For Such a Time as This

For Such a Time as This

 

Esther 4:14b (NIV)

 

And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this

 

 

The book of Esther is unique to the Bible in that there is no mention of the Name of God nor any direct reference to Him however He is clearly present on every page of this fascinating book.  The setting is during the exile and in the land of Persia.  The Jewish people were spread out and mixed among all the other people throughout the areas that King Xerxes reigned over.  The story opens with the throne and position of the Queen being vacant due to Queen Vashti refusing to obey an order of the king that would dishonor her.  In the course of time, a selection of a new queen for Xerxes became necessary so a kind of “beauty pageant” would be held for the king to make his selection.

 

There was a Jew named Mordecai living in the land who had a cousin named Esther who he had raised as his own daughter after her parents had died.  He placed Esther into the contest but told her not to disclose her Jewish nationality at that time.  Esther found favor in the eyes of the king’s eunuch and eventually in the eyes of the king as well.  She was selected to be the queen in Vashti’s place. 

 

The story then focuses on Mordecai and a new character introduced into the story named Haman.  The plot swings back and forth between these two.  Mordecai uncovers a plot to kill King Xerxes and reported it through Esther.  The conspirators were hanged and the event was recorded in the annals of the king including Mordecai’s part in the prevention of it.  From there the story swings to Haman who is exalted by the king to a place second only to himself.  An order was given that when Haman went by people were to kneel down and pay him honor.  Mordecai however, because of his Jewish faith would bow to none but God.  This of course infuriated Haman who talked King Xerxes into allowing him to destroy this “rebellious people” who would not obey the king’s laws.  A date was set for the annihilation of the Jewish people and word spread of the impending doom of the Jews.  Mordechai turned to Esther to intercede in behalf of her people.  Now would be the time to disclose the fact that she too was a Jew and that the permanent edict would affect her as well. 

 

A problem that Queen Esther faced was that no one, not even the Queen could go before the King unless summoned by him.  The penalty for doing so was death unless an act of mercy was given shown by the extending of a golden scepter.  When Esther was hesitant, Mordecai told her that she would not be spared by being in the kings house and that if she did not speak up in behalf of her people, that relief and deliverance would surely come but from someone else but that in the meanwhile, she and her family would suffer under the edict of the king.  He also uttered the famous words of this story, “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”  With this charge Esther asked Mordecai to have all Jewish people fast and pray for three days and then she would approach the king.  On the third day, Esther approached the king in her royal robes.  The golden scepter was held out to her because he was pleased with her.  He told her to make her request known and it would be given to her, even up to half his kingdom.  Esther asked him to simply come to a banquet and bring Haman along that she had prepared especially for them and she would make her request known then. 

 

When Haman heard that he was invited to a private banquet with the king prepared by the queen, he went out in high spirits but when he saw Mordecai who still would not bow before him, he was filled with rage.  On the advice of his wife and his friends he had a gallows built seventy five feet high on which to have Mordecai hanged.  That very night however the king, having a sleepless night, had the annals of his reign brought and read to him.  When he realized that no reward had ever been offered to Mordecai for uncovering the plot against him he made up his mind to honor him in some way.  Just then Haman walked in to talk to the king about Mordecai and the gallows but before he could speak the king asked Haman what should be done for the man that the king would like to honor.  Haman, thinking that the king was surely talking about him, suggested the man be set upon a royal horse and dressed in royal robes and let one of the most noble officials lead him along the city streets announcing that the king delights in him, honoring him.  To his horror the king agreed to this idea and told Haman to be the noble official and to lead Mordecai through the city as the man to be honored. 

 

After this, while Haman was sulking the time for the banquet came.  On the second day of the banquet the king asked Esther to make her request known.  She asked that her life and the lives of her people be spared as someone had arranged for their annihilation and destruction.  King Xerxes asked who would dare do such a thing and Esther disclosed her nationality and declared that Haman was the man.  The king was so outraged that he had to leave the room but while he was gone Haman tried to beg Queen Esther for his life.  As he pleaded with Esther, Haman fell onto the couch where she was reclining at the exact time that King Xerxes walked back into the room.  Thinking that Haman was molesting Esther, he had him hanged on the very gallows Haman had built for Mordecai.

 

That same day, Esther approached weeping and begging the king to put an end to the evil plan of Haman.  Again the golden scepter was extended to her and while the order could not be rescinded, a new order could be made allowing the Jews to defend themselves and destroy anyone attacking them.  When the day came for the destruction of the Jews, the tables were turned and the Jews prevailed over all their enemies.  After that the Jews held an annual celebration to remember how their sorrow was turned to joy and their mourning to celebration for the generations to come.  It was called Purim because Haman had cast lots (Pur) to decide the day of destruction for the Jews.

 

We as God’s people, are spread out and mixed among the people of this world maintaining an identity that is called out and separated based not on anything we have dove but based on whose we are.  We have an evil enemy who wants nothing more than to annihilate and destroy us because we will not bow down to him but worship the living God only.  In the midst of this enemy prowling around like a lion seeking who he may devour (see 1 Peter 5:8), a plan of redemption played out like this story.  There was one raised up for just such a time as this  “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God (Galatians 4:4-7).”  He is the one who brings deliverance and salvation for His people from the greatest to the smallest. 

 

Through this heavenly Esther, we can boldly approach the throne of Grace, receiving the golden scepter of mercy to receive our requests from the King of all creation.  And just as the plan to hang Mordecai on the gallows backfired on Haman, so the evil plan to hang Jesus on the cross backfired on the devil as it was through this that salvation was purchased for mankind.  As the Jews had something to celebrate forever in Purim, we also have something to celebrate for all of eternity in that we have been saved and delivered from the death sentence that had been decreed for each one of us (Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23).  Our sorrow is turned to joy and our mourning is turned to gladness.  Our Lord and Savior was raised up for such a time as this, proclaiming “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair (Isaiah 61:1-3a).

 

Grace to you,

 

Pastor Tony

freedom Church, USA