In Every Province and In Every City
Christianity spread throughout the world by the most effective and desired way of advertising, sought after today. It grew out of the land of Israel, penetrating Samaria and reaching the “outtermost part of the earth”.1 Though Christianity today seems to be seeking new ways and methods to engage with society, the word-of-mouth method used by the first-century Christians proved efficient. It may have been the norm of the day to transmit a message orally. However, what gave power to the method was the spoken message. Preaching the gospel of Christ and speaking of their personal encounter with Jesus of Nazareth. Voicing out their own testimonies and experiences of meeting Jesus to prove that the Messiah was Jesus of Nazareth.
Today we have a plethora of methods for the gospel to be shared. But fewer and fewer people speak of what happened when they met Christ, and just preach the “Gospel”. As the command to fulfil the Great Commission, while sometimes forgetting the biblical identity of the communicator as a witness. In the book of Acts, we identify that the people witnessing to the world were less concerned about the method. They were fully invested in preaching Christ, who alone is salvation.
Not long ago I went through the book of Acts verse by verse. And it struck me to see that by chapter 11, the gospel and the church spread outside of Jerusalem and Samaria. Reaching the Gentiles and going further into the whole earth. Apostle Peter, in chapter 11, is held to account by the church in Jerusalem for preaching Christ to the Gentiles. Peter’s account is rather an interesting one, in that it compelled the church to see and understand that the gospel was to go into the whole world, which was to include the Gentiles. Though they were commissioned and commanded to do so, the apostles and the established communities of believers had not fully understood this idea. Not expecting the gospel to be received by the Gentiles. God to be equally concerned about the world as he was about Israel. Ultimately, giving them a better understanding of what grace is.
What is more, in Acts chapter 9 we are given the account of Saul meeting with Jesus of Nazareth, the risen Christ, whom he was persecuting. Changing not just the course of the journey to Damascus, but the purpose as well. The same Saul who Christianity today knows as Paul was called and commissioned to be the apostle of the Gentiles.2 I do not find this incidental in the timeline of the book of Acts.
On the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter preached to the people gathered in Jerusalem from many parts of the world.3 Which ought also to be seen and understood that form the starting point of the Great Commission, the gospel was to be preached in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The King Granted
Turning now to the Old Testament to the book of Esther, and looking beyond the historical events, the drama and the people. Rather, seeing within the details of the book what is said about God and how people beyond the ethnic borders of the nation of Israel were reached.
The book of Esther tells how God providentially preserved the Jewish people while they were living under Persian rule. King Ahasuerus removes Queen Vashti and later chooses Esther, a Jewish woman raised by her cousin Mordecai, as queen. When Mordecai refuses to bow to Haman, a powerful royal official, Haman plots to destroy all the Jews throughout the empire. Mordecai persuades Esther that her position may exist providentially for this crisis; she risks death by approaching the king unsummoned, then exposes Haman’s plot at a banquet. Haman is executed on the gallows he built for Mordecai, and a second decree grants the Jews the right to defend themselves, routing their enemies. The reversal is commemorated annually as Purim. Notably, the book never names God explicitly. This posed some challenges in accepting the book within the Biblical canon.
In the overarching narrative, we can identify divine providence over the people of Israel. But there is more to be seen, and I noticed that books such as Esther pose less interest in finding out what it says. Often because we read it as already knowing what the story is about. Or we are more invested in other books of the Bible. However, I think it is wise to treat each book of the Bible with equal interest, curiosity, attention, and authority.
Many of the People of the Land
Recently, while having a theological discussion at church, after the evening service, it came to mind a realisation which speaks truth. I have often heard, and probably you as well, the saying “the Devil is in the details”. However, this is nothing but a lie. God is in the details; the Devil is rather absent. The Creation, both in the macro and especially in the micro, is the evidence. Therefore, I learned, after years of spending time in the Bible, to stop. To read slowly and not just absorb each word, but to do more. To listen and be led by the narrative towards the tip of it. Where, once you reached, it all makes sense.
Let’s therefore stop, reflect and observe a rather outstanding statement from the book of Esther. This is where you may find the book’s theological weight. What is more, the verse below is revealing something important. Which, on a surface reading, may be perceived as normal. But once seen in the whole context of the book, how the narrative was built by the historical events towards this moment. We are now as if we have reached the top of a mountain and, looking around, our breath is overwhelmed by the beautifully widespread nature beyond the horizon.
And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.4
Right at this point is where the reader is invited to see that the book of Esther fulfils and builds on this theme of God being made known to many people outside of the nation of Israel. Notice that once the king’s decree reached the whole empire, for the Jews this was good news. The king commanded that they were allowed to stand up for themselves, to defend and avenge against their enemies. Therefore, for the other nations, this was fearful news. It has shaken the vast empire, and it made a clear statement.
The Fallen Fear
The last part of verse 8 says that many of the people of the land became Jews out of fear. We may naturally say that this was an expected outcome. What the king commanded was the reverse of what Haman desired and had already set in motion. No doubt, there may have been people who just wanted to protect themselves and their homes. However, the impact of it has penetrated society. All people were reminded that the Jews were not just a nation, but there was something more.
Perhaps most people became Jews to avoid any consequences. I do not doubt the possibility that they may have been introduced to who the Jews were and from where their deliverance came. Not from the sword or political power, but from sackcloth and ashes.5
We ought to get comfortable and see what is shown to us in the Bible. The Book of Esther is not merely history; it also reveals divine purpose extending beyond Israel. This was unintentionally done by the people of Israel; however, it was fulfilled by God. And it was not for the first time, but on many other occasions we read in the Old Testament narrative, that God was made known to other nations through the deliverances and victories of the people of Israel. There are also moments where it is recorded that, due to Israel’s disobedience and its leaders, God was mocked by their enemies. On the first thought, allow your mind and heart to reflect upon the ten plagues cast upon the Egyptians.6 Through them, God was addressing them directly. You may notice that the plagues were not random events, but they were miracles against the Egyptian gods. Therefore, God was witnessing to the nation of Egypt that there is no other god but the great I am that I am.7 On the later thought, I would like to mention David’s sin with Bathsheba. In 2 Samuel verses 12 and 13, we read that David’s sin has given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme.
The Great Commission instituted by Jesus and commanded to the apostles was not a new principle. But a continuation of what God did from the macro level, through the people of Israel: making his name known. God did not hold back his judgments when Israel fell short. He always judged and punished their disobedience. When the people of Israel turned back to God, he has, gracefully and full of mercy, received them. Blessing them and fighting their wars.
God’s name is known from the dawn of humanity. Today we have been given not the task, but the honour to make known unto the whole world, how great God is. To speak the euaggelion8 of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.9
The same as the Jews under the King Ahasuerus, who received that good news, we are today commanded by the work of Christ in our lives to speak to everyone of the good news of Christ. That in him is Salvation from sin and death. That Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah who defeated death through his resurrection. Therefore, reversing the power of death to eternal life by grace through faith in Christ. The Jews received news of temporal deliverance; we proclaim the good news of eternal salvation in Christ.
Not often do we get to extract such a beautiful image from the Old Testament. It may also be that we may have been taught to narrowly think that God only dealt with the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. I would encourage you to see beyond that. God worked through the Israelites and set them apart for a specific purpose. God is firstly faithfull to his covenants, and through them he made his name known unto the entire world. God was making His name known—in Egypt, in Israel, in Persia, in every province and in every city.
Bible References
Further Reading
- Ruben Gavriliuc – “The Truth – When Your Story Becomes Your Apologia” () – Depicted as an example, the Apostle Paul in Acts 22 defending his cause and belief in Jesus, witnessing to his audience by giving his testimony and personal encounter with Jesus Christ.
- Seth D. Postel – “How The Message Spreads” () – A short overview of the place and role of the book of Esther with a focus on Esther 8:17, and expressing the reality that less importance is given to the book of Esther.
- Darell Koop, Upwards Church — “Victory for God’s People – Esther 8” () – An exposition and commentary on Esther chapter 8. With focus on the royal decree as good news spreading through the provinces.
- Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary – “Go Ye Into All the Empire: A Theology of Missions From the Book of Esther” () – A more explicitly typological treatment of Esther and missions, connecting the book with Christ, final judgment, and the worldwide proclamation of the Gospel.
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