Investigating the Bible: Overcoming discrimination

By DAVID CARLSON PASTOR

Jan. 20, 2025, honors Martin Luther King Jr. In one of his sermons he said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” In the Old Testament is a story of racism and how a brave woman and man intervened with God’s help to stop the evil.

Esther was a young Jew who lived in Susa, the city of King Ahasuerus, who ruled over all of Persia and Media, which is now Iran. She …”had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at…” (Esther 2:7, English Standard Version used throughout). Her parents died and she was adopted by her close relative Mordecai. He and thousands of others were refugees from Israel.

The ten chapters of Esther give the complete account. As the story begins, the rebellious queen of King Ahasuerus was removed, Esther was selected as the new queen, and Mordecai saved the king’s life by relaying to him through Queen Esther details of a treasonous plot.

Haman, a Mede-Persian and the highest court official, became furious when Mordecai refused to bow down before him in the marketplace. He learned Mordecai was a Jew, so he sent an edict throughout the vast empire: On a certain day in the coming weeks people were to “…destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children…” (Esther 3:13). When Esther learned of the terrible plan, she bravely decided to take action: “…I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16).

The king graciously received Esther and her invitation for a private banquet with Esther and Haman. The night before the meal, the king couldn’t sleep and was reminded that Mordecai was never rewarded for his action. Haman unwittingly gave the king suggestions for Mordecai’s public honor.

At the banquet, Esther revealed her request: “…’(W)e have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated.’” The king is aghast and asked who dared to do this? Esther said, ‘A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman!’” (Esther 7:6). Haman was hung on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai, who was promoted to second in rank to King Ahasuerus. These events are celebrated by Jews each year in March at the Feast of Purim.

Racism is defeated when people stand up to its evil. Adam Makos wrote in “Devotion”, of pilot Ensign Jesse L. Brown, an African-American aviator. Before Brown was deployed to fight Communists in Korea, he and his buddies went to a bar with their squadron leader, who they called, ‘Dad’, a tough combat veteran. Dad believed what his father had taught him: “The color of a man’s skin makes no more difference than the color of his eyes.” They all sat at the bar and the bartender took the drink orders. When he came to Jesse, he turned to leave without taking his order. Dad said loudly, pointing at Jesse, “Excuse me. You missed this gentleman’s order!”

The bartender explained, “Sir, I apologize, but we don’t serve Negroes.” Dad angrily said, “Either you serve him, or you don’t serve any of us!” The bartender refused again, so Dad got his crew and they marched out. At the door of the bar, Dad turned to all the bar patrons who had noticed the commotion and yelled: “Tomorrow, that young man is leaving to fight the Reds,” gesturing toward Jesse. “And these people won’t even pour him a drink!” Many other sailors sat at the bar and turned angry looks toward the bartender.

Ensign Jesse L. Brown was shot down in Korea. Even though his wingman crash-landed next to him in an attempt to save him, Ensign Brown died and was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and a Purple Heart.

David Carlson Pastor (yes, that is his last name, not his profession) is a Polk County resident and graduate of Bethel Theological Seminary in Minnesota (M.Div., M.Th.)