Desperate for Deliverance

Intro:

Talk about desperate situations & what to do in them.

Illustration: Parents with kids.

Talk about this desperate situation & what happens with Esther & Mordecai.

Reflecting on the Word: What do we learn about Esther & Mordecai in this situation of being desperate for deliverance where there is no possible human deliverance?

1. MORDECAI CRIES OUT WITH HIS FELLOW JEWS IN DESPERATION (4:1-3)

Esther 4:1–3 “When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. He went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes.”

SACKCLOTH & ASHES WERE SIGNS OF MOURNING, HUMILITY, REPENTANCE TO SEEK THE LORD

MORDECAI DOESN’T GO TO ESTHER 1ST TO HAVE HER INFLUENCE THE KING BUT TO SEEK GOD

Genesis 37:34 “So Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.”

Job 2:8 “And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes.”

Job 42:6 “Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes.”

Jeremiah 6:26 “O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth And roll in ashes; Mourn as for an only son, A lamentation most bitter. For suddenly the destroyer Will come upon us.”

FASTING IS DONE TO SEEK THE LORD

Judges 20:26 “Then all the sons of Israel and all the people went up and came to Bethel and wept; thus they remained there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening. And they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.”

Jonah 3:4–10 “Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. He issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. “But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. “Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.” When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He…”

2 Samuel 12:16 “David therefore inquired of God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground.”

Joel 2:11–17 “The Lord utters His voice before His army; Surely His camp is very great, For strong is he who carries out His word. The day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it? “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning; And rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil. Who knows whether He will not turn and relent And leave a blessing behind Him, Even a grain offering and a drink offering For the Lord your God? Blow a trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly, Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room And the bride out of her bridal chamber. Let the priests, the Lord’s ministers, Weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, “Spare…”

2. ESTHER’S CONCERN FOR MORDECAI (4:4)

Esther 4:4 “Then Esther’s maidens and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai that he might remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept them.”

SHE WRITHED IN GREAT ANGUISH FOR HIM BUT DOES NOT KNOW WHY

SHE SEND HIM GARMENTS (HOPE WITH EXPECTANCY) TO CLOTHE HIMSELF & REMOVE THE SACKCLOTH BUT HE DOES NOT ACCEPT THEM (HE CAN’T GO IN TO HER WITH SACKCLOTH)

HE IS SHOWING HER THAT HE IS DEPENDENT NOT ON HER BUT GOD

3 . ESTHER CALLS HATHACH TO FIND OUT WHAT & WHY (4:5)

Esther 4:5 “Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king’s eunuchs, whom the king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was.”

MORDECAI WON’T GO TO HER BUT SHE GOES TO HIM

SHE SUMMONED HATHACH & COMMANDED HIM TO TO FIND OUT WHY & WHAT IS WAS

4. MORDECAI CONVEYS INFORMATION TO ESTHER (4:6-9)

Esther 4:6–9 “So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people. Hathach came back and related Mordecai’s words to Esther.”

ESTHER TRUST HATACH ALONE TO COMMUNICATE ACCURATELY BETWEEN HERSELF & MORDECAI

HE TELLS HATHACH ALL THAT HAPPENED & THE EXACT AMOUNT HAMAN IS WILLING TO PAY & GIVE HIM A COPY OF THE EDICT

5. MORDECAI’S COUNSEL TO ESTHER (4:6-8)

Esther 4:6–8 “So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people.”

HATACH GAVE MORDECAI A COPY PF THE TEXT OF THE EDICT ...THAT HE MIGHT SHOW ESTHER& INFORM HER & ORDER HER TO INTO THE KING TO IMPLORE HIS FAVOR & PLEAD WITH HIM FOR HER PEOPLE

WHY DOES HE SEND HER IN WHEN HE KNOWS THE EDICT CAN NOT BE CHANGED?

GOD WORKS THRU HIS PEOPLE

6. ESTHER’S CONCERN ABOUT MORDECAI’S REQUEST (4:10-12)

Esther 4:10–12 “Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: “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.” They related Esther’s words to Mordecai.”

SHE REMINDS HIM OF THE LAW ABOUT GOING BEFORE THE KING & THAT SHE HAS NOT BEEN SUMMONED FOR 30 DAYS

7. MORDECAI’S CHALLENGE TO ESTHER & (4:13-14)

Esther 4:13–14 “Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. “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 attained royalty for such a time as this?””

HE TELLS HER THAT SHE WILL NOT ESCAPE ANY MORE THAN ANY OTHER JEW JUST BECAUSE SHE IS QUEEN

HE REMINDS HER THAT IF SHE REMAINS SILENT (DEAF & MUTE & TO TURN A BLIND EYE & TURN A DEAF EAR) DELIVERANCE WILL COME FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE

HER NOT ACTING WILL NOT STOP GOD’S PLAN & DELIVERANCE ALWAYS COMES THRU PEOPLE NOT IN A VACUUM

ESTHER IS THE ONLY ONE IN A POSITION TO INFLUENCE THE KING & COUNTERACT HAMAN’S INFLUENCE

8. ESTHER’S COMING TO THE KINGDOM (4:14)

Esther 4:14 ““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 attained royalty for such a time as this?”

HE ASKS HER IF MAYBE THIS IS WHY SHE HAS BECOME QUEEN

WHY IS THIS A QUESTION & NOT A STATEMENT?

HE IS TRYING TO GET HER TO THINK FOR HERSELF WHY SHE WAS CHOSEN

WHAT HAPPENS IF SHE IS NOT MADE QUEEN?

9. MORDECAI’S CONFIDENCE CONCERNING DELIVERANCE (4:14)

Esther 4:14 ““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 attained royalty for such a time as this?”

MORDECAI KNOWS THE COVENANT PROMISED FOR HIS PEOPLE & KNOWS THAT DELIVERANCE WILL COME FROM SOMEWHERE IF NOT ESTHER BECAUSE HE KNOWS GOD’S FAITHFULNESS!!!!

Genesis 12:1–3 “Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.””

Genesis 13:14–16 “The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. “I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered.”

“THERE IS NO PANIC BUTTON IN HEAVEN”: GOD IS NOT TAKEN OFF GUARD WITH HAMAN

10. ESTHER’S COMMAND FOR MORDECAI (4:15-16)

Esther 4:15–16 “Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go, assemble 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 maidens 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.””

SHE TELLS HIM OT HAVE THE JEWS FAST FOR HER AS SHE & HER MAIDS FAST SO SHE MAY GO BEFORE THE KING & FIND HIS FAVOR WHICH IS REALLY GOD’S FAVOR

11. ESTHER’S CONSENT/CONVICTION TO GO BEFORE THE KING (4:16)

Esther 4:16 ““Go, assemble 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 maidens 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.””

SHE IS WILLING TO GO IN EVEN AT THE RISK OF HER OWN LIFE FOR THE SAKE OF HER PEOPLE KNPOWING THAT SHE WILL LOSE HER LIFE ANYWAY IF SHE DOES NOT TAKE THIS RISK & SHEW DOES NOT TAKE THIS LIGHTLY

MORDECAI IS ALSO WILLING TO RISK HER LIFE

12. MORDECAI CARRIES OUT ESTHER’S COMMAND (4:17)

Esther 4:17 “So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.”

HE GOES & DOES EXACTLY AS SHE NOW COMMANDS HIM

Responding to the Word:

Have you come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Read Radical (p.66-67, 74)

Are you willing to say, “if I perish, I perish” for the sake of others?

How are you responding in a desperate situation?

Mordecai cries out to God a requests Esther plead before the king

Deliverance comes from god thru others---He was going to use Esther or someone else to fulfill His covenant promises!!!!