CCRL SERIES ON ”ENDURING TO THE END”

QUEEN ESTHER : ‘FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS”

BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE TEXT: ESTHER 2: 5-23

I. WHO WAS ESTHER? WHAT WERE HER VITAL STATISTICS?

- (Esther 2: 5-7) She was an orphan who lived an exiled life in the city of Susa
in the Persian Empire.
- Daughter of Abihail who was the uncle of Mordecai..
- Orphaned at a young age, she was adopted and raised by her elder cousin
Mordecai and his family. They were Jews from the tribe of Benjamin who
were exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar.
- She was known to be an extraordinarily beautiful woman.
- (2: 8-9) Esther’s beauty easily caught the attention and the favor of King
Xerxes, she was chosen to be the new Queen of the Persian empire,
replacing the dethroned queen Vashti
- By nature she was an IMPRESSIVE WOMAN. Esther earned the admiration
of Hegai the King’s eunuch who was in charge of the King’s harem. (2:9,15b).
- OBEDIENCE was her strong trait from her childhood until her queenship
(2:20b) “ She was still following Mordecai’s directions just as she did when
she .lived in his house.”

II. WHAT WERE THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING HER LIFE AS

QUEEN?

- (Esther 3) The lives of her countrymen, were under threat by Haman (one of
the King’s high officials) who ordered the punishment of anyone who did not
bow down to him (3:13)
- Haman declared himself as the NO.1 enemy of the Jews. He plotted to
annihilate all the Jews by issuing another decree for such, as his anger grew
intensely towards Mordecai who refused to bow down to him. He even had a
75-foot pole built in his compound for Mordecai to be hanged in the future.
- Haman and the law he decreed brought confusion and fear among the Jews
living in the land.
 - Chapter 4 narrates the gravity of the situation and the implications of Haman’s
decree. Because the Law to kill all the Jews bore the approval of King, such
law like any law, CANNOT BE REPEALED OR CHANGED. Wala nang apela.

- Mordecai upon hearing the news and realizing its impact on the Jews, grieved
and wailed then turned to Queen Esther for help. The queen at first seemed
hesitant to intervene and help knowing that she seeking an audience with the
King at the wrong time by breaking protocol could cause her her life.

- Mordecai takes on his role as father to Esther and reminds her of God’s plan
and destiny for her. (4:13-14} “If you keep quiet, at a time like this,
deliverance and relief for the Jews might come from some other place….” He
did not want Esther to miss her destiny.

- “Who knows if perhaps you were made queen FOR SUCH A TIME AS
THIS?”

- Mordecai’s destiny, Esther’s destiny and the destiny of the Jews were
connected to each other. If he did not act, it could cause Queen Esther’s
missing her destiny. If she missed out on her destiny then, ALL GOD’S
PEOPLE WILL SUFFER AND DIE.

III. QUEEN ESTHER’S COURSE OF ACTION

 Having received God’s revelation thru the words of her adopted father
Mordecai, Queen Esther immediately responded and:

1. CHOSE TO ACT in behalf of her people and STEPPED INTO GOD’S

APPPOINTED SEASON for her. * Like Moses and Joseph, God raised
Esther to the ranks of royalty so that GOD COULD SAVE HIS
PEOPLE thru their positions.
2. STRATEGIZED her course of action. NO to Panic, NO to Stress, NO
to Fear. She laid the foundation of her victory plan: FAST AND PRAY
CORPORATELY. #Turn FEAR TO FAITH (4:15)
3. (She) TOTALLY ACKNOWLEDGED that GOD was in TOTAL
CONTROL of her situation. “ IF I MUST DIE, I DIE” (4:16b)

*Esther KNEW WHO HER GOD WAS. HE WAS HER

COMMMANDER IN CHIEF; THE REAL KING OF HER LIFE AND
HER PEOPLE.
 IV. GOD’S RETURN FOR QUEEN ESTHER’S OBEDIENCE

1. The Lord gave her the BEST STRATEGY and the King’s favor (5:3, 7:2)
“Tellme what you want and I will give it even if it is half the Kingdom”.
2. God set up the PERFECT TIME for Esther (7:1-10)
3. A Reversal of Fortunes took place for Esther and Mordecai (6:1-2, 10-11)
4. The lives of the Jews were saved. (8:7-11)
 “ ON THE APPOINTED DAY, THE JEWS RECEIVED VICTORY AND
FREEDOM BY GOD’S HAND (Esther 9:10)

 In difficult times, it will help us to remember that we need CHRIST to ENDURE:

CH-oose to ACT and Step into GOD’S APPOINTED TIME

R-ecognize GOD’S WISDOM ( listen to wise counsel. Sometimes God uses
people to bring us His wisdom)
I-nquire, WAIT on the Lord. FAST AND PRAY. DO NOT Pray fast. (Huwag natin
madaliin ang Panginoon at ang pagkilos Niya.)
S-trategize. DO NOT Rush. DO NOT Panic. DO NOT give in to stress. Likewise
DO NOT TAKE TOO LONG TO MOVE.
T-otally ACNKOWLEDGE that GOD IS IN CONTROL and is ALL POWERFUL
over our situation

*” Most stressed-out people are control freaks. The more they try to control the world,
the more they realize that they CANNOT. When you recognize heaven has an occupied
Throne, you allow the Lord to BE IN CONTROL.. God calms your fears .by revealing
His Divine POWER AND PRESENCE. Your anxiety DECREASES as your
understanding of God your Father INCREASES.” (Max Lucado : ‘Anxious for
Nothing’)
CONCLUSION: The story of Esther is a lesson not only about enduring under difficult
times but also of how GOD EXALTS THE HUMBLE and brings down the wicked. It is a
first -hand experience of PSALM 37:33-34
Let us REST IN GOD’S WISDOM TO ENDURE.
MM / CCRL / 12 July 2020

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

1. Is there a crisis / challenge / fear in your life today that you need to ask for God’s
wisdom to overcome?
2. Is God calling you to act on a specific assignment at such a time as this but are
being held back? What is holding you back? If not, then pray and praise God for
enabling you to pursue your destiny.