Esther:

Esther, originally named Hadassah, is a central figure in the Book of Esther, which is part of the Ketuvim ("Writings") in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament in the Christian Bible. Esther, a Jewish orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai, rises to a position of significant authority as the queen of Persia. Her account unfolds during the reign of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I), who ruled from 486 to 465 BC.

Esther's authority is not initially apparent, as she enters the royal court through a beauty contest orchestrated by King Ahasuerus to find a new queen. However, her influence becomes evident when she courageously approaches the king without being summoned, an act punishable by death, to plead for the lives of her people. Esther 4:16 records her resolve: "Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."

Esther's authority is further solidified when King Ahasuerus grants her request to save the Jewish people from Haman's plot. Esther 8:7-8 states, "Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, 'Behold, I have given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he was hanged on the gallows because he attacked the Jews. Now you may write in the king’s name as you please concerning the Jews, and seal it with the king’s signet ring. For a decree written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be revoked.'"

Mordecai:

Mordecai, a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, is introduced as a minor official in the Persian court who becomes a key figure in the deliverance of the Jewish people. His authority is initially limited, but his wisdom and loyalty to the king and his people elevate his status.

Mordecai's authority is first demonstrated when he uncovers a plot to assassinate King Ahasuerus, as recorded in Esther 2:21-23 . His loyalty is rewarded later when the king honors him for this act, leading to his rise in prominence.

Mordecai's authority reaches its zenith after Haman's downfall. Esther 10:3 describes his elevated position: "For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews."

Mordecai's influence is further evidenced by his role in establishing the festival of Purim, a celebration of the Jewish people's deliverance from Haman's plot. Esther 9:20-22 records, "Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to all the Jews in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, to establish among them an annual celebration on the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the days on which the Jews gained rest from their enemies—the month in which their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration."

Through their courage, wisdom, and faithfulness, Esther and Mordecai exemplify the exercise of authority for the protection and welfare of God's people, demonstrating the providential care of God in the lives of His chosen ones.