Esther - Law and Order Criminal Intent

Esther 2:19-23 When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate. But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai's instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up. 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. But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were hanged on a gallows. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.

Caroline Rhea, the comedienne, once said, "I've gotten to the age where I forget everything. I'll walk into a room and suddenly forget why I went in there. But for some reason, I think I'll find the answer in the refrigerator." It takes some serious concentration, on my part, to remember something that I have not written down. I attribute most of my 45 lbs. weight-loss success to writing everything down that I eat. How else would I remember how much I've eaten? In our daily, busy, hectic lives, we are constantly bombarded with 'stuff' to do - it's impossible to remember everything.

Looking back to verse 11, Mordecai became a staple at the kings' gate. All during Esther's time preparing to meet the king, he would hang out in the courtyard. Now that Esther was queen, it was no different. But on this particular day in verse 21, something was amiss. I can see the made-for-TV movie murder mystery storyline now: Mo sat inconspicuously behind the pillars adjacent to the entryway. Biggy Big and T, the over-sized bouncers blocking the arch, were too incensed to notice him. Mo listened intently as the two hulking masses laid out their plot to send their boss on a trip to the bottom of the ocean.

Mordecai could've chosen to do nothing. People do it all the time, you hear it on the news every day: "Oh yeah, I heard screams, but I didn't think it was my business." However, Mordecai, being a man of God, did the right thing. He got word to Esther about these men and she told the king about it.

I LOVE verse 23. It just goes to show that the founders of our country DID have some Biblical knowledge and that they applied it to running a country! Verse 23 essentially says: they were innocent until proven guilty. Of course, these guys were guilty, but it's nice to know there was an investigation first. These men were executed and it was written down - along with the fact that it was Mordecai who had uncovered the plot. Even kings forget things.

Jesus will never forget you. Even when we disappoint Him, and we do, He does not forget us. He loves us and He cares for us and He wants the best for us. And Christian, when you forget that you belong to Jesus - don't worry - it's written down in His book, so you will always remember...