221204 Esther 1-4: “...For Such a Time as This”

Draft Title

“For Such a Time as This”

Introduction

Jeremiah 1: 4-9 “Now the word of Yahweh came to me saying, “Before I formed you in the innermost parts I knew you, And before you came out from the womb I set you apart; I have given you as a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Alas, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I do not know how to speak Because I am a youth.” But Yahweh said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak. “Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you,” declares Yahweh. Then Yahweh sent forth His hand and touched my mouth, and Yahweh said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.”

Main Point

Proverbs 24:11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

Doctrine

Preservation

Providence

Sovereignty

Introduction

Leonidas

480BC Thermopylae

300 Greeks withstand the Persian Army of 150K with support this is a total body of people of more than 1M

Esther 2–4 (LSB)

CHAPTER 2

I. Good in the Eyes of the King (v1-4)

1 After these things when the wrath of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decided against her. 2 Then the young men of the king, who attended to him, said, “Let young virgins, beautiful in appearance, be sought for the king. 3 “And let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather every young virgin, beautiful in appearance, to the citadel of Susa, to the harem, into the hand of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who keeps charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given to them. 4 “Then let the young lady who is good in the eyes of the king be queen in place of Vashti.” And the word was good in the eyes of the king, and he did so.

Main Point

Proverbs 24:11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

Context

Xerxes Thermopylae

Themes

Wrath

Remembrance

Vengeance

Turning to distractions

Flattery

Appointment/Establishment of leaders

Cross Reference Support

Daniel 8:2 “And I looked in the vision. And it happened that while I was looking, I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision, and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal.”

II. Beautiful in Form and Appearance (v5-7)

5 Now there was at the citadel in Susa a Jew. And his name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite, 6 who had been taken away into exile from Jerusalem with the exiles who had been taken away into exile with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had taken away into exile. 7 And he was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young lady was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

Main Point

Proverbs 24:11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

Context

Kish was the father of Saul the first king of Israel

Interestingly had not returned to Judah as a Jew to re-establish Jerusalem in accordance with the command of King Cyrus

Themes

Royal heritage

Adoption

Cross Reference Support

1 John 3:1-2 “See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we would be called children of God; and we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

III. she should not tell anyone about them | Mordecai’s Command (v8-11) Mordecai’s Hesed

8 Now it happened that when the word and law of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the hand of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king’s house into the hand of Hegai, who kept charge of the women. 9 And the young lady was good in his eyes, and she advanced in lovingkindness before him. So he hurried to give her cosmetics and portions of food to her, and to give to her seven choice young women from the king’s house. And he transferred her and her young women to the best place in the harem. 10 Esther did not tell anyone about her people or her kinsmen, for Mordecai had commanded her that she should not tell anyone about them. 11 And every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the court of the harem to know the well-being of Esther and how she fared.

Main Point

Proverbs 24:11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

IV. So Esther was taken | Interview With the King (v12-16) Esther’s Turn

12 Now when it reached the turn of each young lady to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women—for the days of their cosmetic treatment were fulfilled as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women— 13 then the young lady would go in to the king in this way: anything that she said she desired was given to her to come with her from the harem to the king’s house. 14 In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second harem, to the hand of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who kept charge of the concubines. She would not again go in to the king unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.

15 Now when it reached the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king, she did not seek anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who kept charge of the women, said. And Esther advanced in favor in the eyes of all who saw her. 16 So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus to his royal house in the tenth month which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

Main Point

Proverbs 24:11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

Context

Tevet is between December and January

Themes

Courtship

Only Chance

Purity

Readiness

Cross Reference Support

SS 1:3 ““Your oils have a pleasing fragrance, Your name is like purified oil; Therefore the maidens love you.”

V. queen in place of Vashti A New Queen Announced (v17-18)

17 And the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she advanced in favor and lovingkindness before him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. 18 Then the king held a great feast, Esther’s feast, for all his princes and his servants; he also held a remission of taxes for the provinces and gave gifts according to the king’s hand.

Main Point

Proverbs 24:11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

Themes

Relationships

Celebrating the spouse

VI. But the matter became known | Esther Keeps the Command of Mordecai (v19-23) Hesed for Ahasuerus

19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. 20 Esther had not yet told anyone about her kinsmen or her people, just as Mordecai had commanded her; indeed Esther was doing what Mordecai declared that she do, just as she had done when she was being brought up by him. 21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs from those who were doorkeepers, became furious and sought to send forth their hand against King Ahasuerus. 22 But the matter became known to Mordecai, and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther said it to the king in Mordecai’s name. 23 Then the matter was sought out and found to be true, so they were both hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king’s presence.

Main Point

Proverbs 24:11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

Context

Unknown what it means when it says the virgins were gathered a second time - sounds like Ahasuerus wasnt finished collecting women?

Themes

Rewarding faithfulness

Justice

Keeping records

Capital Punishment

Cross Reference Support

Psalm 7:14-16 “Behold, he travails with wickedness, And he conceives mischief and gives birth to falsehood. He has dug a pit and hollowed it out, And has fallen into the hole which he made. His mischief will return upon his own head, And his violence will descend upon his own skull.”

CHAPTER 3

VII. Seeking the Destruction of the Jews | The Kings Command Refused (v1-6) | A Stunning Upset | The Trespassed Command

1 After these things, King Ahasuerus magnified Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. 2 And all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate were bowing down and prostrating themselves before Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow down or prostrate himself. 3 So the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you trespass against the king’s command?” 4 Now it happened when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 Then Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing down or prostrating himself before him. So Haman was filled with wrath. 6 But he despised in his eyes to send forth his hand against Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

Main Point

Proverbs 24:11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

Cross Reference Support

Ps 83.2-4 “For behold, Your enemies roar, And those who hate You have lifted up their heads. They make shrewd plans against Your people, And conspire together against Your treasured ones. They have said, “Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more.””

Da 3.12 ““There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. These men, O king, do not pay attention to you; they do not serve your gods and do not worship the golden image which you have set up.””

Da 3.19 “Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and the image of his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. He answered and said to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.”

VIII. Let It Be Written That They Should Perish (v7-11) The Accuser of the Jews

7 In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, Pur, that is the lot, was cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, until the twelfth month, that is the month Adar. 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and separated among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people, and they do not do the king’s laws, so it is not worth it for the king to let them remain. 9 “If it seems good to the king, let it be written down that they should perish, and I will pay 10,000 talents of silver into the hands of those who do this work, to bring into the king’s treasuries.” 10 Then the king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the adversary of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The silver is yours, and the people also, to do with them according to what is good in your eyes.”

Main Point

Proverbs 24:11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

Context

March/April Time frame

Themes

Luck/Lots/Lives

Unfair accusations

Lying

Delegation of duty

Qualifications of leader

Cross Reference Support

Da 6.13 “Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps seeking to make his petition three times a day.””

Pr 16.33 “The lot is cast into the lap, But its every judgment is from Yahweh.”

IX. The Command to Destroy All the Jews (v12-15)but the city of Susa was in confusion.

12 Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province, and to the princes of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its tongue, being written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 And letters were sent by the hand of couriers to all the king’s provinces to destroy, to kill, and to cause all the Jews to perish, both young and old, little ones and women, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to plunder their spoil. 14 A copy of that which was written down to be given as law in every province was revealed to all the peoples so that they should be ready for this day. 15 The couriers went out, hastened by the word of the king. And the law was given at the citadel in Susa. Now the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in confusion.

Main Point

Proverbs 24:11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

Context

Pharaoh - Moses

Famine - Joseph

Amalek

Herod - Joseph

Hitler

Antisemitism

Athaliah - Anti-Messiah

Satan - Cain

Edom - Jehoshaphat

Themes

Certain doom

Destiny

Faithful messengers

Drunkenness

Bad leaders/Government

CHAPTER 4

X. Great Mourning (v1-3) The Remnant To Be Destroyed?

1 Now Mordecai came to know of all that had been done. And he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and cried out loudly and bitterly. 2 And he went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. 3 Now in each and every province where the word and law of the king reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many made their bed in sackcloth and ashes.

Main Point

Proverbs 24:11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

Themes

Understanding the times

Grieving

Repenting

Mourning

Clothing

Fasting

Fear

Stress

XI. Mordecai’s Command to Esther (v4-8) The Command to Intercede

4 Then Esther’s young women and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and to remove his sackcloth from upon him, but he did not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king’s eunuchs, whom the king had appointed to attend her, and commanded him to go to Mordecai to know what this was and why it was. 6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king’s gate. 7 And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of silver that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries to cause the Jews to perish. 8 He also gave him a copy of the written law which had been given in Susa for their destruction, in order to show Esther and to tell her and to command her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to seek him out for her people.

Main Point

Proverbs 24:11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

Themes

Grief

Dignity in the midst of Grief

Reading it for ourselves

XI.he has but one law Esther Commands Hathach (v9-12) The Law of the King | Civil Disobedience | A Death Sentence for Disobedience

9 Then Hathach came back and told Mordecai’s words to Esther. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to reply to Mordecai: 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” 12 So they told Esther’s words to Mordecai.

Main Point

Proverbs 24:11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

Themes

Faithfulness in obeying

Confronting our own mortality

Grace from the King

Obedience to the Law

Disobedience to the Law

Timing is everything

XII. For Such a Time as This (v13-17) Esther Commands Mordecai

13 Then Mordecai said for them to respond to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s house can escape any more than all the Jews. 14 “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not reached royalty for such a time as this?” 15 Then Esther said for them to respond to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.” 17 So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.

Main Point

Proverbs 24:11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

Themes

Silence in fear

Deliverance

Fasting

Doctrine

Preservation of a remnant

How does this support my Main Point

Intercession involves action, intentional prayer and

Does anything in here detract from my main point

NA

Questions

Why is there no praying mentioned - Esther antagonistic toward the Lord?

Observation

Fasting is a primary and

Application to Christians/Non-Christians

The people of God are expected to fast - to show the depth of their concern by foregoing food and intentionally imploring God in a steady focused way

Fasting is to forego food and focus on imploring God - Fasting demonstrates not only to God but to the one fasting that they are serious about their request

Cross Reference Support

Ps 28.1 “To You, O Yahweh, I call; My rock, do not be silent to me, Lest if You are hesitant toward me, I will become like those who go down to the pit.”

Ec 3.7 “A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak.”

Joel 2.12 ““Yet even now,” declares Yahweh, “Return to Me with all your heart And with fasting, weeping, and wailing;”

DRAFT How to increase our boldness to open our mouth for those who are perishing - hardening / firming in our faith:

C onsider the Grace and Sovereignty of God - for such a time as this we have been placed where we are | Consider that before morality/good behavior the lost needs a Savior first

Dan 2.21 ““And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.”

Romans 10.14-15 “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? And how will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO PROCLAIM GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!””

O ccupy your thoughts with those who are perishing - people we know and love | Obey the Clear commands of God

Pr 24.11 “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.”

Mat 28.19-20 ““Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””

U nderstand that there are limited opportunities and some chances never repeat

Ec 3.7 “A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak.”

PR 24.10 “If you are slack in the day of trouble, Your strength is in trouble.”

Ec 3.1 “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven—”

R emember that our Master has made it our responsibility to faithfully open our mouths - to intercede - to share | Rewards are promised to those who faithfully obey

Pr 24.12 “If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts understand? And does not He who guards your soul know? And will not He render to man according to his work?”

John 4:35-38 ““Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. “Even now he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. “For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ “I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.””

A sk God to remove the fear of man and increase our fear of Him

Pr 29.25 “Trembling before man brings a snare, But he who trusts in Yahweh will be set securely on high.”

G ain an eternal perspective

Luke 12:5 ““But I will show you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!”

E nlist others to help with the work

2 Tim 2.1-2 “You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

FINAL DRAFT How to increase our boldness to open our mouth for those who are perishing - hardening / firming in our faith:

C onsider the Gracious and Sovereign Providence of God - for such a time as this we have been placed where we are

Eph 2.8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

O ccupy your thoughts with those who are perishing

Jude 23 “and for others, save, snatching them out of the fire; and on others have mercy with fear, hating even the tunic polluted by the flesh.”

U nderstand that there are limited opportunities and some chances never repeat

Ec 3.1 “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven—”

R ewards are promised to those who faithfully obey

John 4:35-38 ““Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. “Even now he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. “For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ “I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.””

A sk God to remove the fear of man and increase our fear of Him

Pr 29.25 “Trembling before man brings a snare, But he who trusts in Yahweh will be set securely on high.”

G et on your knees and pray

Ephesians 6:18–20 “praying at all times with all prayer and petition in the Spirit, and to this end, being on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, as well as on my behalf, that words may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel— for which I am an ambassador in chains—so that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

E nlist others to help with the work

2 Tim 2.1-2 “You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

CONCLUSION

Proverbs 24:8–14 (LSB)

8 One who deliberately thinks to do evil, Men will call a schemer.

9 The scheming of folly is sin, And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10 If you are slack in the day of trouble, Your strength is in trouble.

11 Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.

12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts understand?

And does not He who guards your soul know? And will not He render to man according to his work?

13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good, Indeed, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;

14 Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; If you find it, then there will be a future, And your hope will not be cut off.

ALL POINTS FOR SERMON

Main Point

Context

Themes

Doctrine

Theology

How does this support my Main Point

Does anything in here detract from my main point

Questions

Observation

Principle

Implications

Application to Christians/Non-Christians

Cross Reference Support