This painting is "Esther Preparing to Intercede with Assuerus", Rembrandt, c. 1633, Oil on canvas from the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
This is the fourth installment on the book of Esther taught by Senior Pastor Jamie Rasmussen at Scottsdale Bible Church.
In our last episode we saw that Haman had just struck a deal with the king to have all the Jews annihilated. We pick up the story here with Mordecai, and all the Jews in the land, in bitter wailing and weeping as the edict of their destruction was becoming known around the land.
Esther learns of her uncle's bitter weeping and instructs her handmaidens to learn of the problem. Mordecai send back a copy of the edict and instructs Esther to go before the king and plead for her people (remember that the king does not know that Esther is a Hebrew).
Esther sends back that she is afraid and would likely be killed if she were to approach the king on the matter (the king had a policy of death if you were seen in his chambers without his expressed invitation, unless he felt merciful and extended his golden scepter).
Mordecai sends back that God will save His people, with or without her help. If it is to be without her help, it would likely be to her destruction anyway. He tells her that she likely has been put in this position, by God, to intercede for just this very task. She then commits to the task and asks that all the Jews fast and pray three days for her safety.
Modern application for the truths in this story:
#1 - Sometimes in life tough things happen that require a difficult decision.
As the book of Esther shows us, this tough decision may come along at a time when God seems very distant. Many times it goes like this:
- We come to a clear and inarguable crossroad in life.
- Someone comes along and helps you see that a decision needs to be made.
- Thought God may seem distant and silent, a decision still needs to be made.
Jamie put it this way, "when we come to the crossroads of life, we can't put up a tent and camp at the crossroad for the rest of our lives simply because God seems silent. We still must make a decision."
But just how do we make a decision when God seems so distant?
#2 - Many times, if it costs you something, and benefits others, then chances are you are making the right decision.
The world's economy is the complete opposite of this. If it costs others and has a benefit to you then this is the right decision.
Certainly a marriage is a great place to see this in action. Many marriages wind up in destruction because of selfish interests and our societies general wave of the "me generation". Most often a marriage will be saved if both will focus their energies on the needs of each other rather than demanding their own self interests be met first.
#3 - Either way, in the end, commit your way to God and he promises to guide us.
Here is a little something that I found reading Ben Witherington's Blog the other day:
"We look at life from the back side of the tapestry and mostly what we see is the loose threads, the knots, the dangling cords. But occasionally light shines through the tapestry of life, and we get a glimpse of how the divine hand has woven the darks and lights altogether into a beautiful larger design".
No one said that faith is an easy task. But this I believe, God is there and His presence is not reliant upon my ability to sense that He is in fact there. Indeed, isn't this faith?
Here is a link to Jamie Rasmussen's message on this week Esther story.
