TAUGHT BY A QUEEN: Lessons Learned From The Book Of Esther
THE STORY OF ESTHER
A Jewish woman named Esther was taken with other young women to a citadel. Esther’s cousin Mordecai had taken Esther in and raised her as his own after Esther’s parents had died. A man named Hegai was put in charge of preparing the women for meeting the king. Esther’s beauty won Hegai’s favor and she was given special attention. Esther was careful however to not tell anyone her nationality, as Mordecai had warned her not to.
When it was Esther’s turn to go before the king, he immediately found her the most attractive and beautiful of all women and placed the royal crown on her head. King Ahasuerus held a great banquet for his new queen, Esther. Esther continued to hide her Jewish background as Mordecai had instructed her to do because he knew it would be dangerous for her if anyone found out she was a Jew.
One night when Mordecai was sitting by the king’s gate, he overheard two guards named Bigthana and Teresh conspiring to assassinate King Xerxes. Mordecai told Queen Esther of the plan and Esther told the king, giving credit to Mordecai for overhearing the plan. The two guards were hanged. Mordecai then refused to bow down to Haman, the highest of all nobles. When Haman found out about this and that Mordecai was a Jew
Haman appeared as a vengeful and egotistical advisor to the king. He hated Mordecai for refusing to bow down to him, so he plotted to destroy the Jewish people. Haman told the king, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom whose customs are different from those of all other people and who do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them” (Esther 3:8 NIV). The king gave him authority to handle the fate of the Jewish people. In return, Haman announced a government-issued edict of genocide.
Of all the Jews, only Esther had access to the king. Mordecai persuaded Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jewish people, reminding her of her unique place and that silence was not an option. Mordecai spoke of God’s purposeful timing: “Who knows but that you have come to a royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 NIV). In other words, Mordecai made Esther aware that even her outer beauty was for a reason and would not go to waste!
Esther called for the Jewish people to join her on a 3-day fast. Following the fast she put on her best royal robes, approached the king, and told him of Haman’s plot against her people. The Jewish people were saved, Haman was hanged on the same gallows that had been prepared for Mordecai, and Esther received Haman’s estate.
LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE BOOK OF ESTHER
God has a plan for our lives (Just like he had a plan for Esther and the Jews)
“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 the royal palace for such a time as this.” -Esther 4:14 (NIV).
We are given divine moments to change circumstances
Mordecai was clear when he said to Esther that she could be the one to save the Jewish people. Esther was used by God to change the life of the Jews.
We must stand with courage
“I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” –Esther 4:16. Esther was willing to die to save her people, which took courage and boldness. There is a saying “courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome it.”
There is significance in prayer and fasting
“Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” -Esther 4:16
Obedience
Esther’s obedience saved God’s people even if it meant losing her own life. Obedience to God plays a big role in the life of a follower of Christ!
