Justice Delivered

God at Work Behind the Scenes: Message Nine of Esther Series

Esther 7:1-10.

ETS: Justice was delivered where injustice had seemingly won.

ESS: We should trust in God to remain just.

OSS: [MO: Consecrative] [SO: I want the hearers to commit to action trusting God to work on their behalf.] Cognitive: I want the hearers to know that they can trust God to remain just and work on their behalf. Affective: I want the hearers to feel the encouragement that Esther must have felt as she experienced God’s power at work on behalf of her own life and the lives of the Jews. Psycho-Motor: I want the hearers to commit to faithfully serving God, trusting in His constance and power, interceding on behalf of His people.

PQ: What actions are taken in the passage?

UW: Actions

Intro.: [AGS]: Presentation is often key in communication, especially when confrontation or significant issues are involved. For instance, a spouse who is confronting their partner about something should be careful to pay attention to a few things when they present their confrontation: such things as the words used, the tone of voice used, the timing of the conversation, and the location of the conversation. Additionally, when major events or issues occur, important speeches that follow the event or issue should be carefully crafted and presented. Such was the case following the attack in Pearl Harbor. President Franklin D. Roosevelt began his speech, “Yesterday, December 7, 1941- a date that will live in infamy.” (A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”) Landon Dowden wrote, “He could have chosen to say, ‘We will never froget what happened yesterday,’ but probably no one would have remembered his speech.” (Dowden, Esther 142) [TS]: Esther knew that a lot was at stake, and she recognized the severity of the situation. Thus, when she interceded on behalf of her people, she carefully crafted her words and style of her requests to include personal aspects not taking advantage of her position. The text today recorded actions taken from Esther, King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) and Haman. Ultimately, justice was delivered where injustice had been welcomed. [RS]: We live in a world where it seems that injustices are winning out: innocent lives taken daily, discrimination towards people because of factors including ethnicity, social status, or religious affiliation. Yet, we as believers, acknowledging this, must trust that God is at work behind the scenes of it all, take action action to ensure God’s Kingdom advances, and know that God will always take care of His people delivering justice even where injustice seems to be winning.

TS: Let us examine the actions taken in the passage now:

The first action taken is intercession. [vv. 3-4]

During the second feast, the King for a third time asks Esther what her request is, offering up to half of the kingdom.

She interceded on behalf of herself and her people.

Notice the manner of the intercession, though: she did not communicate entitlement or assert that she deserved to be listened to. She presented her request with humility and in hopes of grace.

After her requests, she describes the situation: We have been sold to destruction, death, and extermination. Notice she never identified, specifically, her people as the Jews. She simply stated the situation.

APPLICATION: When we approach God, we ought to come in humility and faith, not in entitlement and ingratitude. We ought to intercede on behalf of those who are being treated unjustly.

The second action taken is confrontation. [vv. 5-6]

Next, we notice that Esther confronts Haman, revealing his wickedness.

The king acknowledged the issue, and he sought to address it asking Esther, “Who is this, and where is the one who would devise such a scheme?”

Queen Esther responded, “The adversary and enemy the evil Haman”- Can you imagine the lump in her throat? What courage!

At this point, Haman must have known his destruction and fall was certain. This should serve as a warning to us: Haman went from being the second most important person in the most powerful empire at the time, to being at the mercy of the king and headed for destruction.

Dowden wrote, “Here’s some wisdom for you: (1) We experience the consequences of sin because we get caught in sin. (2) We get caught in sin because we do not confess sin. (3) We do not confess our sin because we think we can conceal our sin. (4) We conceal our sin because we do not want to confess our struggle to someone who cares for us.” (Dowden, Esther, 148)

APPLICATION: (1) We ought to have the courage of God when we are standing in obedience to God and interceding on behalf of those whom He loves. (2) We ought to be careful to not let pride overtake us lest we fall in a horrible way. Sin is real. The consequences of sin are also real.

The third action taken is justice. -[vv. 7-10]

The king responded to the allegations against Haman. He was angry. He likely felt betrayed. Haman would have been his right hand man, a highly trusted official.

Notice, the text details that Haman fell on the couch where Esther was. Some debate whether or not Haman meant ill will towards Esther in terms of assaulting her. At minimum, there were strict rules in the court for people to not come within so many feet of the queen. He violated that, regardless of his intent.

The king then instructs the eunuchs to hang Haman upon the gallows which he prepared for Mordecai. Wow at the reversal.

APPLICATION: God always takes care of his own. Evil is always exposed. (Lk. 12:2-3.) God will not allow injustice to prevail. However, we as leaders must act when we know of injustice. We must speak up. We must respond in a manner pleasing to God.

CONCLUSION:

[1] Each of us are aware of injustices in the world today. We, as believers, should be especially sensitive to injustice, especially those that directly offend God. As leaders, we should act in response to injustices in a manner that glorifies God.

[2] Each of us know of people who are hurting and in positions of despair. How are we going to respond? We ought to make intercession on behalf of those in despair and respond in a manner worthy of the Kingdom of God.

[3] What will you do today? Do you trust that God is working behind the scenes? Will you respond in a manner that pleases God?