Esther 4
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Text: Esther 4:14
Intro: It is only by the grace of God that we can endure every storm that we face in this life. Not only do we endure, but we endure with an assured peace. As believers anxiety and fear of the unknown does not have to reign in our hearts. We can hold fast to God’s word, which provides peace and provision through the storms of our life. Even, like in the book of Esther, when we can’t see, smell, taste, or hear God… We can rest assure, because we know that He is there, guiding our every step and He is working all things together for our good, and His glory!
Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
“If I had not felt certain that every additional trial was ordered by infinite love and mercy, I could not have survived my accumulated suffering.”
Adoniram Judson
I will hear what God the Lord will speak:
For he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints:
But let them not turn again to folly.
I love this, we listen, the Lord speaks peace unto his people! As the Lord of Peace, peace belongs to Him. He gives it, now there is false peace...
For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
This is a delusional peace…
There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
The peace that God gives is a peace that He keeps giving! (2 Thes. 3:16 - Always, every situation, means that there can be interruptions, but it is always available)
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
We have peace, when we trust God’s word!
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me?
Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him,
Who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Read: Esther 4:1-3 Mordecai and the Jews find themselves in a real dilemma. This law, which will exterminate the Jews from Persia has been signed, sealed with the king’s ring, and delivered across the land.
Question? When should we trust in the Lord’s plan in our lives? I hope we know that the answer is always, but we are with the Lord’s help going to draw out three specific times from this chapter that I pray will be a help to all.
In times of Despair...
Their world is falling apart, do you think that with Esther as queen they ever thought something like this would happen? It seems as though nothing is going according to their plan… Will they continue to trust God’s word while Haman the Agagite and enemy of the Jews, unleashes his vengeance?
In the first verse we see Mordecai mourning… We see three descriptions of His mourning given.
a. Rent his clothes. (This is a picture of the flesh being rent)
b. Put on sackcloth and ashes. (This is a picture of being tortured, and more specifically being burned.)
c. Cried out. (A picture of cries of those suffering)
From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them:
He hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back:
He hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
This is all a great picture of the Jews under Gentile rulership. Whether that be Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, Cesar, Kings, Hitler, or even the anti-christ...
This also is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ in the fulness of His suffering for us…
Mordecai is mourning… Look at the change from 2:19 to 4:2.
And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.
I think of Nehemiah...
And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
Vs. 3 Says that they fasted… They deprived themselves of food, showing God that they were serious about the matter, and that they were depending upon Him for the provision of their survival. This becomes more evident a little later in the chapter.
Nehemiah was very sore afraid, Mordecai went from in to before the kings gate… It was a fearful thing to be sad before these Persian kings.
Aren’t you thankful of the truth that is given to us concerning us being before our God! With a sad countenance, a broken heart, and a contrite spirit, the Lord says come!
What time I am afraid,
I will trust in thee.
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart;
And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Read: Psalm 116:1-10
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
We are allowed to come as Psalm 100 says with thanksgiving and praise, but we are also allowed to come in our sorrow.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
It is now that we must come to the understanding that even in my sorrow, I am a testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ!
2. In times of decision: Vs. 4-8
What is amazing is that Esther doesn’t know… She desires to commune with him as she did in chapter 2 in the court of the house of the women. She sends him clothes but he doesn’t come.
Instead he sends a charge to the queen… Vs. 8 Mordecai gave to Esther exactly what she needed to do.
But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
This is not a little thing… This decision will be one that will effect her life, and the lives of every Jew in Persia.
Do you know how we go through life and make tough decisions? WE TRUST GOD!
a. Will it effect me Spiritually? Just because I can do it… Doesn’t mean I should...
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
b. Will it bring me into bondage? Is it habit forming?
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
c. Will it defile God’s temple? However you chose to use your body, you must ask, does this glorify God?
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
d. Will it cause a brother or sister to stumble?
But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
e. Will it further the cause of Christ? Evangelically...
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
f. Will it violate my conscience? We violate it enough, we will sear it to no longer respond...
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
g. Will it bring God glory?
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Did you notice that none of the questions concern our pain, pleasure or profit?
3. Times of Danger: (Vs. 10-12) What a picture this is...
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Ready for the Scepter to be lowered by the king?
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Jesus made a way for all of us to enter that throne room of God!
I shall see him, but not now:
I shall behold him, but not nigh:
There shall come a Star out of Jacob,
And a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel,
And shall smite the corners of Moab,
And destroy all the children of Sheth.
That Sceptre first made low giving access before the King, to then be exalted above all in heaven and earth!
We don’t need anything more then that Sceptre… The Man Christ Jesus and He is enough! Esther doesn’t have the same assurance that we have and she is careful to remind Mordecai of the seriousness of the danger.
Esther 4: 13-14
Look at the faith of verse 14! If you do nothing, then deliverance shall come from another place! He doesn’t say God, but can you see it! Notice, he doesn’t say all the Jews will perish? “but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed.” Mordecai knew that the Jews would be preserved, even if their attempts fail...
Esther 15-17
So they fasted… This is something the New Testament church did as well over those things that were of great weight.
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Look at her faith! If I perish, I perish...
Sometimes we need to show God that we are serious and that we mean business - We pray, we fast, and we act! He will bless, or He will guide our steps another way.
Regardless of the outcome, we can trust God!
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him:
But I will maintain mine own ways before him.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, 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.
Do you know what these men didn’t have to do? They didn’t consult God… What do you mean? They already know what was the will of God because they knew His word. They tell the king, we will not bow, if we die, or if we are delivered, we will not bow…
And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee. Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth him good.
Closing: (vs. 17) So Mordecai went… and did… Esther has grown, she has learned how to trust God from the only family member that she has left, because he set forth the example for her. What a picture of Biblical discipleship, and what a legacy that Mordecai is leaving behind. This is our greatest legacy as well, we get to invest in the next generation. What a privilege to serve God faithfully, through despair, through decisions, and through danger. What a challenge it is to know that we get to serve God, and that our faithfulness can be used to help others as they journey after us.