Esther 4

Esther 4

Overview:

- King Ahauserus (Xerxes) throws a part to show off his wealth

- Ask Queen Vashti to come out before his drunken friends and she declines

- Queen Vashti is banished and stripped of our crown

- Sometime later, the King misses her and his wise men counsel to have young beautiful virgin brought before him.

- The king agrees word is sent out and eventually Esther is made queen.

- After this Mordecai (Esther’s cousin) hears about a plan to assassinate the King, he passes this information on to Esther.

- The King looks into the matter and has the responsible parties executed

- Guy by the name of Haman is given a promotion of second in command and doesn’t like the fact that Mordecai won’t pay him respect.

- Gets the king to sign an edict that all Jewish people be destroyed removed from the kingdom.

- Chapter 3 ends with the people in confusion because they have an impending death sentence upon them that they can do nothing about.

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Read Chapter 4

V1-8a: Mordecai Responds

- He first grieves (sore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes) these are signs of grieving.

- Doesn’t say if he grieves for himself or his people, but he is upset.

- He also does this at the King’s gate which was not permitted, probably because this isn’t what the King wants people seeing as they enter the city.

- This was also the response of the Jewish people.

- Esther’s young women tell her of the actions of her cousin…she in turn sends garments to cover him (embarrassment/trying not to draw attention), but he declines them.

- She then sends a eunuch to find out what is going on with crazy ol’ Mordecai.

- He explains to them the plan of Haman and how it had played out, even gives them a copy of the edict.

- It appears that Esther is not aware of the actions of the King and Haman.

Question:

1. How do you respond to bad news?...panic or prayer

2. In your life does it look like God must us drastic measures to get your attention?...repentance…remorse…dependence…etc.

V8b-11: Mordecai’s Ask and Esther’s Reply

- Mordecai also sends back a command for Esther to go before the King and plead for mercy on behalf of her people.

- We begin to see a change her, as Mordecai no longer wants her to conceal her nationality…

- This is then reported to Esther by the eunuch…and Esther’s reply is…”Are you crazy?”

- Esther sends word back to Mordecai…

I don’t have 24/7 access to the King and could be killed for inviting myself in.

- It’s been a month since she last was called on by the King.

- In her response we see a bit of hesitation…

What about my life?

This isn’t really my problem…

I will be safe in the palace…

I am not the right person for the job…

- We don’t really know what caused the hesitation, but we do know that she doesn’t immediately want to go and her response isn’t filled with courage.

Question:

Do you respond to God this way?...what about me…is this really my problem…wouldn’t someone else be better for the job?

V12-14: Mordecai’s Encouragement

- His response is stern…”Don’t think you will be saved just because you are in the palace.”

- Derek Prime in his book about Esther, Unspoken Lessons about the Unseen God, says

“We sometimes need to be extremely forthright in exhorting one another to do the right thing, just as Moredecai did with Esther. Our best friends are those who love us enough to be genuinely honest with us…When relationships are good, reprimands can be given, even welcomed and accepted in the spirit in which they are given.”

- We also see a change in Mordecai’s thinking, it appears that he has an understanding that God will save his people…

“For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish…”(14)

- God will do something…

- Then those famous world, “For such a time as this…”

- Esther what are going to do with this opportunity.

Question:

How do you steward the opportunities that the Lord gives you?

V15-17: Esther’s Plan

- First…pray and fast (16)

- Prime also says in his book…

“Prayer is the principal purpose of fasting…”

- She request that her people pray and fast as she does and at the end of the fast she will go before the King.

- This act is a reversal of Esther’s first actions at the beginning of the chapter.

- She is placing her trust in someone other than herself or the King…She is placing her trust in God.

- It’s a move from self-preservation to obedience.

- Obedience is taking action without knowing the final outcome. (Abraham and Isaac, Paul’s desire to go to Jerusalem)

- Ends by telling us that Mordecai goes and does as Ester ordered

Conclusion:

- As we wrap up this morning I want you to be encouraged….God has only used one perfect person, Jesus.

- Esther and Mordecai remind us that past failure doesn’t negate future use.

Look to Christ:

- For the death sentence to be lifted for Esther’s people they needed someone to intercede…and she plans to do this for her people, but there is no guarantee of the outcome, and it will only be temporary.

- Christ has interceded and continues to intercede on her behalf

- Unlike Esther in Christ there is a guarantee that comes with his work…that those who believe will be saved. The death sentence will be removed and their shame taken away.

- Paul remind us of this truth…

God made the one who did not know sin to be sin

That we might become the righteousness of God.