Esther chapter 2 begins with a political development in which a position was opened for a beautiful lady to have an influential role in the kingdom.
The King and his advisers were searching for specific qualifications that would help maintain the unity of the kingdom. The queen was not to be chosen by an alliance between nations but had to be someone whose character and beauty would recommend her to the king.
The king was looking for certain qualities in the queen. She had to be beautiful, submissive, and thankful for her position. She would have to set an example for others on how to act towards the king. They were not prepared to have anyone who was as rebellious or opinionated as the former queen Vashti.
Who was Hadassah?
She was a Jewish girl whose family had been exiled from Israel many years before. Her national identity was probably strong, and she was an active member of the community in Suza.
At the core of her identity was the fact that she was an adopted orphan. She knew that she would not be alive or stayed beautiful if Mordecai had not adopted her into his family and taken good care of her. (Esther 2:6-7).
Building on the wisdom of the first episode, we can see that Hadassah never forgot to be thankful. Why? Because adoption was part of her identity. This is demonstrated by her obedience to Mordecai and to Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem.
Hadassah knew that she owed everything to Mordecai. Actually we can say that she was completely the work of Mordocai. He had worked on her heart and attitude so she was free and beautiful. She had not spent sleepless nights worrying about the future, experienced harsh discipline or done hard physical work.
There was no “I have changed myself and can do what I want” mentality in Hadassah. She knew that her job was to submit to the change that someone else wanted to do in her life. Contrary to queen Vashti who was probably as equally beautiful as her, Hadassah was queen material even before the beauty treatments.
Hadassah was an adopted orphan who was full of gratitude which made her moldable and she let others guide her life until she became royal.
What is Hadassah a picture of?
Do you know any adopted people? They seem to be more thankful and loyal than others. As a Christian, you should know at least one adopted orphan – that’s you! You have been adopted into God’s family, and you can read more about your adoption in Galatians 3:29-4:7.
In the book of Esther, chapter 2 mentions adoption twice to emphasize its importance in Hadassah’s identity. As Christians, we too should recognize our adoption into God’s family if we want to receive favor. By being humble, moldable, and thankful, we can be liked and respected just like Hadassah was.
Who was Mordocai and what does he represent to us?
Mordecai was a devout Jew who lived a life of integrity. He raised Esther to be free of worries and bitterness, despite their family being exiled. Mordecai did not seek to harm the king but instead saved him, which led to his eventual reward (Esther 2:21-23). Mordecai was an important member of the Jewish community in Suza.
In our lives, Mordecais can be pastors, mentors, or other individuals empowered by the Holy Spirit. They seek to help us become free and beautiful from the inside out. These Mordecais are members of a community, under authority, and never want to cause harm or create chaos.
Ultimately, these Mordecais want to guide us to go before King Jesus. They watch over us and provide guidance, but it is not the end goal to spiritually hang around Mordecai in the palace court but to go ourselves before the King. If we want to be Esther Christians, we need people speaking into our lives, these Mordecais, to help us grow to our royal calling.
How to choose the right Mordocai for your life?
- Are they wanting you to stay free to have a connection with King Jesus and then represent Him and His kingdom?
- Are they telling you to let go of your past and focus forward?
- Are they pushing you to face your fears?
To transform from Hadassah to Esther, we need to avoid being like Vashti, who disobeyed the king. Instead, we should strive to be like Hadassah, who possessed two commendable traits: a grateful heart and the willingness to change. These are the qualities we need to cultivate if we want to become the Esthers that this generation needs.
