The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-10-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON III, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, OCT. is.

copyright, 1879, by ID. M StearnS.l
8. "And Esther spake yet again before
the king and fell down as his feet and be-
sought him with tears TO put away the
mischief of Hannah, the Agagite, and his
device that he had devised; against the
Jews" The topic is Esther pleading for
her people, but this and the following
chapters are only the conclusion of the
story of Gods overthrow of Hannah and
his plot through Esther and Mordecai.
The kings sleepless night, his request for
the book of records, his hearing there
from that Mordecai had saved his life,
and no honor had been conferred upon
him for it; Haman being found in the
court just then, his being called in and
asked what should be done for the man
whom the king delighteth to honor, his
answer, thinking that it meant himself;
his being compelled to do this for the man
whom he had hoped to hang on the gal
lows he had caused to be made and his
being hanged himself on the same gal
lows SO soon afterward all give a most
striking illustration of one falling into
the pit he had digged for another.
4. "Then the king held out the golden
scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose
and stood before the king" So had the
king done when Esther came the first
time, and he had said to her at that time:
What wilt thou, Queen Esther, and
what is thy request? 1t shall be even
given thee to the half Of the kingdom
(chapter V, 2, 81. If any one came to the
king without being called and the golden
scepter was not held out to them. it
meant death to the one thus intruding
(chapter iv, 11). How unspeakably great
is the privilege of every sinner to come
to God through Jesus Christ, sure that
he will not be cast out John Iii, is; Rev.
xxi, II; John vi, 80 and of every saint
to come as often as he will, relying upon
the promises in John xiv, 10, IA!
5. "And said, If it please the king and
If have found favor in his sight, and the
thing seem right before the king, and be
pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to
reverse the letters devised by Hannah"
These letters, the verse goes on to say,
were written to destroy the Jews in all
the kings provinces, and for the lives of
these Jews Esther was pleading. Moses
and Samuel are two of the greatest inter
cessors on record among mere men, but
there came a time in Israeps history when
even such intercesSion as theirs would
not avail (Jer. XIV, u. In answering one
of Moses prayers the Lord said unto
him, will do this thing also that thou
hast spoken, for thou hast found grace in
my sight and l know thee by name lex.
xxxiii, ID.
6. For how can | endure to see the
evil that shall come unto my people, or
how can | endure to see the destruction
of my kindred" Consider the sorrow of
heart and intercession of Moses, Nehe
miah, Daniel and Paul (Ex, xxi, 80;
Neh. tx; Dan. tx; Rom. tx, 1-3). Consd-
er Jeremiah also as he suffers with his
people in their sorrows because of their
sins liam. i, tx 16), and as we think of
our Lord actually taking our place and
bearing our sins in His own body may
Jeremiah's question search us, Is it moth
ing to you?
Z. "Behold l have given Esther the
house of Hannah and him they have
hanged upon the gallows, because he laid
his hand upon the Jews" Thus said the
king to Esther and to Mordecai, and in
verses ! and 2 it is more fully stated how
Mordecai was put in Humans place of
authority and the kings ring which Ha-
uluu uuu WOIu was given u N1OlueCdl
To touch the people of God is to touch
God Himself, even as it is written, He
that toucheth you toucheth the apple of
His eye Zach. ii, 8, and when Saul per-
secuted the Christians the Lord Jesus
said from heaven that Saul was perse-
cutting Him tActs tx, ~.
8. write We also for the Jews, as it
lilxeth you, in the kings name and seal it
bo lyiDcric nj, - fnhn re hn
verse says that such writing so sealed
may no man reverse. A law of the Modes
and Persians once made could not be al
tered (chapter i, 10; Dan. vi, 8, II, 15). But
as the letters which had gone forth had
given power to all the people of the prov
inces to kill all Jews, young and old, on
the 18th day of the twelfth month it was
possible now to send forth other letters
authorizing the Jews to be ready against
that day to avenge themselves on their
enemies, and this was done speedily
oversees 9-14; compare chapter iii, 12-15).
Is. sand Mordecai went out from the
presence of the king in royal apparel of
blue and white and with great crown
of gold and with a garment Of fine linen
and purple and the city of Shuchan re-
joiced and was glad" See also what is
written of him in chapters tx. 4; X, 3, his
greatness in the kings house and in all
the provinces as well as among his own
people and how he was next to the king,
seeking the wealth of his people and
speaking peace to all his seed. He makes
us think of Joseph and his position in
Egypt and the blessing which he was
made to his people. Both came up from
great humiliation and from the place of
death to be pre-eminent and a source of
blessing to multitudes.
16. 1.-The Jews had light and gladness
and joy and honor" The first half of the
next verse says that this was the case in
every province and city where the kings
commandment and decree came. Had
Mordecai bowed to Haman this would
not have been. but because he was faith
full to his God like Joseph and Daniel
and his friends, he, like they, was great
ly blessed and honored and made bless
ing to many. All are typical OF Him
through whom alone true JOY and honor
and gladness comes, the only light of the
world.
II. "And many of the people of the
land became Jews, for the fear of the
Jews fell upon them" SO we are re-
minded that when the glory of the Lord
shall be seen upon Israel in the latter
days all nations shall through them be
blessed and that people out of all nations
shall take hold of jew saying, We will
go with you, for God is with you, and all
nations shall go up to Jerusalem from
year to year to worship the Lord of hosts