Following Jerusalem's last stand against Nebuchadnezzar,
Mordecai's family was deported to the Babylonian empire. He was probably born in
Susa, a city that became one of Persia's capitals after Cyrus conquered Babylon,
and inherited an official position among the Jewish captives that kept him
around the palace even after the Babylonians were driven out. At one time, when
he overheard plans to assassinate Xerxes, he reported the plot and saved the
king's life.
Mordecai's life was filled with challenges that he turned into
opportunities When his aunt and uncle died, he adopted Esther, their daughter
and his young cousin probably because his own parents were dead and he felt
responsible for her Later when she was drafted into Xerxes' harem and chosen to
be queen Mordecai continued to advise her. Shortly after this, he found himself
in conflict with Xerxes' recently appointed second-in-command, Haman. Although
willing to serve the king Mordecai refused to worship the king's representative.
Haman was furious with Mordecai So he planned to have Mordecai and all the Jews
killed. His plan became a law of the Medes and Persians, and it looked as though
the Jews were doomed.
Mordecai, willing to be God's servant wherever he was, responded by
contacting Esther and telling her that one reason God had allowed her to be
queen might well be to save her people from this threat. But God had also placed
him in the right place years earlier. God revealed to the king through
his nighttime reading of historical documents that Mordecai had once saved his
life, and the king realized he had never thanked Mordecai. The great honor then
given to Mordecai ruined Haman's plan to hang him on the gallows. God had woven
an effective counter-strategy against which Haman's plan could not stand.
Later, Mordecai instituted the Jewish feast of Purim. He had a
lengthy career of service to the king on behalf of the Jews. In Mordecai's life,
God blended both character and circumstances to accomplish great things. He has
not changed the way he works. God is using the situations you face each day to
weave a pattern of godliness into your character. Pause and ask God to help you
respond appropriately to the situations you find yourself in today.
* Exposed an assassination plot against the king
* Cared enough to adopt his cousin
* Refused to bow to anyone except God
* Took Haman's place as second-in-command under Xerxes
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Lessons From Mordecai's Life
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* The opportunities we have are more important than the ones we wish we had
* We can trust God to weave together the events of life for our best, even
though we may not be able to see the overall pattern
* The rewards for doing right are sometimes delayed, but they are guaranteed by
God himself
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Mordecai's Vital Statistics
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* Where: Susa, one of several capital cities in Persia
* Occupation: Jewish official who became second in rank to Xerxes
* Relatives: Adopted daughter: Esther.
Father: Jair
* Contemporaries: Xerxes, Haman
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Key Verse
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"Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the
Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the
good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews" (Esther 10:3).
Mordecai's story is told in the book of Esther.