03 - Esther - Providence At Work Through Perilous Circumstances 2011 By Pastor Jeff Wickwire

It is during the time when the people of Israel had been delivered from Babylonian captivity and were in the middle of rebuilding the temple and wall surrounding Jerusalem.

Suddenly, we find Satan attacking God’s covenant people in a diabolical attempt to destroy them completely.

But as we will see, through His incredible Providence, God thwarts Satan’s plan and saves Israel from annihilation.

THE STORY OF ESTHER opens with Xerxes, King of Persia, returning home after conquering all of Asia.

To celebrate, he throws the mother of all parties that lasts 104 days.

When he had become drunk, he calls for his wife, Vashti, who is very beautiful, and commands her to parade around in front of all his guests. (1:9-12)

Queen Vashti honorably refuses to be made a spectacle of, and the king becomes very angry (1:12)

He removes her as queen and, later, begins to search for a new queen (2:1-15)

Out of over 100 contestants, a young woman named Esther catches his eye.

Scripture records, Esther 2:17 “The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.”

After Esther had become queen, her uncle, Mordecai, uncovered a plot by two of the palace servants to assassinate the king. (2:19-23)

Esther informs the king on Mordecai’s behalf and Mordecai’s good deed is written down in the king’s record book.

In the meantime, a vile villain named Haman enters the story.

Haman is your stereotypical, corporate ladder-climbing, narcissistic, ego maniacal self-promoter with a dark side that is capable of unthinkable atrocities.

As we will see, beneath his smiling veneer lurks an O.T. Hitler. (3:2)

The king promotes this despicable man to a high position, and also makes a decree that everyone should bow in reverence to him on sight. (3:1-2)

This was Haman’s dream come true!

But one aggravating thorn in his side wouldn’t go away—Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, refuses to bow and pay reverence.

Haman’s bloated super ego takes great personal offense to this sleight and, in retaliation, he plots evil against all the Jews (3:6)

Haman approaches the King with a wicked lie:

Esther 3:8-9 “Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed….”

The king believes Haman’s lie and signs a decree calling for the genocide of the Jewish people…

This was the worst of news, because a law established by the king could not be reversed.

Soon, news of the decree was proclaimed throughout the land.

3:12-15 “Then the….decree was written according to all that Haman commanded…and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day…and to plunder their possessions.”

News of this evil produced great mourning among the Jews:

4:1-3 “When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 2 He went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.”

As Act I in the story of Esther closes:

Consider with me a moment what the repercussions of this Jewish genocide would have been:

It would mean that all of the promises to Abraham would have become void.

The Jews would not have become the source of blessing for the whole earth.

The Messiah, Christ Jesus, would have had no lineage on Mary’s side through which to be born.

God’s plan of redemption, the bruising of Satan’s head, and the sacrifice for our sins would have been forever sabotaged.

This was an all out assault on God, His people, and the future salvation of the human race.

Now—Act II:

Uncle Mordecai quickly contacts his niece, Esther, and compels her to intercede.

Keep in mind, the king apparently did not know that Esther herself was Jewish, and that he had signed an edict that would have brought about the execution of his own queen!

Mordecai’s words to Esther are strong:

4:13-14 “And Mordecai said to Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish.”

And then the immortal words:

“Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther explains to Mordecai that one cannot gain an audience with the king without an invitation, and to request it would be to place her life in danger.

Yet she agrees to intercede, stating, “If I perish, I perish” (4:16)

She then instructs Mordecai to command all the Jews to a total fast for 3 days and nights.

Next, Esther approaches the king where she immediately finds great favor:

“What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!”—5:3 FAVOR!!

She tells the king she wants to have a banquet with him, herself, and Haman.

The banquet is granted and during the feast the king offers the same proposal:

“What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!”

Esther asks the king and Haman to come to yet another banquet where she will then make her request known.

In the meantime, Haman is oblivious to what is actually taking place behind the scenes.

Instead, he’s on cloud nine, because now he’s receiving special invitations from the queen. He’s arrived!

Haman runs home and brags to his friends and wife about all the incredible promotion that has been happening to him.

Yet one thing is still eating on him—Mordecai is still standing at the king’s gate, refusing to bow to him.

His family has a solution for this thorn in his side:

”Then his wife…and all his friends said to him, “Let a hangman gallows be made, 75 feet tall, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet.” And the thing pleased Haman; so he had the gallows made.”

Things at this point could not have looked worse for the Jews. It seemed from every angle as if evil was winning the day.

But Providence was moving silently behind the scenes:

That night it just so happened that the king was unable to sleep, so he ordered an attendant to bring the book of the history of his reign so it could be read to him. (6:1)

And it just so happened that the servant read where Mordecai had saved his life.

And it just so happened that the king asked if Mordecai had ever been honored? The servant said no.

And it just so happened that about that time “Haman came in when these things were fresh on the king’s mind, and the king asked him,

“What should I do to honor a man who truly pleases me?”

Now Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?”

7 So he replied, “If the king wishes to honor someone, 8 he should bring out one of the king’s own royal robes, as well as a horse that the king himself has ridden—one with a royal emblem on its head.

9 Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. And let him see that the man whom the king wishes to honor is dressed in the king’s robes and led through the city square on the king’s horse. Have the official shout as they go, ‘This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!’” Esther 6:6-9

Now the shocker comes for Haman:

10 Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, as you have suggested, and do so for Mordecai the Jew who sits within the king’s gate! Leave nothing undone of all that you have spoken.”

Total humiliation! …. Reeling from all this, Haman hardly had time to gather his wits when he is summoned to the second banquet.

But this was not a banquet; it would be Haman’s last supper.

Things go badly for Haman quickly.

Esther reveals Haman’s plot (7:1-10) “My people and I have been sold to those who would kill, slaughter, and annihilate us.”

Responding, “The King answered and said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing?”

6 And Esther said, ‘The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!’ So Haman was terrified before the king and queen.”

Then, pointing out the window:

“One of the king’s servants said, “Look! The gallows, 75 feet high, which Haman made for Mordecai…then the king said, “Hang him on it!”

10 “So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.”

Striking while the iron is hot, Esther seizes the opportunity and pleads to the king:

“…let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen?”

On the spot, the King grants to the Jews the authority to resist their enemies, the genocidal edict is null and voided, and the Jews are saved!!!

How Providence turned the tables in a flash!

ACT III

Mordecai, the formerly persecuted and hated by Haman, “…went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple;”

And the Jewish people whose doom had seemed imminent, “….had light and gladness, joy and honor…a feast and a holiday.”

TWO OBSERVATIONS:

God is at work in our lives...even when we can't see it.

God's name is not even mentioned in this little book of the Bible...but His sovereign actions are everywhere!

I like how Matthew Henry puts it:

"...though the NAME of God is not in [Esther], the FINGER of God is everywhere directing specific events for the bringing about of His people's deliverance."

For example:

Esther just happened to be chosen as queen over more than a hundred other beautiful candidates,

Mordecai just happened to discover the plot to kill the king…

The king just happened to get insomnia the night Mordecai's deed of kindness was brought to light…WHY COULDN’T HE SLEEP?

He just happened to decide to request that his chronicles be read, which revealed Mordecai’s good deed.

Haman just happened to come walking in while Mordecai’s good deed was fresh on the king’s mind.

The king's just happened to enthusiastically welcome Esther into his presence after ignoring her for a month.

We could go on listing “coincidental” events that in hindsight reveal the providential activity of God.

AND SECONDLY:

Esther’s story teaches us...the power...the potential impact...of one person...

Look, what Esther...ONE young woman...was able to do! God used her to save an entire race!

Esther’s story illustrates how one person can make a HUGE difference!

Edward Everett Hale said it well when he wrote:

“I am only one....but I am still one...I cannot do everything....but still I can do something...and because I cannot do everything...I will not refuse to do the something that I can do!"

It is no accident that you are where you are today.

So ask yourself the same question Mordecai asked Esther, "Who knows but that YOU, one individual, have come to this place for such a time as this!"