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Introduction:
The
sun rose this morning, again. The water worked in my house, again.
I got something to eat this morning, again. On and on it goes. Is
God really part of this? Or is this all just a series of actions,
reactions, consequences, and natural processes that sometimes work
in our favor and sometimes don’t? As we strive to answer this
question, let’s look at the story of Esther. I believe it is
designed to help us with this quandary. Discussion: I.
The story of Esther A.
According to Esther
1, Queen Vashti angered King Ahasuerus and was dismissed.
So, Ahasuerus needed a new queen. In Esther
2, Mordecai, a Jew, was bringing up his cousin, Esther. He
wanted Esther to have a shot at being queen so he took her and
gave her into the custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women
trying to become the new queen. He gave her good advice and she
followed it. She won the favor of Hegai (Esther
2:9) and he provided her with all she needed to impress
King Ahasuerus. When she went before the king, she took only what
Hegai told her (Esther
2:15). She impressed the king so much, she was chosen as
his new queen (Esther
2:17). B.
At some point, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate
and overheard a plot against Ahasuerus by two of his eunuchs.
Mordecai revealed the plot to Esther and she passed it on to the
king. The conspiracy was uncovered and stopped thanks to Mordecai
(Esther
2:19-23). C.
Despite Mordecai’s help, nothing was done at the time to
honor him. He had merely performed a civic duty and it was duly
recorded in the king’s chronicles. Another time as Mordecai was
sitting at the king’s gate, Haman, the highest official in the
land under Ahasuerus, passed by (Esther
3). All the king’s servants bowed down to him, but
Mordecai did not. The reason he didn’t bow down was because he
was a Jew. Haman decided to seek vengeance on Mordecai, but not
only on Mordecai, on all of Mordecai’s people also. He sought
permission from the king to set aside a certain day in the coming
year to wipe out a supposedly insubordinate people (Esther
3:8-15). D.
Mordecai sought the help of Esther (Esther
4:1-17). At first, she refused to speak to the king
because she feared for her life. But Mordecai convinced her to go
to the king, despite the possibility of death. When she entered
the king’s court, the king extended his scepter signifying that
she would not die, but he would meet with her. She invited him to
a feast along with Haman. At the feast, she simply invited him to
another feast (Esther
5:1-8). E.
That night Haman passed Mordecai again. Though he was happy
to be the only one invited to the feast with the king and queen,
he was incensed at Mordecai. His family encouraged him to build a
magnificent gallows and have Mordecai hanged as a spectacle (Esther
5:9-14). While Haman made his plans, Ahasuerus was having
trouble sleeping. They pulled out the chronicles to help put the
king to sleep. They happened to read of the plot to kill Ahasuerus
foiled by Mordecai and realized they had never done anything to
honor Mordecai for his great service (Esther
6:1-3). As Ahasuerus was thinking of ways to honor
Mordecai, Haman entered the courts. Ahasuerus asked what would be
a great way to honor someone the king wanted to honor. In his
arrogance, Haman couldn’t imagine that the king wanted to honor
anyone but him and said, the man should get to wear robes the king
had worn, ride a horse the king has ridden, wear a royal crown.
Then the king should have one of his most noble officials lead the
man around the square of the city proclaiming, “Thus shall it be
done to the man whom the king delights to honor.” So, the king
had Haman carry a robe and a horse to Mordecai and do exactly as
he had said (Esther
6:6-12). Haman was miserable despite being the only one
invited to the feasts of the king and queen. F.
Haman was escorted to the feast. When the king asked Esther
to finally reveal her request, she asked that she and her people
be spared from an enemy who would destroy them all. Keep in mind
that up to this point, no one in the palace knew she was a Jewess.
When the king asked who would do such a thing, she pointed out
Haman. As the king left the room in anger, Haman fell upon Esther
to beg for mercy. When the king returned it looked as if Haman was
accosting her. Ahasuerus decreed that Haman would be hung on the
gallows he was having built (Esther
7:1-10). G.
Since the king could not revoke the law allowing the
Persians to kill the Jews, he passed another law allowing the Jews
to defend themselves and fight back. On the day that Haman had
assigned for the Jews to be killed, they actually defeated their
enemies, killing 75,000 who hated them (Esther
8-9). The Jews established a feast in honor of this great
victory called Purim. Additionally, Ahasuerus promoted Mordecai to
Haman’s place of honor. H.
What an amazing story. What a great victory for God’s
people in the Old Covenant. And yet, this story is all the more
amazing because of something it leaves out. Despite being included
in the Bible, this book never once mentions God. It never once
tells us of God’s actions. It never once tells us of God’s
law. God is seemingly absent from this book. This story is told
just the way it seems life happens. We move from day to day,
things happen, we react, other things happen, coincidences occur,
we make choices, sometimes they work out to our benefit, sometimes
they don’t. Some people win. Some people lose. When it is all
over, it can very easily seem like a very God-less prospect. It
may seem that God is not really involved in our world. There are
simply natural ways in which our world works, sometimes we win and
sometimes we lose. Why on earth try to get God involved? II.
God was involved, however. A.
Despite God not being mentioned by name, He really is
involved in this story and there are some hints as to that
involvement. Further, these are hints that both Mordecai and
Esther believed God was involved. B.
Hint
#1: Mordecai was convinced deliverance would arise from somewhere
(Esther
4:14).
Mordecai was certain the Jews would be delivered. Mordecai was not
in complete despair that this might really be the end of his
people. Where did this conviction came from? This is not a wishful
thinking. This is not merely a fanciful hope. This was a
conviction born out of faith in God and His watchful care over His
people. C.
Hint
#2: “And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for
such a time as this?” (Esther
4:14). What was Mordecai saying here? Was he suggesting that some blind chance
and coincidence possibly brought Esther to this particular place
in this particular crisis? Of course not. That does not even make
sense. Esther could only have been put in that place for that
purpose if there was some purposeful mover of events behind the
action. Mordecai is saying that he can’t read God’s mind.
Maybe Esther won’t be the one to deliver the people. But maybe
this is not merely coincidence. Maybe this was God’s plan all
along so that Esther would be in the right place at the right
time. D.
Hint
#3: Esther asked for the Jews to fast on her behalf for three days
(Esther
4:16).
This passage doesn’t merely ask them to fast, but to fast on her
behalf. If this were merely a matter of not eating or drinking,
they couldn’t do that on her behalf. She can only fast for
herself. We need to understand that there is more to it than
simply not eating or drinking. Fasting in the Bible is ignoring
the physical needs in order to focus on a spiritual activity.
Sometimes it would happen naturally. That is, someone was so taken
up with a spiritual activity that they missed meals without real
thought. It also could happen purposefully, that is, the person
would purposefully choose not to eat or drink in order to focus on
a spiritual activity. The most common spiritual activity is
prayer. That is why prayer and fasting are often linked together
(cf. Nehemiah
1:4; Psalm 35:13; Daniel 9:3; Luke 5:33). This was fasting
on Esther’s behalf because what she was actually asking for was
that they be so devoted to prayer on her behalf for the next three
days that they not eat or drink anything. However, even if you
cannot agree with me about the prayer aspect of this, you must
recognize that this fasting was a God-filled act, not a God-less
one. Without God’s involvement, fasting would be nothing more
than going hungry. In fact, rather than helping, it would be
detrimental to their efforts because going three days without food
does not help one think and act well. E.
Right here in the central part of the book, we see very
clearly that even though God is not mentioned, even though it all
appears to be merely coincidental, even though this all just looks
like natural occurrences taking place almost by accident, Esther
and Mordecai both recognized God’s involvement and sought
God’s involvement. In the end, they understood that they were
not delivered by fortuitous events, by happy coincidences or by
time and chance. They were delivered by God. They knew that even
though they could not look through this story and see exactly
when, where, or how God had worked to provide deliverance, He had
provided deliverance. III.
Lessons for us. A.
Understand that God is involved. 1.
Just as it is easy to read
Esther and believe God was not involved in this story, it is
easy to walk through life and believe God is not involved. We wake
up, things happen, we react, coincidences occur, natural processes
take place, consequences occur, we go back to bed. It all just
seems to run and we never see God’s hand or witness His impact.
How very easy it is to believe God is just not involved, even if
we believe He exists. 2.
However, our story is like Esther’s. God is involved. God
does take action. Consider Matthew
5:45. Consider what may seem to be the most natural of
material phenomenon. The sun rises. The rain falls. But notice
whose sun it is. It is God’s sun. Who sends the rain? God does.
No doubt, we can provide scientific explanations for the rain and
the sunrise. We know the natural processes by which these things
occur, but who is doing it? God is. If God were to cease acting,
then the sun would no longer rise and the rain would no longer
fall. Where, when, how does God act in those things? I don’t
know, but I do know God is acting. According to Acts
17:28, it is by God’s involvement that we live, move,
and have our very being. Without his involvement, we could not do
any of those things. 3.
Do not look around at life and this world and see a
God-less planet. God is not in some far off place watching from a
distance. God is with us. God is involved B.
Cast your cares and needs on God. 1.
Mordecai made his case and convinced Esther to go into the
king. But she first had them enlist God’s help. She asked the
Jews of Susa and her own handmaidens to seek God’s help by
fasting for three days before she went in to the king. If we
recognize God’s involvement, then we need to enlist God’s
involvement. We need to ask for His help, strength, and aid. 2.
As I
Peter 5:6-7 says, humble yourself under God’s almighty
hand and cast your cares on Him because He cares for you. Why do
you think Peter says we have to humble ourselves? Because when we
are proud, we think we can handle it on our own. We press on
acting like we’ve got it under control and don’t need God.
Then we don’t ask for his involvement. Sometimes, in the grand
scheme of things it works in our favor and we think even more that
we don’t need God. Remember, God’s sun shines and His rain
falls on those who lean on God and those who don’t (Matthew
5:45). The fact that you don’t lean on God and it works
out in your favor, doesn’t mean you did it all on your own, it
just means God blessed you anyway. As Philippians
4:6-7 says, make your requests known to God and His peace
will be with you. C.
Do what you know is the right thing to do. 1.
Do not make the shallow mistake that if God is involved
that means all you need to do is pray and then you get to sit on
your hands and do nothing, simply waiting for God to act. Mordecai
was absolutely certain that God would deliver His people, but
Mordecai still sent Esther in to petition the king. Why should
Esther do that? Because they were certain that was the means God
would use to deliver the Jews? No. She should do that because it
was the right thing to do. She was in a position of possible
influence, if she didn’t do all she could to deliver her people,
she would be judged even when God delivered her people (Esther
4:13-14). Esther did not tell Mordecai that instead of
going in to the king they should simply fast and wait for God to
act, she had them fast on her behalf and then she got up and went
into the king’s presence. 2.
Consider another great example. In II
Samuel 15:31, David was fleeing for his life from Absalom
who had taken over the kingdom and he prayed that God would thwart
the counsel of Ahithophel. However, David did not just go out into
the wilderness and wait for God to do something. In II
Samuel 15:32-34, David sent Hushai the Archite to defeat
the counsel of Ahithophel. God acted through Ahithophel. 3.
Sadly, some folks believe they are absolutely spiritual by
doing nothing but praying. For instance, they lose their job and
say, “Oh, I know it will work out, I prayed about it.” Then
they don’t do anything to find a new job. After a few weeks they
begin to wonder why God isn’t getting them a job. Or they start
to get sick and they say, “Oh, I know I’ll get better, I
prayed about it.” Then they don’t do what the doctor tells
them to and they wonder why God isn’t getting them better. Or
they are having an interpersonal problem with someone, perhaps
even a spouse, and they say, “It will all work out, I prayed
about it.” Then they do nothing to resolve the issue with the
other person, sometimes they even do things that worsen the
situation, and they wonder why God isn’t fixing the
relationship. 4.
We need to recognize that we have absolutely no idea what
means God is going to use to accomplish His will. We have no idea
through what means God is going to accomplish our requests. That
means we need to do what we know is right that we have opportunity
to do. Who knows, but maybe that is the means God will use to
accomplish it. D.
Let God do His job. 1.
Sadly, some folks lean so heavily on the fact that we must
act, that they cast their cares on God and then they pick them
back up again. They worry and fret, they manipulate and try to
control, they work and work on trying to produce the outcome they
want. Instead, we need to cast our cares on God, do what we know
is right, then let God handle the outcomes. Let God do His job. He
may use us. He may not. He doesn’t need us trying to do His job
for Him. 2.
I always get back to Romans
8:28. We know that God will work everything out for our
ultimate good. He knows how to do that. He knows what my ultimate
good is even when I don’t. I don’t need to worry and fret.
I’ve cast my cares on God. I’ve done what I know is right. God
will now work it out for my good and His glory. I can rest in
peace, trusting Him. E.
Acknowledge God in all your ways. 1.
Proverbs
3:6
says, “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make
straight your paths.” The point is recognizing God’s
involvement. As we review our day and see our blessings, we need
to count them as just that—blessings from God. They are not
accidents. They are not mere coincidences. They are not simply
serendipitous by-products of the natural working of the world.
Every good gift comes from God (James
1:17). 2.
We need to give God thanks for His blessings (I
Thessalonians 5:18). We need to give God the credit for
His involvement in our successes. If we take the glory for
ourselves, we’ll end up like Herod in Acts
12:22-23. We need to honor God for the great things He has
done in our lives. Do you have food to eat today? Do you have a
job? Were you able to walk? Have you overcome temptation? Give
glory to God. Acknowledge His involvement and give Him thanks. F.
Honor God when things don’t go our way. 1.
Sadly, we need to understand another side of this. When
Mordecai said, “Who knows…” the point was that he didn’t
know if God actually would use Esther to deliver the people. God
may have done something else. Esther may have gone into the king
and it turned out very badly for her. But she understood it was
the right thing to do. If she perished, she perished (Esther
4:16). Esther was willing to accept whatever God did. 2.
We need to learn to honor God no matter what He does.
It’s very easy to give God thanks when it is going our way. But
sometimes what we want is not what God gives. We must learn to
give God the praise and honor no matter what. We must trust that
His way is best for us and in the end we will be able to look back
and see that what He has said and done is for our ultimate good.
As Paul in II
Corinthians 12:7-10, we need to see God’s blessing even
when He says no to us. Like Job, we must learn to bless God when
He gives and when He takes away (Job
1:21). Conclusion: God is involved. God is near. What a sad, sad world we would live in if God had abandoned us to face this on our own. Of course, there are some who don’t care. They think they can handle things on their own. I feel pity for these because they do not know the blessings they are missing by trying to face life alone. Most of all, I feel pity for them because right now they do not know what being alone is truly like, but they will learn in eternity when they are cast completely away from the presence of God (II Thessalonians 1:9). Why not come into God’s presence now. Accept the love He wants to offer. Submit to the blessings He wants to give. Acknowledge Him and allow Him to make your paths straight. It is such a better life. Let God be your refuge and your rock (Psalm 18:1-3). He will not ever forsake you (Hebrews 13:5-6).
Glory
to God in the church by Christ Jesus
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