The faith of Mordecai and Esther

Esther 4:5-17 TNIV

Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.

So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.

My thoughts -

King Xerxes, during a large, drunken celebration, sent for his queen, Vashti. When she refused to go to him he and his advisers decided that Xerxes needed to get himself a new queen. Ultimately Esther, who was raised by her cousin Mordecai, was selected.

Mordecai was a Jew and drew the ire of Haman, who had been elevated above all others by king Xerxes. Haman was enraged that Mordecai, the Jew, would not bow down to him. In his rage he got the king to essentially agree to the extermination of all of the Jews.

Esther, now the queen, hearing that her beloved cousin is in distress, sends for him. Mordecai lets her know what's up. Esther has to do something. It would seem that she is her people's only hope. And yet, she waffles. Look at her response:

“All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

Esther, rightly I might add, fears the king. She is only the queen because he replaced the previous one that displeased him. Xerxes holds all of the power in this relationship. The law gives him the power to have her killed if she approaches him now. He's clearly not afraid to have people killed as he has already agreed to genocide at the request of Haman. This is a big deal. Esther isn't being stubborn here. Her life is in danger.

And yet, so are the lives of all of her people. Something must be done. If Esther can't do it, what chance do her people stand? They don't stand any chance without her, do they? But then look at the faith in Mordecai's response to Esther:

“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”

This is the faith of a man who has placed his trust in the Lord. This is the faith of a man who refused to bow down before human rulers. This is the faith of a man who knows that, even if human eyes can't see it and human brains can't conceive it, with God there is always a way. Esther is in a position to serve God. If she won't do it, God will find someone who will.

Esther decides to serve God. She, facing death, goes before the king. And her people are saved. And the fate that Haman desired for the Jews falls on his own head.

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