NOW…NOT LATER
Esther 4:1-17
S: Courage
Th: Profiles in Courage
Pr: WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO ACT QUICKLY.
?: Inductive
KW: Portion
TS: We will divide our study of Esther 4:1-17 into five sections demonstrating to us the urgency of courage.
The _____ section is the…
I. DISASTER (1-5)
II. DEPENDENCE (6-8)
III. DOUBT (9-11)
IV. DESTINY (12-14)
V. DETERMINATION (15-17)
Version: ESV
RMBC 10 August 03 AM
INTRODUCTION:
ILL Notebook: Late (the pill)
Bob had this problem of getting up late in the morning and was always late for work.
After a few weeks of this, his boss was mad and threatened to fire him if he didn’t do something about it.
So Bob went to his doctor. The doctor told him that since he was not sleeping through the night he was having a hard time getting up. So the doctor gave him a pill and told him to take it before he went to bed. He got a great night’s sleep and actually beat the alarm in the morning. After a leisurely breakfast, he cheerfully drove to work.
"Boss," he said, "The doctor gave me a pill and it actually worked! I feel great! And look, I am even here early."
"That’s all fine," said the boss, "But where were you yesterday?"
Have you ever felt that you were too late?
Well, as we continue our series of Profiles in Courage, we will study someone that being too late was an issue.
Today, we discuss a woman named Esther.
You may remember that earlier this year we studied the book of Nehemiah.
Both books, along with Ezra, take place when the Persian Empire is in power.
Now, even though Esther comes after Ezra and Nehemiah in the Bible, the events concerning Esther precede them.
Esther becomes the queen to Xerxes who is the predecessor to Artaxerxes whom Nehemiah served.
One of the interesting aspects about this history of Esther is that the account never mentions God.
And yet, as you read the story through (which you should do in one sitting), you can’t help but acknowledge that God is there and active.
As we give consideration to Esther today, let’s consider our context…
CONTEXT:
Xerxes, the king of Persia, was on the lookout for a new queen.
There were many candidates, and Esther became one of them.
Before the women would go and meet the king, they were groomed, pampered, perfumed, and oiled.
This was a process that took months, not days.
Finally, Esther’s turn came and she met the king.
Immediately, it seems…
1. Esther captured the attention of Xerxes.
The texts tell us that Esther was good looking.
She was beautiful.
And the text also tells us that Xerxes found her more beautiful and more desirable than all the others.
Once Xerxes met Esther, the wait was over.
All other competitors were set aside.
Esther became the queen.
All things considered, this was phenomenal.
For Esther came from extremely humble beginnings.
As a child, Esther was orphaned.
She was then raised by her older cousin, Mordecai.
As we watch the story unfold, we discover that Mordecai is a wise man.
He is a man of integrity.
He is a man that believes in doing the right thing, regardless of the personal cost.
This is also observed in this history when…
2. Mordecai saved the life of Xerxes.
Apparently, Mordecai overheard of a plot to overthrow Xerxes.
When he learned of it, Mordecai told Esther who then reported it to the king.
The king takes the drastic, but necessary action of hanging the conspirators.
What makes the book of Esther so intriguing though is another character called Haman.
3. Haman, the highest noble of Xerxes, desired to kill Mordecai.
Haman was Xerxes right hand man.
It was a position that certainly fed his ego, which was definitely bigger than the entire outdoors.
When Haman went out on the street, it was expected that everyone would bow to him.
And mostly everyone did, except one man…Mordecai.
Mordecai wouldn’t do it.
He refuses to do so.
This, of course, made Haman very angry.
He stewed on this for a good while and, with the help of his wife, devised a plan to exterminate the Jewish population.
He will get his revenge on Mordecai by killing all those of his race.
What makes the story exciting for us as a reader is that Haman doesn’t know that the queen is the younger cousin of Mordecai.
The man he hates the most was the father to the woman the king loves most.
This brings us back to Esther.
I have introduced you to the main characters.
So, let’s continue with our study.
4. We will divide our study of Esther 4:1-17 into five sections demonstrating the urgency of courage.
OUR STUDY:
Haman has successfully convinced the king of the need to eradicate the empire of this awful race of people.
The people are instructed on a certain date to kill the Jews and take all their belongings.
This instruction is published all across the land.
I. The first section is the DISASTER (1-5).
[1] When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry. [2] He went up to the entrance of the king’s gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. [3] And in every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes. [4] When Esther’s young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. [5] Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was.
Mordecai expresses that there is a desperate need.
He places himself at the king’s gate to draw attention to himself.
He is not doing it to get the king’s attention.
That would be impossible.
But he does want to get Esther’s attention.
So he becomes ceremonially unclean.
He puts on sackcloth (very itchy), pours himself with ashes and wails.
He announces to all that will hear that Haman’s law is a disaster waiting to happen.
Mordecai is successful in getting the attention of Esther, but she has no idea why he is behaving the way he is.
So she offers him new clothes via her servant, but he refuses to take them.
This would have been considered to be extremely discourteous.
Nevertheless, it did communicate the weight of the problem that Mordecai and his people faced.
The law had been set in place by the king and nothing could be done to change this disaster from happening.
It was law and Esther had to be made aware of it.
II. The second section is the DEPENDENCE (6-8).
[6] Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate, [7] and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. [8] Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people.
Mordecai has a very clear message for Esther…
Mordecai communicates to Esther that she is the hope for her people.
We are not quite sure how he has done it, but Mordecai had access to all the inside information.
He knew how much Haman had offered Xerxes to accomplish this evil task.
It is a betrayal of people for money, a morally repugnant act.
To get Esther’s full attention, he also sent her a copy of the edict.
Esther had to be involved.
Whether she wanted to accept it or not, the whole Jewish race was dependent on her.
Her intervention was going to be necessary.
She had to take the opportunity to plead for mercy.
But there was a catch.
The king did not know her real background.
She would have to reveal her Jewish identity.
III. The third section is the DOUBT (9-11).
[9] And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. [10] Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, [11] "All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law — to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days."
We see right away that Esther is not real warm to the idea.
Esther hesitates because of her own situation.
She has doubt about whether she can do anything.
First of all, she just can’t enter into his presence without his express invitation.
One cannot just go waltzing in to see him.
It was not only against royal protocol and a breach of etiquette, it was a transgression that received death as its punishment.
If you appeared without being invited, you had to be immediately pardoned, or you would be executed.
Obviously, you didn’t want to show up on a day the king was having a bad day.
What makes Esther even more fearful is that she had not been summoned in 30 days to see the king.
This was unexpected so she had to wonder if she had fallen out of the king’s favor.
So, not unexpectedly, she is not quick to take up the cause that Mordecai has for her.
She has to wonder if there is any other way.
For is she goes uninvited, it might be the end for her.
IV. The fourth section is the DESTINY (12-14).
[12] And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. [13] Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, "Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. [14] For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Mordecai is definitely not happy with this answer.
He lets her know that her silence is not an option at this point in time.
You see, she had a destiny to fulfill…
Esther has been positioned to make a difference.
There is a time to risk.
There is a time to put it all on the line for the Lord.
And Mordecai is clear.
This is the time.
Mordecai is not safe.
He will not escape the king’s edict.
And for that matter, neither is Esther safe.
She will not escape it either.
Actually, the most dangerous thing for Esther to do is nothing.
She cannot hope it will all go away, because it won’t!
But here is what she must truly understand.
Esther has a destiny.
Her exaltation as queen was not her own doing.
It was God’s way of obtaining a savior for the people.
She has been chosen.
She has a calling to fulfill.
She is the one that has been designed for such a time as this.
V. The fifth section is the DETERMINATION (15-17).
[15] Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, [16] "Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish." [17] Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
What Mordecai has said has certainly been hard for Esther to hear.
But what he has said has not fallen on dear ears.
For…
Esther resolves to do the right thing.
But wisely, she realizes that she cannot do this alone.
She will go to see the king, but she is going to need help.
Most importantly, she needs prayer.
She needs to know that the community of believers is behind her.
Interestingly, she is persuaded.
She is convinced.
Esther will intercede for her people before the king.
She will courageously go before the king and accept the consequences.
Mordecai has done well, for now Esther acts as a true queen.
She takes the lead and now Mordecai will follow her.
APPLICATION:
Our application today is simply this…
1. WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO ACT QUICKLY.
So many times, I believe, the believer is silent in the presence of evil.
We know that something is wrong.
We know something should be done.
We know someone should say something.
But we…we stay quiet.
We stay on the sidelines.
We don’t get involved.
Esther attempted that, but it was not to be.
While she looked for someone else or for some other way, it became increasingly evident that she was the one that was born for such a time and for such a task.
Be sure of this…
To be called to participate in kingdom work is both a great privilege and a great blessing.
We should be careful not to miss the opportunity.
For God’s will is going to be accomplished.
His will will not be foiled if I don’t participate.
But do you know who loses when I don’t engage into the battle?
I am.
I am a huge loser if I don’t get in there.
God wants us so much to be a part of it.
He wants our partnership.
So know this…
2. God has us in the right place at the right time to bring the fulfillment of His will.
As you read the story (and finish it!), you observe that there were no coincidences for our characters.
The same is true for us.
It is not coincidence that you work where you do.
It is not fate that you live where you live.
It is not dumb luck that you have the relationships that you have.
God never allows anything into our lives by accident.
Every circumstance is for a greater purpose even though we see it in the moment.
But know this…
It is exciting to be a part of something as big as what God is doing.
God uses us to accomplish His strategic plan.
There is nothing more satisfying.
There is nothing more important.
There is nothing grander.
And know this as well…
God does not send us into the battle defenseless.
No…
3. God gives us the Holy Spirit to enable us to do what he has called us to do.
Whatever He calls us to do, He equips us to get it done.
God does not give us something to do and then abandon us in the process.
No, He enables us to work in the “now.”
He gives us the power to get off the bench and into the game.
So wherever you are, know this…
For such a time as this you have been brought to the place you are in, because you have kingdom work to do.
We have kingdom work to do.
Let’s get at it.
BENEDICTION: [Counselors are ]
Have the courage to act quickly…don’t stay on the sidelines while others are in battle; we have the privilege and the blessing to partner with God in kingdom work.
Have the courage to act quickly…for God has placed you where you are – it is no accident – look around and see – you have God-given opportunities all about you.
Have the courage to act quickly…for God has not left you alone; He equips us to get it done for He has brought us to this place for such a time as this.
Now…May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
