and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring; for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse." — 8: 7, 8.
Haman had dictated the decree that called for the wholesale slaughter of the Jews, chief amongst whom was Mordecai. Now Mordecai, at the request of the king, would dictate the decree authorizing the Jews not only to defend themselves but to destroy their adversaries. The king's scribes were called, and they wrote according to all that Mordecai commanded them. "Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language." — 8: 9.
In this writing Mordecai, without doubt, had the counsel of the Lord and wrote with divine wisdom. The angels of Jehovah would be there, following Jehovah's instructions to make a pic-
ture to foreshadow future days and events that must come to pass, and which are now at hand.
Even so today, Christ Jesus is present with his retinue of angels, and by these holy instruments the Lord is directing the course of his people. The "servant" class, therefore, under the supervision of Christ, now seek to interpret and understand the divine law of the great Jehovah God and thereby to be properly advised as to what course they must take today, and in the very near future, in view of the gravity of the situation. God's remnant cannot follow the course of the "false prophet" to change times and laws, but must abide strictly by the provision of the divine law as it is" written. God has not changed and will not change his decree for Armageddon, nor restrain the enemy from making his assault upon his people; but he will furnish all the needed power for a counter-assault that will completely wipe the enemy out of existence.
Mordecai made haste and wrote and dispatched letters of instruction to every province of the empire, directing the officers of the empire and the Jews what to do: "And he wrote in the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by post on horseback, riding on swift steeds that were used in the king's service, bred of the stud." (8:10, R.V.) This Mordecai did in full harmony with the king's commandment. He took haste to do so, and the king put at his command his fast steeds to bear the message to the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces.
Likewise the remnant class today will make haste in the publication, for the instruction of God's remnant, of only such things as are in harmony with the will of God, and such will have God's seal of approval. That which is now for the safety, comfort and encouragement, warning and success of God's anointed people, will be published to the ends of the earth, and to every part of Satan's organization. There will be no secret about them, but the proclamation of the truth will go forth far and wide. In recent months God has made known to his people the meaning of much that has heretofore been hidden, and may not those things be taken as proof that Armageddon is near, and that the publication business concerning it and the kingdom of God requires hasty diligence and perseverance on the part of the remnant? Let every one of the remnant class, then, do full duty with a joyful heart. The great battle is rapidly approaching.
"STAND FOR THEIR LIFE"
The royal decree not only provided for the defensive, but commanded the Jews to take the offensive. "Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. Upon one day, in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month,
which is the month Adar. The copy of the writing, for a commandment to be given in every province, was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies." —8:11-13.
Likewise God's remnant must do more now than merely to take a defensive stand before their enemies. They must take the aggressive and make spoil of God's enemies who are the enemies of God's people. They must represent God's cause to his glory. This is no time to lie supinely on the back or to go about with hands and head hanging down. The remnant must be bold and fearless, energetic to act with diligence in doing what the Lord has commanded to be done. Now is the appointed time for the remnant to declare the day of the vengeance of our God against Satan's organization. (Isa. 61:2) The remnant must make haste to do this by all the means which God has provided to make known his purpose to destroy the enemy and his organization at Armageddon. Let each one of the remnant ask himself now, Am I doing my part? Be not deceived, nor permit yourselves to be browbeaten, by the false claims that you are engaged in a bookselling scheme. The work of the remnant is to make known the truth that God commands must now be declared, and he has chosen the means by which this shall be done.
Mordecai, by order of the king, was clothed in royal apparel and given a crown of gold. (8:15) He occupied an honorable position in the king's service. Likewise now the remnant
have 'bought of the Lord gold, tried in the fire, and white raiment that they might be clothed', and that they might 'hold fast to their crowns'. (Rev. 3:11,18) Jehovah the King Eternal has provided them with the opportunity to have some part in the vindication of his name and for the blessing of his "holy nation". The remnant occupy an honorable place in Jehovah's organization. When the decree dictated by Mordecai reached the people, "the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day." (8:17) Even so today, the remnant do not wear long faces or mourn because they see a real fight just ahead. On the contrary, they are eager for the fray and rejoice in the prospect of seeing the great executive officer of Jehovah clear out the Devil and his crowd to the glory of the Almighty God, which also means their own deliverance. The Lord has built up Zion, and it shall not be desolated by the enemy; and never again shall God's faithful people be scattered and trodden down. — Ps. 102:16-18; 147: 2.
Fully assured of God's protection and preservation, the remnant now rejoice in gladness and are feasting and having a good day because of what they see approaching. These are saying one to another: "Let us be glad and rejoice." (Rev. 19:7) To them the approaching fight means the vindication of God's name and the everlasting joy of those who follow in the right way.
The people of the various provinces began to see that the God of the Jews is the God of power and blessing: "And many of the people of the
land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them." (8:17) They saw that God's power was working in behalf of the Jews, and therefore they thought it wise to come over to the side of Jehovah. Those people could not become Jews without embracing the true faith of the Jews. This is conclusive proof that the book of Esther proceeds from Jehovah God and has a proper place in his Word, even though his name is not mentioned therein.
Today the truth is being told as never before, and many people are seeing the power of good working amongst God's people. They are giving honor to God's witnesses and making inquiry of and concerning Jehovah, and thus they become earthly Jews, which means to give 'praise to Jehovah God'. Many letters are received at the office of the Watch Tower, bearing testimony to the fact that the people are seeing the truth and turning away from the Devil's organization and turning their heart to Jehovah God.
