Esther 5-7 (Feb.18)
Esther 5-7
Take Courage
(February 18, 2007)
“On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.”
Esther 5:1-2 (NIV)
Esther and the Jews have completed their 3 days of fasting (we talked about last week from ch.4).
Esther now grossly violates Persian protocol and goes to the inner court, facing the king.
Esther's beauty and the fact that Xerxes had not seen her for 30 days, melt his heart.
Esther lives to be the advocate for the Jews against Haman's plot.
Now the climax of the story begins.
How many have a story where God gave them a specific direction that required some courage?
How did that story turn out?
Fear probably came first (as it did with Esther), but courage and resoluteness soon followed.
Ref: John 16:33 (NASB)
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace
In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. ”
What does it mean to “take courage”?
One dictionary defined this idiom as
“to be brave enough to act in accordance with one's beliefs, no matter what the outcome.”
So, how can we “take courage” as we face our challenges?
Step with Faith
State the Facts
Seek His Justice
Step with Faith
Ref: Esther 5:4-14 (MSG)
“'If it please the king,' said Esther,
'let the king come with Haman to a dinner I've prepared for him.'
'Get Haman at once,' said the king, 'so we can go to dinner with Esther.'
So the king and Haman joined Esther at the dinner she had arranged.
As they were drinking the wine, the king said,
'Now, what is it you want? Half of my kingdom isn't too much to ask! Just ask.'
Esther answered, 'Here's what I want.
If the king favors me and is pleased to do what I desire and ask,
let the king and Haman come again tomorrow to the dinner that I will fix for them.
Then I'll give a straight answer to the king's question.'
Haman left the palace that day happy, beaming.
And then he saw Mordecai sitting at the King's Gate ignoring him, oblivious to him.
Haman was furious with Mordecai. But he held himself in and went on home.
He got his friends together with his wife Zeresh
and started bragging about how much money he had, his many sons,
all the times the king had honored him,
and his promotion to the highest position in the government.
'On top of all that,' Haman continued,
'Queen Esther invited me to a private dinner she gave for the king, just the three of us.
And she's invited me to another one tomorrow.
But I can't enjoy any of it when I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the King's Gate.'
His wife Zeresh and all his friends said,
'Build a gallows seventy-five feet high.
First thing in the morning speak with the king; get him to order Mordecai hanged on it.
Then happily go with the king to dinner.'
Haman liked that. He had the gallows built.”
The pride, intimidation, fear, hate, and anger leap off the pages here.
How did Esther react?
She faithfully held to the direction that God was almost certainly providing.
How should we react?
Faithfully seek God's guidance and don't waiver
(no matter how scary it is,
no matter how frustrated we get,
no matter how little we truly understand about our situation)
By focusing on His plan instead of my problems.
State the Facts
In ch.6, Haman “just happens” to be in the palace when Xerxes decides to honor Mordecai.
Haman, mistakenly assuming that the celebration Xerxes describes is meant to be in his honor, really lays it on thick (encouraging Xerxes to completely lavish the honoree).
Mordecai ends up being blessed by Haman's arrogance.
In ch.7, Esther lays out the case to close the books on Haman.
Ref: Esther 7:1-6 (ESV)
“So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther.
And on the second day, as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king again said to Esther, 'What is your wish, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request?
Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.'
Then Queen Esther answered,
'If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king,
let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request.
For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated.
If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent,
for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king.'
Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther,
'Who is he, and where is he, who has dared to do this?'
And Esther said, 'A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman!'
Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen.”
Esther stated the facts. Of her ethnicity. Of Haman's true plot and true nature.
Esther did not presume to recommend a response from the king,
but respectfully submitted the information to him and awaited a verdict.
Seek His Justice
Ref: Esther 7:9-10 (ESV)
“Harbona, one of the royal eunuchs, said:
'There is a gallows 75 feet tall at Haman's house that he made for Mordecai,
who [gave] the report that saved the king.'
The king commanded, 'Hang him on it.'
They hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.
Then the king's anger subsided.”
Haman's absolute lack of real power and prestige
was demonstrated on the object that he had constructed to display his power and prestige.
God's justice was (and is) perfect.
His timing is often misunderstood or misinterpreted by us and we grow frustrated.
If we will allow Him to carry out His plan to completion, though, we will see miracles.
Ref: Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
“'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD,
'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' ”
His plan involves more than just me and my prosperity.
It involves other believers and others whom God is calling to Him.
I must see God's plan from His perspective (and not my own).
Esther's faithfulness benefited her in the end,
but most importantly it benefited all of God's people.
Conclusion-
How does this story align with your circumstances?
Are you prepared to “take courage” by
Stepping with Faith
Stating the Facts
Seeking His Justice
