Introduction
Video Ill.: The Story of Esther - Second Look Films (segment 4)
We are continuing our study today based loosely on Max Lucado’s book, You Were Made for This Moment.
When we started, we saw that Esther and Mordecai just wanted to blend in — to be cosy in the Persian culture. Don’t stand out. Don’t be different. Just fit in.
But God has called us to be set apart — to be different — to be holy, because He is holy. Sometimes that means we have to make hard decisions in our lives.
A couple of weeks ago, we learned that we have to be prepared to make those tough decisions — we need to have a plan in place before the storm comes. We need God’s full armor to be able to stand firm when we are standing up for God. And maybe, just maybe, God has put us where we are because He has some purpose in mind for us. We were made for such a time as this.
Last Sunday, we saw that heaven is in motion — God is in control and active in our lives each and every day, even if we cannot see or understand what He is doing. God is there working, moving, exercising His will, working things out for our best situation because of His love for us.
https://www.factinate.com/things/facts-historys-unexpected-plot-twists/
This morning, most people love a good plot twist in a story. In an interesting article on factinate.com, the plot twist is the best part of any mystery, because right at the end when the one thing that nobody predicted would happen happens. The author writes, “A plot twist, done well, elevates a story from merely good to great.”
They share the stories of some of what they deem some of history’s greatest plot twists. Consider these:
King Louis XVI requested proposals for a more humane method of execution than the customary and horrific breaking wheel. Being an amateur locksmith, he even recommended some refinements to the winning invention, the Guillotine. In an ironic twist, Louis himself would enjoy the benefits of his refinements just one year later!
Of all the stories of Darius the Great’s convoluted rise to power, one stands out: When the Persian king Cambyses II passed away, leaving his brother Bardiya on the throne, Darius and a crew of conspirators killed Bardiya. Or so it appeared. Caught literally redhanded over the king’s body, Darius had to think quick. His explanation? That really wasn’t the king.
Darius claimed that who everyone thought was Bardiya was really an evil wizard named Gaumata, who transformed himself to look like Bardiya and stole the throne after Cambyses killed the real Bardiya. Darius explained, “So you see, I actually saved the kingdom.” And the Persians bought it! Darius was crowned king the next morning.
For you American history buffs, this one was interesting — As many folks know, Alexander Hamilton was killed by his long-time political rival, Aaron Burr. Following that fatal duel, Burr went on to live an eventful life. He attempted to conquer parts of the Southwest US and Mexico and declare himself king. Then, he traveled the world fleeing creditors. Eventually he was thrown out of England, and refused entry into France by Napoleon himself.
His life was one get-rich-quick scheme after another, each one failed, none of them erasing his reputation as the murderer of one of the United States’ most respected founding fathers.
Burr would wind down his life by returning to the United States and marrying wealthy socialite Eliza Jumel at the age of 77.
The marriage soon headed south. It only took Burr four months to burn through most of her fortune, prompting her to file for divorce. Her lawyer? In an ironic twist of fate, it was none other than an up and coming attorney named Alexander Hamilton, Jr.
The divorce trial lasted two years, six times longer than the marriage itself. The case finally closed on September 14, 1836, the day Aaron Burr died.
A good plot twist makes the story interesting, grabs our attention, and makes us desire more.
The Bible is full of amazing plot twists, unexpected outcomes, and surprise endings.
Esther chapters 6 - 9 are filled with plot twists that would rival even the best Hollywood movie. And, in the end, good triumphs over evil.
With the plot twists, irony, and surprise endings we see, it makes us look at our own lives and we begin to wonder about our own struggles.
How long will you let this go on God?
Have you ever thought that?
I have.
I guarantee at some point in your life, you have thought that too.
You Were Made for This Moment
Max Lucado
© 2021
pp. 114
Max Lucado, though, says, “Our God is a just God. Nothing escapes Him. No one escapes Him. The wicked will not win.”
Do we believe those words?
It sure is hard to believe those words sometimes.
We ask what David asked in Psalm 35:
17 Lord, how long will You look on??Rescue me from their destructions,?My precious life from the lions. (Psalm 35, NKJV)
How long God?
How long will you let this continue?
How long do I have to suffer?
How long, God, will you look on? Please rescue me from these troubles. Save me from the lions about to devour me!
And we begin to think like Jeremiah, who asked God in Jeremiah 12:
1….Why does the way of the wicked
prosper??Why are those happy who deal so
treacherously? (Jeremiah 12, NKJV)
It just isn’t fair, God!
It just isn’t right that we are going through such struggles as we try to live the right way, doing good, serving God, while those who are wicked are getting all they want — their path seems to be so smooth and easy — they have it easy!
It just isn’t fair God!
Why, God?
Will this evil go on forever?
Will the Hamans in our lives ever be defeated?
The story of Esther and Mordecai assure us that God really is a just God. God really does see what is going on, and as Haman found out, God’s punishment will happen.
Paul was preaching to the Athenians about Jesus, and in his sermon, he told them this in Acts 17:
31 “…He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained [that is Jesus]. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17, NKJV)
Judgment is coming! Evil will not go on forever!
Although I Do Not Know Why…
By Greg Buchner
Copied from Sermon Central
Cliffe Knechtle, pastor and leader of the ministry, “Give me an answer”, writes:
“Although I do not know why God allowed evil, I do know that he wants to destroy it. That is why there is hell.
“Although I do not know why God allowed pain, I do know he wants to wipe every tear from our eyes and give us joy for eternity in his presence. That is why there is a heaven.
“Although I do not know why God allowed suffering, I do know God is a suffering God who became human in Jesus, suffered and died on the Cross in order to forgive you and me.”
We may not know why God allows evil to exist, suffering to happen, struggles in our life, but we do know that God is just. All things will work out in the end. The wrong will one day be defeated.
Scripture tells us that God is a just God, a just judge.
David said in Psalm 7:
11 God is a just judge,? And God is angry with the wicked every
day. (Psalm 7, NKJV)
God will settle the score when Jesus comes to take His children home.
Now, I say all of this to come back to the story of Esther and Mordecai.
We know that justice was, in fact, served. Haman received his just reward — death.
Mordecai and Esther received their just reward — Mordecai was promoted in the palace, and became the second in command in Persia, taking Haman’s position. Mordecai and Esther inherited Haman’s vast estate.
The Jews were once again safe for now in the kingdom of Persia. God was honored and worshipped.
It was one of those cases where what we thought was going to happen didn’t — turned out to be the opposite thing happening.
2. You see, God is the God of great turnarounds.
Consider what it says in Esther 9:1:
1 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them. (Esther 9, NIV)
The tables were turned.
The tables were turned by God.
You see, Esther chapter 3 left us with Haman in charge — and the Jews in big trouble.
Chapter 9 shows us the plot twist.
What we thought was going to happen — the annihilation of the Jews — the execution of Mordecai — the death of the queen — didn’t happen.
Instead, Haman was found out, Mordecai was saved, and Xerxes has mercy, issuing a new decree, since the first cannot be changed, that the Jews are now allowed to assemble and defend themselves against the attack that would come from the Persian soldiers.
What a turnaround!
But God is the God of turnarounds. This isn’t the first time that God has turned the tables.
Max Lucado helps us remember some other significant turnarounds in the Old Testament:
You Were Made for This Moment
Max Lucado
© 2021
pp. 132
Joseph went to sleep one night as an Egyptian prisoner. He went to sleep the next night as the Egyptian prime minister.
The Red Sea was uncrossable one minute and the pathway the next.
Joshua marched seven times around the city of Jericho. After the sixth circle the walls were still standing. After the seventh they were rubble.
Goliath defied Israel for forty days. But then David loaded a [plot twist] into his sling and let it fly. Down went the giant.
The 450 prophets of Baal mocked Jehovah, but then Elijah prayed, and a fire-filled [plot twist] fell from heaven.
The lions wanted to eat Daniel one moment, but they couldn’t open their mouths the next. Their jaws were wired shut with [a] divine [plot twist].
God is in the business of turning things upside down — providing plots twist in history in order to bring about His plan and work for His followers.
We mentioned several turnarounds from the Old Testament. We haven’t yet, though, outlined the greatest plot twist.
You see, the greatest turnaround came on Easter Sunday. It seemed that everything was finished on Friday — Jesus had been crucified. He was dead.
For three days, Jesus’ followers mourned.
For three days, they thought it was all over.
For three days, their hope had been shattered.
For three days, Satan celebrated his victory.
But on that Sunday morning, the world changed — the unexpected happened — the world was turned upside down.
The stone was rolled away.
And in the greatest plot twist, Jesus was not in the tomb when the women came looking for His body.
He had risen!
Jesus had overcome and conquered death, something that no one else had ever done or will ever do.
And that turnaround is the source of our hope today — our hope that one day, we too will overcome — that we too will be victors — that we too will be conquerors.
It may not be today.
It may not be tomorrow.
It may not even be next week, next month, next year.
But one day, we will be called home, and we will enjoy our own eternal turnaround — from sin to salvation!
And, one day, our present challenges, struggles, and problems will find God’s hand, working toward His plan, working for what is best for us.
3. So until then, what do we do now while we wait?
Well, the answer is quite simple: while we are awaiting God’s justice and God’s turnaround in our lives, we need to work with God to do what is right.
Lucado, Max. You Were Made for This Moment Bible Study Guide plus Streaming Video (p. 61). HarperChristian Resources. Kindle Edition.
The day is coming when God will forever balance the scales of justice. Until then, you and I are to partner with him in the pursuit of what is right.
We need to make sure that we are doing everything we can to make this world a better place, being influencers of good, being sharers of hope, being messengers of love.
For example, we need to make sure we love our neighbors. When Jesus was asked which of the 10 commandments was the most important, He said:
29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” (Mark 12, NLT)
From the story of the Good Samaritan, we learn that everyone around us, those in need, those who are like us and those who are different from us are our neighbors, from strangers to our actual neighbors next door.
We are also to love our enemies — even the Hamans in our lives.
Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:
43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. (Matthew 5, NLT)
Love our enemies. Pray for our enemies.
And even though they prosper for a while, remember that justice will come in due time.
When God Rains on the Good--And the Bad
Source: Father Henry Fehren in U.S. Catholic (April 1985). Christianity Today, Vol. 30, no. 12.
https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/1998/march/4269.html
Copied from Preaching Today
The evil person is like the man who jumped from the 50th floor of a building without a parachute. When he passed the 30th floor, someone shouted, "How's it going?" And the jumper answered, "So far so good."
But in the end, the jumper’s fate is set.
It’s hard to understand why evil continues for so long. And meanwhile we are to do right.
God, we may complain, is always right there to tell us to be good, but he is sometimes rather short on explanations. Perhaps it is because we are not yet ready for explanations. Or, more likely, it is because once we experience deeply in ourselves the goodness of God (Matthew 19:17), we do not need explanations.
We need to be God’s goodness, His righteousness, His love on the earth, to our neighbors and our enemies.
In this way, we will be fulfilling the desires God has for us, expressed in Isaiah 58:
This is the kind of fast day I’m after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your
homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your
passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I
am.’ (Isaiah 58:6-9, MSG)
In a small way, we are working out justice and working to bring about the rewards that are duly deserved.
We are being God’s hands and feet to those who need Him.
We are giving hope to the hopeless.
We are showing mercy to the hurting.
We are being God’s love to the unloved.
Conclusion
This morning, when we look at the story of Esther and Mordecai, we cannot help but see how God’s plan is working through every moment, decision, and instance of the story.
At every turn, God is there, working out His plan.
It was not the way that Esther and Mordecai would have done it.
It was not according to their timing.
It likely even surprised them how everything happened.
But it was God in His perfect knowledge, acting at just the right time, to accomplish His plans.
And the same thing is happening in our lives today too.
Maybe we are wondering when God is going to act in our lives, when He is going to punish the evil that seems to constantly be around us — when justice will be served — when we will find relief from our struggles and our problems.
Maybe it will be today. Maybe it will be tomorrow. It will certainly be in the end of time.
Keep the faith and keep your hope. Know that God really is working.
Maybe we have the opportunity to help someone who is struggling, someone who is in need, someone who needs a hand.
Reach out. Touch their lives. Make a difference. Show God’s love to them, regardless if they are our friend, our neighbor, our family member, or our enemy.
Keep the faith, and act in faith. God is working, maybe through you.
No matter, do not give up.
Do not give in to despair.
God is working.
Find encouragement in the story of Esther and Mordecai. If He was working then, He is working today too.
Keep praying. Keep worshipping. Keep trusting God.
God still loves us as much today as He did 2,000 years ago when He sent Jesus to bring about our salvation.
