Dear Church Family,
Have you heard about the time an evil man tried to exterminate the Jewish people? His well-planned, but evil, goal looked sure to succeed. Thankfully Haman’s conspiracy failed. [Did you think I would mention Hitler?] Haman knew how to play politics and rose to the number two position in Persia. Custom dictated that all people – even other royal officials - kneel down to honor him when in his presence. One official did not bow because, as a Jew, he knelt only to the Holy God. This enraged Haman So he developed a plan to avenge Haman and “destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.”.
As a ‘faithful’ servant of the king, Haman went to Xerxes to warn him that the Jews followed odd customs “and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.” Like any king Xerxes wants to keep power and that means putting down any threat to that power. He grants Haman authority “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews” on a specified date soon to come. Upon hearing the king’s edict Mordecai put on sackcloth and wails, as do most Jews. How will God’s people be delivered from this certain death sentence?
The book of Esther tells us about 500 years before the birth of Jesus the king of Persia had a troubled marriage. He held what amounted to a “beauty contest” to replace Queen Vashti. In God’s providence, Esther who “was lovely in form and features,” eventually won the affection of the king. King Xerxes had no idea his new wife had a secret about “her family background and nationality.” The beautiful queen was a Jew and Mordecai was a cousin who had raised her until she entered the king’s court.
Glossing over many details of the story, Mordecai sends a message to Esther about the plot. In 4:14 he calls her to act with a pointed question, “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” By no coincidence Esther became the wife of Xerxes. His first wife displeased him and never entered his presence again. Esther did not want that to happen. In the face of danger, she promised that after fasting for three days, “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.” God honors her before Xerxes, the plot ends, Haman is executed and Mordecai receives honor. Most of all the people of God are preserved to the glory of God and His covenant promises are fulfilled in Jesus five centuries later.
Has God raised up His people to stand boldly in the face of danger in today’s turbulent times like now? The danger could be death as the persecuted church faces daily. It could be the scorn of the world that has rebelled against God and decries anyone who stands for righteousness. Matthew 5:13 calls us to be salt and light. We must do so in such a time as this!
Living by grace to His glory,
Pastor Gillikin