The Pulpit Commentary — Esther — Section 70

th<' diet.ates of nature, but in tho whispered monitions of religion as woll, in the principle of "enduring as seeing the invisible," that the basis of the rofusul in question is found and justified. Notice this refusal in some of the more prominent features it presents- I. IT IS A REFUSAL WHICH COMES FROM TRE DEEPER RECESSES OF OUR NATURE, It comes down from its higher haunts, from its more sacred retreats. To refuse at the price of suffering, loss, possibly death, because of the blush that would mantle in the cheek if you did not refuse, is to obey worthily God-given nature. All honour to Yashti that she did so I But to refuse at the imminent price of martyrdom for self, and for the all you hold dearest to the heart, and for your people scattered over a hun- dred lands, just because of a recovered snatch of Sinai's second commandment, is the achievement of a much higher reach. Obedience to the dictate of what we generally call nature is not to be disparaged. It reflects the intention of the Creator, and" repeats his praise." But so far as tee are concerned, it may be considered to have something more of instinct about it. Mere physical temperament will in part account for it. But when the obedience is attributable to the new-learnt lessons of the word of God, then, though it is not a nobler parentage that accounts for it, it owns to a directer descent from the one Parent of all good, and this sheds fresh lustre'upon it. Inno- cent nature in Eden, the broken snatches of Divine communication to our first parents in Eden, the patriarchal gains in similar methods of Divine revelation, then the ten commandments, the prophets, the beatitudes, the new commandment, all in develop- ing order, challenge our lower life to regulate and improve itself by higher principles. "Thou hast magnified thy word," said the Psalmist, " above all thy name" (Ps. cmviii. 2). The word of God unfolds duty, opportunity, responsibility in an ever- increasing ratio, and on an ever-ascending scale. And it ascertains the law which distinguishes the praise of the obedience, amid possibly great sacrifice, of naeure, from the obedience paid, often amid the greatest possible sacrifice, to the inner, living Word. Mordecai was a worthy successor, by some fifty years, of Daniel and his three companions with their food (Dan. i. 8-17); of those same three companions in the matter of the golden image at Dura (Dan. iii. 8-28) ; and again, in particular, of Daniel and his prayers (Dan. vi. 4-24). "These all obtained their good report through faith "-the :f:aith that saw, heard, obeyed, what was a blank to mere nature, inaudible and invisible to mere sense. II. IT WAS A REFUSAL INTENSIFIED IN EFFORT DY ANXIETY AS TO WHAT IT MIGHT ENTAIL UPON ESTHER. It risked the premature betrayal of the nationality of Esther as well as of Mordecai hiinBelf, and thereby the spoiling of what it is probable :Mordecai already had in his mind, viz., that Esther might prove a great benefactor of her people generally. ill IT WAS A REFUSAL FAITHFULLY ADHERED TO WHEN DANGERS GllEW THICKER, Mordecai did not yield and cringe to Haman when the original inner reason of his refusing to do so had now become immensely added to by Haman's enormous revenge. Outer policy might have advocated yielding at that very moment. The dictate of that policy would have been felt a temptation, resisted by few indeed. Very painful thoughts might also have attacked the steadfastness of Mordecai, as to what the recriminations of his people might be-that by his one display of feeling against Haman so many were involved in a common destruction. They might have said, " Why should he endanger the welfare of his people? " All the more would they have said this if at all envious because of the relation in which he stood to the new- made queen, Esther. But" none of these things moved him." He was inflexible at the right time. IV. IT WAS A REFUSAL WHICH OPENED A PERIOD 01!' DREADFUL SUSPENSE. There are many sacrifices, great in theinselves, but easier to make because a moment will make the resolution, another moment will execute the resolution, and a third moment will be quite sufficient to acquaint one with the result of it. The discipline of 8U8· pense, however, with many natures is nothing less than torture. An~ now Mord~cai's refusal inaugurated the strain of days, weeks, and months of angu1she~ conflict of feeling, of strenuous planning, and alternative purposings, the end of wh1?_h he could not foresee, but the likeliest end for himself" hanging on a tree" (eh. 11. 23); fQr hia nation, destruction. OB. III. 1-6.] THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 69