Esther 8:8 - “Now write another decree in the king’s name on behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.“

The ancient Persians had an unusual custom in their legal system – the king’s official decrees were irrevocable or permanent.  This created problems when the king wanted to undo something he had already decreed – he could not retract his edict (see Daniel 6:11-15 for another story where this problem arose).  This strict Persian custom brought stability in their legal system, but sometimes produced unjust results.  In the book of Esther, the only way the king can counteract his first edict is to give a second one authorizing resistance against the first edict.

This legal custom seems strange to us today, but in Esther it illustrates a profound spiritual concept related to our salvation: reconciling God’s unwavering justice with his abundant mercy.  God’s righteous laws are eternal and unchanging.  ”I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished…“ (see Matthew 5:18).  See also Psalm 119:160, “All your righteous laws are eternal.”  His justice is part of Himself, so He cannot deny it or do anything unjust (2 Timothy 2:13).  All people are sinners and stand condemned to death according to God’s righteousness (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23).

Yet God in his love wants to save us and give us eternal life (John 3:16).  Even so, He cannot simply break His own law or ignore it, because it is permanent (as stated in the verses cited above), and righteousness is part of His divine nature.  In this sense, the salvation dilemma facing the Lord was very similar to the problem that King Xerxes faced in Esther – under a law that no one could revoke, all the people were condemned to death.  God solved this problem for us by becoming a man himself (Jesus) and dying for our sins.  Jesus fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17), and established a new law, which produces his own righteousness within us.  (Galatians 2:16-21).  “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’ ” (Galatians 3:13).

DECREE – The original document (or decree) for us after Adam and Eve’s fall in the Garden of Eden was one of eternal death.  “All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory,” and do not deserve eternal life (Romans 3:23; see also the mention of “God’s righteous decree” in Romans 1:32).

“Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.” (Romans 5:16)

WRITE ANOTHER – Our Lord or Lord and King of Kings has provided for us a way out, by establishing another decree – Salvation through the Blood (the Holy Spirit) of Jesus Christ.  This was prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-33 -

“The time is coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah . . . This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

The New Testament explains this even more clearly:

“…having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:14)

“But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.”  (Romans 7:6)

CANNOT BE REVOKED – There is no other escape from this decree of death, besides the blood of Jesus Christ.  Salvation is not from man, but from God.

SIGNET RING – The ring symbolizes a covenant.  Today, we have a new covenant through the Holy Spirit, who gives us continual access to the throne of our God.  He is our “seal” (see 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30).

THE JEWS – For everyone facing certain death, not just a few.  (See John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9).

(KJV) “Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s name, and seal [it] with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse…”

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