In
this section the threat of persecution suddenly becomes much more real; the
Jews are given a death sentence. From action and reaction we may take an
example of how the Christian is to behave under threat.
Grief
When
Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth
and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and
bitterly. He went as far as the king's gate, for no one was to enter the king's
gate clothed in sackcloth. In each and every province where the command and
decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting,
weeping and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes. Then Esther's maidens
and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish. And
she sent garments to clothe Mordecai that he might remove his sackcloth from
him, but he did not accept them.
(Est 4:1-4 NASB)
Grief,
when it is upon us, seems overwhelming. But we must remember that the children
of God receive their grief as is passes through the hand of Almighty God. He
regulates our afflictions:
- He
regulates how much grief one gets. Do you remember Job? Satan came and
asked permission to afflict him. The Lord specified what could, and could
not, be done with him.
- He
regulates how long the affliction lasts. He knows that our endurance is
not eternal.
- Most
importantly, he regulates it so that it does not necessarily overwhelm
you. Most of what we get is common to mankind; it is bitter, but it will
pass with time.
We
see grief and affliction as being something that “just happens.” God sees it
as a tool to benefit us:
- Often,
from our affliction and grief, He teaches us His ways. Who among us has
never attended a Christian funeral? If you have, you know that death
looks you in the face – but also the sure and certain resurrection.
- He
uses it to refine us. In our afflictions we often find ourselves faced
with choices – what to keep in our lives, what to discard. As we choose
His ways over our ways, we grow closer to Him in purity of spirit.
- Remarkably,
He often uses the grief and affliction of His people to show His kingdom
to the world.
That
last is particularly important. A friend and coworker lost his wife to
cancer. She left him with eight children. When I arrived at the church for
the funeral, his first words were, “John, how does anyone get through this
without Jesus Christ?” My answer: “I don’t know, and I don’t want to find
out.” Standing next to us was my boss, thinking.
Remember,
too, that you have a duty to those who are grieving. The afflicted are in our
care, like it or not. This applies both to those suddenly afflicted (death of
a spouse, for example) or those who are continually afflicted. Who could not be moved by the death
of the farm workers toiling in 100+ heat? Their deaths made it news, but their
treatment has been like this for many years. Would you have imagined that the
law of this land lacked a provision that such workers be provided both shade
and water? When the governor issued his emergency orders on same, even the
farmers who pay these workers had to agree that this is just and right.
More
commonly, we get the privilege of being Good Samaritans. Privilege? Yes, it costs you in
time, money and effort – but by this you become more like God, whose rain falls
on the just, the unjust and even the unknown.
One
very important reason for rendering comfort during a time of grief is this:
"For
the despairing man there should be
kindness from his friend; So that he does not forsake the fear of the Almighty.
(Job 6:14 NASB)
To
allow our Christian brother or sister to go through grief uncomforted is to
risk them losing the faith. The fear of God comes from the presence of God;
often enough, you and I are that presence.
Courage
Then
Esther summoned Hathach from the king's eunuchs, whom the king had appointed to
attend her, and ordered him to go to
Mordecai to learn what this was and why
it was. So Hathach went out to Mordecai
to the city square in front of the king's gate. Mordecai told him all that had
happened to him, and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay
to the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a
copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their
destruction, that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go
in to the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people.
Hathach came back and related Mordecai's words to Esther. Then Esther spoke to
Hathach and ordered him to reply to
Mordecai: "All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces
know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is
not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king
holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been
summoned to come to the king for these thirty days." They related Esther's
words to Mordecai. Then Mordecai told them
to reply to Esther, "Do not imagine that you in the king's palace can escape
any more than all the Jews. "For if you remain silent at this time, relief
and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your
father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty
for such a time as this?" Then Esther told them
to reply to Mordecai, "Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens
also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not
according to the law; and if I perish, I perish." So Mordecai went away
and did just as Esther had commanded him.
(Est 4:5-17 NASB)
Somehow,
there always seems to be a problem between us and a just solution.
- Sometimes
the problem is in “the system.” This is particularly tough for
Christians, as we are taught to be obedient to civil rulers as an example
for Christ.
- Sometimes,
it’s just one person. A rich, powerful person, usually, but none the less
one. We compare our strengths, and despair. (But the battle belongs to
the Lord).
- Often
enough the problem is not external so much as it is internal. The inner
man says, simply, “I can’t”.
We
need to remember that we are not alone in this. Mordecai puts the point
personally to Esther.
- God
has charge of this; He will provide deliverance for His people.
- Don’t
think you can skate by denying Him; He remembers.
- Most
important – maybe God has selected you to work his works.
The
is a sureness about God that we should rely on. Solomon says that God directs
the steps no matter what we plan. We can share in that sureness of God
by being his children. How so? Look at it this way: those who are devious
and hateful quite naturally assume everyone else is too. So when it comes to
taking courage, they need a lot more to get past the enemies they don’t really
have. It is by the pure heart we see God; seeing God, the pure heart knows its
deliverer.
There
is also the “Indiana Jones” principle: you and I have read the end of the
Book. We know how it all turns out.
Taking
courage – note that verb – is something that is commanded by God rather
frequently in the Bible. It therefore must be something which can be taken.
In other words, it’s not something built in – but a decision we make.
That’s
how God turns the obedient chicken hearted into the courageous. The armies of
the world look for courageous men, to beat them into being obedient soldiers;
the armies of God are composed of obedient ones commanded to be courageous.
Two
Banquets
Now
it came about on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in
the inner court of the king's palace in front of the king's rooms, and the king
was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room, opposite the entrance to
the palace. When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she
obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter
which was in his hand. So Esther came
near and touched the top of the scepter. Then the king said to her, "What
is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what
is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you."
Esther said, "If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day
to the banquet that I have prepared for him." Then the king said, "Bring
Haman quickly that we may do as Esther desires." So the king and Haman
came to the banquet which Esther had prepared. As they drank their wine at the
banquet, the king said to Esther, "What is your petition, for it shall be
granted to you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall
be done." So Esther replied, "My petition and my request is: if I
have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant
my petition and do what I request, may the king and Haman come to the banquet which
I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king says."
(Est 5:1-8 NASB)
There
is a fascinating puzzle in here: how did Esther know, or decide, to have two
banquets?
Looking
back on the whole story, we can see how two banquets make sense in the economy
of God:
- God
needs that extra night for the king’s insomnia.
- It’s
also the night in which Haman’s pride precedes his fall.
- And
of course in the second banquet Esther exposes Haman.
So
it all makes sense – in hindsight. But what was Esther thinking?
- Perhaps
it was simply that she was timid and hesitant – and thus decided to put
off the actual challenge until the next day. If so, we can see how God
can still use us for His purposes.
- It’s
possible that Esther had mastered feminine wiles, and she knew the value
of keeping the king in suspense.
- Or
did God reveal this to her, commanding her to make it twice?
We
may never know.
But
whatever the reason, we see here three characteristics of the providence of
God:
- God’s
providence is given in His timing. It is not something we can command;
it is His.
- God
will do this using the things of this world.
- God
will do this using the people of this world – who won’t understand a bit
of it.