January 19
Straight from the Pastor’s Heart by Dr.Hernes Abante
Esther 4:15-16 - “Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, [16] Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.”
The author of the Book of Esther is unknown, and there has been debate around it since its inception. Some attribute its writing to Mordecai, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Notably, the book does not mention God, which led Martin Luther King, during the Reformation, to call for Esther's removal from the Bible for being "too Jewish."
The lesson conveyed by this book is that God's "hiddenness" does not imply His absence; on the contrary, He is omnipresent and in control, orchestrating everything for His glory. Although the main intention behind the Book of Esther was to narrate the remarkable origins of Purim, it also conveyed a more profound message about God's sovereignty.
His sovereignty is best summarized in Mordecai’s exhortation to Esther: “…and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?’ (Esther 4:14)
The story of Esther is one of courage and faith in the face of extreme adversity. After winning a beauty contest to replace the deposed Queen Vashti, Esther quickly became the favorite among the 400 candidates and was ultimately crowned Queen of King Ahasuerus of Persia.
But Esther's journey did not end there. When her people, the Jews, were threatened with extermination by the evil Haman, Esther risked her own life to plead with the King on their behalf. This was no small feat, as the law of Persia dictated that no one, not even the Queen, could appear before the King without permission. To do so was to risk death.
Despite this, Esther showed incredible bravery and faith, inviting the King and Haman to a banquet without being summoned. Ultimately, her courage paid off - the King was moved by her plea, and Haman's evil plan was thwarted. Esther's story has inspired generations, and her famous statement, "If I perish, I perish," continues to be a reminder of the power of faith and sacrifice.
She took this life-threatening decision upon learning from Mordecai that one of the king’s advisers, Haman, was plotting to kill all the Jews in the land. Haman led the king to write a decree to kill all the Jews by accusing them of rebellion. Instead of directing his anger to Mordecai, he included all the Jews that would also include the Queen, Esther, who was a Jew.
During the banquet, she pleaded for the Jews and told the king of Haman’s evil plot. Upset, the King left for the garden, but when he returned, he saw Haman falling on the couch before Queen Esther and thought Haman was attacking Esther, which made King Ahasuerus order Harman to be hanged and Mordecai to replace him.
Esther and Mordecai then made the King release a decree for the Jews to fight against their enemies and make the first decree invalid. The gallows prepared by Haman for Mordecai was used for him. Instead of the Jews being annihilated, Haman, his sons, and other enemies were killed. Today, the Feast of Purim is celebrated by the Jews to remember this event.
Today, we must have the courage of Esther and not yield to the evil plot of the enemy to eradicate God and His Word from our society.
Our prayer for today:
Dear God, we live in a time when the world is trying to eradicate Your presence from this world. May we have the courage to stand firm on the faith You gave us and be willing to sacrifice for Your sake and the gospel. Help us fight to show Your righteousness and to live what You declare in Your Word. In Jesus Name, Amen!