A QUEEN ESTHER MOMENT
God chose Esther, an unlikely candidate, to be a deliverer of the Jewish people. Mordecai brought up Esther, his uncle’s daughter, when her father and mother died. She became the Queen of Persia and was instrumental in the deliverance of the Jews who were in danger of annihilation.
During the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes) who reigned in India to Ethiopia, whose throne was in Susa, the capital of the Persian Empire, he made a feast and asked Queen Vashti to come. She refused so the King decreed that he would choose a new queen and that all beautiful young virgins be gathered and brought to the King’s house so that he would have a new queen.
Esther was sent to the King along with many other young maidens and she found favor with the King. Mordecai had been concealing his identity as a Jew so he encouraged Esther to do the same.
Haman, the Agragite who had been promoted by the King and was above all princes became infuriated because Mordecai would not bow down to him and convinced the King to eliminate all of the Jews. Mordecai knew that Esther could save the Jewish people but she had not been summoned by the King and the consequences could mean that she would be punished by death. Mordecai sent messengers to convey his words to Esther. (Stolen Identity: Plan of the Evil One by Marcella Ward)
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions. Esther 4:14-17 (NIV)
It was Esther alone who could save the Jewish people. She approached her husband and obtained favor from him. A banquet was ordered by the King.
CHAPTER 7 BOOK OF ESTHER
So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”
Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.”
King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”
Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”
Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.
Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.
The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”
As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”
The king said, “Impale him on it!” So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided. Chapter 7 (NIV)
This is a Queen Esther moment because of the many things happening around the world that would seek to wipe God out of everything; take away our God-given rights; take away our voice; label many for not conforming to the “powers that be” i.e. media, politicians, etc.
We need to take a stand and call out that which is not ordained by God. We need to be an Esther and not be afraid even if it costs us our livelihood or our life. There have been many who have stood up for their faith and rights and paid a price. I believe, that as the evil Haman received exactly what he was trying to do to the Jews, justice will come to those who are trying to steal our freedoms and our rights.
“Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) was a prominent Lutheran pastor in Germany. He emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps. He is perhaps best remembered for his postwar words, “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out…” Holocaust Encyclopedia
“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.” Martin Niemöller (Note: The content of the quotation has varying forms but the message is clear.)
He believed that Germans had been complicit through their silence in the Nazi imprisonment, persecution, and murder of millions of people. He felt this was true in particular of the leaders of the Protestant churches (of which the Lutheran church was one denomination).” Holocaust Encycolpedia
“The hand of God is at work in the lives of his people. He used the circumstances in Esther's life, as he uses the decisions and actions of all humans to providentially work out his divine plans and purposes. We can trust in the Lord's sovereign care over every aspect of our lives.
The Lord raised up Esther as he raised up Moses, Joshua, Joseph, and many others to deliver his people from destruction. Through Jesus Christ, we are delivered from death and hell. God is able to save his children.” (Mary Fairchild—updated June 18, 2019)
Who knows, maybe we were born for “such a time as this.”
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