The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor.
– Esther 8:16
I love this verse. So the king had declared an edict that all the Jewish people should be killed on a certain day, and suddenly, that edict is reversed. As a result of Mordecai and Esther, the king decides to reverse his edict and news starts to spread. And Esther 8:16 says, “The Jews had,” listen to these descriptors, “Light and gladness and joy, and honor.”
Esther 8:16 illustrates the joy of salvation.
Just put yourself in the shoes of Jewish men and women and children when they thought on a certain day they were going to die. Just think about how dark that felt, how much despair they were experiencing. Think about the sadness and the shame you were going to be killed for who you are. And all of a sudden, news comes that changes all of that.
You go from darkness to light… From despair to gladness. You go from sadness to joy. You go from shame to honor, in such a way that the very next verse, Esther 8:17 says, “Many peoples of the country declared themselves Jews.” Everything changed with this good news. And when I read this verse and think about the effect of that good news, I can’t help but to think about the effect of the greatest news in the world, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and think about how the gospel brings light in darkness and brings gladness in despair, brings joy in sadness and honor in shame. For all who trust in Jesus, you have the light of the world living in you. No matter what you face in this world, you know that your king has conquered sin and sorrow and suffering and death.
Esther 8:16 illustrates the hope of the gospel.
You have gladness that supersedes despair. You have joy even in sadness because you know that one day God will wipe every tear from your eyes and you have strength in the middle of that sadness. And ultimately, you do not live in the shame of sin. Instead, you live in the honor of being a child of God, of being forgiven of all your sin, of being clothed in righteousness. This is who you are. Live today, Christian, in light and gladness and joy, and honor and lead others to light and gladness and joy, and honor by sharing that good news. You and I have the opportunity today with people around us to point them to light and gladness and joy, and honor by sharing the good news of Jesus.
Jesus, we praise you for making eternal light, gladness, joy, and honor possible for us… In our lives today and in our lives forever. And God, we pray that you would give us boldness… By the power of your Holy Spirit in us to share the good news of Jesus with somebody today. We pray that you would use our sharing the gospel to bring light, gladness, joy, and honor into others’ lives.
Prayer for the Fulani People
We pray this especially for the Fulani of Niger. God, please may the gospel that brings light and gladness and joy and honor… Spread to all the peoples of the world. God, help us as your church to spread this good news… To people who are on a road that leads to eternal death… To people groups who’ve never even heard the gospel.
Please God, help us to faithfully share it with them… To spread out and scatter sharing this good news… Until all the nations experience your light and gladness and joy and honor. We pray this in Jesus’ name… And the one who makes light, gladness, joy and honor possible for us now and forever. Amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder of Radical, an organization that makes Jesus known among the nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Don’t Hold Back, and How to Read the Bible.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
