The Meek Mediation of Esther: Esther 5
Notes
Transcript
Introduce
Introduce
TV shows often end seasons with a cliffhanger to keep the audience interested and eager. Chapter 4 ended with a cliffhanger, as we saw last week. The story left off with Esther trusting in God's covenant and resolving to risk her own life on behalf of her people. She instructed the Jews in Susa to fast three days. After the fast, she agreed to enter the King's presence though it was against the law. She said, "If I perish, I perish" (Esther 4:16).
Would she perish? Would she be preserved? Would God provide? That last question is similar to the key question our passage answers. Does God provide for his people even when the odds seem to be stacked against them? Christian, will He provide for you? By the time I finish this morning, I will have retold the story, applied it, and have answered all the questions I just stated. Let us begin by noticing three aspects of the chapter.
Retell
Retell
At the start, notice the strength of Esther's meek mediation (1-5a).
At the start, notice the strength of Esther's meek mediation (1-5a).
The first two verses of chapter 5 remedy the cliffhanger I mentioned earlier. The scene starts on the third day and end of the fast. The third day symbolized a day of deliverance in Jewish tradition. On the third day, God provided a ram to sacrifice in place of Isaac. On the third day, Jonah was delivered onto dry land from the belly of the great fish. Of course, on the third day God's greatest work of deliverance and salvation took place, namely Jesus rose from the dead. But lets get back to our text.
Esther dressed in royal robes and stood in the royal court of the royal palace in front of the royal chamber while the king sat upon his royal throne. Royalty is a repeated theme. The king sat across from the entrance into the court. He was in a spot where he could not miss his queen entering or standing in the room. And he saw her. Esther came in as a strong queen, not a fearful girl under the whims and wants of the world empire. Would she perish? No, she would not. The king extended his golden scepter to her, symbolizing his absolute authority to destroy or spare any of his subjects. Esther approached him and touched the end. The breath we held at the end of chapter 4 we can now let out.
The king refers to her as queen Esther for the first time in the story. He asked her why she had come and what request she had for him. He offered her up to half his kingdom. Of course, this should not be taken literally. It was a way of saying that the king is willing and disposed to grant his queen a generous request, similar to the request Herod granted Herodias' daughter for John the Baptist's head (Mark 6:23).
Esther replied that she wanted the king and Haman to come to a feast she would prepare that very day. The king obliged. He ordered Haman to be quickly brought to do what the queen asked.
Now that you noticed the strength of Esther's meek mediation. What else is there to notice?
Furthermore, notice the shrewdness of Esther's meek mediation (5b-8).
Furthermore, notice the shrewdness of Esther's meek mediation (5b-8).
The king and Haman did as the queen asked. They went to the feast Esther had prepared. After the feast, while they were drinking wine, the king again asked her what was her request and offered her up to half the kingdom. He promised to fulfill her request.
Esther, however, does not yet make her request. Instead, she invited both Haman and the king to another feast. Twice the king promised to answer her request, whatever it was. This way of proceeding was shrewdness on Esther's part. The king would have to answer her request. Also, Haman's defenses would be down by doing it this way. He would think all was well in the palace and with his plan to kill his enemy and the rest of the Jews. At this second festival, she would finally reveal her request. Esther, the believing mediator between her people and the king, was strong and shrewd.
What is the last aspect of Esther's meek mediation you should notice?
To wrap the story up, notice the snare of Esther's meek mediation (9-14).
To wrap the story up, notice the snare of Esther's meek mediation (9-14).
Haman went away from his first banquet with the king and queen, having heard he was invited to another. Most would realize and feel a little odd being the third wheel, but not happy Haman. His pride blinded him. The applause and approval of others intoxicated him. He was joyful and glad of heart. But something happened on his happy journey home. He ran into Mordecai at the king's gate. Mordecai apparently had removed his grieving attire. Haman saw that Mordechai didn't stand up to honor him or tremble in fear before him. His joy and gladness of heart did not merely drain from Him but poured out of him. In its place was wrath. Happy Haman became hateful Haman.
Haman, however, restrained himself and went home. He gathered his friends and his wife to himself. Haman proceeded to brag about his immense wealth, his many sons, his abundant promotions, and how he was above all the officials and servants of the king. He even bragged that Esther had invited him alone to come with the king to her feast. It is not uncommon for a belittled man to gather friends and allies to bolster his pride. Haman is little more than a child about to throw a fit for not getting his way. Unlike a child, however, his tantrum has a thirst for blood.
After bragging, Haman stated in verse 13, "Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate." Haman is a real-life example of what happens when a person's idols are challenged. His idol was the celebration and respect of his subjects and the king. He could not spare a single man to not celebrate his greatness and respect his strength, especially the Jew Mordecai. He had a void and something missing. No matter how much praise or promotion he had, it was not enough. Idols make a lot of promises, but all come back empty.
With the support of his friends, Haman's wife Zeresh gave him advice. She advised that he have gallows made 75 feet tall and have Mordecai hanged on them. The height of his pride and anger would be matched by what he thought would be the remedy to his problem. After this suggestion, she said, "Then go joyfully with the king to the feast." His wife's advice pleased him, and he ordered the gallows to be made. Haman thought he was setting a snare for Mordecai. However, he was blind to the snare that was already set for him through the meek mediation of Esther.
Transition
Transition
You have noticed the strength, shrewdness, and snare of Esther's meek mediation. We have answered the first several questions I asked at the beginning: Would Esther perish? Would she be preserved? Would God provide? The answer is that yes, God did provide, and Esther did not perish.
Now let us answer the last questions I posed. Does God provide for his people even when the odds seem to be stacked against them? Christian, will He provide for you? The answer is yes. God provides. That is the main point you should come away with this morning. Christian, God provided for Esther, and as we shall see in coming weeks His covenant people. He does and will provide for you. Now consider two ways He does this and two responses to this truth.
Apply
Apply
First, God provides by delivering His people.
First, God provides by delivering His people.
God provides both the means and the ends in delivering His people. The means God uses in the book of Esther is Esther herself. The end is that God's people facing impending doom survive and not only that the promised Messiah eventually comes through them. Esther is not the only mediator and not even the best one we find in Scripture. Esther and her mediation point to Jesus and His mediation. Jesus earned the redemption of His people and stands before God on their behalf. He secured their reconciliation with God and salvation from sin, death, and Satan.
Christian, you can look at the story like the one we considered this morning and conclude that as God provided for His people, He will do the same for you. The children of Abraham are not merely those who share in his blood, but those who share in His faith (Galatians 3:7).
As Paul says, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:31-39).
Whatever inescapable trouble you face, you can look to your God and your Savior. He will not fail to deliver you.
God provides by delivering His people.
Second, God provides by destroying His enemies.
Second, God provides by destroying His enemies.
Haman thought he was setting a snare for Mordecai. However, he was blind to the snare that was already set for him through the meek mediation of Esther. Haman ordered the building of gallows 75 feet high to hang Mordecai on. Little did he know He would hang on those same gallows.
God destroying His enemies is the opposite side of the coin of God's deliverance. The enemies of God may rage. They may scheme. They may have pride the height of mountains. Yet, they will fall. They will lose. They will come into judgment. As we will see later in a later sermon, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). Moreover, the unrepentant man "makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole he has made. His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends" (Psalm 7:15-16).
To those of you who have not trusted in Jesus for salvation, I want you to know that you are among God's enemies. You are condemned for your sin and will eventually face the full judgment of God in Hell forever. You cannot escape it by your strength, rage, or pride.
There is only one way for you to go for salvation. It is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only fit mediator between God and man. Being the eternal Son of God, he became man and continues to be forever both God and man. He lived in perfect obedience to God. He died on the cross to pay for the sins of all who trust in Him. He rose as confirmation that God accepted His sacrifice and as a declaration that all who trust in Him will likewise have eternal life. He ascended to God's right hand, where He sits and intercedes on behalf of His people.
You are guilty of sin. You are condemned to die. You need a mediator who can save you. Jesus alone is that mediator. Turn from your sins and trust in Him. Do it today before you fall into the pit of your own pride.
Church, your enemies are strong, prideful, angry, and loud. They, however, are no match for our God. Their defeat is sure. Their destruction is inevitable. Sin and misery may be common on this side of glory, but they both will be no more when Jesus comes back.
God provides by delivering His people and destroying His enemies.
Third, God provides, so commit to His people.
Third, God provides, so commit to His people.
Esther had lived not as a member of God's covenant people. She participated in the ways of the world empire. A change, however, happened in chapter 4. She embraced God's covenant promises with faith. In turn, she also committed to God's people.
Christian, you may never be God's instrument to save an entire people from genocide. However, you have embraced Jesus Christ and His Father who sent Him. Therefore, like Esther, you should commit to Jesus' people. You should commit to the church, to those who likewise trust in Him. You should commit to a local congregation and expression of His universal people. You should follow Jesus in baptism. And you should formally join and participate in the life of a congregation of fellow believers. You should welcome their accountability. You should lean on them in times of difficulty. You should support their labors to honor Christ. You should make gathering with them as the Lord commands a priority. You should love what Jesus loves, and, surely, Jesus loves the church whom He died for, who is His bride, and who is His body.
Churchless Christianity is false Christianity, and a churchless Christian is a false Christian. Thus, I tell you to commit to God's people. If you have already done so, then keep it up. Keep gathering. Keep stirring up one another to love and good works. Keep serving. Keep witnessing. Keep worshiping. Commitment to the church mustn't be the same as a commitment to a particular grocery store. It should parallel one's commitment to their family. Blood is a thick bond around here. May Christ's blood be even thicker, which binds Christians together.
God provides by delivering His people and destroying His enemies. In response, commit to God's people.
Fourth, God provides, so consider His promises.
Fourth, God provides, so consider His promises.
Esther did consider God's promises in chapter four when Modecai reminded her of God's covenantal faithfulness. Her belief in these promises resulted in what we witness in chapter 5. She went into the king of the world empire on behalf of her people. She might have perished, but she knew that one way or another, God's people would prevail. The promises of God are yes and amen to all who are in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20). They belong not only to the Jews but to all who are in Christ.
Church, what promises should you consider? Consider the promise of the forgiveness of sin. Consider the promise of reconciliation with God. Consider the promise of eternal life. Consider the promise of continual presence. Consider the promise of the Holy Spirit. Consider the promise that what bad comes to us on account of Christ is outweighed by the good that comes to us in Christ. Consider the promise of God growing His church through the foolishness of preaching Christ and Him crucified. More could be mentioned, but this sampling of God's promises is a good start. We should proclaim these promises to each other.
Christian, preach the promises of God to yourself every day, both good and bad. Surround yourself with those who will remind you of God's promises in Christ. Read the Scriptures. Pray for God's help to remember His promises. Pursue godly character, knowing that though it may bring temporal suffering, it glorifies God, and His promises will come.
Parents, teach the promise of God to your children. Teach them by reading the Bible with them and helping them memorize both Scripture and a biblically sound catechism. Such a catechism is found in your sermon guide. If you want the whole thing, let me know, and I can point you in the right direction.
Unbeliever, the promises of God are wonderful to those who belong to Him. They are yes for those who come to His Son Jesus by faith, receiving, trusting, resting in, and relying on His person and work for salvation. However, if you continue in unbelief, you will face the full punishment of your sin in Hell forever. You will not know communion with God. You will not know lasting joy. You will not know eternal life or the forgiveness of sin. So, consider the promises of God in Christ I mentioned earlier. Do you want those promises to be yours? Then turn away from your sin and idols and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Conclude
Conclude
You have been reminded that God provides by delivering His people and destroying His enemies. You have been charged to commit to God's people and consider God's promises in light of these reminders. The reminders and the charges come from what we noticed in chapter five. We noticed the strength, shrewdness, and snare of Esther's meek mediation.
We have answered the first several questions I asked at the beginning: Would Esther perish? Would she be preserved? Would God provide? The answers are yes, God provided, and no, Esther did not perish. We also answered another question: Does God provide for his people even when the odds seem to be stacked against them? Christian, will He provide for you? The answer is yes.
Chapter 4 ended like a television show that ends a season on a cliffhanger. As you have noticed this morning, the cliffhanger was resolved in chapter five. Esther did not perish. God did provide.
Church, we can look at this story and take comfort in that the same God who was faithful to provide for Esther and the Jews is our God. Through union with His Son, we are His people. Take heart, fear not. He will not forsake us. He will not fail us. May God help you and keep you. Let us pray.