II. 0-rmrn AOTS Oil' WISDOM AND GREATNESS. ThP-se are only noted not describPd They were many and illustrious. But though our narrative passes' by these acts with a simple allusion to them, it refers us for detailed and complete information to I\ good authority-" nre they not written in the book of the chmnicles of the kings of Media and Persia?" No doubt the writer thought that archives of the great empire would outlive his little story. But where now are they 1 Where is tho empire itself? Where are other empires, greater and more brilliant, that succeeded it as the dominant world-power? All vanished, and their records with them I The only chronicle preserved of Mordecai'e doings is that given in the Book of Esther and its preservation is owing to its having been bound up with the word of God t~ men. Let us learn-I. The evanescent character of all worldly things. 2. The in- destructibility of God's truth and kingdom (Matt. v. 18 ; 1 Pet. i. 24, 25). III. A PLEASANT RECOGNITION OB' HONEST AND HONOURABLE GREATNESS. Mordecai was powerful not only with the king and hie heathen subjects, but with "the multi- tude of his own brethren " throughout the empire. His power, however, was not forced, or grudgingly acknowledged. He was" great among the Jews" because he was "accepted of," or acceptable to them. All power that relies on force and exacts an unwilling submission is bad and precarious ; that power only is legitimate and secure which is based on the confidence and affection of a willir,g people. Mordecai's acceptableness with his brethren of lsraelsprang from two thing11 :-1. He sought their wealth. In other words, he studied their prosperity. All the laws of the empire were so framed as to secure their freedom of industry and commercial intercourse. 2. He spoke peace to them. His acts had the effect of delivering them from the fear of their enemies. He held over them the shield of the king's protection, and enabled them to live and work in quiet contentedness. We have here an emblematic picture of Christ's kingdom. Prosperity and peace are the two great blessings promised to the people of Zion (Ps. cxxii. 6, 7). "Quietness and assurance for ever" is "the effect of righteousness" (Isa. x.x:xii. 17, 18). Christ is the "King of glory" and the "Prince of peace." " The good Shepherd " watches, defends, guides, and feeds his sheep ; he makes them "lie down in green pastures," and leads them "beside the still waters" (Ps. xxiii. 2).-D.
Ver. 3.-The beneji,cent statesman. It is reserved for the very last sentences of this book to give to one of the chiefeet of its characters, perhaps the chiefest, the place and testimony he had well earned. For a time these seemed withheld, and both the name of Mordecai and himself also seemed kept somewhat unduly in the background. But when we come to the end, it looks rather as though all the book had been in deep reality about him, and as though all had hinged on him. We are left at the close of the book with our last impressions as of him, and he is placed before us under a very strong light. There is no doubt much of the patriot in the portrait we have of Mordecai. But the honourable summary of this verse reminds us that he had passed the mere politician and patriot. He has won for himself the name of the great and the good statesman. He is "next to Ahasuerus ; " and what he did and what he was affected not the Jews only, but the whole empire-all of the various and wide do- minion of the king. He is stamped on the sacred page as the type of A BENEFICENT STATESMAN. There have been not a few who have extorted from their own day and generation the title of great statesmen, but the claim has not survived them long. The number of the really beneficent statesmen is much smaller, but their renown is for ever. In the amazing wealth and variety of Scripture lesson for every need of human life, and of Scripture model for every office of authority and influence in human society, this of the honest and beneficent statesman is not overlooked. Neither must we overlook it, nor omit to notice, as afresh suggested by it, how intrinsic an argu- ment is herein given us for the Divine inspiration of the Bible. Whence but from such an original could have come to us so many, so ferfect models? It is doubly important that we should remark how ample a share o these the Book of Esther con- tains-evidences of inspiration of the highest kind and value. The brief summary of this verse is the more impressive as coming at the very end oi lhe book. But passing by all other suggestions, it speaks of a certain greatness, and a greatness evidently of very comprehensiYe character. It is the greatness of an emphatically good states- man. Let us take the opportunity suggested by a leading instance of considering- 174 THE BOOK OF ESTHER. [CH. X. 1-8,