The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Esther 4:12-14,
"When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: 'Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 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 your royal position for such a time as this?'"
The words Esther had reported to her cousin, Mordecai, explained the difficulty she would have in approaching the king on behalf of the Jews. Due to the perceived disrespect of Mordecai toward Haman, Haman arranged for the Jews to be annihilated throughout Persia. Mordecai had asked her to go before the king to save the Jews. The king had not called for Queen Esther in a month and to approach the king in his inner court without being invited by the king was punishable by death, unless the king extended his scepter to spare their life. Esther feared for her life if she approached the king as Mordecai requested.
Mordecai's response above includes two fascinating realizations. The first was that if Esther took no action in approaching King Xerxes to spare the Jews, Mordecai stated that "relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place."
Clearly Mordecai recognized that the continued existence of the Jews was integral to the Lord's own agenda - the Jews would not be destroyed as the Lord intended to continue to carry out his purposes through the Jews. If deliverance for the Jews did not come through Esther, it would come from somewhere else at the Lord' s own hand. (Such is still true today - the Lord has his plans for Israel, and Israel will never be annihilated, no matter what Israel's enemies may think. (See Romans 11:22-32.)
The second, and perhaps the better known realization of Mordecai was his recognition that his cousin, Esther, had things fall together in the way they had for her because the Lord intended to use her in this way. "And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" This is an example of the reality that the Lord very often works things out well ahead of time, before some need may ever present itself - in anticipation of that need.
"When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: 'Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 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 your royal position for such a time as this?'"
The words Esther had reported to her cousin, Mordecai, explained the difficulty she would have in approaching the king on behalf of the Jews. Due to the perceived disrespect of Mordecai toward Haman, Haman arranged for the Jews to be annihilated throughout Persia. Mordecai had asked her to go before the king to save the Jews. The king had not called for Queen Esther in a month and to approach the king in his inner court without being invited by the king was punishable by death, unless the king extended his scepter to spare their life. Esther feared for her life if she approached the king as Mordecai requested.
Mordecai's response above includes two fascinating realizations. The first was that if Esther took no action in approaching King Xerxes to spare the Jews, Mordecai stated that "relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place."
Clearly Mordecai recognized that the continued existence of the Jews was integral to the Lord's own agenda - the Jews would not be destroyed as the Lord intended to continue to carry out his purposes through the Jews. If deliverance for the Jews did not come through Esther, it would come from somewhere else at the Lord' s own hand. (Such is still true today - the Lord has his plans for Israel, and Israel will never be annihilated, no matter what Israel's enemies may think. (See Romans 11:22-32.)
The second, and perhaps the better known realization of Mordecai was his recognition that his cousin, Esther, had things fall together in the way they had for her because the Lord intended to use her in this way. "And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" This is an example of the reality that the Lord very often works things out well ahead of time, before some need may ever present itself - in anticipation of that need.
Mordecai's communication to Esther was that she was where she was to do something God wanted done, and that if she did not fulfill that purpose, God would simply raise up someone else to get the job done.
How about us? Is there something God has equipped us with? Something he intends to do through us? Will we be faithful to fulfill God's purposes for us? Or, will we renege on our commitment to him?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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