Vashti had been the queen of Ahasuerus, the Persian king, but had
disobeyed him and had been banished. Esther, a Jewess, was chosen to replace
Vashti because she had obtained grace and favor in the sight of the king and he
loved her. However, things did not run smoothly because the age-old struggle
between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman had intensified. Satan
used the pride of Haman, the Agagite and the enemy of the Jews, to plot the
destruction of all the seed of the Jews. A decree was sent throughout the
kingdom “to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and
old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth
month” (Esther 3:12-15). Not only did Mordecai cry bitterly and clothe himself
in sackcloth but we read that the people did the same: “And in every province
where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the
Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes”
(Esther 4:3). Therefore, this was a time of fierce persecution for the Jewish
people. However, as the wise man said, “Pride goes before destruction, and a
haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov.16:18) and the life of Haman truly
demonstrated the truthfulness of this statement as he died on the very gallows
which he had made for Mordecai. In order to save the Jews Mordecai, the cousin
of Esther and the one who had raised her after the death of her father and
mother, sought her help. She informed him that she had not been called into the
king’s presence and if she went it could mean her death. Then Mordecai replied,
“Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more
than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time,
relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and
your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the
kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14). After preparing herself to
appear before the king and God granting her favor with the king she devised a
plan and saved her people. Esther was so courageous that she said, “And so I
will go to the king, who is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” (Esther
4:16). Her bravery and faith in God are a testament to the trust this young
woman had in the living God. What a wonderful example for everyone to follow.
As Christians we have been saved by God and we are called “with a holy calling,
not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was
given to us in Christ Jesus before time began” (2 Tim. 1:9). Our question
emphasizes an example of God’s perfect timing in the lives of believers.
Mordecai urged Esther to trust that the Lord had placed her in a position of
influence to accomplish that very thing at that time. Have you ever thought that
you may be where you are in your home, or at work, or as a neighbor or even as a
member of the church you attend because God has placed you in that position of
influence to accomplish some task for Him in the lives of those around you? We
should never forget that God is in control. There are over 170 passages of
Scripture which speak about the providence of God and we need to remember that
we serve the Almighty God. Don’t ever forget who you are and what God has done
for you and that now you belong to Him to accomplish His purposes. Finally,
never forget that God’s promises are trustworthy. So don’t give up and wait for
God for Isaiah said “the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up
with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not
faint” (Isa. 40:31). What do you think about this time?
From “Daily Devotions by Guy
Roberson”
By Guy Roberson
From Expository Files 23.3; March 2016
