Divine Providence
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The Ground work
The Ground work
the book of Esther narrates the actions of Esther and her cousin Mordecai as they save the Jewish people from genocide during the reign of King Xerxes (Ahasuerus King of Persia).
these events take place in Persia’s capital city of Susa.
Esther and many other Jews have settled here after the Babylonian exile.
Long story short: king Ahasuerus throws a six month long party for his officials.
(the king is a little drunk) he wants to show off his wife but she refuses to come after being summoned.
he consults his sages.....
she can never approach the king again
the king should choose another wife
oh, and by the way, wives should be commanded to obey their husbands.
King Ahasuerus seeks another wife among the virgins of the city.
thus, Esther is chosen as the kings new wife.
Important note:
this whole time Esther kept her Jewish identity a secret.
King Ahasuerus appoints a new man to a position of power and that man is Haman and all are commanded to bow before him.
but Mordecai refuses to do this....which infuriates Haman.
Haman then bribes the king into signing an edict ordering the slaying of all Jews on a particular day in approx. 11 months.
1 When Mordecai learned about all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and went out into the city, crying with a loud and bitter wail.
2 He went as far as the gate of the palace, for no one was allowed to enter the palace gate while wearing clothes of mourning.
3 And as news of the king’s decree reached all the provinces, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and many people lay in burlap and ashes.
4 When Queen Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was deeply distressed. She sent clothing to him to replace the burlap, but he refused it.
5 Then Esther sent for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs who had been appointed as her attendant. She ordered him to go to Mordecai and find out what was troubling him and why he was in mourning.
6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the square in front of the palace gate.
7 Mordecai told him the whole story, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.
8 Mordecai gave Hathach a copy of the decree issued in Susa that called for the death of all Jews. He asked Hathach to show it to Esther and explain the situation to her. He also asked Hathach to direct her to go to the king to beg for mercy and plead for her people.
9 So Hathach returned to Esther with Mordecai’s message.
10 Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai:
11 “All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.”
12 So Hathach gave Esther’s message to Mordecai.
13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed.
14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
16 “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”
17 So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
Key Verse:
14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”
we are reminded of similar stories in the bible like this.
like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Esther and her family arrived in Babylon a slaves.
though these situations where not the wish or the plan of those involved…
For Esther, in due time, her mission and duty unto God would be clearly known.
we don’t always know the plan or will of God at the time
we know that God is in control and all things work to his glorification....All things work together for the good.
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.
and that the steps of the righteous are ordered by God.
i’ve seen divine providence in my own life.....pvc pipe.
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: And he delighteth in his way.
we know that it was no coincidence that Esther was chosen by King Xerxes to be queen of his great empire.
we never know where and when God wants to use us or is putting us in a situation for his purpose.
Quote:
“By going a few minutes sooner or later, by stopping to speak with a friend on the corner,
by meeting this man or that, or by turning down this street instead of the other, we may let slip some impending evil, by which the whole current of our lives would have been changed.
There is no possible solution in the dark enigma but one word ‘Providence’” (Longfellow
cited in Brown, Winter 1976, 12).
Providence is:
divine guidance or care
God conceived as the power, sustaining and guiding human destiny
Esther had come to the kingdom for such a time as this
a time and place that God had ordained to save his people
a purpose that was not know at the time but was revealed in the plan of God.
we, like Esther, have come into the kingdom of God for such a time as this
Commitment to a cause
Commitment to a cause
A. Mordecai’s Devotion to God
1. Haman wanted to be a ruler, and he also wanted to be worshiped.
2. As a worshiper of Jehovah, Mordecai refused to bow in Haman’s presence.
3. I do not believe Esther’s cousin intended to be disrespectful.
4. He simply could not give the worship that belonged to God to a mere man or an object.
5. This is, after all, the first commandment.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6. In the bible, the true believers in God have always been willing to lay their lives on the line for truth and righteousness.
B. Others Who Stood and Refused to Bow
1. Daniel
Daniel prayed to his God despite the decree that was made to trap him.
2. The three Hebrew men.
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
3. The apostles
40 The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.
41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.
even the pharisee named Gamaliel (a doctor of the law)knew that no man can fight against God telling the men to be careful what they do.
King James Version Chapter 5
And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
King James Version Chapter 5
And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God
we can and should rejoice in the fact that God is in full control and that no man nor force out there can deter the will and plan of God.
4. Unfortunately, it is difficult in today’s culture to find those who have convictions strong enough to keep them in times of temptation or testing.
5. But this is not the first time:
30 “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.
In this day and hour that we live in, for such a time as this, At a time that is so very close to His return, Jesus is looking for men and women who are willing to stand and not bow.
we talk about times past and stories and events of the bible.....
but today, we live in the most exciting and prophetic times i believe we have ever seen, yet people don’t even see…they are asleep in Zion.
Lets take a look at the result of this stand that has,will and must be made.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage.
6 He had learned of Mordecai’s nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes.
Righteousness angers Satan.
a. Haman epitomized the devil, and he even was willing to fund his wicked plan himself.
b. Just look to the radical Muslim world—the extent to which they are willing to go to promote their cause.
the bible says that in the last days there will be a famine in the land…not of bread but of the word.
and that people will be asleep..spiritually
2. Many Christians have fallen asleep and need to awake.
quote:
“The heated dispute over values in Western nations is simply a continuation of the age-old struggle between the principles of righteousness and the kingdom of darkness.
Thus, when we oppose hardcore and violent pornography, the killing of unborn babies, the provision of immoral advice to teenagers, the threat of euthanasia, and so on, we are engaged in a battle.
12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
—our battles are not primarily with our philosophical opponents—but against ‘Satan, who leads the whole world astray’” (Dobson, Christianity Today, June 19, 1995, 28).
“all to often, we as christians, stand by idle and choose to not stand up to the killing of babies, the spreading of homosexual propaganda to our children,
the distribution of condoms and immoral advice to our teenagers, and the undermining of marriage as an institution?
We must ask ourselves....Would Jesus have ignored these wicked activities?” (Dobson,
Christianity Today, June 19, 1995, 30).
3. This is not the time to let up in our fight against evil but rather a time to stand up and be counted.
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
this meaning:
knowing the time we are in and rising to the occasion.
The Preparation
The Preparation
When Mordecai would not bow, Haman, by deceptive words, persuaded King Xerxes to accept his evil scheme.
2. A deliverer would be needed if the Jews were to be saved.
3. Providence was already at work.
4. what where the words that where told to queen Esther?
14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”
we are here for such a time as this....are we ready to make that stand?
4. A fast was declared.
5. Esther made her decision.
16 “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”
Fasting and Prayer
Fasting and Prayer
Haman was but a tool in the hands of Satan.
Our real battle is against the invisible forces of Satan, and this battle is not ours alone to win.
2 Chronicles tells us this:
“.....Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s”
47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.
Esther called for every Jew in the city of Shushan to join her and her maidens in three days of fasting and prayer.
5. At the end of these days of preparation, Esther went in before the king.
regarding not her own life but in faith and trust in her God....
Faith and Works
Faith and Works
We all know that faith and works go hand in hand....
“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead”
Esther had to do her part if her people were to be saved.
She declared her commitment to the work of God with the words, “If I perish, I perish.”
We see in the bible that (Luke 22:42) Christ set the example for us in that he put his flesh aside to fulfil the will of God.
he said “......nevertheless, not my will but thine be done”
The Deliverance
The Deliverance
in the work that Esther had before her, She donned her queenly robes and boldly stepped into the king’s presence.
we see that God was with Esther and paved the way for her and his people...
1 On the third day of the fast, Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace, just across from the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the entrance.
2 When he saw Queen Esther standing there in the inner court, he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her. So Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter.
Queen Esther knew she was risking her life when she came unbidden into the presence of the mighty king of Persia in his throne room. Even though she was his favorite wife, he did not know she was a Jew or that she was hoping to get Haman’s terrible order for genocide of the Jews reversed. She knew that it was a capital offense for even a queen to go into the throne room without authorization, and that only the king—by holding out to her his golden scepter—could save her life.
we have been chosen for such a time as this, we do what we do because there is an urgent cause…a deperate need that exists.
we remember what David said in 1 Samuel..
“Is there not a cause”
13 For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.
The Work of the Spirit
The Work of the Spirit
Once again, the Spirit of God intervened.
“That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to
be brought in and read to him” (Esther 6:1).
2. In reading the chronicles, the king found that nothing had been done to reward Mordecai for having saved him when men tried to overthrow his kingdom.
a. So he decided to honor Mordecai for his faithful service.
3. The Lord, once again, turned the tables.
“So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback
through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king
delights to honor!’” (Esther 6:11).
4. It was a crushing blow to the ego of Haman
The work of Esther
The work of Esther
Once Esther knew she had the king’s favor, she planned two banquets, and each time the king and Haman were invited.
1 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet.
2 On this second occasion, while they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther, “Tell me what you want, Queen Esther. What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!”
3 Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request, I ask that my life and the lives of my people will be spared.
Haman’s evil plot was revealed, and he was hanged in place of Mordecai.
God can turn the tables if we do our part.
“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing” (Mills 1867, 36).
We have been called for such a time as this....to make our stand.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The Lord is searching for those who will stand for His cause.
2. Today approximately 151,600 people died in the world (2011 statistics cited in Quora, n.d.).
3. Tomorrow another 151,600 people will die.
4. This month approximately 4,548,000 will face eternity.
5. Could it be that you have come to the Kingdom for such a time as this?
the world is proclaiming the signs of the times....Our time is now, will we be found, when God returns, about our fathers business?
If not now then when, if not you then who....
“I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap
on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none” (Ezekiel 22:30).
6. We must remain vigilant praying that Esthers will rise to the occasion.
a. “If I perish, I perish, but I am going to go before the king.”