Faithful To Intercede Series

Faithful to Intercede

Esther 5: 1-8

These were certainly troubling times for Mordecai, Esther, and the entire Jewish population within the Persian Empire. Haman had influenced Ahasuerus to sign a decree, calling for the complete destruction of the Jews within the kingdom. Although they were shaken to the core, Mordecai and Esther knew they must act. Inaction on their part would result in the death of every Jew. They believed God had brought Esther to the position she enjoyed for such a time as this.

Our text deals with her intercession for the people in the throne room of Ahasuerus. She made preparations and entered the presence of the king on behalf of the people. Her intercession paints a picture of the blessings we enjoy in Christ. As believers, we are a royal priesthood, with each having access to the throne of grace. She also serves as a picture of the Holy Spirit, interceding on behalf of believers who lack the wisdom or means to intercede for themselves.

I want to consider the details of Esther’s encounter with the king as we discuss: Faithful to Intercede. Our text reveals:

I. The Reliability of Esther (1) – Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. Consider:

A. Her Persistence – Now it came to pass on the third day. What significance does this reveal? In the previous chapter we discovered that Esther and Mordecai had committed to praying and fasting for three days. Esther had been faithful to fulfill her obligation. She knew the importance of praying and fasting prior to entering the king’s presence. She knew she needed the help of the Lord. She would not have dreamed of entering the throne room apart from prayer and fasting.

This serves as a tremendous challenge for each of us. I fear we have become too casual and complacent with our prayers. We need to develop the urgency and persistence Esther possessed regarding prayer. I am convinced we need to get back to fasting and prayer!

B. Her Preparation – Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house. Esther also made the necessary preparations to enter the king’s presence. She made sure to be adorned in royal apparel. If she was going to stand before the king, she wanted to be acceptable in his sight.

I know many would focus solely on the garments she wore, and use this passage to deal with the issue of dress in the Lord’s house. I truly believe we ought to wear the best we have when we come to the house of the Lord, but to focus solely on that aspect misses the greater point. Esther had prepared to meet the king. We too must ensure our hearts are right with the Lord, seeking to appear pleasing in His sight when we stand before Him in prayer! We must cast aside the garments stained by the world, and seek to be clothed in purity before the Lord.

C. Her Presence (1b) – [Esther] stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. Some may find this elementary, but I believe it is significant. Esther entered the palace and made her way to the throne room. She knew she needed to meet with the king and she wasn’t going to waste her time with others. She stood in the presence of the king.

Many times we seek the counsel and advice of countless others before taking our requests to the Lord. We want to see how the world and those around us perceive our need. How would others handle this situation? What advice can I obtain from those who have faced similar situations? There is nothing wrong in seeking wise, godly counsel, but it should never precede time in prayer. God alone can meet our needs, and we must take our requests directly to the Lord.

II. The Reception of Esther (2) – And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. Consider:

A. The Favor Extended (2a) – And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight. Bear in mind the possibility of being put to death for entering the king’s presence unannounced. When Ahasuerus saw Esther standing in his court, he immediately extended favor. Esther was received of the king. After all, she was the queen.