ESTHER – “FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS”
INTRODUCTION
Text: Est. 4:13-16.
1 You’ve probably heard the adage, "behind every good man is a good woman."
2 I prefer, "Behind every good man is a surprised mother-in-law."
3. Today we will study a case in which it could be said, "Behind a great man (who was not a good man) was a great woman (who was a good woman) who changed the course of history."
4. The background: Our story begins with Ahashuerus of the King James Version - Xerxes the Great of history circa 481 or 483 BC. Xerxes was King of Persia.
5 It has been 103 years since Nebuchadnezzar took the Jews into captivity (2 Kings 25), 54 years after Zerubbabel led the first group of exiles back to Jerusalem (Ezra 1,2) and 25 years before Ezra lead the second group to Jerusalem (Ezra 7).
6 All but a few thousand of God’s people -Israel - were in the Persian provinces. The King had the leaders of 127 provinces come to his impressive palace for a celebration to lasted 187 days -- more than six months.
7 It was common for the Persians to put on a feast before launching an invasion. In this case they were planning to invade Greece. The invasion would end up with a victory for the Persians at Thermopylae and a crushing defeat for Xerxes at Salamis in 480BC.
8 It was a feast of drinking, of sin, etc. At the end of a week-long drunken feast, the King sent for Vashti to come and display her beauty. History suggests that she was pregnant with the Son who would later replace Xerxes. She refused. The King accepted the suggestion to reject her and choose another to be queen in her stead.
9 Esther was chosen. She was a young, beautiful Jewish girl. Her cousin Mordecai had offended a vain official named Haman, who by trickery got a decree signed that all the Jews should be put to death. The decree was unalterable.
10 God stepped in and in a providential way delivered His people from the decree that Christ might come of their seed as promised. Gen. 12:1-3).
11 This story was written for our benefit (Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
DISCUSSION:
I. FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS" Esther 4:16
A. Mordecai thought Esther had come to the throne "for such a time as this." What sort of a time was it?
B. It was a time when the King and the leaders of the nation were selfish, wicked, and immoral.
C. Sin was in the saddle.
(Proverbs 29:2 NIV) When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.
D. Haman was wicked to the core
E. The leaders of the provinces were wicked.
F. Consider the morals of some of our leaders today.
(Proverbs 14:34 NKJV) Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.
(Matthew 15:12-14 NKJV) Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" {13} But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. {14} "Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."
G. What about atheists and agnostics as leaders in our schools, universities and the nation?
H. Is there sin in high places today?
I. Even some church leaders have fallen into the snare of worldliness and immoral behavior..
II. ESTHER HAD COME TO THE THRONE AT A NOTABLE TIME
A. Esther 4:13-16. It was a time of worldly pomp and show.
B. It was a time when the King and leaders of 127 provinces recklessly took a six-month vacation for wickedness and sin.
1. They neglected the nation and its welfare – their homes and children, education, etc.
2. Today, our nation is neglecting to preserve our freedom and to purify the streams of morality.
(2 Timothy 3:1-5 NIV) But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. {2} People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, {3} without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, {4} treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- {5} having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
C. It was a time of strong drink. Esther 1.
D. Consider the damage alcohol and other addictive drugs and addictive behaviors is brining on our society..
(Proverbs 20:1 NIV) Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
1. Proverbs 23:29-35.
E. It was a time of immodesty and debauchery. It was a time when the king demanded Vashti the Queen to come before the leaders of 127 provinces and display her body before the lustful eyes of wicked lewd and lecherous men. Est. 1; 2
1. We should be thankful that the Queen had the moral courage to dare to do right.
(1 Timothy 2:8-10 NKJV) I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; {9} in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, {10} but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.
2. We should constantly pray that men and women in high places do the right thing.
F. It was a time when the sanctity of marriage was at low ebb. The King was willing to get rid of the Queen for no fault of hers.
1. We are now seeing one divorce for every two or three marriages in our country. Matt. 19:3-9.
G. It was a time when human life was cheap. The leaders were willing to sign a decree to have 2,000,000 Jews killed, because one of them would not bow to Haman, a wicked scoundrel.
H. We would never do anything that wicked? 98% of all abortions in America are for reasons of convenience.
I. The papers are full of murder, adultery, theft, and hate.
J. It was a time that cried out for good woman of courage, Esther. Est. 4:13-16.
1. Her silence would have been sin – in a responsible position, in a time that needed good people – of conviction and prayer.
K. It was true in her time. Is it true in our time?
L. Has God placed you here for such a time as this?
M. All around us people are dying in sin. If you are Christian you know the solution. Do you have the courage to step up and speak up?
“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing” Edmond Burke.
"The hottest regions of Hell are reserved for those who do nothing at a time of great need." - Dante
Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin (James 4:17).
