Esther 4:1-17[1]
As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, May 1st, 2011
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.
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.
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."
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?"
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.
This is the crux of the story of Esther. The central issue in this book is about Haman's attempt to kill the Jews, and Esther's appeal to save the Jews. This is the plot; Haman tries to bring death, Esther tries to save lives. Now the contrast between what is going on in the palace and what is going on outside in the city is dramatic, isn't it? As I read this story,
I asked the text these questions...
1. Why did Mordecai mourn so deeply, so publicly? Death was decreed. He was under the sentence of death! And not only were he, but his entire people group! He believed the message; he knew this was serious life and death. Folks, mourning and grieving and forgetting what people think about you is normal and right when you are under the sentence of death!
2. Why did Esther want to stop this public display? To save Mordecai from getting into trouble with the king and Haman, we surmise; but this was beyond the time to be concerned about what people think! Death was already decreed.
3. What can be done to save the Jews? The only thing humanly possible was to change the king's edict, and this had never happened.
4. Why did Mordecai command Esther to go to the King? Because the death of their people was immanent – they would both die anyway! What was risk? It's the difference between a soldier dying to save a sister nation and a soldier dying to save his own nation and family; this risk must be taken. While this good man was mourning, he was by no means giving up!
5. What tells us Mordecai has faith in God? There was a) His confidence that relief would come. b) His observation of providential placement.
6. What tells us that Esther has faith in God? a) Her call to fast. Fasting is often associated with prayer in the Bible, either in mourning or in desperately seeking God's help. b) Her submission to God's will. We will pray, but we will submit to the will of God, who reigns over all.
So let's summarize...
Mordecai mourns the death sentence, but seeks help. THIS is the mindset sinners MUST come to before seeking any relief from God. Truly, all who are outside of Christ are under this same sentence of death, and it is surer than Ahasuerus could ever make it. If you don't know Christ, you are facing certain death; it's not a time for games. In July of 1348 the black plague hit Paris, France, and ran through 1349. By the time it was played out half of the population of 100,000 citizens were dead. Oddly, the city chose to step up the revelry instead of stopping it! It is said that the carnivals went on, but the death-carts followed the celebration to gather the bodies.[2] Listen; God will NOT be mocked or avoided! He will destroy all who have sinned against Him, and HE defines sin, we do not. Today is a day mourning and brokenness if you have not repented of your sins and sought mercy and forgiveness in Christ! People repent of your sin before God destroys you – act! Seek God, while He may be found!
Esther goes to save her people, knowing it is at great risk of her own life.
Esther pleads for her people to pray with her.
Esther makes her desires known, but submits to God's desires.
Does this sound familiar? One who takes up great sacrifice in order to save His people?
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Phil 2:5-8)
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (Jn 10:11)
"For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father." (John 10:-18)
And Esther, facing her very possible death, pleads for her people in town to join her in prayer – does that remind you of any other such situation?
"Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here, while I go over there and pray.' And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.'" (Matt 26:36-38)
Lastly, she submits her life to the hand of Providence, entrusting her life to the will of God.
"39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."
42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.'" (Matt 26:39, 42)
Esther's approach to the salvation of her people reminds of us Jesus Christ, who laid His own life down to save His people, all whom God had given Him.
"My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one." (John 10:29-30)
Ladies, let it bless you that this courageous young queen gives us a picture, a foreshadowing of Christ here in this book.
Sinners, let the brokenness of Mordecai instruct you toward repentance. Church, let us all be grieved at our sin, and continue pursing God's eradication of it in our lives!
Sinners and saints alike let us marvel that Christ, the only Righteous One, would lay down His life for us to have a way out of the Decree of Death from God! Praise be to His Grace!
[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.
[2] Details of the plague were found here: http://www.thecaveonline.com/APEH/Plaguedescription.html, while the attitude of the Parisians was described by Dr. H. A. Ironside in his commentary on Esther, published in 1905 by the Loizeaux Brothers, Inc.
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