“God often takes a course for accomplishing His purposes directly contrary to what our narrow views would prescribe. He brings a death upon our feelings, wishes, and prospects when He is about to give us the desire of our hearts” (John Newton).

Esther describes a story with unbelievable twists and turns. You will see God’s sovereign hand at work when He calls His servants to act with boldness. 

God Raises Up Leaders for His Purpose
Xerxes ruled 127 provinces from India to upper Nile region from Susa. In the third year of his reign, he gave a 180-day-long banquet for Persian and Media military leaders, princes and nobles to display their wealth and glory. During the last seven days, he and Queen Vashti gave individual banquets with the latter serving women in King Xerxes royal palace. When Vashti refused to display her beauty during the last day of the banquet, the king issued a decree that she be replaced and every man be ruler over his own household (Esther 1:1-22). God raises up and puts down leaders for His purpose using human decision making. 

God Reveals Important Information for Future Use
They searched for a replacement queen that included beauty treatments. Mordecai, a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin took his cousin, Esther, as his daughter after her parents died. When she was taken into the best place of the king’s harem, Mordecai forbid her to reveal her family background. After completing 12 months of beauty treatments, Esther was made queen instead of Vashti. Mordecai told Queen Esther about an assassination plot against King Xerxes. She reported it to the king giving credit to Mordecai. Xerxes hung the two men responsible and the plot was recorded the book of the annals (Esther 2:1-23). God reveals important information to His servants for future protection. 

God Sets His People in Positions of Influence
King Xerxes gave Haman a seat of honor higher than the other nobles, Mordecai did not kneel down or pay him honor. When Haman learned that Mordecai was a Jew, he sought to destroy the Jews. The lot fell on the twelfth month and decree to kill, destroy and plunder the Jews in every province. Mordecai and Jews fasted with sackcloth and ashes. Mordecai told Esther’s attendant about the plot to kill the Jews and urged her to go into the king’s presence to plead with him for her people. He told her that is she remained silent, relief and deliverance for the Jews would arise from another place but she and her father’s family would die. Maybe she came to a royal position for such a time as this. She asked that they fast for three days and she would go into the king without being summoned at the risk of death (Esther 3:1-4:17). God sets His people in positions of influence to initiate deliverance against evil plots. 

God Calls His Servants to Act with Boldness
When Xerxes held out his golden scepter and asked about her request, Esther asked that he and Haman come to a banquet she prepared. She requested another banquet to answer Xerxes’ question. Haman raged when Mordecai showed no fear. After boasted to his wife and friends about his wealth and honor, they convinced him to build gallows to have Mordecai hanged (Esther 5:1-14). God calls His servants to act with boldness.

God Arranges Events for Protection
That evening the king could not sleep and asked that the book of the chronicles be read where it was recorded that Mordecai exposed the plot to kill Xerxes. After learning that Mordecai had not received recognition, he asked Haman what honor should be done for him. Haman got the robe and led him on horseback through the streets. His wife and advisers said he could not stand against him because Mordecai was of Jewish origin (Esther 6:1-14). God arranges events to protect His people. 

God Humbles Evildoers
At the banquet, Esther told King Xerxes that the Jews were sold for destruction and annihilation. When King Xerxes asked who did such a thing, Esther answered it was Haman. He commanded they hang Haman on the gallows he built for Mordecai. King Xerxes gave Esther Haman’s estate and placed Haman’s signet ring on Mordecai. She asked that King Xerxes write an order to overrule Haman’s dispatches and protect the Jews from destruction. Much joy and celebrating occurred as many people of other nationalities become Jews (Esther 7:1-8:17).  God humbles evildoers, but blesses the righteous.

God Exalts the Righteous to Serve
The king’s administrators helped the Jews because they feared the prominent and powerful Mordecai.  The Jews killed 500 men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa along with 75,000 in the king’s provinces. Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews to celebrate Purim annually for two days in the month of Adar when they received relief from enemies and their sorrow turned into joy. The account of Mordecai’s greatness was written in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia. He was second in rank to King Xerxes and held in high esteem by the Jews because he worked for the peoples’ good and spoke up for the welfare of all Jews (Esther 9:1-10:3). God exalts the righteous to serve and speak up for others. 

What situations is God setting up in your life where He wants you to act with boldness? 


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