THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
We typically associate heroism with grand and glorious acts. Such actions often come with great risk. Heroic acts also can occur with little outward notice—but that certainly makes them no less grand and glorious.
Take the heroes of the International Justice Mission (IJM). Their goal is to rescue boys and girls who are enslaved by trafficking. They employ thousands of lawyers who work in dangerous parts of the world to pry vulnerable children from the hands of their masters. Yet before they pick up a phone, write a legal brief, or ride along with local police to apprehend traffickers, they pray. IJM also takes their staff on spiritual retreats four times a year, and they gather in Washington, D.C., for a Global Prayer Gathering.
With so much work to do, why don’t they just jump into the fray? IJM knows that biblical justice begins not with actions or words, but in lament and worship before God.
People often look to Esther as a great heroine in Scripture. And she was—but before she and Mordecai stepped into a risky, life-threatening moment of justice, they did something just as heroic. They sought God in prayer.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Esther 4:1-3
1 When Mordecai learned all that had occurred, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, went into the middle of the city, and cried loudly and bitterly. 2 He went only as far as the King’s Gate, since the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering the King’s Gate. 3 There was great mourning among the Jewish people in every province where the king’s command and edict came. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
King Ahasuerus approved and funded Haman’s ruthless plan to thoroughly eliminate the Jewish people and plunder their possessions. (See 3:10-11.) The edict was published throughout Persia, sentencing all Jews to annihilation on a single day. This was, by all accounts, an irreversible decision that would affect thousands of innocent people. It was truly an unjust law.
When Mordecai learned of the edict, his first response was deep and vocal lament. The original Hebrew language describes Mordecai’s crying out as a deep and guttural wailing. As a part of his grief, Mordecai also tore his clothes and wore sackcloth and ashes. In the ancient Near East, this was common practice for mourning. Throughout Scripture, when individuals or groups lamented, their cries of deep distress were directed to God. We can reasonably assume that Mordecai’s actions also reflected a deep call to God.
His grief went deep into his heart and soul. Mordecai’s grief was profound, keeping him from his duties inside the King’s Gate; that would have been a violation of palace decorum. His lament and dress were known, though, and word of his actions reached the queen. (See 4:4).
Mordecai wasn’t the only one in mourning. The Jewish population throughout the Persian Empire received the news and lamented their fate. Surely their public acts of weeping, fasting, and wearing sackcloth and ashes disrupted daily life in the empire. We can only wonder how others might have viewed this behavior. Were they stirred by the impending doom that faced their neighbors? Did any of them lament with the Jews?
When was the last time you were moved
to mourning over an injustice?
Lamenting—calling to God in deep distress—should be an important part of our own reaction to injustice. Expressing such grief is neither nonspiritual nor reflective of a lack of faith. Far from it! Prophets like Jeremiah and Habakkuk lamented the spiritual state of Israel, and Jesus wept over Jerusalem. (See Luke 19:41-44.)
God calls us to step into the experiences of those who suffer and weep with those who weep. If we don’t see injustice, we won’t grieve over it, and if we don’t grieve over injustice, we won’t act on it. We must ask the Lord to open our eyes to the vulnerable so that we might grieve and pray—and then act. When we do this we show the world a glimpse of our Savior, who entered into our injustice, who weeps with us in our suffering, and who acted on our behalf.
Esther 4:10-14
10 Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to tell Mordecai, 11 “All the royal officials and the people of the royal provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner courtyard and who has not been summoned—the death penalty—unless the king extends the gold scepter, allowing that person to live. I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the last thirty days.” 12 Esther’s response was reported to Mordecai. 13 Mordecai told the messenger to reply to Esther, “Don’t think that you will escape the fate of all the Jews because you are in the king’s palace. 14 If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father’s family will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.”
Mordecai’s cries against the impending injustice against the Jewish people did not go unheard. Mordecai sent a copy of Haman’s edict with Esther’s servant so that he could explain the situation to her and tell her to go and plead with the king on the Jews’ behalf. After seeing the edict, Esther sent her servant to communicate with Mordecai that, even though she was the queen, her power to act was limited. This was Ahasuerus’s kingdom, and he had total power. Esther could die if she went before the king, but Mordecai wanted Esther to understand the reality of what faced the Jewish people— her people. To be silent in the face of this injustice would not be enough to save Esther’s life. If Haman’s genocide happened, Esther’s heritage would be discovered and she would not be spared. Mordecai ended with a strong appeal that alluded to the providence of God: “Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.” This one statement reminded Esther of the unlikely path she had been on and the potential power she held in her hands.
What’s your reaction to the exchange
between Mordecai and Esther?
Each of us must make a choice whether to “seize the day” for God or not. Esther had just such a pivotal decision. Everything she had experienced in her life would come down to this one singular choice.
Few, if any of us, will face a choice like Esther faced, but we are called to count the cost of our own lives. (See Luke 14:26-33.) Injustice is all around us. We, like Esther, have come to where we are “for such a time as this.”
What are some fears that often
keep us
from doing the right thing?
Esther 4:15-16
15 Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.”
When Mordecai’s appeal reached Esther, she could have selfishly remained silent and hung on to her position, rationalizing that she could possibly avoid death herself. Yet, even though she was settled into the palace and married to the king, Esther was still, at the heart of the matter, a daughter of Israel.
Before she acted, Esther called for a fast by as many Jews as Mordecai could assemble and tell quickly. People typically fasted for one day—and then only during the day—but Esther asked for an unusually long, unbroken, three-day fast. Although Scripture does not mention that the people prayed, the purpose of fasting was to seek God in prevailing prayer. Esther would not take action and go before the king until the people first went before God.
And then Esther left the matter in God’s hands: “If I perish, I perish.” She was under no illusion that God would allow her to enter the king’s presence unharmed. She didn’t subscribe to the false idea that we can manipulate God’s hand by the fervency of our faith. Like the three brave young men who faced Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace (see Dan. 3:17-18), Esther trusted in God’s ability to deliver, but ultimately trusted His sovereign will. Today, many Christians around the world face imprisonment, torture, and even death for being followers of Christ. Few, if any of us, may ever have to face the choice of denying Christ or dying, but we are all called to give up our lives, die to ourselves, and follow Jesus. We do not live for ourselves; we live for Christ—and we should stand up for those who have no voice. Let’s bring the good news of God’s kingdom to the world by proclaiming the gospel and by the witness of our acts of mercy.
What can we learn from
Esther about following Christ?
LIVE IT OUT
As you surrender to God, consider what He is leading you to do “for such a time as this.” Choose one of the following applications:
- Read. Learn about the needs of a vulnerable people group in your community or some place around the world. Websites like imb.org, compassion.com, and ijm.org can give you insight into the plight of others. Let the weight of the injustices sink in and impact you.
- Pray. Ask the Lord not only to open your eyes to specific injustices but to move your heart to pray on behalf of the vulnerable. Pray consistently. And pray with fervency.
- Act. Consider ways you and your group can speak out on behalf of the vulnerable. You can also partner with organizations meeting a need, using both your time and resources to get involved.
There are many kinds of heroes in this world, but none who make as significant an impact eternally as those who act in partnership with God. Before acting, be sure to get down on your knees in prayer.
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Teacher's Notes
Video: Esther – STAND DOWN
Video: Esther – STAND DOWN
God places us in the right place at the right time for His purpose. We often seek jobs, and opportunities for our own benefit. We gravitate toward those jobs and responsibilities that we might feel especially skilled for and certainly the ones we would enjoy. That is not a wrong motive. However, we need to realize that God has placed us in a specific situation – working in a certain job, living in a particular location, or surrounded by different people – for a greater purpose: to point to Him and further His kingdom. Be ready to stand.
It’s always right to do the right thing. Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed by all the wrong in the world and think there is nothing we can do. We can’t fix every injustice we see, but we are called to step in where we can. Christians have no excuse for not doing the right thing when the opportunity is right in front of them. Stand with conviction.
Surrendering to God leads to greater things. Sometimes standing up for others can be easy, casting a vote, writing a check, sending an email to make an appeal. These actions are good, but they require little from us. Sometimes though, taking a stand doesn’t sit well in the eyes of some family members, employers, or the community at large. When it’s costly – financially, emotionally, socially, physically – what do we do? Esther faced such a decision, yet she was willing to set aside her own self-preservation to see that justice was carried out.
People often look to Esther as a great heroine in Scripture. And she was—but before she and Mordecai stepped into a risky, life-threatening moment of justice, they did something just as heroic. They sought God in prayer.
I. Grieve Injustice and Call Out to God
Esther 4:1-3
1 When Mordecai learned all that had occurred, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, went into the middle of the city, and cried loudly and bitterly. 2 He went only as far as the King’s Gate, since the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering the King’s Gate. 3 There was great mourning among the Jewish people in every province where the king’s command and edict came. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
We ought to grieve and cry out to God concerning injustices against a people just because of who they are. We need to test the laws of the land against the laws of God and reject those that defy Him. As people of faith, we are to feel connected to fellow believers around the world, especially those who are suffering for their faithfulness to Christ. We do well to pray for those here and around the world who are targeted by hate-filled tyrants for their devotion to the things of God.
Mordecai’s Remorse: In sharp contrast to the drinking of Ahasuerus and Haman, Mordecai was horrified by the news of the edict. He got angry. He tore his clothes, a sign of grief. He put on sackcloth, a sign of mourning. He wailed loudly and bitterly. We can understand why Mordecai reacted to Haman’s decree so strongly (v. 1). Undoubtedly, he felt personally responsible for this ruling. And, while his actions were a typical expression of personal grief, they showed no sign of faith in God. Prayer customarily accompanied the practices of torn clothes, putting on sackcloth, and sitting in ashes, but is not mentioned here. Esther learned of the horrible decree that would execute the Jewish people. She sent her servant to Mordecai. Mordecai instructed her to go to the king to plead with him on behalf of her people.
II. Look for God’s Hand in Where He Has Placed You
Esther 4:10-14
10 Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to tell Mordecai, 11 “All the royal officials and the people of the royal provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner courtyard and who has not been summoned—the death penalty—unless the king extends the gold scepter, allowing that person to live. I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the last thirty days.” 12 Esther’s response was reported to Mordecai. 13 Mordecai told the messenger to reply to Esther, “Don’t think that you will escape the fate of all the Jews because you are in the king’s palace. 14 If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father’s family will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.”
We may convince ourselves not to take action to correct injustices because we are afraid of what might happen if we do. Our fears of what might be have the effect of increasing our opponent’s power over us. While being silent may be the best approach in some situations, we need to consider that our silence may also be understood as consent or approval. While the Lord gives us kingdom responsibility that is our privilege to fulfill, because He is the Sovereign God who can call out others to do His work where we fail. We need to consider when faced with opportunity to confront sin and injustice that perhaps God in His providence has brought us to that place for that very purpose.
Esther’s Refusal: Esther refused. It was not her time to go before the king. She knew that if she went to him unannounced he, possibly, would have her killed. In this time, kings refused entrance to their throne rooms to unannounced persons, to enhance their dignity, and to protect themselves.
Mordecai’s Rebuttal: Mordecai believed that God would preserve His people and punish their enemies. Mordecai saw God’s hand behind the human agent who could save his people, the king. And, the one who had access to him was Esther, the Queen. He needed her, and, more importantly, the Jewish people needed her. Their future was in her hands. This moment was Esther's destiny.
Mordecai’s response to Esther had three elements.
- One, her own life was in danger. She was damned if she did and damned if she didn’t. If she approached the king uninvited, she could die. If she did nothing, she would die along with the rest of the Jews for the edict read all the Jews. Haman would see that every last Jew, even those in the palace, were discovered and slain. This fact would include Esther. Often, we may feel it is safer to do nothing. But sometimes the most dangerous act is a failure to act.
- Two, the Jewish people will be saved with or without her. Her silence would not prevent deliverance coming from another source. Mordecai had a sincere belief in God's providence, a conviction that God rules in the details of nations and of individuals. Mordecai knew that judgment would come upon Esther if she neglected the opportunity and responsibility to act. Esther could not remain neutral. It was better for Esther to act than not to respond. Her life and lineage were on the line. Let us never forget that God is still God and He can accomplish His purpose and His plan with or without us. He would rather do it with us. But if we choose to remain on the sidelines, He will find another means or another person to accomplish His purpose.
- Three, Esther’s life purpose was at stake. Mordecai believed that Esther being in the palace was no accident. She was born for such a time as this. Again, another veiled reference to God. God had guided the events that led to her becoming queen. Now He was guiding her to liberate His people from annihilation. Her position as queen paled in comparison to her role as liberator. It was a higher calling. It was perhaps her life’s purpose. She was placed in her position by God’s providence to act for the survival of the Jewish people. Mordecai based his appeal to Esther on a great principle: The higher the privilege, the higher the responsibility. The more you have, the more for which you have to answer. The more God has given you, the higher your responsibility to use it for His kingdom. Have you ever considered why you were born? Why are you here—right now in this place? Has it ever occurred to you that God wants to use you for a distinct purpose? What does God want you to do? What does God want to accomplish through you?
Each of us must make a choice whether to “seize the day” for God or not. Esther had just such a pivotal decision. Everything she had experienced in her life would come down to this one singular choice. Few, if any of us, will face a choice like Esther faced, but we are called to count the cost of our own lives. (See Luke 14:26-33.) Injustice is all around us. We, like Esther, have come to where we are “for such a time as this.”
III. Trust God and Surrender Yourself
Esther 4:15-16
15 Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.”
We do well to prepare ourselves spiritually and to seek the Lord before we move forward to confront injustices. We may be encouraged in doing what God has called us to do when we know that others are appealing to the Lord on our behalf. While we want and need others to seek the Lord on our behalf, we need to be faithful and diligent to seek Him ourselves. Surrendering to the Lord may put us in positions of risk before the world, but we go forward because we trust Him.
And then Esther left the matter in God’s hands: “If I perish, I perish.” She was under no illusion that God would allow her to enter the king’s presence unharmed. She didn’t subscribe to the false idea that we can manipulate God’s hand by the fervency of our faith. Like the three brave young men who faced Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace (see Dan. 3:17-18), Esther trusted in God’s ability to deliver, but ultimately trusted His sovereign will. Today, many Christians around the world face imprisonment, torture, and even death for being followers of Christ.
Few, if any of us, may ever have to face the choice of denying Christ or dying, but we are all called to give up our lives, die to ourselves, and follow Jesus. We do not live for ourselves; we live for Christ—and we should stand up for those who have no voice. Let’s bring the good news of God’s kingdom to the world by proclaiming the gospel and by the witness of our acts of mercy.
What can we learn from Esther about following Christ?
What do we risk when we stand up for God’s kingdom and His justice? What do we gain?
Esther assembled a support system to cover her plan in prayer. Who makes up your support system? Who do you support?
Which promises from God’s Word can we depend upon when we surrender to God’s work?
Hope to see everyone this Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
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