Born for such a time as this - Part 2

Esther 4:14 NIV

14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:4 NIV

4 When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.

Daniel 1:8 NIV

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

Silence causes another to rise in our place - Why? because God is sovereign.

God is Sovereign

We read that Mordecai had an understanding and assurance that God is sovereign. He challenged Esther that she was in her royal position for a reason.

The choice was hers to rise to the calling and purpose that she was divinely positioned for but even if she did not rise to the challenge God would still be faithful and raise up another to bring deliverance. God is always faithful to His divine plan and it is our honour to be co-heirs with Christ.

Royal

1 Peter 2:9 NIV

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Called to a royal position for this time.

Called and apointed to display the Glory of the Father.

Called out of darkness and into Light!

John 17:16 NIV

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

Jesus prayer for believers.

John 17:14–19 NIV

14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

John 17:

In the world! Yes

Placed in the world! Yes

Positioned in the world! Yes

Sent into the World! Yes

We are not of the world but we are sent into the world.

Why are we sent to and into the world? - Because we carry the answer.

Placed and positioned because we carry His presence.

Daniel 1 NIV

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god. 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service. 6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. 8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.” 11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. 17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. 18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. 21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Young Men - Royal Noble families.

Daniel and his friends were from royal and noble families. They had been captured and they were in a foreign culture but they were ROYAL.

Because of the disobedience of the children of Israel they had be delivered into captivity.

Daniel 1:8 NIV

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

Daniel chose not to defile himself with the things that go against the culture of the Kingdom that he belongs to.

Make sure that our values are from the Kingdom of God and not the place we are sent to!

Daniel chose not to defile himself but he also chose to respect and honour those who were in authority above him.

Daniel 1:8–16 NIV

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.” 11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

Food of the Kingdom!

Daniel 1:13 NIV

13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”

THe 10day test.

The food of the kingdom of this world is not good for us.

Where we gain our fulfilment and satisfaction from is important.

Matthew 6:5–15 NIV

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Mat 6:

Don’t be like the hypocrites who receive their sustenance from worldly actions.

Every thing we do reflects on our God.

Proverbs 11:13 NIV

13 A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.

Proverbs 11:3 NIV

3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

Psalm 25:21 NIV

21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you.

Ps 25:

Because of the integrity and honour and respect, because of the favour of God God blessed them.

Daniel 1:17 NIV

17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

Daniel

Not of the world -

Sent to the world -

A life of integrity -

A life of Honour and respect -

Gaining wisdom and understanding in both kingdoms.

We read that Mordecai had an understanding and assurance that God is sovereign. He challenged Esther that she was in her royal position for a reason. The choice was hers to rise to the calling and purpose that she was divinely positioned for but even if she did not rise to the challenge God would still be faithful and raise up another to bring deliverance. God is always faithful to His divine plan and it is our honour to be co-heirs with Christ.