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“For Such A Time As This! • 3.17.19
• Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- The book of Esther contains the
story of an exiled Jewish woman, who has been chosen to replace a recently
deposed Queen.
- While God is not mentioned, His
hand over human affairs is obvious. Queen Esther is established. Our author
shifts our attention from the palace to the city gate. Chapter 2, verse 19.
Text
• Esther 2:19-23 : "When virgins were gathered together
a second time, Mordecai sat within the king’s gate. Now Esther had not revealed her
family and her people, just as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther obeyed the
command of Mordecai as when she was brought up by him. In those days, while Mordecai sat within
the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh,
doorkeepers, became furious and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. So the matter became known to Mordecai, who
told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name. And when an inquiry was made into the matter, it was
confirmed, and both were hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of
the chronicles in the presence of the king." : If you thought Ahasuerus would stop
amassing concubines when Esther was crowned Queen, think again!
- His harem continued to grow and by the time
that we come to this passage, Mordecai has become a fixture at the King's gate,
the entrance to his palace.
- When you think of an ancient city gate, don't
think of a chain link fence. Think of a complex, a maze of business offices
which lead into the citadel, an appointment made possible by the Queen.
- Our author informs us here that the Queen has
withheld her personal information. Nobody knows that she is related to Mordecai
or the people of God, as was the advice of her guardian.
- What is about to happen would not have
happened if that relationship was public. I imagine Bigthan and Teresh would
have been a bit more discreet had they known of Mordecai's relation.
- We aren't told why, but these two eunuchs
"burst out in a rage" against the King and were intent upon his
destruction. Mordecai blew the whistle and Esther made sure he received the
credit!
- These two eunuchs received their penalty. The
Persians were known for impaling their criminals publically to diiscourage
anyone from following a similar course of action.
- As for Mordecai, there isn't any fanfare or
show of appreciation, which is quite odd considering the fact that the King's
life was spared. It's written in a book and momentarily forgotten.
- If you have ever wondered why you are
overlooked or forgotten, consider that God may be waiting for a better time and
place to reward you. Keep that in mind as we come to chapter 3.
• Esther 3:1,2 : "After these things King Ahasuerus
promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his
seat above all the princes who were with him. And all the king’s servants who
were within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had
commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage." : Once the plot was discovered and
foiled, the King promotes this man "Haman," whose name means
"Magnificent."
- Mordecai just saved the King's life and there
is hardly a mention. This man comes on the scene, nothing is said of his
exploits, but the King lifts him high anyway! It hardly seems fair!
- We may not know what he did, but we know who
he was! Haman was a Prince, the son of royalty, the son of Hammedatha the
Agagite. "Agag" is a title for Amalekite royalty.
- King Saul was commanded by God to execute
King Agag, along with the Amalekites that he led in I Samuel 15! He
failed to extinguish that pronounced enemy, interestingly, a type of the flesh.
- Later in Saul's history, an Amalekite will
show up at his death! If we do not kill the desires of our flesh, they will
rise up at a another time with greater power!
- In the meantime, Haman's ascension to power
was startling! Whatever he did to deserve promotion prompted the King to
command his servants to pay him homage!
- This wasn't the standard fare for the other
princes! These servants were to bow down and reverence Haman. Can you imagine
the scene?
- Haman enters into the King's court and bodies
immediately fall to the ground. It's so satisfying to Haman. All around him are
little human beings paying him respect.
- Mordecai refused to offer any such response! Verse
3.
• Esther 3:3-6 : "Then the king’s servants who were
within the king’s gate said to Mordecai, 'Why do you transgress the king’s
command?' Now it
happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that
they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; for
Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. When Haman saw that Mordecai did
not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled with wrath. But he disdained to lay hands on
Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman
sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of
Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai." : If you have ever had a work companion continually shoot
themselves in the foot, you have had conversations like this one! The King's
servants liked Mordecai.
- They voice their concern about his behavior
day after day. Can you hear them whispering in the corridor: "Mordecai,
what's wrong with you?"
- No matter how they pressured him to reconsider,
he wouldn't listen. Somewhere along the way, it seems that Mordecai unveiled
his reason.
- Jews were allowed to show proper respect for
authorities. Some have surmised that Mordecai revealed the ancient hatred
between the Amalekites and the Jews.
- Without really understanding or relaying the
reason, these men just took out the context and reported that it was because of
his being a Jew. That brought everything into focus for Haman.
- After receiving this information, he kept
seeing this insulting act and became enraged, not just at Mordecai, but at the
entire Jewish population! What an irrational response!?
- Haman has everything a man could want! He's
the second most powerful man in the world and one Jewish man's response
triggers a genocidal campaign in his heart?
- Where else could this have originated, but in
the very heart of Satan himself! Verse 7.
• Esther 3:7-11 : "In the first month, which is the
month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is,
the lot), before Haman to determine the day and the month, until it fell on the
twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, 'There is a certain
people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your
kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep
the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain. If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be
destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of
those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.' So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it
to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. And the king said to Haman, 'The money and the people are
given to you, to do with them as seems good to you.'" : Nine years have passed since the
beginning of this book, four since Esther was made the Queen of Persia and just
minutes after Mordecai's supposed insult.
- Haman's people sought to determine their
god's will with regard to the best time to pounce. They sought to establish
this using what archeologists have discovered were forms of dice.
- This is occurring in the first month of the
Jews, a time when they are getting ready to celebrate the Passover. They have
no idea what new devilry is being proposed!
- When the die, the "pur" was cast,
it fell upon the twelth month and Haman proceeded to outline his wicked plan to
the King. He begins by diminishing the people of Israel, but not by name.
- These "random people" are scattered
and dispersed. They are "littered throughout the Kingdom and are separate
from everyone." They will hardly be missed.
- Beside that, they lived in Persia, but not
according to Persian law. They have their own laws that are different than the
rest of the Persia. There is no profit in keeping them around!
- And, if that wasn't enough, Haman will fund
the entire program! Recall that a single "talent" was 75 pounds! History
records that the efforts of the Persian army were not going so well.
- The battles that I mentioned last week had
been costly. The war chest was seriously depleted and a sudden influx of 10,000
talents would have been a tremendous economic boost!
- The King signed off and gave the people into
Haman's hands. Just like that, a backdoor deal was made to wipe out the Jewish
nation! Verse 12.
• Esther 3:12-15 : "Then the king’s scribes were called
on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to
all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over
each province, to the officials of all people, to every province according to
its script, and to every people in their language. In the name of King
Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring. And the letters were sent by
couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate
all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the
thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder
their possessions. A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every
province, being published for all people, that they should be ready for that
day. The
couriers went out, hastened by the king’s command; and the decree was
proclaimed in Shushan the citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but
the city of Shushan was perplexed." : A few days later and Haman's plot has become policy! It was sent
to every province and was recognized as official by the King's seal. Listen to
the timing.
- The King's decree is written on the 13th day
of Nisan. Any faithful Jews living within Persia are preparing to slaughter their
lambs for Passover! This is when most of them received this news!
- God allowed this heathen King to decree a
genocidal campaign against His people on the very day that they celebrated His
deliverance of them from Pharoah! Wow!
- In writing, the Persian people are given the
authority to act against all Jewish people, regardless of age, sex or gender
for a single day on the calendar, the 13th of Adar.
- Just like that, Haman is getting his wish,
Ahasuerus is getting his silver and the people are getting confused! Those in
the citadel were disturbed by the King's action.
- This reminds us that not every member of any
race is against another! There are many civil and godly Persians that loved
their Jewish neighbors. This isn't what they wanted. Chapter 4.
• Esther 4:1-3 : "When Mordecai learned all that had
happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into
the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. He went as far as the front of the
king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. And in every province where the
king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews,
with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes." : Mordecai didn't pull any punches.
There is no way to miss his reaction to the King's decree.
- From what you saw to where you saw it and how
you heard, it was obvious that Mordecai suffered greatly in hearing the news.
Why? Certainly, it concerned his people.
- Truthfully, I can't help but think that he
believed he was responsible for drawing the Enemy's fire. His refusal to bow
had sparked the enemy's idea! The rest of the Jews joined him.
- Mordecai was the local representative, but
all throughout the Kingdom, there was fasting, weeping and wailing. Verse 4.
• Esther 4:4-12 : "So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came
and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to
clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept
them. Then
Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to
attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and
why this was. So
Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king’s
gate. And
Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman
had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the
written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might
show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in
to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people. So Hathach returned and told Esther
the words of Mordecai. Then
Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai: 'All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s
provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king,
who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one
to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself
have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.' So they told Mordecai Esther’s words." : When the Queen heard of Mordecai's
actions, she was in deep inner turmoil.
- She had some clothes sent to him, but he
wouldn't accept them. Incredibly, Esther is out of the loop as to why he was
acting this way. She has no idea what her husband has agreed to do!
- Mordecai explains what has happened and sends
an urgent request back to Esther to intercede for her people. Ostensibly,
Esther is just getting this news, so imagine the shock.
- Then, she is aware of her own status with the
King in a way that Mordecai might not have been. Protocol meant that the King
would pick and choose his daily audience.
- Nobody was allowed to simply make an
appointment or "drop in" unannounced! Such an action would lead to
death. "And don't think that I have special privileges!"
- It had been a while, over a month, since the
King made any overtures toward Esther. Remember, years have already passed
since Esther made the King swoon. The honeymoon is over!
- For those that love the sovereignty of God
and responsibility of man, this is yet another example. God in His supervisory
providence, has clearly orchestrated events to crown Esther.
- But she does not anticipate that he will now
"just take care of things" or that she can act any way that she wants
to. Esther is not going to be guilty of presumption.
- That being said, providence does not negate
the need for courage. Esther will still need to jump over the hurdles of her
own human self-preserving ethic. Mordecai is aware of this. Verse 13.
• Esther 4:13,14 : "And Mordecai told them to answer
Esther: 'Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace
any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and
deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your
father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom
for such a time as this?'" : Mordecai considers her reply to be one of cowardice. "She
thinks she'll be safe!"
- "Don't be fooled young lady! You cannot
neglect to do what is right to save your own skin!"
- It's at this point that we might be tempted
to look at oue own importance and almost convince ourselves that God couldn't
do what He wanted without us! Mordecai won't let us think that way!
- The words he chooses are quite clever. He
tells her, "If you are plotting or devising to be silent to save yourself,
God will find another way to deliver!
- This is the essence of God's way throughout
history! Name a group that plotted against the Lord's people that succeeded?
You won't find them!
- Additionally, think of all the people used
and the ways that God devised to deliver His people that didn't make any sense
at all.
- Mordecai knows this: Nobody will be able to
take out the Jews! Relief, literally "enlargement" or
"space" and a way of escape will come from some other means!
- "You may not make it Esther, but God's
people will be taken care of by Him!" Here is the truth though: If you
will be courageous, you'll get to participate with God in His work!
- Esther has to be reminded that God has put
her here for just this very occasion! This is your time to serve His interests.
That's why you are there! Verse 15.
• Esther 4:15-17 : "Then Esther told them to reply to
Mordecai: 'Go,
gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat
nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And
so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!'
So
Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him." : After hearing this, Esther put her
next moves in the hands of God, calling for a fast. She is going to go against
all convention.
- The worst that can happen is that she will
die, but she will die doing what was right!
- For the first time in their relationship,
Mordecai does what the Queen commanded! He could go along with prayer and
fasting!
Conclusion
- Let's pray.
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