This post is Day 29 in a series of studies about “Esther”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Esther – Day 29

Fear of the Jews! Neighbours had seen them praying and weeping, they had heard the wailing of the prayers and the families who thought they were all about to die. What shocked these non-Jews is that the prayers were answered! That meant that maybe, just maybe, their God was real!!

Esther 8:15-17

When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honour. In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews, because fear of the Jews had seized them.

The Thought

We cannot let that last sentence go without comment. What was it exactly that made people become Jews after these events? The verse tells us that it was “fear of the Jews”, but what does that mean?

Not that they were afraid of them in a dangerous sense, but more an awesome fear. A “what does that mean in real life” type of fear!

Neighbours had seen them praying and weeping, they had heard the wailing of the prayers and the families who thought they were all about to die. What shocked these non-Jews is that the prayers were answered! That meant that maybe, just maybe, their God was real!!

And if their God was real, maybe people should be thinking about their own lives, their own beliefs, and what they would do in a similar crisis.

That’s what they did and “they became Jews”!! Hallelujah!

The same thing happened in Jesus’ day, when He healed people, others began to follow Him.

What a challenge for us as Christians.

Action

Ask yourself today if your neighbours know when you have prayers answered.

Do they see you living out your faith in every day life?

Does it make them want to find Jesus for themselves?

Pray that you will become an even better witness than you already are, and that others will recognise that you are a Christian.