Walking with the Wise #391: In the Place Of

“The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
and the traitor for the upright.”

—Proverbs 21:18

Standing for Jesus is going to inevitably place us at odds with this fallen world. Our insistent proclamation of Jesus Christ as the only means of salvation, and our steadfast adherence to His Word is going to place us in opposition to this fallen world and unredeemed man. Just as when light is shined in a dark place, the light from the testimony of Christ-followers is often an unwelcome sight. Fallen man then will seek to disparage and remove that light, using whatever means are at his disposal to rid himself of the conviction of Christ’s reign. The light acts as a spotlight on his sin-stained soul, reminding him of his need to exercise self-control, his responsibility to turn from sin, and the necessity of embracing righteousness—all of which he has not done. If he is unable to hide himself from the light, he will surely turn to attack it, so as to remove its unwanted presence. And while God may occasionally allow His children to suffer at the hands of the righteous so as to bring His name glory, he will more often allow the wicked to fall prey to the very machinations they have used to destroy others.

The story of Heman and Mordecai is a vivid example of this truth. The wicked is given as ransom for the righteous, not in the sense of paying a debt for, as one held hostage. Rather, ransom in the sense of “in the place of.” Heman hates Mordecai for his refusal to show him honor, and he plots a scheme whereby he would kill Mordecai and eradicate his people, the Jews. For Mordecai, he constructed a hangman’s gallows, but for Mordecai’s hated people, the Jews, Heman issued a kingdom-wide pogram, and fixed a day on which to carry it out.

The drum beats of this Jewish drama intensify as the day approaches. Who will come to the rescue of God’s people? As the emotion builds, we are left to wonder what will happen. Will the people be saved? Or will Heman have his day? God works through the virtuous Queen Esther (who happens to be Mordecai’s cousin) who by her love and adherence to truth, incurs the pagan king’s favor, which results in the protection of her people, salvation of her cousin, and death to Heman. Heman is executed on the very device he had constructed for Mordecai.

God, as He often does, turns the tables on the wicked, allowing them to fall to the very devices and traps they have constructed as a means to harm others. Our job is to not respond to our enemies and critics in shrill screams of exasperation, but to pursue the path of righteousness, entrusting ourselves to the judge of all the earth, knowing that He is orchestrating the divine drama of redemption to good purpose, whereby evil is crushed, and the good is rewarded.

Entrust yourself to the King of Kings, worry not for the evil that is bound to come our way through our enemy the defeated devil. Focus on our sovereign, omniscient God, knowing that He will reward and vindicate your acts of love and service, and punish those who by their wickedness have tried to suppress the truth. Amen.