When Paul reasoned from the Old Testament, he argued from one letter of one word, “He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ” (Gal. 3:16). In the same manner, we draw your attention to one word, except.

It is interesting that everyone understands the force of the “exception” in Esther 4:11 (as seen in the chart). I do not know of any controversies that exist over Esther 4:11. Everyone agrees that there was one general law that the King of Persia had when bothered in his inner court. Every man and woman who stands before him would be put to death, Jew or Gentile. That was the general rule. However, there was one exception that existed. Of all men and women who stood before the king all were put to death with the exception of those whom the king extended the golden scepter. If they stood before him and he held nothing, or a book, a shoe or a golden cup, then they were put to death. End of story!

Now the King of kings has a general law about divorce and remarriage. That law states whoever divorces (puts away) his wife and marries another person commits adultery (cf. Mk. 10:11, 12; Lk. 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10-13, 39). This is God’s general law, and it is true regardless of who that person is (Jew, Gentile, Christian, non-Christian, American, African, etc.). We can speak this confidently because binding man to woman in marriage has been given for all men of all ages, “Marriage is honorable among all. . .” (Heb. 13:4).

But the Lord holds out the golden scepter, so to speak, to one particular kind of divorcee:  the one who puts away his/her mate for violating the marriage bed with fornication (incest, homosexuality, bestiality, raping another, adultery, any sexual affair with another person). Why is this law so difficult for some to see, and Esther 4:11 is not? Is it because many among us are in adulterous marriages or have a friend, son, or daughter in one? I suspect so!

“I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Lk. 13:3).