The Story of Esther - Chapter 4

Esther 4   New International Version (NIV)

"When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it.  In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.  Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.

So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.  He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said.  Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape.  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."

****Sackcloth was a very rough cloth often made of goat or camel hair. Tearing one’s clothes, then putting on scratchy, uncomfortable clothing was a sign of deep remorse, repentance, and sorrow. 

Of all the Jews, only Esther had access to the king. Mordecai persuaded Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jewish people reminding her of her unique place in history and that silence is not an option.   In one of the most poetic Biblical passages, Mordecai speaks of God’s purposeful timing: “Who knows but that you have come to a royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).  (Esther 4:14 is a wonderful verse to memorize!)        In other words, Mordecai lets Queen Esther know that even her outer beauty was for a reason and would not go to waste!  Esther was/is a remarkable woman who was willing to risk her life to save her people. She was/is a woman of principle who was willing to put the lives of others ahead of even her own life. She was/is an outstanding example of serving others even under the most stressful circumstances.  Remember in John 15:13, Jesus Christ said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”


What could Queen Esther do for her people? The king had not requested her presence in a month.   Esther knew, of course, that going to the king unsolicited could be her death sentence. Anyone who came into the king’s presence without being summoned could be executed. Esther agreed to risk her life for her people.   So what does she do?  Before making a life or death decision, she calls for the Jewish people to join her on a 3-day fast.

  LESSON -  God’s timing is always immaculate!

Esther’s place on the throne at this exact time would save the Jews from extermination.

                                               

Following the fast she put on her best royal robes, approached the king, and told him of Haman's plot against her people. The Jewish people were saved, Haman was hanged on the same gallows that had been prepared for Mordecai, and Esther received Haman’s estate. 

"This dramatic unfolding of events 

moves like a novel and 

played like a great chess game with several life lessons."

Most of the time our lives may be pretty routine, but all of us have a few defining moments when we may be called on to put godly principle above personal benefit. 

What will you do when you encounter those defining moments in your life? 

What will you do when you face “such a time as this”? 

              Will you choose to do the right thing as opposed to what might give you some personal benefit?


Esther shows all of us the way, and we can be inspired by her example.

Whether the stakes are large or small, it takes the same character  qualities of courage and moral strength to choose what is right.

                

                                                        

Doing the right thing should be more than a slogan for you—

 it should be a way of life!