Significant Silence

This article was written by Rev. Heys and published in the October 15, 1983 issue of the Standard Bearer.

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The second chapter of the book of Esther is very revealing, if one does not approach it with a mind biased by the general notions concerning the principal characters in the book but lets the facts speak for themselves. It reveals nothing but deeds of unbelief both on the part of the Gentiles mentioned, of whom it can be expected, but also of the Jews, who knew the law and the prophets. And while this chapter already is revealing, what follows in the remaining chapters also underscores what we wrote before, namely, that not one of the persons mentioned by name in the book was a believer. Indeed some reveal that they know that there is a God, but without exception all show that they have no faith in God. Let us look carefully at what the one true God makes known to us in this chapter. 

King Ahasuerus divorced his wife Vashti and did not so much as claim that it was because of adultery. Nor could he correctly do that. God, therefore, continued to consider her his wife; and all men were required to take that same position. Being an unbeliever, not heeding God’s word that what God joined together no man might put asunder, the king put her out of the palace. Advised by his “wise men” he sought another wife. Note that the “wise men” who accused Vashti of “too much contempt and wrath” proceeded to show contempt for God’s laws and to advise deeds rooted in wrath against God. 

Shortly thereafter the king began to miss Vashti and considered restoring her. For we read in Esther 2:1 that the king’s wrath was appeased. And that word appeased is the same word that appears in Genesis 8:1 where we read of the waters of the flood being assuaged. In Esther 7:10 we find it translated as pacified. There we read of the king’s wrath being pacified after Haman was hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai. What is more, we also read in this verse that he “remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.” Verse 2 also makes it known that the king revealed that he missed her. For we read that his “wise men” said, “Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king.” They wanted no restoration of Vashti and were aware of the king’s loneliness and regret. Now that alcohol no longer warped his thinking, the king, reviewing in his mind what had happened, and, being sober, felt the loss. 

Note that the king remembers “what had been decreed” against her. We do not read, “what he had decreed against her.” It is true that he authorized her debasement and departure from the palace. But the decree had not originated in him. He was furious. He wanted her punished. But he was not ready to punish himself by getting rid of a wife in whom he had such pride, and was to him such a treasure, as is evident from his desire to show off her beauty at the feast. His eagerness for another beautiful wife is plain from the fact that the suggestion of his servants that there be a beauty contest, so he could have another most beautiful wife, is adopted. 

Having made all this known to us the chapter introduces Mordecai. Now surely he was not the same Mordecai who is mentioned in Ezra 2:2 and Nehemiah 7:7, and was one of the men who with Zerubbabel led the Jews back to Jerusalem. Some claim, or suggest this, but the somewhat detailed description of his genealogy—as well as all the acts of unbelief which he displays in the book—forbids such a conclusion. He is presented as a descendant of Kish (most likely the father of Israel’s first king) and as from the tribe of Benjamin. It is not important to determine whether this Kish is actually the father of King Saul. What is important is that he is a Benjamite, and thus a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose youngest son was Benjamin. 

In a broad, general sense then we may say that Mordecai was a covenant father, that is, one born among the covenant people that in generations had been taught the law and the prophets, and knew God’s covenant promises. In his eloquent plea which he makes before Esther, Mordecai reveals this to be the case. He speaks of enlargement and deliverance that will arise to the Jews from another quarter, if Esther does not speak to the king (Esther 4:13). Note here his significant silence consisting in this that he does not mention God’s name, when there was a beautiful opportunity to use it, and a time when it was required. 

But there are two matters here that must be considered. He is in Shushan long after the Jews had returned to Jerusalem and the promised land. Mordecai’s heart was fixed on the world, and he had no interest in returning to Jerusalem and in worshipping God in his temple. His burning desire to see Esther become queen of a godless nation, and wife of a thoroughly corrupt heathen king, reveals that. 

The other matter is that although he was, in that broad sense of the word, a covenant father, of an adopted daughter whose father also was born in and raised up in the covenant sphere, she being the daughter of his own brother, he did not bring this daughter up with covenant instruction. And what those who extol Mordecai and Esther as great heroes of faith disregard completely is that Mordecai does nothing (and that word nothing can be underscored), to keep Esther out of this sinful, immoral beauty contest, is so eager to see her win it, is not at all concerned by the fact that to become the wife of Ahasuerus is a flagrant violation of the seventh commandment, and that in order to get that position he not only instructs her but commands her to turn her back completely upon God’s covenant. Let us look at that a moment more fully. 

We will not accuse Mordecai of entering Esther into the wicked contest. We do not read that. We read that the king sent out men to look for fair virgins. Now Mordecai could have tried to hide her, for a time at least, but he makes no attempt. And even as there are ways to accentuate beauty of face and body, so there are ways, if one has a will and a mind to do so, to cover up and play it down. He makes no attempt and spoke no command to Esther to do so. More of this in a moment. But note that “Mordecai walked every day before the court of the woman’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.” That cannot mean that he was worried about her spiritual life. It cannot mean that he feared that she would fall into temptation. He knew that she had to spend a night with the king. This was not a sin she might fall into. It was a sin required to obtain the queenship. Mordecai was quite happy to have Esther pass this test of “trial marriage” and “lustful compatibility.” Here too he is completely silent. No warning is given Esther, no command to refuse going in unto the king. In fact, both knew that all this “purifying” of the candidates was with a view to this fornication. 

And all this fits in so perfectly with that command of Mordecai that she in no way at any time show that she belonged to the nation that served Jehovah! That is what it means that she must hide her kindred and her people. And that is what Mordecai wanted her to do. Now let me come back to that failure of Mordecai to keep Esther out of the wicked beauty contest. There was a way which he knew would disqualify her. There was a way whereby he could keep her from all that sin. Just let it be known that she is a Benjamite, a Jewess, one whose nation professed to believe in the God Who clearly stated, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” and no matter how beautiful of face, the king, if not the king’s men, would have no part in entering her into this beauty contest to be the queen of their land. How, O how, can you exalt a man like this and hold him up as a hero of faith? 

Consider that his command to Esther means that she might never pray to Jehovah. And for what would she pray—if she did it secretly on her bed at night in the dark? Would she pray for forgiveness of her sins in which she intended to continue to walk? She was preparing for fornication and had set her face to go that way, at her uncle’s command. Could she sincerely pray for forgiveness of a sin she intended to hold on to until her fleshly ambitions were satisfied? 

Not to reveal her kindred and her people meant that Esther had to desecrate the Sabbath so she could be kept on the list of candidates who would commit fornication to be joined to a godless, unbelieving king and be one flesh with him! It meant that she could not confess Jehovah and must not speak one word of faith or hope or love toward him! It meant that, what the three friends of Daniel, and Daniel himself, would not do, she would gladly do, namely, eat and drink things offered up to idols! She was to turn her back upon the Lamb of God and declare by her works that she had no connection with him whatsoever. There was no way in this heathen land and palace of a godless king that she could keep the passover and manifest faith in God’s wrath passing over her because of his Son’s blood. 

But let us concentrate for the moment on this father who commands all this of her. And later we will have occasion, the Lord willing, to point out several times when he could have used God’s name, and as a believer most assuredly would have done so. Instead there comes out of his mouth not one word that indicates even a weak faith in him. How dare anyone hold him up before his children as a hero of faith, a man after God’s heart who ought to be emulated and praised for what he did for God’s church

Mordecai was interested in Israel as a nation, but not as the people of God. He was interested in having one of the seed of Abraham in the king’s palace, but he was not interested in having the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob confessed and praised in that palace. Not only did he with interest watch to see whether his daughter would succeed in this immoral night of “sleeping” with the king, he taught her also to break the ninth commandment. O, yes, you can bear false witness by silence. Silence can speak louder than words, as well as actions often speak louder than words. And Mordecai’s unbelief becomes manifest not only in what he did but in what he did not do; in what he said, but also in what he did not, would not, and could not say. Indeed we have significant silence here in this book. A silence that loudly speaks of unbelief?

Consider that in New Testament language what Mordecai commanded Esther was, “In no way, at any time, let anyone think that you are a Christian. Be sure all think you are one with the world. Let your speech be in every way the speech of the world.”

But also in New Testament language take careful note of what Jesus said in Matthew 10:32, 33: “Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess before My Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven.” That hold true also for those who teach their children not to confess Christ.

You can extol Mordecai, though he never uses God’s name and forbids his daughter to use it. But the point is that Jesus in no uncertain terms teaches that such he will not confess before his Father in heaven. How terrible that silence is, and what significance it carries!