Esther Takes a Stand
8 Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to obey the laws of the king. So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live. 9 If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks[c] of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury.”
10 The king agreed, confirming his decision by removing his signet ring from his finger and giving it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 The king said, “The money and the people are both yours to do with as you see fit.”
13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” 17 So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
Esther was young, beautiful, and adored by King Xerxes. But this young queen was never truly comfortable with palace life because she was never being completely herself. She was hiding her true identity from everyone around her. The truth was that Esther was a Jew and the Jewish people did not bow down to any king other than the King of Kings, their God. To be Jewish was to be set apart and different. You were an outsider. But this beautiful outsider had managed to win the King’s heart and a home in the palace.
Haman was a rich ruler and used to having his way. He served Xerxes and was in charge of the nobles of the region. Haman thought himself to be a very important man, but when Esther’s Uncle Mordecai wouldn’t bow down when Haman walked by, Haman was furious! How could this nobody, this outsider, this Jew, think himself better than mighty Haman?
So, to get revenge on Mordecai, Haman convinced the King that the Jewish people were trouble makers and should be killed. The King agreed to this and the fates of the Jewish people were sealed…or so it seemed.
But just when things got tough, Mordecai sent Esther a message reminding her of who she was and urging her to stand up for her people. He told Esther that perhaps this was why she was so beloved by the King. Perhaps she was meant to use her position as queen to save her people. Could God use Esther to rescue her people? Yes!
Esther was brave enough to do what was right, even though it could have cost her life. In the end, Esther’s people were saved and Haman got the same punishment he was planning for Mordecai, but only because Esther recognized her “moment” from God.
Sometimes you just know its your moment. You know that weird nervousness in your stomach and a the little angry feeling that you get sometimes when you see other people being treated unfairly? That feeling is God’s way of nudging you into doing the right thing for someone who can’t stand up for themselves. In Micah 6:8 the Bible tells us that God requires us to “Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.” Justice is doing what is fair and right and mercy is showing kindness and compassion for those who cannot help themselves. So, in other words God thinks it is really important for us to be fair and help others.
It is a terrible thing when people treat others with violence, disrespect, or unjustly, but an even greater evil is when the people of God do nothing when they see these things happening. Part of doing justly is speaking up when you see others being hurt physically or emotionally and standing with others who are standing up for mercy and justice. Super heroes are great fun to watch on TV and read about but they aren’t real. What is real is the hurt and need of God’s people. Could God be using you be someone’s rescuer today?
Discussion Questions:
1. Sometimes, in order for others to have what they need to live, those with more need to live more simply. What does that mean to you?
2. Have you ever had a “moment” from God when you knew you needed to step up and stand up for someone else?
Family Activity: Color your ornament for day 21 and together discuss how your family might be able to live more simply in order to stand up for and find justice for others.
Prayer for the World: Pray that the Spirit would bring our team men in their late 20s and 30s who are mature socially, grounded in their faith, and own a vision for making Habakkuk 2:14 a reality in our province.
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