March 18, 2013

From Gary V. Womack... Esther




ESTHER

Ahasuerus (Xerxes) Reigned from India to Ethiopia at Shushan (Susa) during the reign of the Persian Empire (Dan. 2:36-39)

Esther 1:1-9

He threw a lavish party for 180 days (3 months)
Followed by a 7 day feast.

Esther 1:11

On the 7th. day, the king summoned Queen Vashti to appear "in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials."

HE WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH WOMEN AND THEIR BEAUTY

She refused, so the king put her away as queen,
never to appear before him again.

Esther 2:2-4

The king's servant suggests rounding up all the beautiful virgins in the kingdom
A beauty pageant of young women to be brought before the king to choose from.

Esther 2:5-7

We are introduced to Mordecai (A Benjamite & grandson of Kish)
of royal descent:

1 Sam. 9:1-2 Kish was the father of King Saul

Mordacai reared his cousin, Esther (Hadassah), as his own daughter. for she was orphaned.

Esther 2:12-14

A deplorable arrangement. A new woman for the king each night!

Esther 2:8-11

The king favored Esther - But she did not reveal her Jewish heritage as being of the Jewish captives.

NO WONDER MORDECAI PACED THE FLOOR in his concern for her.

Esther 2:21-ff

Mordecai warns Esther of a plot to kill the king, who in turn tells the king in Mordecai's name. The result: 2 guilty eunuchs were put to death.

Esther 3:1-6

We are introduced to Haman (An Agagite)

1 Sam. 15:1-2, 9 Agag was the king spared of the Amalekites whom Saul and the people failed to utterly destroy per God's instructions.

See how disobedience effects future events?

The king advanced Haman to be head over his princes. Because Mordecai refused to bow to Haman - Haman devised a plan to kill all Jews.

Esther 3:8-11

Haman offers 10,000 pieces of silver to the king's treasury for the purpose of payment to those who would destroy all the Jews.

Esther 3:12-ff

In one day, the plan was determined to exterminate all Jews. Does this remind us of Hitler's efforts under the German third Reich?

Esther 4:1-3

Mordecai and all Jews MOURNED in sack cloth and ashes.

Esther 4:5-9

Mordecai sends word to Esther about what is happening and asks her to go to the king and plead for her people.

Esther 4:10-12

Esther's reply: "If I do this, I will be put to death." Her initial concern was for herself rather than her people.

HER HOUR HAD COME. WHAT WOULD SHE DO?
It has been said that "Everyone has their 15 minutes of fame."
What would you do in your hour?

WHO WOULD YOU GLORIFY - Yourself or God?
Jesus, in His hour gave up Himself in order to glorify the Father.

Jn. 12:23-27 (Jesus) "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. (24) Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. (25) He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (26) If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. (27) Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour?' But for this purpose I came to this hour. (28) Father, glorify Your name...."

Esther 4:13-14

Mordecai's response: "You will die anyway!"

We are going to lose our life, either way we turn. Which way will you go?

Mt. 10:38-39 (Jesus) "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. (39) He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it."

"But if you keep silent, God will provide deliverance from another source."

MORDECAI'S FAITH WAS ROOTED IN GOD'S ABILITY TO DELIVER
Is our faith rooted in God?

When temptation comes, will we look for deliverance?

1 Cor. 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

Do we know as Mordecai did, that God is the source of every blessing?

Jas. 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."

Do we believe as Mordecai did, that God's greatest interest is His people?

Rom. 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

Esther 4:14

"Yet who knows whether you have come for such a time as this?"

Who knows what great purpose God may have for us? And how will we recognize it when it comes? It might not seem great at the time.
Did Rahab know that her great moment would be to protect the lives of 2 men by hiding the spies on the roof of her house and helping them to escape over the wall of Jericho? (Josh. 2)

Heb. 11:31 "By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace."

Mary, (sister to Lazarus and Martha), claimed fame when she anointed Jesus. (Jn. 12:3 identifies her as Mary) It didn't seem so great to those around her. Mk. 14:3-9 Criticized for her good work, she did what she could & is remembered.

Esther 4:15-ff

Esther's reply: "Pray & fast for me for 3 days and nights."

"I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!"

WE MUST LOVE ONE ANOTHER IN THIS SAME WAY

Jn. 15:12-13 (Jesus speaking to His disciples) "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (13) Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."

Rom. 5:6-8 "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (7) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. (8) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."


This is how we are to love one another. We are living our moment now.
How will we respond when opportunity to serve presents itself?

1 Pet. 1:22-23 "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, (23) having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever."

INVITATION

God has provided our way of escape from eternal death. This might be your moment to choose life or death.

Heb. 2:1-9 "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?"

No comments:

Post a Comment