Insight for Living

Narrator: If you're being honest, when was the last time you went too far? Too much anger, too many words, too little restraint. The answer is probably more recent than you'd like to admit.

Today, on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindoll connects a defining moment in the battle every one of us fights. The battle for self-control. The Jewish people had been given an unlimited license for revenge. What they did with it reveals something extraordinary about the Spirit of God at work in human hearts.

Teaching from Esther chapter 9, Chuck titled today's message, "The Limitations of Retaliation."

Chuck Swindoll: In order for there to be some kind of stoppage of vengeance, self-control must be applied.

One of my volumes that has helped me in the study of Esther writes this. Though in the book of Esther, the tables had been turned on those who would have killed the Jews, the Jews had behind them all the theological conditioning provided by their scriptures. And their understanding of permission to avenge themselves would have been adjusted accordingly.

Instead of having to endure slaughter without any means of self-defense, the new legislation permitted them to fight for one day against those who attacked them and to kill them. The fact that this surprising change in the circumstances had taken place was awe-inspiring. It pointed to a providential ordering of their affairs not to be taken lightly. To be sure, it was wonderful.

And a cause of rejoicing, but arrogance and presumption were ruled out, together with all bullying, self-assertive superiority which in turn would call for God's condemnation and punishment.

What he's saying in those words, what she is saying in those words is in fact a representation of self-control. Built into the heart of those ancient Jews, though in Persia all those years, was a long-term restraint coming from the Torah. Coming from holy scripture that held them in check. Let me show you. Chapter 9.

In the 12th month, that is, the month Adar, on the 13th day, when the king's command and edict were about to be executed, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, when the Gentiles hoped to gain mastery over the Jews, it was turned to the contrary, so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them.

Get the picture. Obviously, by using it twice, he is referring to a switch in the gaining of mastery. To begin with, the Gentiles gained the mastery over the Jews and waited for the day they could attack.

Tables turned and we have rejoiced to see it happen in earlier chapters of Esther. Now the Jews have gained the mastery over those who would have hurt them and perhaps had already begun to do so. And they are told without limits, take advantage of this opportunity. Get even. Get back.

Did they? Well, they certainly defended themselves. They certainly inflicted just punishment. And there is nothing in scripture that stands against that. But I don't believe they did it out of control. I'll show you why.

Verse 2. "The Jews assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm." Notice, not all of them, but only those who sought their harm. "And no one could stand before them, for the dread of them had fallen on all the peoples."

Don't think for a moment that when the barbed wire is cut and the allied troops come, and the prisoners in the death camps are freed, that dread doesn't fall on the guards. And for just reason.

"Even all the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and those who were doing the king's business assisted the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them." Indeed, Mordecai was great in the king's house and his fame spread throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai became greater and greater.

Verse 6. "And in Susa, the capital, the Jews killed and destroyed 500 men." And then it names for us a number. 10, in fact. Verse 10. "The 10 sons of Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Jews' enemy, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder." Underline that.

They had the freedom to kill women and children, but they didn't. Or if they did, it's not recorded once in this account. They had the freedom to take the spoil from the annihilation of these. They did not touch it. It says they never laid their hands on it.

"On that day the number of those who were killed in Susa the capital was reported to the king." Look at his response. The king said to Queen Esther, "The Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men and the 10 sons of Haman in Susa the capital. What then have they done in the rest of the king's provinces?"

You would have expected him to say, "That's enough. Touch no one else." But he trusts her. He trusts them. Look at what he says. "Now, what is your petition? What more can I do for you?"

"It shall even be granted you, and what is your further request? It shall also be done." She says, "If it please the king, let tomorrow also be granted to the Jews who are in Susa to do according to the edict of today." Don't limit it to one day, please. "There are others that we must be defended against."

"Let Haman's 10 sons be hanged on the gallows" in addition to my request for yet another day. So the king commanded that this should be done. An edict was issued in Susa, Haman's 10 sons were hanged. It was a public demonstration saying, "No more of this will be allowed, that which these men stood for."

"The Jews who were in Susa assembled also on the 14th day of the month Adar and killed 300 men in Susa, but they didn't lay their hands on the plunder." And I read nothing of killing women and children.

"Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king's provinces assembled to defend their lives." Notice, it's for the purpose of defense. As well as to rid themselves of enemies. Yes, there is a place for that. Yes, there is a place for dealing with enemies. Yes, there is a reason for national defense.

"And killed 75,000 of those who hated them, but," again it says, now for the third time, "they did not lay their hands on the plunder." The temptation to go too far, to take material advantage of their enemy was resisted.

What's the point? They were free to strike back without reservation. Certainly free to go the full distance in retaliation. But the Jews deliberately applied self-control. They refused to treat their enemies as they had the freedom to do. They held back. Instead of just gaining the mastery over the enemy, they gained the mastery over themselves.

Before going any further, let me explain to you as best I can how the syndrome works. Find a blank piece of paper somewhere. Draw or at least write two columns. On the left, put the title "The Offender." On the right, put the title or the heading "The Offended."

One is the original initiator, the other is the recipient. The offender on the left. The offended on the right. Let's complete the list on the left.

First, I would put disapproval begins. Next, I would write under that same heading, the offender, disapproval intensifies and grows into hatred. Next, I would put hatred begins to be expressed. And this leads to extreme punishment becoming a way of life.

Notice already the erosion. What begins as mild disapproval leads to hatred, which leads to a way of life, some kind of extreme punishment. It may come across as words set against another. It may be limited to letters that are ugly and character assassinating. It might be physical. It could be threatening. It could lead to physical violence, as certainly it does in cases around our society.

Now, right in the middle of this list, you have listed all these other things, put, one day the tables are turned. For the offender, where disagreement has led to hatred, which has led to extreme punishment, which has led to a way of life for extreme punishment, then one day, or perhaps in a brief period of time, the tables are turned.

Stay on that same list on the left there. The very first thing that occurs is fear of revenge from the offended. Next, an expectation of vengeance. And then last, if it runs its normal course and nothing stops it, full-scale acts of hatred and violence experienced. The person who was hurt gets back in full measure.

As Webster says, "There is revenge," which is another word for retaliation. Now let's go to the offended. It's almost as though you were to take these columns and reverse them. The offended on the right.

First of all, an awareness of disapproval. An awareness of disapproval. Next, an inability to change the thinking of the angry person. This leads to the beginning of mistreatment, which leads in turn to the inability to defend oneself. There's a sense of helplessness as the person comes down on us.

By the way, put in parenthesis, if you will, thoughts of retaliation intensify. Because you can't change it, because you can't defend, because you can't seem to hold it back, you then think, "How can I someday get back?"

Now, as in the first list, this list now includes, "One day the tables are turned." One day the enormous cat becomes the mouse in your paws. One day the prisoner gets the gun. One day the victim has his or her moment.

All right, we're still going on this list. Opportunity provided to get even. And then finally, if not held in check, there is the acting out of full-scale vengeance.

Now, look at the lists. Compare the two. You have this alike in both of them. A growth of intensity, the other side feeling of helplessness and defenselessness. It's exactly what happened to the Jews. In both cases, this changes. In a day, in a moment, in a period of time, the tables are turned. This is your moment.

What is it that stops the syndrome? Self-control under the Spirit of God. And it is there we experience again what we battle with, with lust and anger and temper and gluttony and habits with drugs and alcohol. We yield to the temptation to go too far.

Turn finally to Romans chapter 12, if you will please. You have been so kind to listen carefully to these words. We haven't finished until we look through the lens of scripture at God's attitude toward retaliation.

Let me make a disclaimer. I am not referring to criminal acts. I am not referring to necessary national defense. I am not making a case for the removal of all attorneys from the face of the earth. I am not. I see their place. I appreciate those who make their living in that realm. Most of them. I appreciate.

Somebody asked me recently if I knew what looked good on an attorney that's black and brown. I said, "No, I didn't." He said, "A Doberman." I said, "Ah, I don't, that's not, that's not true of most of them I know." Boy, I'll get mail on this one, won't I? Okay, back to Romans chapter 12.

The Christian who is free today can be the most dangerous creature on earth. If you really get a hold of the grace of God and it goes to seed, wow. You must have self-control or you will bring havoc to the body of Christ.

First, I want to suggest three things to remember on the basis of Romans 12. And I'm addressing believers in Jesus Christ. Number one, remember you are to be different from the world. Romans 12, 1 and 2. Remember you are to be different from the world. Verses 1 and 2. "I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world." Put in parenthesis, "Don't be conformed to the world."

Don't take your cues from what they would do. The world invariably will retaliate. Except for a few rare exceptions, thanks to Douglas MacArthur types, the world will get its pound of flesh. I learned that years ago. Drove a little white Volkswagen. We had two children back then. I was trying to get out of the car in a close parking space. Scouts honor.

I opened the door, had one child in my arm, and was trying to drag, well not drag, but help the other child out of the car. And my door bumped the car next to me. I did not chip the paint. There was a slight little ding. I frowned, I looked around hoping to say, "I'm sorry, I apologize." Didn't see anybody, closed the door, locked my car, took my children, walked inside this discount store and encountered the owner of that vehicle, who had been on his way out the door and stood watching what I'd done.

Well, you would have thought I wrecked his car. And I stood inside the store knowing my turn was coming. And he got into his car, but before he sat down, he took his door and went bang, bang, bang. Now, you know, here's my little Volkswagen sitting there with three major dings. Why? Because the world retaliates. Doesn't forgive.

It doesn't say, "I understand. I've done what you've done a dozen times myself." It gets back in like measure and preferably in greater measure. Remember you're different. Don't be conformed.

Verses 3, 4 and 5. Remember you are a member of the same family. Verse 3. "Through the grace given to me, I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think." You're not in charge. As my daughter said the other day, "Who died, Dad, and put you in charge of the world?" It's a great question.

No one has died and put you in charge. This isn't the family of Jones. This isn't the family of Smith. This isn't the family of Johnson. This isn't the family of Swindoll. This is the family of God. Don't think of yourself as ruler and Lord. Remember, you're a member of the same family and just as we have many members in one body, all members do not have the same function. So we who are many are one body in Christ. That's the family owner.

And individually we're members one of another. Remember, you're members of the same family. Parenthesis, "Don't try to take charge. You can't handle it. You'll get out of control." There are some exceptions when a church leadership must take charge and bring discipline, discipline measures on members. It's the most tragic part of the pastor's experience, but it must occur on occasion.

But that's not what I have in mind here. I have in mind personal vendettas, personal retaliation, personal revenge. Don't try to take charge.

And finally, verses 17 to 21. Remember the Lord is your defender. The Lord is your defender. Listen to these words. "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you," I love this verse, there's reasonableness in it. "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men."

Verse 21. "Do not overcome evil by evil, but overcome evil with good." Parenthesis, "Don't carry out your own revenge." If I could get on my knees to make it more effective, I would. Please, lay down your arms. Take all the bullets out of the weapon.

I've never met a human being who is an adult who didn't have somebody they could blame for something. We're all in that sense victims of abuse. We're all in that sense victims of mistreatment. Victims of wrong words. Victims of misunderstanding.

Don't carry out your own revenge. Remember the Lord is your defender. Remember we are all members of the same family and remember we are different from the world.

I have no idea for whom this message was meant. I don't plan the chapters in the Bible. I just preach them. But it seemed to stand out in my mind that there was something to say to all of us about the importance of resting our case. Letting God be God. Letting Him deal beautifully and masterfully with those who would gain the mastery over us.

I'd like to ask you to bow with me for a moment of prayer. Father, thank you for reproof that comes from divine scripture. Thank you for relevance in the declaration of the Word of God. May these words fall on receptive ears. And Lord, may we do something about them. May we obey them. May we be models of self-control in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Narrator: This is Insight for Living. The Jewish people in Esther's day had every legal right to go the full distance in retaliation, yet they pulled back. Not from weakness, but from the inner strength that only God's Spirit produces. That's the fruit of self-control, gaining mastery over yourself rather than over your enemy.

To dig deeper into this remarkable account, Insight for Living has prepared a special bundle of resources for the Esther series, which concludes in just a few more days. This bundle includes the Searching the Scriptures Bible Study Workbook, Chuck's full-length biography of Esther, and the complete collection of 12 sermons on CD. To access these resources right now, go to insight.org/offer.

In just a moment, I'll describe a brand new booklet Chuck's written about the Power of the Cross. We published it just in time to coincide with the teaching series that begins on the 10th of June. The cross not only represents our salvation in Christ, but a constant source of power that we can deploy every single day. Chuck?

Chuck Swindoll: My mother was a wise woman. Relentless, too. From the time I was old enough to string sentences together, she was pressing scripture into me. Memorize this, learn that, hide it in your heart. Honestly, when you're young and restless, and there are a thousand other things competing for your attention, a mother's insistence on scripture memory can feel, well, a little annoying. But oh, how wise she was. Because here I am, decades later with eyes that don't cooperate the way they used to.

The pages of my beloved Bible, dog-eared, marked up, worn soft from a lifetime of handling, are nearly impossible for me to read now. But those promises, they come to my lips like sweet honey, spontaneously, effortlessly. Right when I need them most.

A friend told me recently that my body may be past 90, but my mind still responds like a 40-year-old. I'm not sure that's entirely accurate, but I'll take it. And I'll tell you why it's true to whatever extent it is. It's because God's Word is hidden in my heart, deeply, permanently. And nothing, not age, not failing eyesight, not the relentless march of time, can reach in and take it out.

The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the Word of God abides forever. I believe that today more than I've ever believed it in my life. And that's precisely why I refuse to grow weary in well-doing. We have something the world is desperately searching for. Hope. Real hope. Not optimism, not positive thinking. The timeless, unshakable hope of the cross we proclaim.

As June 30th approaches, don't wait. Your gift plants the seed of God's Word in fertile soil all over this world. What are you waiting for? Let's tell them together, because there is indeed hope.

Narrator: Yes, the world needs the right direction. To respond to Chuck Swindoll, call us at 800-772-8888. Or go to insight.org/donate. Plus, when you respond with a much-appreciated gift today, we'll say thanks by providing a brand new booklet from Chuck. It's called The Cross We Proclaim. In his booklet, Chuck draws from Paul's letter to the Corinthians to show how easy it is to live with great energy, but be heading in the wrong direction. Whether chasing achievement, reputation or religious performance, the cross alone has the power to reorient your life.

We'd love to send you The Cross We Proclaim. To send a check in the mail, just address your donation to Insight for Living, Post Office Box 5000, Frisco, Texas, 75034. That's Post Office Box 5000, Frisco, Texas, 75034. You can also call us at 800-772-8888 or go online to insight.org/donate.

I'm Bill Myers. Join us to hear Chuck Swindoll describe how to win the battle for self-control. Thursday, on Insight for Living.

The preceding message, "The Limitations of Retaliation," was copyrighted in 1989, 1990, 1997, 2005, 2018, and 2026, and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2026 by Charles R. Swindoll, Incorporated. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited.