Esther 3

Today we are going to finish this brief study of the book of Esther. In this study we have been focusing on the characters of the story. We began by talking about King Xerxes as we explored what life in Esther’s time would have been like. Last week we took a look at the relationship between Haman and Mordecai. Today we are finally going to talk about Esther. During this study we have often compared Esther’s story to Ruth’s, the many ways they are similar as well as the many ways they are different. For example, a big theme that can be found in both stories is a truth about God that James quotes...

James 4:6 NIV

6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

We’ve mentioned some differences, such as Ruth’s story focusing on a family while Esther is about something that affects a whole group of people. Ruth’s struggles involved being a poor widow, while Esther lived among royalty. Even their backgrounds were completely different. I like the way the Ruth & Esther Bible Study that I printed out to go along with this series points it out...

Ruth & Esther Lesson Nine: Esther (Esther 1:1–10:3)

In a way, Esther was Ruth’s opposite: a Jewess who married a ruthless pagan despot, not a Moabitess who married a devout Jewish farmer.

When we talked about Ruth we discussed names. Let’s look at what Esther’s name means. We are introduced to Esther in Chapter 2, verse 7, and we learn that her Hebrew name is Hadassah. Hadassah is also the term for “myrtle”. For the Jews, the myrtle symbolized peace with God and prosperity. A very fitting name for someone who God would use to bring peace to His people.

Here is a picture of a myrtle flower. Notice it’s star-like shape. The name Esther may come from the Old Iranian word for “star” which sounds like Hadassah. Original readers of this story would have associated “Esther” with the Akkadian goddess Ishtar, who is associated with love and war. The deeper we dig, the more upside down, twisting and turning, opposite meaning, hidden purpose information there is that we can uncover.

Another interesting note about her name, when you look at her name written in ancient Hebrew it is very very close to a word that means “to hide or conceal.” This idea of hiddenness is a theme that is in the plot line of the story as well as the portrayal of God’s presence in the book of Esther. There is some debate about the book of Esther not belonging in the bible because God isn’t mentioned. Even though God isn’t mentioned, it is impossible to read this book and not see Him at work throughout the entire story. It makes me think of young kids who play hide and seek. I have some pictures as examples. To me, this is how hidden God is in the book of Esther...

Pictures

Has there ever been a time in your life when you were uncomfortable about being known as a Christian? Or a time when it would have been risky for you to be known as a Christ follower? About 12 years ago my old room mate invited me on a mission trip that he was going on to the UK because they needed more guys to help with a sports camp they were doing for school aged kids. When the plane landed at the airport the person leading the trip advised us to avoid saying anything about God or mission trips when we went through customs, but instead to just say that we were doing a sports camp. The reason for this was because it was not uncommon for them to refuse entry into the country based on reasons related to Christianity.

Fortunately, for me and the group I was with, we didn’t have to worry about our lives, but all across the world Christians risk their lives every day sharing the Good News of Christ that they have experienced. We have it pretty good here where we don’t have to worry too much about that. Although on some level, I’m sure that most of us have felt uncomfortable about being a Christian at some point in our lives. What was that moment for you?

Trying to fit in with friends.

Trying to lay low at work so you don’t get fired.

You tried to talk to someone about Christ once before and walked away feeling like you took more steps back than forward.

Someone you know is very vocal and embarrassing so you don’t want any of their labels to be applied to you.

Maybe you have been in a risky situation.

Whatever the situation was, think about that moment as we talk about Esther today. Was it risky or uncomfortable? If you have never had an experience like this, think about the experience that Esther was going through. We’ve already talked a little bit about Mordecai, but what kind of person was Esther? In the general sense, she was probably a lot like Mordecai. She clearly believed in God and followed some of the laws of their ancestors, but God probably wasn’t at the top of her list of priorities either.

When you compare them to people like Daniel, who also grew up under a foreign king, they don’t appear to have anywhere near the level of devotion to God. Daniel didn’t hide his belief in God, he wouldn’t eat the unclean food provided by the king, he respected the people who had authority over him, he prayed and sought God’s wisdom consistently.

Esther, on the other hand, had become a part of the culture around her. Almost 50 years before she became queen, the Israelites had finished rebuilding the temple, but only about a tenth of them actually went back home. The vast majority stayed in Persia. At this point, Esther wasn’t required to stay here. Then she hides the fact that she is Jewish. Other than hiding her nationality, it doesn’t look like she tried to hide or avoid taking part in the kings beauty pageant.

None of this is to demean Esther. It’s just interesting that she made such a huge impact for the Jewish people. She was a part of a God orchestrated event that is still celebrated with holiday to this day. Purim. She is one of the most important people in scripture, yet she was no Daniel. She brushed shoulders with Persian royalty, but she didn’t put God at the top of her priorities. She was a part of one of the most important stories in the bible, but God is never mentioned.

To me, that’s huge! I definitely believe that God should be of primary importance to us, but this story also gives me hope because no matter how much I want to grow and serve Christ because of His love for me I know that I am still human. No matter how much I want to learn from the good things that Daniel or Paul did in scripture and be more like that, I know that’s probably not gonna happen. Not that it couldn’t, but I don’t see myself keeping it together in a pit of lions. I don’t even like getting on boats, I can’t imagine being shipwrecked.

I’ll never be, nor do I want to be, an Andy Stanley, Charles Stanley, Billy Graham, Craig Groeschel, or an “insert your favorite preacher here”. Neither would Esther, but God still did amazing things through her. That is such great news for me. And if you ever feel uncomfortable or feel like you would be taking risks for being a follower of Christ, it’s great news for you too.

So we know the story… Haman decides to take out his anger on Mordecai and the Jews. He enlists the power of the king to allow his hammer of punishment to strike. In the end it comes back on him because of Esther. So how does she get involved in this? We know she was in the right place at the right time. She had the unique ability to influence the king. But if she isn’t a super devoted follower of Yahweh to begin with, why does she decide to step in and risk her life? If you have your bibles and want to follow along, we will be in chapter 4 of Esther today.

As we examine this moment in Esther’s life I want to challenge you to examine these life changing moments in your life as well. Think about how you can recognize and respond to them. Let’s look at how Esther recognizes and responds to this event. As we go through this story, remember that she could have just written off Mordecai’s fear. She could have taken comfort in her position at the palace and the fact that her heritage had been kept a secret. She could have reacted in any number of ways. In the same way, we could react to opportunities God gives us in any number of ways. If you are taking notes, our thought for today is this...

God wants to partner with you in His mission to transform other people’s lives with His mercy and grace.

How does God want to change someone’s life through a stove installer? A farmer? A cook? A salesman? A mom? A friend? A complete stranger? In chapter 4 Esther is confronted with this “moment” where she must decide to either avoid any risk and keep doing what she has been doing this whole time, hiding her heritage, or step outside of her comfort zone and choose to take actions that will put her at risk. The first thing she must do is identify this moment for what it is and then act. She is presented with this decision in the same way that God presents these moments to other people in scripture. The same way He presents moments to us. This moment confronts her through someone else...

1. THESE “MOMENTS” EMANATE FROM OTHERS.

Today when we think about “my moment; my time to shine; my purpose in life; the thing I was created for,” we usually see it from a very self focused perspective. My time to impress, my chance to get ahead. I have learned that in life, anything that focuses on me is probably going to end up on America’s Funniest Home Videos. If God wanted these moments to be “our moments” then He would just stay out of them and let us do what we think is best. But He is working and creating these moments because they are for more than just me. What would happen if I stopped looking for MY moment and, with God’s guidance, started trying to help you achieve YOURS?

That is how this moment presents itself to Esther. The focus shifts from her impressing the king and becoming queen to her concern for Mordecai. When Mordecai hears of Haman’s plot to wipe out the Jews, he immediately went into mourning. As the news spread, many of the Jewish people began to mourn. Up until now Mordecai had largely kept his Jewish heritage a secret, now he is publicly mourning in traditional Jewish fashion. He tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, cried and wailed out loud, all while walking around in the city. He even walked up to the gate of the palace.

It would have been hard not to notice him now. The secret would have been even harder to keep. Esther heard about Mordecai, and she cared about him. Whether or not she cared about him keeping the secret, one thing is for sure. She cared about Mordecai the person.

Esther 4:4 NLT

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.

She was concerned about Mordecai. This may seem like a very silly example, but I was at an A&W fast food restaurant one time when a moment was presented to me and it has always stuck with me. I know it was a moment like this because I felt a strong push from God, however it was no where near as critical as Esther’s story.

After placing my order I sat down to wait for them to call my number. While I was waiting I watched an older gentleman slowly make his way to a chair and I could tell he had a difficult time walking. When they called a number I had a pretty strong feeling that it was his. Not only that, but I knew that in this moment I was supposed to go grab the tray and take it to him.

The thought of doing that made me uncomfortable, so I quickly talked myself out of it. “The employees will take it to him.” I told myself.

They called his number again. A second time I talked myself out of grabbing his tray. “He probably wouldn’t appreciate me touching his food.”

His number came across the speakers a third and final time, but I couldn’t get passed that uncomfortable feeling and just watched as the employees looked confused as they returned his tray to the kitchen.

That moment will live in my mind forever as a failure on my part. Taking greasy food to someone may not have even made a difference in his life, but not taking it to him taught me a lot about not letting my comfort determine the good I am willing to do for someone else.

Craig Groeschel once said that someone asked him how he knows when God is speaking to him and he said that he made a decision a long time ago that if doing something good pops into his head he treats it as if God is speaking to him. If it wasn’t God speaking to him, the worst thing he did was a good thing for someone else. This brings me to the next thought...

2. TREAT EVERY MOMENT AS IF IT IS THE ONE YOU WERE MADE FOR.

Every time someone doesn’t know their hot dog is ready could be a moment that was created for you to be a part of God’s next big thing. For Esther, this could be the reason she was made queen. She could save the Jews, or she could be killed just for trying to speak with the king. After she reached out to Mordecai, he told her about the law that had been put in place that sentenced the Jewish people to death. He also asked her to beg for mercy from the king.

This was a big ask from Mordecai because if you weren’t invited to speak with the king you could be killed. As unpredictable as king Xerxes was, your chances of survival were probably pretty low. On top of all of that, it appears that Esther wasn’t as important to the king at this point because she even makes a comment about it being a month since he last called for her. Then Mordecai tells her that living in the palace doesn’t guarantee her safety when the the law is put into place, so it wouldn’t matter that much anyway. Then he says...

Esther 4:14 NLT

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?”

God is going to fulfill His promise with or without you. It isn’t like He can’t do it without us, but what if He put you where you are right now so that you could be a part of what He will do. Earlier I described my lack of action as a failure. It isn’t because I let God down or I didn’t do something I was supposed to do that I feel as though I failed. It is because I failed to be a part of what God wanted to do in that moment. God probably made a way for that man to be blessed without me, but I didn’t get to be a part of it. I passed an opportunity to respond to God’s love by sharing it with someone else.

What if that was a moment that God prepared for me? What if the lessons throughout my life, the mercy God shared with me, and the grace He extended to me was all leading up to that moment and I chose not to take part in it? What about the next moment God is preparing for me to be a part of? What happens if I choose to keep quiet? Who knows, perhaps YOU were made for a time just like this.

Through other people, God brings these opportunities to us. If you treat every opportunity like it is the one you were made for you won’t miss it and the worst that will happen is that you will do something good for someone else. Next, Esther answers the call of this moment with courage...

3. RESPOND TO YOUR MOMENT WITH COURAGE.

It takes courage to step out of our comfort zone. It takes courage to face the fear of embarrassment or failure. It takes courage to walk up to a complete stranger. It takes courage to tell someone about the life changing love of Christ. It takes courage to love someone who hates you. John wrote that we shouldn’t be surprised if the world hates us. Jesus said that if the world hates you, just remember that it hated Him first. The world hates you because you don’t belong to it anymore. God chose you out of the world.

We don’t have to be afraid, instead we can face these moments with courage because we know that God is with us and has chosen us. Be courageous and go do the good that God has called you to do. Mordecai asked her, “What if you were made queen for this moment?” So she responds with courage and tells Mordecai to have a prayer meeting and hold a 3 day fast. I need some of God’s strength for this, because I may not live through it...

Esther 4:16 ESV

16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”

Even if it kills me, I’m going to do the right thing. Not what I think is right, but the good thing that God says is right. Not what I can do for myself, but what I can do for someone else. Risking my life for other people. After John warned us not to be surprised if the world hates us he said this...

1 John 3:16 NLT

16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

I will love others, even if it kills me to do it. Even if it kills me, I’ll tell someone about what Christ has done in my life. Even if it kills me, I’ll take a stranger a root-beer float. This was a statement of courageous resolve. She wasn’t resigning herself to a foregone conclusion. Esther was just realizing what is impossible to ignore in this story. God cares about His people and He probably put her here to do something about it. He would likely protect her, but even if He let her perish she was going to do what she could for her people.

What I love about both Esther’s and Ruth’s stories is how God clearly wants everyone to be a part of His great plan. Everyone to experience His love, mercy, and grace. He wants everyone to be a part of sharing that experience with someone else. Then for those people to share it with the next person. It makes me think of this verse in Ephesians...

Ephesians 4:11–13 NIV

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

In other words, it doesn’t matter who you are… God equips you to share His love so that the next person will get to experience His grace and pass it on down the line. It doesn’t matter how religious you are or how much you have messed up, God wants to extend His mercy to you. It doesn’t matter if you are a poor widow or a wealthy queen, God wants you to be a part of His amazing, life changing plan.

We know how Esther’s story ends. She steps into this moment with courage and holds the two banquets we talked about last week. Haman’s plot is revealed and Mordecai and the rest of the Jewish people are spared to the best of the king’s ability and then God does the rest.

I know that not every story has a happy ending for everyone involved. Sometimes we go into these moments and feel like our worst nightmare has come true and something in us might even feel like it has died. I’ve been there. Probably not the same story as you, but a nightmare none the less. It’s difficult, but when I step back and take the focus off of myself, see each moment as an opportunity to share God’s love with someone else, and step into that moment with courage, God will not only bless the person I reach out to but He will radically change me in amazing ways as well.