The God of Reversals

Esther 8
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Connect to Real Life
-Last time I don’t like cliffhangers in movies; but I enjoy positive Plot Twists story pivots unexpectedly for good
Ex. Narnia, witch “killed” Aslan, but he came back to life
-Real Life plot twists EDSA People Power Revolution unexpected fall of a strongman, a peaceful “revolution”
-Chinese persecution of Christians Church growth top 5 fastest in 30 yrs country w/ most Christians
B. Connect to Passage (What/Why)
-In our passage, Esther 8 (actually beginning Esther 6) plot twists (God’s answer to the cliffhangers)
-Reveal: God is a God of reversals who can take even the darkest stories, and turn them around for His glory!
-We witness four reversals in chapter 8:
1. God reverses people’s fates (vv. 1-2; 14)
2. God reverses the king’s allegiance (vv. 3-8)
3. God reverses an evil edict (vv. 9-14)
4. God reverses people’s hearts (vv. 16-17)
C. Prayer: This will encourage us to see that God looks after His people—cares for them, intervenes in their lives.
-May this also remind us that no one, nothing can stop God’s will sovereign universe is guided by providence
-Feel so hopeless and far from God, dire situations God can turn things around for His glory & good of His people
D. Brief Recap
Ch 1 King Ahasuerus’ banquet Queen Vashti’s refusal Deposed
Ch 2 A royal search for a new queen Esther joined and won Her stepfather (cousin) hears assassination plot
against the king they save Ahasuerus
Ch 3The king promotes Haman Agagite, historic enemy of Jews convinces the king to kill all Jews
Ch 4Mordecai sought Esther’s help vv. 4:13-15 Esther agrees and devices a plan
Ch 5 Esther, king & Haman in banquetinvited them to 2nd banquetHaman’s pride & plans Mordecai’s death
BUT Ch 6Ahasuerus can’t sleep he was read about Mordecai’s good deeds sought to reward him next
day, Haman hoped the king will execute Mordecaiplot twist, king tells Haman to lead Mordecai’s honor
parade
Ch 7Haman, king and Esther at the 2nd banquetshe revealed Haman’s schemes King orders his execution
Ch 8we see more plot twists Esther, Mordecai and the Jewish people
God is a God of reversals who can take even the darkest stories, and turn them around for His glory!

II. BODY
A. God reverses people’s fates (vv. 1-2, 14)
POINT: God is in control of our destinies. He crafts them according to His glory!
PROOF:
-Haman ( 7:10) hanged on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai
-Esther(v. 1) the king gave control over Haman’s property to her Persian kings confiscate criminals’ properties
-Mordecai(v. 2) received the king’s signet ring (formerly Haman’s) giving him authority and rule
 Esther passed control of Haman’s property to him
 (v. 15) Honored before all people (royal robes and crown)
-Observe: Just a few chapters earlier, Haman was second-in-command of Persia (3:1; 5:11), who had the power
over the lives of Esther, Mordecai and the Jewsturn of events, he was hanged a criminal and his property,
power and authority were transferred to Esther and Mordecai (Indeed God controls our destinies)
PICTURE: Filipinos gulong ng palad (attribute it to fate, luck, fortune) but it is God who has control over people’s
fates, destiny, future He can reverse it according to His will and for His glory
PROBLEM: Hearing that God is in control of our lives is scary find rest in His character
-I would be afraid to surrender to an unpredictable god, but the God of the Bible is unchangingly (…) righteous,
just, holy, gracious trustworthy whatever He’s doing it’s good though I may not understand it fully just yet
PONDER: How trustworthy are you? What will happen tomorrow? Can you control your heart’s beating?
 -humans are not all-knowing, all-powerful, omni-present but God is all these and much more! Not to mention He
is all-good, all-wise, all-loving. Isn’t it worth it to surrender to such a God? Unchanging God vs unpredictable self
PRACTICE:
-If you are a Christian, your life belongs to God He will use it for His glory be always asking, “How can I bring
glory to God in my life?” (teacher, student, government workers, parents, friends, dormmates, sons & daughters)
-If you think your life is not giving God glory, don’t give up. He is not finished sanctifying you yet. He has reversed a
lot in your justification already (death to life, judgment to forgiveness, enemy to friend). As you strive for
Christlikeness by His grace, know that He is journeying with you!
RESTATE: God is in control of our destinies. He crafts them according to His glory!

B. God reverses the king’s allegiance (vv. 3-8)

POINT: God is the ultimate King who delegates authority to earthly rulers. They ultimately serve His good purposes.
PROOF:
Esther 3:7-11 King Ahasuerus is technically accomplice to Haman’s plan approval w/o scrutiny, bribe
-in Ch 3, he allied with Haman instrumental for the approval of the genocide
What reversal do we see in the king in Ch 8?
-(vv. 3-6) We see Esther begging the king to revoke Haman’s decree
-(v. 7) the king no longer approved of Haman hanged him and gave his house to Esther
-(v. 8) instead, he now showed favor towards Esther and Mordecai
 though Haman’s edict can’t be reversed, they are free to promulgate a new one to help and protect the
Jews against Haman’s evil plan
Observe: God reversed his allegiance against the Jews and for Haman, now for the Jews and Esther & Mordecai
 change of heart towards God? we don’t know; BUT God now used him as an instrument to save the Jews
PONDER: God is ultimately in control, not human kings or rulers or governments. So in national or even global issues
(EJKs, climate change, abortion, ssm, corruption), who/ what do we ultimately trust? (Psalm 121:1-2)
PICTURE: It is not impossible for God to change evil rulers, nor is it impossible for Him to use them for good.
Ex. Trump controversial BUT approves of Biblical policies (pro-life, pro-Bible)
Problem: Are they off the hook? No! God is just and we’ll account for all our acts before Him. Though He used
them for good, He will still exercise His justice for their sins on judgment day.
PRACTICE: I guess what we have to remember is:
-God is the ultimate King! And He reigns supreme!
-If we have evil rulers, we don’t take matters in our hands, but act as God’s plot twists
-we promote righteousness and fight evil with God’s tool THE GOSPEL (K Armin)transforms/saves (China)
-If we have good rulers, we don’t idolize or worship them bring glory back to God
RESTATE: God is the ultimate King. In His hands, even the worst rulers can be turned into instruments of good.

C. God reverses an evil edict (vv. 9-14)

POINT: The enemy cannot overcome God’s will. God can reverse even his darkest plans to bring about good.
PROOF: Esther 3:12-15a was Haman’s original edict 13th day of the 12th month annihilate and plunder the Jews
How did God reverse this edict?
-Esther’s request revoke it, but Persian law says edicts by the king are irrevocable
-Wisdom of Mordecai (from God) we can’t stop those who want to harm the Jews, but we can help the Jews
defend themselves counter edict Esther 8:10-1213th day of 12th monthgather, fight and plunder attackers
-(vv. 9-10; 13-14) written in all the languages and scripts of the kingdom sent to all 127 provinces swift horses
POINT: Enemy destruction of God’s people BUT God willed and promised the opposite (Gen 17:1-7; 2 Sam 7:12-13)
-everlasting covenant: countless descendants of nations, kings & an everlasting kingdom and King
-the enemy cannot overcome God’s will evil plans against His people are inevitably reversed to his frustration
PICTURE: Last time, Joseph’s life (Gen 50:20); Acts 16:16-40 Paul & Silas in prison, brought salvation to the guard
PROBLEM: Surely we do see the success of evil acts and evil people escaping justice. How do we see God’s reversal
in these?  Remember that there is a FINAL reversal, the 2 nd Coming evil is judged, righteousness prevails
PRACTICE: As Christians, train ourselves to be expectant of God’s reversals in the midst of evil have the attitude/
mindset that evil is not the permanent thing (it’s a , or ;) good is sure to come (Psalm 30:5)
-What good? Good not from man’s perspective but God’s (not necessarily health, wealth) brings Him glory
 -Even if we don’t see the reversal in our lifetimehave peace for there is a day of grand reversal: Judgment Day
RESTATE: God always wills what’s good for His glory. The enemy cannot overcome this; his schemes are ultimately
reversed to align to God’s desires.

D. God reverses people’s hearts (vv. 16-17)

POINT: God alone can supernaturally transform people to trust and surrender to Him.
PROOF:
What happened when the edict was read and Mordecai was honored?
(vv. 16-17a) Jews were glad, joyful, lightness of heart feast & holiday
(v. 17b) VERY IMPORTANT: Many became believers of Yahweh God gripped their hearts with reverence for Him
Word study: fear (religious awe)
Why did they respond this way?
-they were amazed at how God protected His people, how He reversed the calamity that was to befall them.
-they are drawn to this God for they saw that He is moving and concerned for His people
PICTURE: You would testify to v. 17b if you look back to your conversion you believed and repented not because
of your own but solely by the grace of God
-Ephesians 2:8-10 by grace you have been saved through faith gift of God
PRACTICE: Kuya Dave’s encouragement do not give up on people! As long as they are alive, there is hope!
-God can work in people’s hearts! Do you have friends? Relatives? Classmates? Who don’t know Jesus? Pray!!!
-Picture: He fractured his bones (arm/collar bones) Manila Doctors BUT as he was in the ER, he met a person
who has been hiding from him for 5 years! (God brought him to the hospital to minster to this person)
-He is continuing to pray for He believes God can work in this person’s heart
RESTATE: God can reverse people’s hearts. He can supernaturally transform even the hardest hearts to believe.

III. CONCLUSION
God is a God of reversals who can take even the darkest stories, and turn them around for His glory!
1. God reversed people’s fates (vv. 1-2; 14)  He is in control over our destinies for His glory
2. God reversed the king’s allegiance (vv. 3-8) He is the King above all earthly kings. They all answer to Him
3. God reversed an evil edict (vv. 9-14) The enemy can never overcome God’s good will
4. God reversed people’s hearts (vv. 16-17) He can supernaturally transform even the vilest sinner to believe
The Cross
If you think about it, the Greatest Story of Reversal is the cross
-Sinners deserving of death given life through the substitutionary death of Jesus (the sinless one)
-The enemy murdered Christ on the cross but his triumph is short-lived He rose again (3rd day) sealed death
and gave eternal life (1 Cor. 15:55-57)
-Wretched men and women like us transformed into Christlikeness by faith in Christ
-Enemy thought he outwitted God through humanity’s fall in the end, their reconciliation gave God the highest glory

Final Encouragement
Believers God is continuing to turn your life story according to His will. There may still be rough edges, but take heart,
the story is not yet over.
Unbeliever you think God is too far away. You are too far off to be loved, forgiven and redeemed. Have faith. God can
transform your heart from stone to flesh if you believe by grace.

God is a God of reversals who can take even the darkest stories, and turn them around for His glory!