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Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. We are glad you are with us today for another message from the book of Esther, which today will focus on the faithfulness of God to humble those who are sinful and arrogant and to exalt those who are righteous and humble.
A Flex Cam Showdown-- Not long ago, at a Philadelphia Soul football game, they've had something called “Flex Cam.” The camera panned out to the crowd, tasking them to flex their muscles. It’s a fun thing, kids and adults showing up on the big screen flexing. However, during once of these events there was a young man on whom the camera fell who wanted to show his fairly large muscles. So he stood up and flexed his biceps and even turned to the girl behind and began flexing in front of her. And then he turned back to the camera to flex some more. But unbeknownst to him, the girl he had been flexing to quietly stood up behind him and slipped off her jean jacket, revealing bulging, body-builder arms. And he turned again, just in time to see her (with a look of pure pleasure) flexing her vastly superior arms over him; after which he quietly slumped back into his seat with a look of absolute embarrassment on his face. Humbling Fun To Watch-- You know, I don’t care whether it is in a movie or television show, or even in day to day life, the funniest moments are often when somebody who is proud or arrogant or full of themselves is humbled. And we will see this happen in a big way in our story today in the book of Esther. Esther Stands for God’s People— Now we left Queen Esther last week immediately following the first banquet she had prepared for the King and his advisor Haman. Because Esther’s cousin Mordecai wouldn’t bow down to him at the city gate, Haman tricked the King into signing an edict that would cause all of the Jews in Persia (not just Mordecai) to be exterminated. However, Haman knows neither of Esther’s connection with Mordecai nor the fact that she is herself a Jew. And so Esther is preparing to reveal Haman’s plot to the king and could have done so at her first banquet, but (apparently) senses God telling her to wait. So she invites the King and Haman to a second banquet, during which she will make her request. And this of course gives God the opportunity not just to bring Haman to justice, but to humble him and bring about the exaltation (the lifting up) of Mordecai, which we will cover. But after this first banquet, Haman (who has no idea what is coming) is on cloud 9. He is excited. It says in… Esther 5:9-14 (NIV)— 9 Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home. Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, 11 Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. 12 “And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. 13 But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.” 14 His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits [(this was about 75 feet or almost 8 stories high)], and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up. Impaling-- Now this pole (and impaling) was a pre-cursor to crucifixion, which some believe the Persians were the inventors of. It was a graphic way to display the corpses of your enemies and instill fear in the hearts of your people. Ahasuerus’ grandfather Darius at one time had 3,000 citizens who had been a part of a revolt impaled at one time. It was very graphic and humiliating; and therefore a method Haman chooses with glee. And Haman (after instituting this plan) probably then turns in for the night and smiles as he drifts into sleep, dreaming of his revenge against Mordecai. Sleeping Haman vs. Sleepless Ahasuerus-- But that night, Ahasuerus, by the providence of God, cannot sleep. He’s tossing and turning, but to no avail. And he calls for his servants and commands that the royal records be read to him. And he is expecting the monotony of the records to lull him to sleep (like counting sheep or reading the phone book). So the royal records are brought, a scroll is chosen, and his servant begins reading. But instead of a boring record, he is read the record of his being saved by Mordecai from the plot against his life made by his two doorkeepers (Bigthan and Teresh) five years (cf. 2:16 with 3:7) earlier. Divine Orchestrating-- Now the royal records recorded not only the years of Ahasuerus’ reign, but also the reign of his father and grandfather. So you can imagine how many records there were. What are the chances that this scroll was chosen? Well it wasn’t chance. God brought it about. Don’t ever tell me this is a God-less book. God is very present in this story on every page; He is behind the scenes orchestrating every event towards the fulfillment of His purposes. The King’s Inquiry-- Now Xerxes, eagerly asks, 3 “What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” And his attendants answer “Nothing has been done for him,” And so the King resolves to rectify that right away. Haman’s Pride Backfires-- Yet, first thing in the morning, Haman comes before the king at the royal court with a gleam in his eye ready to ask the king for authorization to execute Mordecai. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time! And he’s thinking about that stake being set up for Mordecai. And he comes to the king. And the king speaks first. But can you even imagine what would have happened if Haman had spoken first? That expression, “He put his foot in his mouth” just wouldn’t cut it. But the king speaks first. It says… Esther 6:6-10 (NIV)-- 6 When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?” {And Haman thinks it’s HIM!!! And his ego and head begins to swell; his chest begins to puff out. It says…} Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” 7 So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, 8 have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. 9 Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!’” {And Haman smiles ear to ear as the king puffs his own chest out and gets ready to declare the recipient of this honor. Verse 10…} 10 “Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.” Haman Leading Mordecai’s Parade-- Now I don't think words can describe the shock and frustration this little man Haman was feeling. Maybe its like that commercial on tv where the man puts his head close to the bushes as he’s working on them and a squirrel leaps out, latches onto his face and begins tearing him up. Hamon receives a similar, nasty surprise. And a whole field of emotions are bubbling up in Haman right now. But it says… Esther 6:11 (NIV)-- 11 So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!” Haman Head of The Parade!-- Now you have to get this. Haman has to be the person not only to dress Mordecai in the royal robes and a royal crown and help him onto the royal horse, he has to be the guy who leads the parade for Mordecai as they go though the city. And as he’s leading Mordecai, he has to say, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!” And it says in verse 12... Esther 6:12 (NIV)— 12 Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, 13 and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. No comfort from his wife-- And he’s expecting them to comfort him and to placate his wounded ego. However, they don’t. In fact, just the opposite. It says… His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!” Not quite the pick-me-up he was looking for. And that prophecy (unlike many) didn’t predict events in the distant future; but was more of a just-around-the-corner kind of prophecy. It says… Esther 6:14-7:1-- 14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared. 7:1 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, And we will see next week how things are going to play out for Haman. But God’s word to us for today is this. Although we know that God promises to reward us for our good deeds, we can often times feel that the “payoff” is too far away. And we often wonder if it is worth it. Mordecai went without being rewarded (or even recognized) for what he had done for five years. But though the king may have forgotten, one thing we see here is that God never forgets. And God will reward us in due season when that reward will do the greatest possible good. But we need to patient, just as both Esther AND Mordecai were willing to wait for God’s timing. One of the greatest points of security that will come in your life will come when you come to grips with the truth that God truly is faithful; He has been, He is, and He always will be faithful to you and to me. Deuteronomy 7:9 (NIV)-- 9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. Let us know today in a special way the faithfulness of our God. Amen.
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Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. It is good to have you with us today as we continue our study of the book of Esther.
Esther Stands for God’s People— In our passage last week we saw how Haman has begun to implement his plot against the Jews. He has gotten the king to sign a royal decree that all Jews in the empire are to be exterminated. And the decree has been sent out throughout all the empire. And news of this has reached Mordecai, who implores Esther to go before the king and plead their case. And Esther’s obviously scared, knowing that Persian law dictated that she could be executed for appearing before the king un-summoned. But rather than letting her fear master her, she chooses to align herself with God’s purpose and places the needs of her people over her own and chooses to go in to see the king. And as she enters that inner court (4:11), she knows she is placing her very life at the king’s mercy. Yet Proverbs 21:1 may have given her hope. It says… Proverbs 21:1 (ESV)— 21 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. And that’s what we see here. Because Esther has placed herself in the hands of God and found favor in His eyes, she finds that those same divine hands are at work in the heart of the king. And when the king sees her, it says she won favor in his sight (5:2), and he extends to her his scepter, sparing her life. And he says “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.” (5:3) What Esther Requests-- Now Esther has come before the king; not to seek anything for herself (as Haman, by contrast, will in just a little while), but in order that the lives of her and her people might be spared. But what is interesting is that she doesn’t at this time make her request before the king. Instead, it says… Esther 5:4-5 (NIV)— 4 “If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.” 5 “Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. Sensitivity & Timing-- Now Esther chooses the banquet as the place to make her plea. As we talked about last week, she does this to protect the king; so that he might not be placed in a situation where he could publicly lose face; because remember it was he who had authorized this edict to begin with, so it would have made him look bad. But even more importantly, Esther is moving on God’s timetable. Probably because she took that time to fast and pray, she seems to have this sense of the Lord’s timing; and she is moving in accordance with that timing. Led by the Spirit, not our sense of our needs-- And you know, that is something you and I can really learn from. Are we led by our fears or our own sense or perception of what our needs are? Or are we led by the Spirit of God? The truth is, when we focus on God and on living in obedience and in accordance with His timing, our needs are met; but we have to take our eyes off our needs and set them on Him. It is when we try to grasp too soon what may not be for us (or at least not yet) that we fall into trouble. A Banquet “Prepared”-- Now this banquet was not something Esther decided to do on the spur of the moment. No, she prepared this banquet before even going before the king, which in itself is a beautiful picture of faith, as it shows she was actively trusting that God would move on her behalf. The banquet is already made. And so the king orders Haman to be brought and they leave immediately for the banquet. It says … Esther 5:5b-6 (NIV)— So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. 6 As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.” Wine & Darkness— You know, it’s interesting how much wine appears in the book of Esther. Wine is sometimes presented in the Old Testament as a symbol of God’s favor and blessing. But not always; and certainly not so far in this book. In the very first chapter you have wine; and that drunkenness it produced that led to the merciless exile of Queen Vashti; not much favor there. Then you have Haman’s deceiving the King into signing the edict that would have led to the extermination; the genocide of an entire race of people (including Esther); and the text says right after the edict was issued, the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion. (3:15) And the very next time alcohol is mentioned is here in this verse; at this banquet where this wicked man Haman; this schemer of evil is brought in the midst of his planning to annihilate the Jews. So wine is more of a symbol of foreboding in this book. It is explicitly mentioned at every plot turn. And so the author’s pointing us to the wine is meant to foreshadow something grim; a dark event associated with wickedness. Proverbs 4:17 says of wicked people... Proverbs 4:14-17 (NIV)— 16 For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. Everywhere you have wine in this book; you have violence showing up in some way, shape, or form. So they are there at the banquet and the king says to Esther… Esther 5:6b-8 (NIV)-- “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.” 7 Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: 8 If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.” The Time Wasn’t Right-- Now why the wait? For some reason Esther doesn’t feel like the timing is right; it seems that God is impressing upon her to wait. And she probably has no idea why. In fact it may even bother her because there is quite a bit of urgency to her making this request. Her people are about to be annihilated. But she chooses to wait. And this may be because she has a sense of the Lord’s timing. She chooses to obey the leading of the Lord and wait; she chooses to possibly even allow herself to be made to look foolish in order to act in accordance with the timing of the Lord. Now we in hindsight know why the Lord wanted her to wait; it was because He wanted to not only bring about the salvation of the Jews; He wanted to also humble Haman and exalt Mordecai. And this is one of the things God does quite often. He humbles the proud. Proverbs 3:34 (NIV)-- 34 He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed. Proverbs 29:23 (NIV)-- 23 Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor. Matthew 23:11-12 (NIV)-- 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. 1 Peter 5:5b-6 (NIV)-- …All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Pride Sickness— I recently watched some of a special on the Corona Virus. And they were talking about how they believe the virus originated with bats. And they said bats are fascinating creatures because although they can carry Corona Virus and other diseases, they are (interestingly) not affected by them. And you know. Pride is similar. It’s as Buddy Robinson once said, “Pride is the only disease known to man that makes everyone sick except the person who has it.” And he’s right. Pharaoh Humbled-- And before God’s will can be perfected in your life and in my life, God must first pull us out of the quicksand of pride. In Egypt it was not enough for God to deliver Israel. He could have stretched out his hand and immediately brought death to Pharaoh and all the Egyptians. But no; He takes the longer path and (through Moses and Aaron) brings humility to Israel’s captors to the point where they give of their own possessions to the Israelites; He humbles them. And ultimately the reason Pharaoh’s army is annihilated by the waters coming upon them was not God; it was Pharaoh’s own pride that led to the destruction of his army and his land. It was because of his heart, hardened by pride, that caused the plagues of Egypt that left it in ruin. Nebuchadnezzar Humbled-- Later, just before the story of Esther; during the time of Daniel, reigned the proud King Nebuchadnezzar. Now God could have killed Nebuchadnezzar for his arrogance and sins. But God takes the longer path. He chooses to humble Nebuchadnezzar; remember, after praising himself and failing to give glory to God, God makes him like an animal; he loses his mind, his nails grow long, and he eats the grass of the field until he lifts up his eyes to heaven and lets go of His pride and gives worship to God. Then (and only then) does God restore him. Haman Must Be Humbled-- And here we see the same thing. God has determined not only to save Israel (which could have been done at Esther’s first banquet). No; once again God takes the longer path; the one that will humble the enemy of God’s people before Him. Mordecai Must Be Exalted-- And if Esther had made her request at this time, then Haman may have still been executed, but not humbled; and Mordecai would never have been exalted. And God saw both as necessary because He had plans to make Mordecai King Ahasuerus’ righthand man. And we will see in the closing chapters of this book that Mordecai himself plays a very key role in God’s plan. The proud must fall and the humble must be exalted. We may miss out if we don’t wait on God’s timing-- You know, you and I can act on things before God’s timing; and things may turn out ok; but we may miss out on a huge part of the blessing God has in store for us or for someone we are connected with if we fail to move in accordance with His timing. We must learn to be patient and wait; even when it is frustrating or we may not understand why. You may be in a time of waiting right now; and those times of waiting can be very fearful; very scary. And we often want God to grant us what we think we need right away. Although we will never say it, we often think that God ought to act on our timetable. But if we can trust ourselves to God’s timing, pieces that are in play for our benefit God can use to bring us the greatest possible good. And that is ultimately what God was doing for Esther and her people; and it is what He wants to do for you and for me as well. And so I want to encourage you today (and myself as well); let us commit ourselves to following God’s timing in a deeper way. Let’s do so. Amen. Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. It is good to have you with us today as we continue our study of the book of Esther. In recent weeks we have talked about the rise (in the Persian empire) of a wicked man named Haman, an enemy of the Jews who (because of a personal grudge against Queen Esther’s cousin Mordecai and the specific line Mordecai comes from) has convinced the king to allow him to wipe out all of the Jews in the empire. Now nobody knows at this point that Esther is a Jew, for Mordecai has urged her to keep that a secret. But Mordecai informs Queen Esther of Haman’s plot and implores her to speak to the king on behalf of her people, though appearing before him unannounced would cost her her life, unless the king were to spare her life by holding out to her his golden scepter. And so the fate of God’s people is placed into the hands of this young Jewish girl, who has to decide whether to let her fear master her or to rise above that fear and act in courage in accordance with the will of God. And of course we know she will make the right choice. Now I am sure she felt an enormous weight. And so would we if we were in her shoes. And in the midst of burdens like that, you know I think we often wonder why God allows us to go through times of intense fear and pain. I know many may be struggling with that question now during this Covid-19 crisis. And so I’d like to open with a story today that I think speaks to that fear and why God allows us to carry burdens.
[THE PERIL OF NO BURDEN— {Some time ago I remember reading how} Shortly after coming to Christ, Sadhu Sundar, a Hindu convert to Christ, felt called to become a missionary to India. Late one afternoon Sadhu was traveling on foot through the Himalayas with a Buddhist monk. It was bitterly cold and the wind felt like sharp blades slicing into Sadhu's skin. Night was approaching fast when the monk warned Sadhu that they were in danger of freezing to death if they did not reach the monastery before darkness fell. Just as they were traversing a narrow path above a steep cliff, they heard a cry for help. Down the cliff lay a man, fallen and badly hurt. The monk looked at Sadhu and said, "Do not stop. God has brought this man to his fate. He must work it out for himself." Then he quickly added while walking on, "Let us hurry on before we, too, perish." But Sadhu replied, "God has sent me here to help my brother. I cannot abandon him." The monk continued trudging off through the whirling snow, while the missionary clambered down the steep embankment. The man's leg was broken and he could not walk. So Sadhu took his blanket and made a sling of it and tied the man on his back. Then, bending under his burden, he began a body-torturing climb. By the time he reached the narrow path again, he was drenched in perspiration. Doggedly, he made his way through the deepening snow and darkness. It was all he could do to follow the path. But he persevered, though faint with fatigue and overheated from exertion. Finally he saw ahead the lights of the monastery. Then, for the first time, Sadhu stumbled and nearly fell. But not from weakness. He had stumbled over an object lying in the snow-covered road. Slowly he bent down on one knee and brushed the snow off the object. It was the body of the monk, frozen to death. Years later a disciple of Sadhu's asked him, "What is life's most difficult task?" Without hesitation Sadhu replied: "To have no burden to carry."] Esther's Burden-- Now the same is true of us. The burdens we carry (the pains and the fears) are often God’s ways of actually preserving us. And if we can be obedient to Him in the midst of those fears, God can work great things through us. But we have to be willing to accept those burdens; like Esther did. Esther didn’t overlook those who would die whom she had the power to save. She recognized that they were her burden. And when she chooses to shoulder that burden, the result is that she saves herself as well. Esther 4:15-16a (ESV)-- 15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do…. Prayer Always Accompanied Fasting-- Now [By calling for a fast, Esther was asking the Jews to pray for God’s help on her dangerous mission. In the Old Testament, prayer always accompanied fasting (see Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:9; Ezra 8:21-23).] So she determine’s a course of action and moves ahead very boldly. She says that after she and her maids do this, in verse 16 she says… Esther 4:16b (ESV)-- …Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” Pouring the Jug-- [I once heard a story of a man who got lost in the desert. After wandering around for a long time his throat became very dry, about that time he saw a little shack in the distance. He made his way over to the shack and found a water pump with a small jug of water and a note. The note read: “pour all the water into the top of the pump to prime it, if you do this you will get all the water you need”. Now the man had a choice to make, if he trusted the note and poured the water in and it worked he would have all the water he needed. If it didn’t work he would still be thirsty and he might die. Or he could choose to drink the water in the jug and get immediate satisfaction, but it might not be enough and he still might die. After thinking about it the man decided to risk it. He poured the entire jug into the pump and began to work the handle, at first nothing happened and he got a little scared but he kept going and water started coming out. So much water came out he drank all he wanted, took a shower, and filled all the containers he could find. Because he was willing to give up momentary satisfaction, he got all the water he needed. Now the note also said: after you have finished, please refill the jug for the next traveler.” The man refilled the jug and added to the note: “Please prime the pump, believe me it works”! …] Esther has made the decision to risk the immediate urge to try to preserve her own life and chooses to take that step of faith. It says in… Esther 5:1-3 (ESV)— 1 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace, in front of the king's quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace. 2 And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. 3 And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.” Only Favor— Now in all the movies, after Esther pushes open those huge doors and steps into the room there is a hush amongst all the crowd. And everybody looks in amazement. And there's a look of questioning and almost even frustration from the king. He looks perplexed. Yet, hesitantly, he holds out his scepter and Esther touches the tip, and her life is spared. Yet that is not what we see in the Bible. It says when he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight. He is pleased with her! There’s no frustration; there's no anxiety; there's only favor. And that favor he demonstrates to her was really an extension of God's favor to her. God’s favor was working through him to Esther. A Sign of Love— In 2:17, it says of the king that he loved Esther more than all the other women. Now some commentators say that this was not love as you and I think of love; a self-giving kind of love. This was the King’s attraction to or even objectifying of Esther, much the same as he had objectified Queen Vashti. But I disagree with them. When Vashti showed defiance, he was filled with rage and was merciless towards her. Yet here Esther shows what could be interpreted as defiance, yet we don't see any hint of any displeasure from the king. In fact we see that he is pleased to see her. There's no hesitation in his extending to her the scepter. And what is remarkable to me is that he never even brings up the fact that she broke the law; not a word! The first thing that comes out of his mouth is, basically, "How can I serve you?" Esther 5:3 (ESV)-- 3 And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.” Making Himself Vulnerable-- And he means it. He is stating that publicly. Now Xerxes is putting himself in a vulnerable position; because he doesn't know what Esther is going to ask. Remember what happened when Herod made a similar promise to Herodias in Mark 6:23? It backfired. She asked for the head of John the Baptist, which he then gave her because she put him in a politically awkward position. Esther Protects Her Husband’s Position-- But it's interesting that Esther doesn't do that. She doesn't make her request publicly. And her request would have put him in a politically awkward position because it would challenge the very law he had just put out. And though he most likely would have granted her request, it would have hurt his position. What we see instead is that Esther protects the king by calling for a private meeting in which to give her request. It says… Esther 5:4 (ESV)-- 4 And Esther said, “If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the king.” So we see that Esther acts with wisdom. She is very wise, very tactful, and very considerate of her husband. Even in accusing Haman (which we will see later), we see that she is very careful not to accuse the king, who was (honestly) just as at fault as Haman was. Haman devised the scheme but it was the king who put it into action; he was responsible as well. But Esther never mentions that; she shows tact. She is very careful to only finger Haman in the crime. Reciprocal Love-- So my point is that Ahasuerus really does love and protect Esther and Esther reciprocates that in her treatment of Him. And what this shows is that when we choose to obey the will of God, and do so with tact; with wisdom and in love, there is no need to fear because God will prepare the way; He will open the doors; because His favor went before her. And His favor goes before us as well. And you and I can do the right thing knowing that He stands with us in a very real, though often (as in the book of Esther) an “unseen” way. We can live boldly in knowing that through His power, God can help us to overcome and do His will in the world; because He has raised us up “for such a time as this.” Be encouraged by that this week. Amen. Hello, and welcome to Lechem Panim. It is good to have you with us today as we continue our study of the book of Esther, beginning chapter 4 today.
Call Him a Saint-- But before we get into the text, I’d like to share a story of [two brothers {I once heard of. Both were}, well known around town for their crooked business dealings and underworld connections. They were as mean and cold-blooded as you could imagine. One day one of the brothers died, and the surviving brother wanted to give his dead brother a funeral fit for a king. He called the funeral home and made all the arrangements, then he called the town’s minister and made him an offer, as they say, he couldn’t refuse. He said, "I’ll give you $10,000 to put that new roof on the church if, in eulogizing my brother, you call him a saint." The minister agreed. The whole town turned out for the funeral, and the minister began: "The man you see in the coffin was a vile and debauched individual. He was a liar, a thief, a deceiver, a manipulator, a reprobate, and a hedonist. He destroyed the fortunes, careers, and lives of countless people in this city, some of whom are here today. This man did every dirty, rotten thing you can think of. But compared to his brother, he was a saint"] Mordecai’s Predicament-- Now I don’t know what the repercussions of that minister’s saying that was; but I imagine the brother was not very happy. But…. One of the key truths we have been learning is you cannot call good what God has condemned. And this is the situation Mordecai (Queen Esther’s cousin) has found himself in. He has been serving as a judge at the king’s gate. And King Ahasuerus decides to make an evil man by the name of Haman (a descendant of the Amalekites, the enemies of the Jews; and a hater of the Jews himself) his right-hand man and commands that all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bow down to him. And Haman, a slave to vanity, enjoys all the royal officials kneeling down and paying him honor (3:2). But Mordecai refuses to bow down to him. And it wounds the pride and vanity of Haman; and he cannot let it go. It’s like the Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil in the garden of Eden. Haman already has all the trees he could ever need (he has the favor of everyone); he has access to the tree of life (he has the favor of the King himself); but it is that one tree that he cannot have (Mordecai) that consumes his mind. And therefore Haman conspires to kill Mordecai; and not just Mordecai, but all the Jews. And he does this by convincing the king (who does not know his own wife Esther’s people) that the Jews are a threat to the Persian empire. He says they have different customs from those of all the other people and that they do not obey the king’s laws (v.8) (by which of course is meant that Mordecai would not bow). And the thrust of Haman’s argument is that they will create instability in the empire. And he asks for permission to have them destroyed. And the King agrees to this genocide and gives him his signet ring to seal the decree in the king’s name. It is amazing how little information the king asks of this man who wants to wipe out an entire people. But he does!!! He gives Haman his signet ring; his authority, and the decree is written in every language of the peoples and dispatches are sent. And the close of chapter 3 is really unbelievable. Esther 3:15 (ESV)— 15 The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in Susa the citadel. And the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion. A Holocaust Event-- Recently in our Sunday school class at Renton Park Chapel, our conversation shifted towards a discussion of the events in and surrounding the Holocaust. And we cannot even imagine what many of the people of that time had to go through; in a way it seems almost too removed from us. But imagine waking up one morning, making breakfast, and as your turn on the news you hear an announcement that it has been determined that your people are responsible for all the disunity in the country, for the instability in our nation, and for every disastrous choice this country has made. And there is only one solution; a “final solution”. All your people (including you and your family) are going to be rounded up and systematically exterminated. Now that may sound like a foolish fantasy; but remember the Holocaust was not really that long ago. That kind of persecution has been a common thread of God’s people throughout history; and it will continue to be until Christ returns. But imagine receiving that news update. What would you do in Mordecai’s shoes? You’d probably start calling your family; and at the same time you’re getting calls from loved ones, panicking. And you’d be grieving. Esther 4:1-3 (ESV)-- 1 When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 2 He went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth. 3 And in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes. The Fasting and Prayer of the Jews-- Can you imagine the fear; the terror? The dreadful anticipation. I mean what do you do? In times like that the only thing you can do is turn to God; lift up your voice to Him and pray for deliverance. And that is what the Jews are doing, as fasting was almost always accompanied prayer. Now it says in… Esther 4:4 (ESV)— 4 When Esther's young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. Why Esther Seeks to Clothe Mordecai-- Now the reason she sends him the clothes is not to try to get him to snap out of whatever it is he is going through. Esther knows that whatever is happening is important. She is sending him clothes so that he [could then enter the king’s gate (cf. 4:2) and talk with Esther directly (cf. Neh. 2:2)] Because remember that verse 2 tells us no one can enter the king’s gate (that official building) clothed in sackcloth. That’s Persian law. I mention this to you to show you that Esther isn’t discounting his feelings here or his means of expressing them, but is seeking to clothe him so she can find out as soon as possible what is going on. It says in… Esther 4:5-8 (ESV)-- 5 Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was. 6 Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's gate, 7 and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. 8 Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people. Further Evidence of Prominent Position-- By the way, [That Mordecai possessed this specific knowledge and a copy of the edict further evidences his prominent position in Persia.] And after this it says… Esther 4:5-12 (ESV)-- 9 And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, 11 “All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.” {(You see, she is counting the cost; not in an unhealthy way, but in a rational way. She understands that her own life is at stake.) Now it says…} 12 And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. Set Priorities-- Now it is never wrong to acknowledge the danger in your doing what is right. It is even okay to be afraid. I am not sure how you could be in Esther’s position and not be afraid. But the thing about fear is that it always needs to be taken captive and placed in perspective. And that is what we see Esther do; she sets priorities and she get’s perspective. And Mordecai really helps her with this. It says… Esther 4:13-14 (ESV)-- 13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. [keep in mind that if she is exposed, it doesn’t matter who she is; her life could be in danger because the king is not above the Law of the Medes and Persians. She could be killed even despite her royal position.] 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” What Disobedience Could Cause-- Now this really shows that Mordecai has a strong understanding of the providence of God. [Haman’s death decree was against all Jews in the Persian Empire; thus, it would have included the land of Israel. If his decree had been carried out, all of God’s chosen people could have been exterminated, and God’s plan to send his Son to earth as a Jew could have been ruined. But God’s plans cannot be stopped.] And Mordecai recognizes this. But he also recognizes that there are immediate consequences for not following the will of God. Israel did not obey God when told to enter the promised land. They had been too afraid. And God therefore made them to wander the desert 40 years until that generation died off because of their lack of faith. And Mordecai is afraid the same thing will happen here. Yes God could raise up deliverance in another way, but Esther and her own relatives would be lost if she was not courageous enough to take that step of faith and obedience. And Mordecai basically tells her that where she is now is not an accident. She has been placed where she is; with the influence she has; by God for a purpose. And that purpose (not her life) is her most important priority. Our Time and Calling-- And you know the same is true of each and every one of us. God has placed us where we are; for a purpose. He has given each of us a sphere of influence. Are we going to be faithful to use that influence for His glory? Are we going to be courageous enough to step out and witness to that person; are we going to be bold enough to stand up for what is right; are we going to be faithful to meet the needs of those who are oppressed and needy. Are we willing to become unsafe to glorify God? That phrase “for such a time as this” makes me think of the needs present in our own time; the need for men and women of God to not only talk about holiness, but be the salt and light in the world. God has laid a call upon your life and my life “for such a time as this.” The question is, how are we going to respond? It is my hope and prayer that you and I will respond as Esther did; in faith and in courage. And faith and courage are choices, not feelings. We have to choose to have faith and courage, even in the midst of contexts where the temptation is to fear, despair, and fall back. And so let us choose to be men and women of faith and courage. Amen. |
Rev. Cameron Ury graduated from Asbury University in 2007 with a B.A. in Bible and Theology. From there he continued his studies at Wesley Biblical Seminary in Jackson, MS. It was there that he met his wife Tanya, who graduated from WBS with her M.A. and M.Div. degrees. Cameron and Tanya got married in 2009. Cameron then graduated with his M.Div. degree with a pastoral concentration in 2011.
After shepherding churches in both Mississippi and Ohio, they joined the ministry team at Renton Park Chapel in January of 2018, where Cameron serves as Senior Pastor and Teacher. Cameron is also the founder and host of Lechem Panim, a weekly radio show that airs on KGNW 820AM "The Word Seattle". The ministry of Lechem Panim is centered around leading people into the life-giving presence of God in and through Bible study, prayer, and active discipleship with the aim of ministering to a world that is in desperate need of the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Archives
June 2020
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