God’s Courage In My Life: Esther
Background
Characters:
Esther, a Persian name which means star. Her Hebrew name was
Hadassah, which means myrtle.
Mordecai "little man" cousin and adoptive father
of queen Esther; son of Jair of the tribe of Benjamin.
Ahasuerus "I will be silent and poor", title of
the king of Persia, probably Xerxes.
Haman = "magnificent", chief minister (vizier) of
Ahasuerus, enemy of Mordecai and the Jews.
The Missing Name of God: Esther is the only book in the Bible that contains not a single mention of God’s name. Nor does it refer to the Temple, the land of Israel or the scripture. Why, is God’s name absent from the book?
“The Book of Esther serves the purpose of showing how Divine Providence overrules all things; even in a distant, far country, God’s people are yet in His hands. But since they are in this distant, far country, and not in the land of Promise, His Name is not mentioned” (Edward J. Young, An Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 349)
Timeline: As far back as 722 B.C., Israelites from the northern tribes were transplanted as captives to “the cities of the Medes” among other places (II Kgs 17:6). Furthermore, after the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus in 539 B.C., some of the Jews who had been transported to Babylonia by Nebuchadnezzar probably moved eastward to Shushan and other cities in Medo-Persia, as Mordecai did (Est 2:5, 6). But of the millions of Jews who had been dispersed throughout the Near East, only about 50,000 chose to return to the Promised Land with Zerubbabel and Joshua in 536 B.C. (Ezr 2:64-67).
According to Ezra 6:15, the second Temple was completed in 515-517 B.C., in the sixth year of Darius I. It was just thirty-two years later that Xerxes, the son of Darius I, “made a feast unto all his princes and his servants” (Est 1:3). The events of this book cover a period of ten years, from the great feast of Xerxes (483 B.C.) to the Feast of Purim (473 B.C.). Sixteen years after the first Feast of Purim, Ezra led his expedition back to Jerusalem (Ezr 7:9). Thus, the events of this book fit in between the sixth and seventh chapters of the Book of Ezra. - Charles F. Pfeiffer, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary: Old Testament, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1962), Ne 13:30.
Introduction:
In her book, Living with Love, Josephine Robertson tells a story. "In 1883, a youthful missionary, Joe Roberts, arrived by stagecoach in a blizzard to minister to the Shoshone Tribe of Wyoming. Soon after he arrived, the son of the chief Washakie was shot by a soldier in a brawl. The Chief vowed to kill the first white man he met as revenge. This would lead to the start of a long, bloody feud, with death on both sides, but especially among the Shoshone people, Roberts who had come to help the tribe with the Gospel, decided he needed to act. He got direction and then set out for the camp, fifteen miles away deep in the mountains. When he arrived, he stood outside the chief’s teepee and called the chief's name. When Washakie appeared, Roberts opened his shirt and bared his chest and said, "I have heard of your vow. The other white men have families, but I am alone. Kill me instead."
Washakie was amazed and told him to come into his tent. "How do you have so much courage?" he asked. So Joe Roberts told the chief of the courage of Christ and how He died for all men.
They talked for hours. When missionary Joe left, the chief of the Shoshones had renounced his vow to kill and resolved to become a Christian.
If you were in such a time and place offer your life to save the life of others? Could you offer yourself to appease a father’s rage so that you might have a chance to share the Gospel? That took courage, supernatural courage and that is what we are going to talk about this morning, the God’s Courage In My Life, from the book of the courageous woman of God, Esther.
God’s Providence Esther 1:10-12
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
Providence In The Past
In the book of Esther we see several events which seem random or unconnected, but actually are ordered by the providence of God. Events that will work to bring about God’s sovereign will and save God’s chosen people, the nation of Israel.
The first event involves the King Ahasuerus, the son of Darius I and history tells us carries the title of Xerxes, throws a feast, This feast (literally, it was a drinking feast) and it is recorded in history as taking place year 483/482 B.C. It was to commemorate the planned invasion of Greece by Persia.
The second event during the feast involves the Queen Amestris, who the Bible names us as Vashti, a title which meant “most beautiful.”
Then we have the critical event in our story, the king in the midst of this drinking feast, with all his drinking nobles, calls for the queen to dress up and show herself off before his guests, which may have numbered in the 10s of thousands, but the queen refuses to come. We are not told exactly why she refuses. Was it because of the drunkenness of the guests? Was it because she did not want to be paraded like a prize horse. Perhaps it was because she had her own banquet for the women at another palace and it was her duty to stay there. We don’t know but her refusal brings about a cascade of reactions and crises that only God uses to accomplish His purpose.
So let us discuss Providence because the book of Esther is about providence.
The Providence of the Present
One of the most powerful and courageous things a Christian can do is learn to trust God in His providence as the God’s people did in the past, we must do in the present. We might call it stepping out in faith, or standing on the promises but what it means is trusting God when there is no visible means of support. We must touch providence by faith never by sight.
Providence: Literally means foresight but is generally used to denote God's preserving and governing all things by means of second causes.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.,
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
God's providence extends to:
The affairs of men
Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is in the
hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
James 4:14-15 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your
life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth
away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this,
or that.
God’s providence even to the free actions of men Pro19:21, 20:24; Php 2:13 Eph 2:10
applies to the sinful actions of men, they are represented as occurring by God's permission and as controlled and overruled for good. God does not cause or approve of sin, but only limits, restrains, overrules it for good. The mode of God's providential government is altogether unexplained.
God’s providence is
universal Ps 103:17-19
particular (to the individual) Mt 10:29-31
efficacious (effective, it will not fail) Ps 33:11 Job 23:13
embraces events apparently contingent (if, then) Pr 16:9,33
19:21 21:1
is consistent with His own perfection (God is all knowing,
powerful and present) 2Ti 2:13
and to His own glory Ro 9:17 11:36
Illustration: “We Sent Two Boats and a Helicopter.”
Here's a great story about providence. During a terrible flood, volunteers risked their lives to rescue victims stranded in the deluge. One old Pentecostal preacher was up to his knees in the fast-rising waters when a rowboat came by. "Hop in, we'll save you!"
"No thanks, I’m waiting for the Lord to take care of me."
A short while later, the water had risen to the roof and the man had climbed there for safety. A fire and rescue boat is patrolling and seeing him goes to save him. “Get in, we won’t be able to come back.” Again he declined: "No thanks, I have faith and the good Lord is going to save me."
Soon the water was up to his chin, a Coast Guard helicopter flies overhead drops a ladder and over the loud speaker calls out. "Grab the ladder, this is your last chance!"
"Thanks, but no thanks. I have faith. I don't need you to rescue me because the Lord will save me."
Those were the last words the man uttered a wave washed over him and he drowned. He realized he was in heaven but he was bewildered and pretty upset. Banging on the Pearly Gates be called out to St. Peter, "What happened? I never doubted, I had faith why wasn’t I saved?"
Peter looked at him, shook his head, and said, "Hey! We sent two boats and a helicopter!”
Get it? That’s providence.
The providence of God continues through the events of the Persian court as Vashti is removed as the queen, and a search is began for a replacement to teach her and all the women of Persia a lesson about who is really in charge, the king or queen, men or women. The historian Herodotus records such and event though the names are not given, but we know her name Esther the star of Persia. She among all the women of Persia is selected and place in the place of Queen Vashti.
God’s Providence now moves from events to people. In this case the special person through which God will save the nation of Israel.
God’s Person - Esther 4:13-14
Esther 4:13-14 13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. 14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
God Uses Esther to save His People
In chapter 2 we once again see God’s Providence at work as we meet Mordecai and Esther through the search for Vashti’s replacement. Mordecai was one of the Kings officers who served in the court and whose station was “at the Kings Gate” this may have been a literal gate in the palace or it may have simply meant a place where the kings officers would wait to be called to the King.
We then met Esther, Mordecai had raised her as his daughter when her father, Mordecia’s uncle had died.
Esther has been installed as the replacement of Vashti in the Kings attention and affections when in chapter 3 we meet Haman, a proud vain, ambitious, sycophantic man who wants first place in the Kings court. When he rides out one day past the other officers in the court yard, Mordecia refused to bow down as the others do.
There may have been a good reason for Mordecia refusing to bow and Haman despising Mordecia. Haman we are told is “Agagite,” which could mean he came from a district in the empire known as Agag. But it could also mean that he was descended from Agag, king of the Amalekites (1 Sam. 15:8). If the latter is the case, then we can easily understand why Haman hated the Jews and Mordecai would not bow. These were ancient, bitter and implacable enemies from the time of the Exodus. - Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Committed, “Be” Commentary Series, (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1993), 92–94.
Haman determines not only to punish Mordecia, but to destroy all the Jews in all the lands of the Empire. Perhaps the greatest revenge of one person upon millions of people until Hitler.
Haman though his lies and his position with the King, gets the king to sign a law into effect that on the 13th day of the 12 month all the Jews in all the kingdom were to be killed and those who did the killing could keep the possessions of the families that they killed as a bounty.
It is under the danger of that decree that Mordecai comes to Esther and tells her she must be God’s Person for this hour. God’s person for God’s providence Eshter had never even told the King or anyone else that she was a Jew and now she must walk into the King’s presence without an invitation, which could result her own death and try and stop the slaughter of Mordecai and her people.
Mordecai in convincing her asks this famous question, “who knows whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this.
He then appeals to her using three principles in 4:13-14
Faith: …then shall deliverance arise to the Jews from another place (based upon God’s promises.)
Fidelity: Thy fathers house shall be destroyed (loyalty and duty to your family)
Fortitude: thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this (courage to act)
We know God used Esther and Mordecai but the question for us today is….
Will God Use You?
In the Bible there are many examples of “for such a time as this.”
Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah: Daniel 3:16-18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Daniel in the lions den: Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
Peter and John before the Sanhedrin.: Acts 5:27-29 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
You might say, “sure if those things happened, I’d stand for God just like the heroes of the Bible.” Le me give you some other examples from today.
A teacher attacks Christianity and opens the class for discussion. Do you speak or hold your tongue?
Co-workers or friends call you over to listen to a dirty story or watch an immoral video on their smart phone. Do you awkwardly just smile and just go along or say something?
Your children want you to buy them music or take them to a show that you know is a bad influence and shows sin as enjoyable, even desirable. Do you say ok?
Friends decide to eat out after work and when you arrive, they order a pitcher of beer for your table even though they know you don’t drink as a Christian. Should you stay while they drink?
You and a friend are driving down the highway and pass a car with the hood open and steam coming out of the radiator. A mile or two later you pass a man walking with a gas can in his hand. Do you stop and help him?
The point is that no one can know for sure when God will use us, therefore we must be always ready “for such a time as this.”
How do you know what to do in these situations? What principles will you use to decide what you must do? Just like Mordecai’s appeal to Esther we must have:
Faith in God’s promises
Fidelity to your God, you family and your Church
Fortitude, the courage to act now.
Those principles will never fail you in any decision you will make. I think they are reflected and summarized here in ….
1 Chronicles 19:13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.
God’s providence is at work, God’s person is in place and now we will see…
God’s Power - Esther 8:5-7
Esther 8:5-7 5 And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces: 6 For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? 7 Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.
God’s Power through Esther and Mordecai Saves the Jews.
Esther risks her life to go before the King and he points his scepter at her allowing her to live and come into his presence. She invites him and Haman to a dinner which of course appeals greatly to the vanity of Haman. At the dinner she pleads for her life and the King asks who would dare to threaten her and her people and Esther points and says, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman.”
The King is filled with wrath and has Haman hanged on the gallows that Haman had built to kill Mordecai. He then signs a law that allows the Jewish people to defend themselves when the day comes that Haman had devised to have them eradicated.
And though Esther, Mordecai and the King were all involved, it was God in His power, working through them, who brought about their deliverance.
Will God’s Power Work In Us?
If you are a child of God, you want the answer to be, yes. But know that even if you are not saved, the answer is still yes. In the former God works though you willingly and in the latter He still works through you though you are unwilling. God is God and He is sovereign, therefor by His foreknowledge, He will work His will. Either through you or in spite of you but God’s power through God’s providence will accomplish God’s sovereign will.
I hope and pray that all of us here are in the first group. We want to willingly be used of God, to see His will done and power seen in our choices and service. We must always be aware of the reality and the opportunities in the same way that Mordecai spoke to Esther, “for such a time as this?” Has God brought you, has God brought our church, has God brought others, into the times and events of our lives, for such a time as this?
What open doors do we see? What challenges? What chances for service? We must face these times with faith, fidelity and fortitude. We must not shrink back from what we know is God’s providence at work in this time, in this place and in our life.
Conclusion
Will I rise to the occasion, the opportunity “for such a time as this?”
Listen to the challenge of God from Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
In battle when men would fall standing in the shield wall or when the walls of city were breeched and the enemy concentrates their forces to break through the gap, it is then that the courageous would rush forward and “stand in the gap”
As we look around us, at our family, our church, our nation, the times in which we live, is there a gap that we should be standing in? Is there a break in the shield wall that you should courageously step into?
To do so, you must be willing to trust God’s promises, accept His providence and act upon His principle of faith, fidelity and fortitude. Then like Esther and Mordecia, like, like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, like Peter, John and like so many others, both known and unknown, you can be used of God “for such a time as this.”
