“At that time there was a Jewish man in the fortress of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a descendant of Kish and Shimei. His family had been among those who, with King Jehoiachin of Judah, had been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. This man had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter.” Esther 2:5-7 NLT
I’ve know several adoptees and fostered children who have grown up hoping and wishing for a grand purpose, almost a fantasy to help make sense out of their loss, their life. Being an adoptee, I can relate. Coming from a difficult, disconnected birth story and struggling to find your identity in your parents or family history can be really disheartening. So, sometimes we make up stories to ease the pain.
The book of Esther was written during the time of captivity in Babylon. There were lots of famous Bible characters that came out of the seventy years of captivity. Daniel, Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah and the fiery story of the three Hebrew young men (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) who would not bow to Nebuchadnezzar. Esther’s story is an adoptees dream come true.
We know very little about Hadassah’s (Hebrew name) parents, other than the fact they died when she was young. Why was she called Hadassah? Hadas (Heb. הדס), is the word for a myrtle tree. The myrtle tree was a symbol in ancient Israel, because the righteous are called myrtles. As it states (Zechariah 1:8), “And he was standing among the myrtles [the righteous prophets Chananiah, Mishael and Azariah, otherwise known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego]. Mordecai, stepping in as her rescue relative, adopted her into his own family. He raised his young cousin as his own. Just reading this line in the Bible story gets me all emotional, “Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter.”
Mordecai became more than just a father to Hadassah, he became kind of like her life-coach, her career manager as she grew up to become a beautiful young woman that God would use to save the Jewish nation. Mordecai has his own heroic story in Persia under the reign of Ahasuerus. Mordecai’s loyalty and bravery are highlighted in the story as he helps Esther foil the plot of Haman, the king’s Vizier, to exterminate the Jewish people. How many attempts have been made to eliminate the Jewish people? Egypt, Assyria, Persia, Roman Empire, Germany…
Hadassah’s (Esther) story becomes a real life fairytale come true, from an orphan to the Queen of Persia! However, the bigger story in this amazing book is all about God’s grand story of redemption. God keeps his promises. And, God will accomplish all that He has set out to do through His will. We are in His story, even today. So, if you are an adoptee, or fostered or have come from a bleak and dark family history. Just know this, God has a purpose and a purpose and a plan for you! Your heavenly Father sees and knows every part of your story. And, even better, God knows how it ends. Although my story is not an “orphan to king” kind of story, I am living far beyond anything I would have ever believed was possible because of God’s mercy and grace – His redemptive plan for me!
Prayer
Dad,
I am so thankful for these adoptive stories in your grand story. I am so thankful that even Jesus was raised by a foster Dad, Joseph, who adopted him as his own. This gives a lot of us, who have come from difficult childhoods and soiled family reputations – hope! Hope in you.