For Such a Times as This
Theme:
Text: Esther 4:10
Esther 4:13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not to yourself that you shall escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. 14 For if you altogether hold your peace at this time, then there shall be an enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
Message Esther 4:13 Mordecai sent her this message: "Don't think that just because you live in the king's house you're the one Jew who will get out of this alive. 14 If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this."
Introduction
Wednesday night we began a Bible study called “Understanding the Bible in 24 hours” I told you tphat in this book we would see drama, romance, deceit, plots and subplots. Mans greatest victories and mans greatest defeats. As we come to this book we find it all.
It could be called the Impossible Dream. Some people even compare it to the story of Cinderella. A poor orphan becomes wife to the king. Many young girls dream of marrying the handsome prince but the odds are astronomical that it will happen. They become even greater for a poor young lady who was of a foreign decent.
Esther had many things going against her. She was poor, she was foreign. Her country had been captured and now was in servant hood to the Persian empire. The odds were great that she would never become anything. Much less a queen.
It would take divine intervention. Yet it would seem that God is silent if you just read the surface of this story. Did you know that the name of God is not mentioned in all of this book? Of all the 10 chapters, 167 verse, 5,637 words in the Book of Esther the author thought it not important to mention the name Jehovah the God of the Jews.
You may not be able to see the name of God but oh can you see the finger of God. You can see God’s guiding hand of a nation chosen by him.
Let me quickly tell you the story. It all begins with King Ahasuewrus or Xerxes decides to throw a large banquet to celebrate his kingship and the riches of his glory. This lasted six months. Then another feast was thrown that lasted a week. During this feast King Xerxes wanted to show off his beautiful wife, Vashti. Yet she refused to come and was banished from the kingdom.
Principle #1: Be Careful For Rash Decisions “They never turn out good”
In turn King Xerxes got lonely and began the quest for a new wife. A search was sent throughout all the kingdom for virgins. It was not long that Esther caught the eye of the king and she became the queen.
During this there is also a subplot. Not only did Xerxes chose a new queen but a man by the name of Haman the Agagite came under his good graces.
You may remember the name Agagite back in 1Sa_15:9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed. 20 And Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
Soon King Xerxes would make him second in command. Yet Haman was a wicked and prideful man.
Mordecai, the uncle of Esther, had become an employ of the empire. Yet he would not bow to Haman and this made Haman mad. Not just furious with Mordecai but also furious with the whole race of people called the Jews. Haman set out to destroy the Jews. He even coaxed the king into signing a decree for a date to kill the Jews.
When Mordecai heard to this he went into morning. He tore his robe and began to morn. Esther caught word of this and began to inquire. Well Mordecai said it was because of the decree sent forth by the king. This is where we pick up in these verses. Word has been sent to Esther about Mordecai and the his morning. She is told of the decree yet shares her fears with Mordecai about going before the king. It was not customary that any one would go before the king without being asked by him. If they went before him and he did not hold out the golden scepter to them they would die.
Yet listen to the words of Mordecai again,
Message Esther 4:13 Mordecai sent her this message: "Don't think that just because you live in the king's house you're the one Jew who will get out of this alive. 14 If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this."
What a powerful message. Esther was afraid to go before the king. Yet Mordecai assures her that if this decree goes through even she would not escape Haman’s wrath. She would die also. That is one reason to get motivated. If she died at the hands of the king in his presence or if she died at his decree what would be the difference.
Principle #2 Sometimes You Have to Sell Out – Go all in. What is the worst that can happen? What do you have to lose?
The lepers at the gate.
2Ki 7:3 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, "Why are we sitting here until we die?4 If we say, 'We will enter the city,' the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die."5 And they rose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians; and when they had come to the outskirts of the Syrian camp, to their surprise no one was there.
2Ki 7:6 For the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses--the noise of a great army; so they said to one another, "Look, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!" 7 Therefore they arose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact--their tents, their horses, and their donkeys--and they fled for their lives. 8 And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came back and entered another tent, and carried some from there also, and went and hid it.
Don’t you just love the faith of Mordecai. If you don’t help, help will come. He believes in God promises of protection and blessing of his people.
It is incredible the many times that the devil has tried to destroy the Jews. Way back in Egypt when Pharaoh commanded the midwives to kill all the males. Later on Pharaoh’s anger would rage and he would set out to kill the Jews at the Red sea.
Again we see destruction at the hands of the many captivities. Then in the New Testament as Herod ordered the death of children 3 and below.
History has shown it over and over again. At the hands of Hitler over 6,000,000 Jews were killed.
Yet God promised his protection of this nation. Yet God’s promises live on. And will live on.
1 Samuel 12:22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
Now listen the next words, “Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this”. Maybe, Esther, all that you have been through and gained has been put together for such a times as this. All of her live history could come to an escalation here and now.
All for one purpose.
Principle # 3: Maybe God has set you up for this moment
Man born Blind “for the glory of God”
When I read this verse something just began to stir in my spirit. It was as if God was saying this is why I put Langley Church of God into existence for such a time as this.
This is why we are here. This is why we have survived. Oh the devil has been against this church. If we go back in history long enough you could hear about the many times that the devil has tried to destroy this church.
Still etched in the mind of some of you is the accusations and the split that came to this church less than nine years ago. People have said so much about it. Blame has been thrown everywhere. I can honestly stand and tell you it was nothing but the devil. The devil was trying to destroy this church.
Yet he didn’t. Why? God has a plan and a purpose for this church.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
What if this is the very hour that God has prepared this church for? What if all these years have been set to here?
I hear people talk about the victories of the past as if the churches greatest hour has come and past. Yet I don’t believe that is the will of God.
Principle # 4: Don’t underestimate the power of prayer and fasting. Hearing from God.
So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; [82] for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." [83]
(Mat 17:20-21)
Prayer and fasting helps us to focus and hear from God. It will be God’s hand and God’s deliverance as we will see next. This cannot be a coincidence.
Principle # 5: God is orchestrating behind the scenes. Don’t sell God short.
The ironic part is when Mordecai is honored by Haman. Haman leads him through the streets. Mordecai had reports a coo attempt by some servants and the King read it one night when he couldn’t sleep.
Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. (Eph 5:15-18)
The goal is stay in tuned with the spirit.
If we could only see it that way.
Principle # 6: It may not be the only time but it is always the right time.
The right time for faith.
The right time for trust.
The right time to make a decision today that ‘As for me and My house we will serve the Lord”
Rest of the Story
The ending of Esther comes out as a happy ending. Haman is found out and hung on the very gallows he made for Mordecai. Mordecai becomes an ruler in Persia.
The Jews destroy their enemy instead of being destroyed.
Will you stand with your pastor in believing that our future is greater than our past?
