For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. – Esther 8:16

Today's Scripture Reading (November 4, 2023): Esther 8

Anticipation is sometimes better than the event itself. Well, kind of, anyway. I know that I enjoy the suspense of whatever significant event it might be that is approaching. Part of the problem is that the actual event passes so quickly. And after the event has passed, it seems like such a long wait before it returns to be celebrated again. I feel the same way about Christmas. I love the family time I enjoy during the Christmas season, and if I am honest, I would rather sit and play games with family than give and receive the seasonal gifts. So, I am excited as the season approaches, looking forward to family time and even some rest from the business and structure of my schedule. As an introvert, I also look forward to grabbing some alone time when I don't have to worry about an upcoming meeting.

But Christmas comes, we celebrate the birth of Christ and spend some family time, and it seems that the celebration is quickly over, and we have to wait for another year before it comes again. My vacation often feels the same way. There is a lot of anticipation, but then the time comes and passes, and it is another year before that time comes again. I love the anticipation because it reminds me that the celebration is coming. Maybe I just need to nurture the expectation a little more and earlier than I do.

The Jews of Xerxes's Achaemenid Empire celebrated "happiness and joy, gladness and honor." But it is a celebration of anticipation. The day and the fight had not yet arrived. Xerxes's problem was that he, once again, couldn't undo what had been put into place.

Then Haman said to King Xerxes, "There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king's laws; it is not in the king's best interest to tolerate them. If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents of silver to the king's administrators for the royal treasury."

So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews (Esther 3:8-10).

The day was coming that had been set aside to destroy the Jews, and Xerxes could not reverse the decision. All he could do was give the Jews the permission and tools necessary to defend themselves. But that legal defense was enough to cause a celebration before the day of destruction arrived. Now, the Jews at least had a reason for hope and the anticipation that what the King had done would be enough to save the people.

And so, in anticipation, they celebrated with overt "happiness and joy, gladness and honor."

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Esther 9 & 10