Lessons from Esther

The Bible is full of incredible stories, with epic plots, awesome displays of power, testimonies of faith and growing up, I was introduced to many of these stories in an illustrated children's bible, but for many, there’s a lot more to these than meets the eye. One of these is that of Esther, which is much more than just a heroic, girl-power, princess story, it's about a young Jewish woman who was thrust onto the Persian throne and into a high-stake, life or death political battlefield.

The story of Esther explains why Jews in the Persian period began celebrating a new festival called ‘purim’. This story is set during the reign of King Xeres the first, somewhere between 486 – 465BC.

We have a handful of key characters in the story of Esther.

There is Esther, the young Jewish woman, appointed as queen, King Xerxes, her husband, Mordecai the Jew, uncle and adopted father to Esther, Haman, the kings arrogant and belligerent official and God, who is never mentioned by name at any point.

The story of Esther takes place over 100 years after the Israelites were exiled to Babylon. While some Jews returned to Jerusalem, as described in the book of Ezra through to Nehemiah, many stayed behind. The book of Esther focuses on a Jewish community living in Susa, the capital of the ancient Persian empire.

The book of Esther is divided into four parts:

• Chapters 1-2 cover Esther’s coronation and journey to becoming queen.

• Chapters 3-6 outline Haman’s plot and Mordecai’s rise to power.

• Chapters 7-8 describe Haman’s downfall and the deliverance of the Jewish people.

• Chapters 9-10 conclude with the Jewish people’s liberation and celebration.

In chapter 5, Esther goes before the king in his court, which at the time, would have been a death wish to enter without an invitation. She quite literally put her neck on the line, she very well could have been executed, it's not an exaggeration to say that her story and life could have ended here.

Instead, she finds great favour with king Xeres. I can only imagine the relief she felt realising that she was still standing and breathing. The prayer of thanksgiving that she must have made in that moment, if it was me, I would have ended that prayer with something like “God give me strength and courage to speak.”

 She invites King Xeres and the official, Haman, to a banquet she has prepared. Twice, the king asks her what she wants, telling her that whatever she wants, even up to half the kingdom will be given to her.  In chapter 5:7-8, “Esther replied, ‘My petition and my request is this: 8 If the king regards me with favour and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfil my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.’

Haman leaves this first banquet, runs into Mordecai, who once again, refuses to bow before Haman, and Haman, along with his family, devise a plan to see Mordecai killed for his blatant disrespect, meanwhile the king is left scratching his head about what his wife’s request could possibly be.

This takes us to chapter 6, where the plot of this incredible story reaches it's dramatic turning point.

Esther 6:1-3, in the NIV says.

“That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. 2 It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.

3 ‘What honour and recognition has Mordecai received for this?’ the king asked.

‘Nothing has been done for him,’ his attendants answered.

After the first banquet with Esther, Xeres could not sleep and he had been left wondering what her question was. In his tenderness towards her, king Xeres noticed that something was not quite right, so much so that it kept him up at night. It just so happens, by some sort of incredible coincidence, that the passage of the chronicles read to him, was about Mordecai, what are the odds that he just so happened to overlook an appropriate honour, thanks and reward for the man whose integrity saved his life?

The delay in Mordecai’s reward for being upright and honourable, was used for the goodness and the purpose of delivering the Jews and placing him in a place of favour with the power of the day.

The next day, the king receives a visitor to his court, and Xeres’ attendants informed him that Haman was there. Haman had come to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai. Xeres invited Haman in and asked him what should be done for someone the king wishes to honour.

Thinking Xeres meant to honour him, Haman suggested dressing the person in a royal robe, placing him on a horse with a royal crest, and parading him through the city with a proclamation. The king instructed Haman to do exactly this for Mordecai the Jew. Haman obeyed, leading Mordecai through the city as instructed.

Afterward, Haman, distressed and humiliated, rushed home and recounted the events to his wife and friends, and their tune has changed drastically from the end of chapter 5 where they made confident suggestions to set up a pole for Mordecai to be impaled on, and instead, now warned him that his downfall was imminent because Mordecai was Jewish.

And later, in chapter 7, Haman’s wickedness is revealed, and he is impaled on the pole that he had set up for Mordecai.

King Xeres, in a place of tenderness and concern for his wife, was left restless, and in responding to the prompting of his heart, it was the deliverance and intercession that somebody else needed.

 When we respond to the prompting of the Holy spirit, and are soft and tender-hearted towards others, it could be the deliverance or intercession that somebody else needs.

God can, and will use you, whether it’s to make that phone call, send that message, catch up for that coffee, knock on someones door, set that extra place at the table, pray for someone, do not think that you are not holy-spirit filled enough for Him to work through you. I’d like to encourage you to consider how God might be using you to outwork His blessings, deliverance and favour for others. 1 Timothy 2:1, in the NIV says:

 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 

Mordecai was saved, and Haman befell an unfortunate fate. It seems almost too coincidental that their fates were switched, that Mordecai’s honour was delayed, that Esther was queen and had a place both in the kings court and heart, that the chapter read to the king was about Mordecai, that Xeres couldn’t sleep, that all the tiniest of details, had to line up as they did, for deliverance.

How often do we chalk up providence, for coincidence?

God’s providence, his protection, is not coincidence, and it is not by mistake. The story of Esther calls us to trust in God's providence, even when we cannot see it at work.  

This requires a hopeful attitude, believing that no matter how dire circumstances become, God is dedicated to redeeming His good world and conquering evil. This is the encouragement we get from Esther's story. 

I’d like to invite you to recognise how God is moving in your circumstances; rest in hope and know that He is a God of deliverance, of breakthrough and of love. He can, and does, work through all circumstances.

 - Veia Harrison