Esther 5: 5, 11 In the story of Esther, Haman’s hatred towards Mordecai and Jews was the sole reason for conspiring to annihilate Jews in the entire kingdom of King Xerxes. With the king’s permission and approval, he sent out edicts to destroy Jews in all provinces on a particular day – the 13^th day of the 12^th month – the month of Adar. Couriers were dispatched swiftly. However, tables turned and Haman was executed on the same gallows that he built for Mordecai.

After Haman’s execution, Queen Esther approached the king and requested him to overturn the edict. She informed the king that the old edict would still destroy all the Jews, her people in the kingdom. The king couldn’t reverse the old edict but issued a new one – the right to protect themselves and destroy enemies of Jews. Mordecai personally wrote the new edict and sent couriers to all provinces of the kingdom. Mordecai, now esteemed in the sight of the king, was emboldened to take a swift action to protect Jews all across the land.

The old law was still valid and the new law didn’t nullify the old. However, the new law allowed the Jews to defend themselves and destroy their enemies. If the Jews in the kingdom had not believed in the new law and were bound by the old law, they would have surrendered and succumbed to their destruction. Romans 8: 1-3 declares that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. If we don’t operate under the power of the new law, we will succumb to the power of the old.

The wages of sin is death, which is the first law. But Jesus through His life, death and resurrection gave us a new lease on life. Life through the Spirit is the second law. With the power given to us through the new law, we can fight our enemies and destroy them. We might not deal with physical enemies but principalities of darkness, finances, health, etc. By the power of the second law, we can fight every spiritual battle. For this new law is far better than the first: living under His grace where there is salvation and no condemnation.