Scripture
“So Hathach went out to Mardecai to the city square in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people. Hathach came back and related Mordecai’s words to Esther.
Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: ‘All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.’ They related Esther’s words to Mordecai.
Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, ‘Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?’
Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, ‘Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.’”
ESTHER 4:6-16
Quotes/Color
“When you are faced with a challenge or difficult decision, sometimes it can be helpful to ask yourself, ‘How am I uniquely equipped to handle this situation? What has God done in my life to prepare me for this moment? What experiences, positive or negative, have I faced that have strengthened me for the battle ahead? What people has God put in my life to help form me into the person who’s ready for what’s next?’”
Scott Drew, Baylor Basketball Coach
Context
Wowza – long scripture. But it is good, I promise. If you have not read the story of Esther, I recommend it strongly. (A large portion of it is above…)
Some quick background as context before this verse.
- Esther’s parents died at a young age, so Mordecai, her cousin, essentially raised her. He is her cousin, father-figure and mentor.
- Veggie Tales explanation: Later in life Esther essentially won a beauty pageant and became queen of modern-day Persia because former Queen Vashti refused to “make King Ahasuerus a sandwich at 3 in the morning.” (Non Veggie Tales explanation: Just use your imagination of what King Ahasuerus really asked of Vashti and you’ll likely find yourself on the right track of what actually happened…)
- Esther was a Jew, but the king, King Ahasuerus, was not. And his subordinate, Haman, certainly was not.
- Mordecai was also a Jew and refused to bow to King Ahasuerus’ right-hand man, Haman, one day… And as a result, Haman convinced King Ahasuerus to issue an order to exterminate all of the Jews. (Veggie Tales explanation: Haman convinced King Ahasuerus to banish Mordecai’s family to the Island of Perpetual Tickling where all will be tickled endlessly even if they ask it to stop pretty please.)
And that leads us to the passage above. The decree is issued to kill all Jews in vs. 6 and Mordecai pleads with Queen Esther to stand up for her people despite the risk of her position as queen or even her life.
A few notes on the context for color:
- The stakes are high (vs. 11) – Approaching the Persian king unsummoned was forbidden to all. The sentence for this offense was immediate death unless the king decided on his own accord to grant pardon.
- Esther is afraid (vs. 11) – Her response to Mordecai is, “You don’t know what you’re asking me to do… This could result in me losing my role as Queen or even my life.” Mordecai’s response, “I know exactly what I’m asking you to do. It’s the only way.”
- Mordecai challenges Esther (vs. 14) – After stating belief in God no matter the circumstance, Mordecai challenges Esther to do the right thing in the face of danger with the beautiful statement, “Who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”
- Esther choses to confront King Ahasuerus – Mordecai’s sage words provided just the right perspective. Esther chooses to take a stand for her people, risk her life and role as queen and confront the king – her courage punctuated by the statement, “And if I perish… I perish.”
Application
The beauty of the story of Esther is that, like many people God chooses to use in the Bible, she is just a normal woman. She was young and beautiful, and in fact, likely not particularly forward with her faith in God. (She was secretly a Jew – her own husband, King Ahasuerus, didn’t know this about her!) And yet… she was in a unique position to impact the kingdom of God.
There are a couple of really beautiful quotes from this scripture that are the application for the Scripture. Ones that are good to remember and apply in our own lives.
“For Such a Time As This”
I love this advice from Mordecai. Because:
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- It implies we are all caught in a certain moment in time God’s unfolding story – You can’t escape the moment and time you’re in. The circumstances are unique to you and you alone. And,
- It implies that there is often a right person for certain moments in time in God’s unfolding story – More importantly, certain times and places are specially crafted for certain people.
Do you see the importance of the body of Christ in all corners of the earth at all times?
Christians in church and working as pastors, yes of course! But what about the importance of Christians in coffee shops? Christian YouTubers? Christians in professional sports? Christians in the legal field? Christians in the halls of power? Christians in… dare I say it… beauty pageants?
Do not underestimate your little corner of the world.
I can’t imagine that Esther expected to be in the position to save all of God’s people from genocide… Could you? I just don’t know if that was on her mind as she put in long hours and late nights preparing her baton twirling routine for Miss Persia.
But He used her nonetheless.
Is it possible that you are caught in a certain moment in time and place in your life? And that God uniquely placed you there to advance his kingdom “for such a time as this?” That your little corner of the world is just where God wants you?
“If I Perish, I Perish…”
Esther’s courageous response when she decided to confront King Ahasuers.
After heeding wise counsel from Mordecai, Esther knew what she had to do. She knew she had to not only loosen the grip with which she held her crown (her title, her status, her comfort, her power, her respect among others), but also loosen the grip with which she held onto her own life.
Approaching King Ahasuers at this time meant accepting the reality that she may no longer be queen by the end of the day. She may not even be alive at the end of the day.
Are you this openhanded with your status in life? The things you are most proud of? Your position of power? Your influence that you’ve worked so hard for? Your comfort? Are you openhanded enough to loosen the grips on your earthly status to trust God? Or could you never loosen the white-knuckle grip you have on the things you are proud of and feel you define you?
Taken further, are you this openhanded with your life for Christ?
Jesus says in Luke 9:23, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
Do you, as Esther did in this moment, trust in God enough to set aside your own interests and your own life to follow God’s?
Something to Chew On:
- Where has God placed you in your life? Write down every role that you have in your life – family roles, roles among friends, positions you hold, jobs you work, places you volunteer, all of the above… Is it possible you are uniquely equipped to serve God in those places?
- Think about Queen Esther and her hesitation in approaching the king… Is there a certain thing in your life you’re not willing to set aside? A certain role, that if it were taken away, would take your identity with it? If so – how can you grow your trust in God to live life more open handedly?
GreatValue Proverb:
Do not underestimate your little corner of the world.