The mind of a person plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. - Proverbs 16:9
Esther was the queen of Persia. She replaced Vashti, who was banished for disobeying the king’s declaration. Esther’s cousin Mordecai, the man who raised her, was a royal servant. Both he and Esther were Jewish, descendants of the tribe of Benjamin. Everyone knew that Mordecai was a Jew, but no one knew that Esther was also.
Ahasuerus was the king of Persia. Haman served as his prime minister, second in command. Haman was an Agagite, a descendant of the Amalekites. He hated Mordecai and all of the Jewish people. Haman drafted a law, in the king’s name, to kill all of the Jews living in Persia. The target date for this massacre was less than a year away.
This morning, we will continue our journey through the book of Esther. We will be in chapter 4. What will happen to the Jews living in the Persian Empire? Can anything be done to save them before it's too late? I’ve titled the following message “Mordecai Urges Esther to Act”.
I. THE JEWS’ ANGUISH (v1-4)
When Mordecai learned about the new law calling for the eradication of the Jewish people, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, left the citadel, went into the city, and mourned bitterly. Such behavior was not permitted within the king’s gate. As word spread throughout the provinces, Jews throughout Persia responded with the same anguish. There was weeping, wailing, and fasting, and many made their beds in sackcloth and ashes. When Esther heard that Mordecai was mourning, she also became sad and sent him some clothes to change into which he refused to accept.
Sackcloth was a type of coarse fabric made from black goat’s or camel’s hair. It was quite uncomfortable. It symbolized intense sorrow and pain. Ashes would be rubbed on the body to represent desolation and ruin. The Persian Jews were in misery because their destruction was imminent. However, they didn’t flee, perhaps because travel in those days was difficult and impractical or they weren’t allowed to.
II. MORDECAI’S APPEAL (v5-8)
Esther sent Hathach, 1 of her attendants, to Mordecai to ask him why he was grieving. Hathach found Mordecai in the city square. Mordecai described Haman’s hatred for him and the Jews, the law that had been passed, and how it would be funded. He even gave Hathach a copy of the king’s edict that had been dispersed throughout Susa for Queen Esther to read. Mordecai urged Esther to go to the king and make an appeal to him on behalf of the Jews.
Esther did not immediately know about the new law. She was sad because Mordecai was sad, though she didn’t understand the reason and wanted to find out. This says something about her character. The Bible teaches us as Christians to mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15). Esther was a sympathetic person. When Mordecai explained what was going on, Esther must have realized the sweeping gravity of the situation. This was a much bigger issue than she had originally anticipated.
III. ESTHER’S APPREHESION (v9-12)
Hathach returned to Esther and told her all that Mordcai had said. Esther sent word back to him stating that she couldn’t simply approach the king and make an appeal to him. The law stated that no one - including the queen - could enter the king’s inner court to converse with him unless they were summoned to do so. Those who attempted to would be put to death, unless he held out his golden scepter to spare their life. Furthermore, Esther had not been summoned to see the king for 30 days.
Esther’s first response to Mordecai was apprehensive. She knew that if she did what he asked, her life would be at risk. She explained that people just didn’t go see the king uninvited and stated that even she hadn’t seen him for a month. Perhaps Mordecai thought that Esther spoke with him everyday, but she didn’t. This was going to be more difficult than he expected.
IV. MORDECAI’S ADMONITION (v13-14)
When Hathach came to Mordecai and expressed Esther’s concerns, he answered that inevitably she’d been found out to be Jewish and would be killed just like the rest. He warned her not to be naive in thinking she’d escape just because she was the queen. Mordecai was confident that deliverance would come for the Jews, even if Esther remained silent, but he warned her that if she didn’t act, she and her father’s house would surely perish. Mordecai challenged Esther to consider if, perhaps, she had become queen for this very reason.
Mordecai’s response was, in essence, “True, if you intervene you’ll be risking your life, but if you don’t at least try you’ll lose it for sure.” At some point the king would find out that she was Jewish - she couldn’t hide it forever. I am struck by Mordecai's faith that God would save His people somehow, even if not through Esther. It reminds me of Abraham’s faith that God would provide, even as he prepared to sacrifice his own son Isaac (Genesis 22:8). Even still, he urged Esther to act. She was in a unique position to make a difference.
V. ESTHER’S ACCEPTANCE (v15-17)
So Hathach came back to Esther again and told her what Mordecai had said. She considered his wisdom and sent instructions for Mordecai to gather up all the Jews living in Susa. She asked them to fast (and pray) on her behalf for 3 days. Esther and her young maidens would do likewise. Afterward she resolved to go speak to the king, even if not summoned to do so, and if she were to be killed for breaking the law, so be it. Upon receiving Esther’s request, Mordecai did just as she’d instructed.
Upon reflection, Esther knew what she had to do. God had raised her up to be queen. This was her moment to stand, but the task wouldn’t be easy. She was nervous and afraid. So she asked for prayer. She needed courage and strength to approach the king. Beloved, when we are faced with daunting challenges and obstacles in our lives, we should ask others to pray for us as we also pray for them (1 Thessalonians 5:25). Praying for one another is an important part of the Christian life.
CONCLUSION
Mordecai’s question in Esther 4:14 is perhaps the most well-known sentence in this entire book. “Who knows whether you have reached royalty for such a time as this?” He believed that God had placed Esther there to intervene on behalf of the Jews, and wanted her to believe it too.
Beloved, God is sovereign over the events of history. He works all things together for good so that His will is accomplished. He orchestrates the days of our lives so as to achieve His divine purposes. He weaves it all together in a grand tapestry. Friends, Esther did not come to be queen by chance. It was all in accordance with God’s design. He placed her there to be the deliverer of her kinsmen - His people, the Jewish people. But would she do it? Would she be brave enough to answer the calling that God had given to her?
What about you and I? God’s sovereign and perfect will has brought us to this place. We are not in Seymour by accident. The people in our lives are not there randomly. And, similar to ancient Persia, there are lives and souls in danger all around us. Judgment day is coming soon. Will we have the courage to risk rejection, or perhaps even persecution, by boldly sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost? Will we seize our moment?
Esther was the queen of Persia. She replaced Vashti, who was banished for disobeying the king’s declaration. Esther’s cousin Mordecai, the man who raised her, was a royal servant. Both he and Esther were Jewish, descendants of the tribe of Benjamin. Everyone knew that Mordecai was a Jew, but no one knew that Esther was also.
Ahasuerus was the king of Persia. Haman served as his prime minister, second in command. Haman was an Agagite, a descendant of the Amalekites. He hated Mordecai and all of the Jewish people. Haman drafted a law, in the king’s name, to kill all of the Jews living in Persia. The target date for this massacre was less than a year away.
This morning, we will continue our journey through the book of Esther. We will be in chapter 4. What will happen to the Jews living in the Persian Empire? Can anything be done to save them before it's too late? I’ve titled the following message “Mordecai Urges Esther to Act”.
I. THE JEWS’ ANGUISH (v1-4)
When Mordecai learned about the new law calling for the eradication of the Jewish people, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, left the citadel, went into the city, and mourned bitterly. Such behavior was not permitted within the king’s gate. As word spread throughout the provinces, Jews throughout Persia responded with the same anguish. There was weeping, wailing, and fasting, and many made their beds in sackcloth and ashes. When Esther heard that Mordecai was mourning, she also became sad and sent him some clothes to change into which he refused to accept.
Sackcloth was a type of coarse fabric made from black goat’s or camel’s hair. It was quite uncomfortable. It symbolized intense sorrow and pain. Ashes would be rubbed on the body to represent desolation and ruin. The Persian Jews were in misery because their destruction was imminent. However, they didn’t flee, perhaps because travel in those days was difficult and impractical or they weren’t allowed to.
II. MORDECAI’S APPEAL (v5-8)
Esther sent Hathach, 1 of her attendants, to Mordecai to ask him why he was grieving. Hathach found Mordecai in the city square. Mordecai described Haman’s hatred for him and the Jews, the law that had been passed, and how it would be funded. He even gave Hathach a copy of the king’s edict that had been dispersed throughout Susa for Queen Esther to read. Mordecai urged Esther to go to the king and make an appeal to him on behalf of the Jews.
Esther did not immediately know about the new law. She was sad because Mordecai was sad, though she didn’t understand the reason and wanted to find out. This says something about her character. The Bible teaches us as Christians to mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15). Esther was a sympathetic person. When Mordecai explained what was going on, Esther must have realized the sweeping gravity of the situation. This was a much bigger issue than she had originally anticipated.
III. ESTHER’S APPREHESION (v9-12)
Hathach returned to Esther and told her all that Mordcai had said. Esther sent word back to him stating that she couldn’t simply approach the king and make an appeal to him. The law stated that no one - including the queen - could enter the king’s inner court to converse with him unless they were summoned to do so. Those who attempted to would be put to death, unless he held out his golden scepter to spare their life. Furthermore, Esther had not been summoned to see the king for 30 days.
Esther’s first response to Mordecai was apprehensive. She knew that if she did what he asked, her life would be at risk. She explained that people just didn’t go see the king uninvited and stated that even she hadn’t seen him for a month. Perhaps Mordecai thought that Esther spoke with him everyday, but she didn’t. This was going to be more difficult than he expected.
IV. MORDECAI’S ADMONITION (v13-14)
When Hathach came to Mordecai and expressed Esther’s concerns, he answered that inevitably she’d been found out to be Jewish and would be killed just like the rest. He warned her not to be naive in thinking she’d escape just because she was the queen. Mordecai was confident that deliverance would come for the Jews, even if Esther remained silent, but he warned her that if she didn’t act, she and her father’s house would surely perish. Mordecai challenged Esther to consider if, perhaps, she had become queen for this very reason.
Mordecai’s response was, in essence, “True, if you intervene you’ll be risking your life, but if you don’t at least try you’ll lose it for sure.” At some point the king would find out that she was Jewish - she couldn’t hide it forever. I am struck by Mordecai's faith that God would save His people somehow, even if not through Esther. It reminds me of Abraham’s faith that God would provide, even as he prepared to sacrifice his own son Isaac (Genesis 22:8). Even still, he urged Esther to act. She was in a unique position to make a difference.
V. ESTHER’S ACCEPTANCE (v15-17)
So Hathach came back to Esther again and told her what Mordecai had said. She considered his wisdom and sent instructions for Mordecai to gather up all the Jews living in Susa. She asked them to fast (and pray) on her behalf for 3 days. Esther and her young maidens would do likewise. Afterward she resolved to go speak to the king, even if not summoned to do so, and if she were to be killed for breaking the law, so be it. Upon receiving Esther’s request, Mordecai did just as she’d instructed.
Upon reflection, Esther knew what she had to do. God had raised her up to be queen. This was her moment to stand, but the task wouldn’t be easy. She was nervous and afraid. So she asked for prayer. She needed courage and strength to approach the king. Beloved, when we are faced with daunting challenges and obstacles in our lives, we should ask others to pray for us as we also pray for them (1 Thessalonians 5:25). Praying for one another is an important part of the Christian life.
CONCLUSION
Mordecai’s question in Esther 4:14 is perhaps the most well-known sentence in this entire book. “Who knows whether you have reached royalty for such a time as this?” He believed that God had placed Esther there to intervene on behalf of the Jews, and wanted her to believe it too.
Beloved, God is sovereign over the events of history. He works all things together for good so that His will is accomplished. He orchestrates the days of our lives so as to achieve His divine purposes. He weaves it all together in a grand tapestry. Friends, Esther did not come to be queen by chance. It was all in accordance with God’s design. He placed her there to be the deliverer of her kinsmen - His people, the Jewish people. But would she do it? Would she be brave enough to answer the calling that God had given to her?
What about you and I? God’s sovereign and perfect will has brought us to this place. We are not in Seymour by accident. The people in our lives are not there randomly. And, similar to ancient Persia, there are lives and souls in danger all around us. Judgment day is coming soon. Will we have the courage to risk rejection, or perhaps even persecution, by boldly sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost? Will we seize our moment?