Esther's willingness
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Backstory
Backstory
A drunken, foolish, weak king -Ahasuerus
A refusing wife, Queen Vashti
Search is on for new queen
Mordecai & Hadassah (that is Esther)
Esther appointed queen
Haman’s evil plot; Kings decree
According to what I read it was said that there were perhaps 15 Million Jews scattered throughout the Persian Empire (Wiersbe).
15 Million Jews in empire between India to Ethiopia (Est1:1); With the decree in place there was no place for Jews to escape.
As of this time, Queen Esther does not know of the decree, the danger to her people.
The reception of Haman’s evil plot brought various responses.
Haman and the king sat, ate, drank
People of Susa were perplexed (Est3:15)
And tonight we see the Jews start to mourn (Est4:3)
(Transition) May we all turn together to the passage and read it, then will pull from it, and make some observations and applications.
An Informative passage
An Informative passage
1 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. 2 He went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth.
3 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. 4 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.
5 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. 6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king’s gate.
7 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. 8 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.
9 Hathach came back and related Mordecai’s words to Esther. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai:
11 “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.” 12 They related Esther’s words to Mordecai.
13 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. 14 “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?”
15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “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.”
17 So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.
What did you see, notice in this passage?
Why did Mordecai tear his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes (vv.1-2)?
He learned all that had been done.
Bonus question, where do you find answer to “all that had been done?”
Est3:14-15 is where you see it went out, the decree that is.
You can also find the answer in (Est4:3) too.
Esther hears of Mordecai from her maidens and eunuchs, how did Esther respond (v.4)
She writhed in great anguish and sent garments to clothe Mordecai.
The reason why will come later in our study.
Who was used by Esther to find out what was going on from Mordecai (v.5-6)?
The kings appointed eunuch, Hathach.
When Hathach came to Mordecai in the City square near King’s gate, what did Mordecai do (vv.7-8)?
Mordecai told him what happened, he was detailed about it
He gave a copy of the edict that was issued to show to Esther.
He requested for Esther to go to the king to implore his favor and to plead for her people.
Hathach is the messenger back and forth between Esther and Mordecai (vv.9-10)
In Summary what was Esther’s response to Mordecai (vv.11-12)?
You are asking for a death sentence unless king summons or holds out his scepter.
Mordecai makes some very bold statements, (vv.13-14), can you see them?
Do not imagine you can escape like any other Jew.
God will arise another place, but your father’s house will perish.
who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?
Esther makes a plan and calls for what kind of support (vv.15-16)?
Calls for fasting for three days
How did Mordecai handle the instructions (v.17)?
He did just as Esther had commanded him.
(Transition) We know the decision (v.16) but there was a lot that came before it leading to the decision. Mordecai was God’s instrument to lead Esther where God wanted her.
Mordecai’s concern
Mordecai’s concern
His appearance and his actions demonstrated his concern
That of a person showing grief, or even deep repentance, he was not ashamed or afraid.
He had made himself known as a Jew; now he takes a stand for speaking against the evil that is about to be done.
“All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” (Edmund Burke)
We cannot be neutral when the human lives are at stake (Wiersbe).
Mordecai may have been anguished at all this, but it was his integrity that would not allow hi to grovel at the feet of Haman to save himself or his people.
Mordecai was not alone, his actions were seen all over the Persian Empire in public expressions of grief and horror.
Mordecai only went as far as the king’s gate for safety purposes but for hope that someone would tell Queen Esther.
Mordecai’s concern came to Esther’s ear and the writhed in great anguish.
She may not know details but tried to protect him from being at the gate in sackcloth and sent clothes to him.
Note: it was common the kings of that time and region to be sheltered from the realities of life. They would not allow anything sorrowful around them. They wanted to be happy, joyful and have a good time no matter the cost, and sometimes that cost was the cost of someones life. How different is it for our king who wants us to cast our burdens and cares on Him.
Mordecai explained their peril
Mordecai explained their peril
Mordecai needed to get word to Esther why he was appearing like that. Hathach was God’s instrument to be used for this purpose.
You never know just how a little thing can play a significant part in the kingdom of God. God uses all sorts of people to do great things. (i.e. a small boys lunch of loaves and fishes). Courson says “Great doors can swing open on little hinges.”
Mordecai knew the decree, had a copy of it and sent it to Queen Esther.
Mordecai urged the Queen but to do something.
Reveal her true nationality as a Jew
To go to the throne and plead for mercy for her people.
(Transition) - So the call for action was in, but there was more that came with it, there was an exhortation too.
Mordecai exhorted the Queen
Mordecai exhorted the Queen
Like text messages, Hathach carries the message and exhortation to Esther, but his true feelings could not be conveyed.
If we are honest things are much better face to face, but in this care Mordecai could not see Esther face to face. A great responsibility was placed on Hathach
Esther reply’s not in evasion but an explanation.
Esther had not been summoned by the king for over 30-days, and nobody, not even the queen could walk in asking for audience with the king unless called to. It could be death
Esther is not trying to explain her way out of it, but seeking his advise since she is isolated in the harem and cut off, but he knows the inner-workings of the kingdom.
Mordecai exhorts her with some facts:
You in the palace may not protect you the fate of our people.
Her silence would not prevent deliverance from some other source.
Remember the Abrahamic covenant, the seed promise, Mordecai did. He knew God would protect the seed to the Messiah.
Mordecai knew what he was asking of her was a great risk, would put her in great jeopardy.
Another fact, it was not an accident that she was in the palace, for this could be for such a time as this!
Has God ever used you for something out of the ordinary?
Something did not make any sense to you at the time? Maybe it was not a perilous position like Esther was being asked to be in, yet it was an awkward, uncomfortable position.
Some take aways from Mordecai’s words:
God has divine purposes to accomplish in this world
God accomplishes His purposes through people.
God will accomplish his purpose even if His servants refuse to obey His will.
“If you and I refuse to obey God, He can either abandon us and get somebody else to do the job, and we will lose the reward and blessing; or He can discipline us until we surrender to His will.” (Wiersbe)
He would go on and give a couple of examples in John Mark leaving the mission field, but later was a help to Paul. Then there was Jonah who ran from God but then ended up obeying God .
Another thing, God is not in a hurry, He will fulfill His plan in His way and in His timing.
God’s timing waiting 3-years before removing Vashti
God’s timing another 4-years before instilling Esther as Queen
God’s timing was to now wait until the 12th-year for this evil decree. by the way would still be almost a year away!
Through Mordecai, God expedited the plan.
Through Mordecai, God expedited the plan.
Mordecai challenged Esther for a time such as this.
Some may say he shamed her, humiliated her, but I like it that he was God’s instrument to move Esther into action.
Esther called for a fast, which to Jews would come with a humbling before the Lord, and linked with prayer most times though God, nor prayer are noted here you can see the presence of both.
Esther is now willing to step up, step out and submit to God’s will even if the cost of her own life.
Jesus calls his disciples to count the cost of following Him, and do we do that?
It could cost relationships
It could cost positions or possessions
It could cost your very life
Esther was willing to do it, not begrudgingly, but willingly.
Paul uttered something similar to the Ephesian elders
24 “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.
May we remember always also the words of Paul
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
It does not matter who is against us, for if God is for us, no one has more power than Him! He already purchased victory on the cross.
(Prayer) (Exit)
