Esther: Its Not a Useless Story
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Introduction
Introduction
Open this evening to Esther Chapter 4, that’s Esther Chapter 4 we will start in verse 13.
Most of the time we start with last time, today however we will end with last time.
The title of the message today is “Its Not a Useless Story”
I have to admit, like other theologians I have read this text in the past and thought, just whats the point of this story, why is it here?
Nothing like having to preach on a text to make you answer that question.
One of the reasons’ I have thought this is as the commentator mentions. “Perhaps the most outstanding theological feature of the Hebrew text of Esther is that it makes no mention of God at all”[1]
However, as we read this text and see it int he historical context we see some theological themes emerge.
God’s Sovereignty
God working to the ends in the means
God’s provision for his people
Rejoicing at God provision
The idea of all of these themes is faith, as we will see in what I am calling the key text this evening.
Lets Read Esther Chapter 4 verse 13-17
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?” 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.
May God Bless the Reading of His Holy and Inflatable Word
Lets Pray
Transition
Transition
One of the best ways to get a handle on the meaning and place of his story within the cannon is to remember that we call the Bible, the story of redemptive history.
The Bible is the story of how God redeems his people, that redemption comes in Jesus Christ, what we read here are the steps leading to Christ being born as Emmanuel.
Body
Body
Setting the Scene
Setting the Scene
Cyrus was the king that conquered Babylon and established the Achaemenid (a ca me nid) empire as a world power. Cyrus was a Persian but his wife was a Mede
Cyrus took ownership of Judah when he took over Babylon.
Cyrus’ government style was that of local states
It did not make sense to Cyrus to have the whole territory of Judah state just sitting there not making resources
Cyrus decrees that the jew should return and rebuild their homeland
No doubt the influence of people like Daniel and the fiery furnise boys
Cyrus is killed in battle not long after this
and throughout the rain of his son Cambyses, again a short rain and then the rain of Darius who is mentioned in Daniel 9, the Jews never could capitalize on this edict of return.
The next is Ahasuerus also known as Xerxes,
Xerxes is a well known figure on the annals of history
He is the one that invaded Greece and is the central protagonist of the story of the 300 Spartans.
It is Xerxes that gets drunk and summed Queen Vasti, “On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine” (Es 1:10, ESV)
The story is famous,
Queen Vasti’s refusal
The decree removing her from being queen
The search for a new queen
The favor Esther finds over all the other women
Haman’s evil plans are made known
Transition
Transition
And that brings us to verse 13-14, what I would call the sum of the book of Esther.
For a Time such as This
For a Time such as This
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?”
Esther has just told Mordecai “if I go to the king about this it could mean my death.”
Mordecai replies that Haman’s plan is to kill all the Jews, do you think you will escape. he will come after you as well.
Often today because of Pentecostal influence we tend to think that everyone in the Bible had supernatural experiences, and that is not the case here
There is no booming voice from heaven and no prophet laying on his side for 360 days and eating food cooked with cow dung
no thus says the Lord you will have success with the king.
But there is faith, Mordecai said id you don’t, “relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place”
This is faith int he promises of God
Mordecai adds “who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this”
You don’t know God’s plans, you know God has promised to return his people through the Prophet Jeremiah.
You know you are at a place and time to help them even if it is dangerous for you.
Transition
Transition
So Esther responds in faith, Verse 15-17
Pray for me
Pray for me
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.
Hold a fast, and pray
If I parish, I parish
“Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.”
He may be her uncle but she is the queen.
We know the rest of the story,
Haman’s plan is turned upside down.
Not only is Haman executed but the Jews are the ones to execute all their enemies in the kingdom
And 20 years later, this king Xerxes dispatches Ezra to complete the building to the Temple.
You see without Esther, the things we have meditated on for the last few weeks would not have happened.
The rebuilding the temple,
the passover
The Repentance of Ezra.
The confessions of Nehemiah.
Before ever these things came to pass the sovereign God had already planned for his people to continue.
When Peter said in Acts 2:23 “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.” (Ac 2:23, ESV)
This is the definite plan of God.
God put Cyrus there
God put Xerxes there
God put Esther there
and what we see is the God that has a definite plan for bringing Christ into he world
and that same God has a definite plan for keeping you Christian in his Son.
When Christ said, I will build my Church and the gate of Hell will not prevail against it, it was not conjecture.
Just as Esther was an integral part of the Glorification of God in protecting the line of Christ within the Jewish people.
God is being glorified in Christ today, putting all things under his feet in and through the church.
He is doing it the same way, the obedience of His people even when it can, and does cost them their lives.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Its all about Christ, he is the central figure in the story,
Last time we saw the problem in all of scripture, Nehemiah is lamenting our sins are over our heads, the answer is Jesus.
Able, Abraham, David, Esther, Mary, and Joseph are all part of this story God is telling about his Glory in Jesus Christ.
What's amazing brothers an sisters is that he invites us to be a part of it.
God, through Christ is building his church and he is doing through the faithfulness of a people called out by His grace.
Benediction
Benediction
We close with the Words of Paul from Romans 14:8-9 not a typical benediction but appropriate the the message this evening.
8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
Let us go and live for the Lord.
References
References
[1] Debra Reid, Esther: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 13, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008), 48.
Bibliography
Bibliography
Reid, Debra. Esther: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 13. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008.