We come to the closing statements of the beautiful story of God who chose Esther, a young woman of beauty, who was orphaned as a child. Esther was brought into the home of Mordecai, her older cousin, who was compassionately devoted to God.  Mordecai became her father, mentor, and teacher of all the things of God who provided life.  God is faithful.

The God who looks over all the earth in search of those whose hearts are completely His—found Mordecai and Esther who humbly bowed only to Him!  (2 Chronicles 7:14; 2 Chronicles 16:9)

“For such a time as this,” when the exiled Jews were being persecuted by an evil man and his soldiers in the kingdom of Persia; God intervened.  He chose Mordecai to lead His agenda to save His people in a miraculous way.  God gifted Esther with beauty and knowledge of Him.  Her outer beauty caught the attention of the King of Persia but it was the beauty of God inside her that held his favor and focus of her.  God did that!

We read and marveled how God gave Esther ways to draw Haman the evil one out into the open with the courage to speak for her people at just the right time a place.  She trusted God. She followed Him obediently.  Her complete trust in God prompted the words, “If I perish, I perish.”  She was resolute to complete the mission God gave her to do to save God’s people but as we read, it was God behind the scenes who did all the “heavy lifting” in bringing Haman the horrible to justice in a series of circumstances that brought Truth to the surface and made a way for the God’s people to gain freedom once more. 

Esther 10

The Greatness of Mordecai

King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores. ² And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia? ³ Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.

WHAT DID WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The story of Queen Esther taught us who God is:

God is…Faithful, even when we are not!

God is…Love, even when we do not feel it.

God is…Always with us and at work in our lives, even when we don’t see it.

God is…Patient with us, even we are dull to understand because of our lack of focus.

God is…Compassionate and merciful, even when we don’t deserve it.

God is…Sovereign over all, even when it seems our world is falling apart.

God is…Hope for the hopeless and Father to the orphans. God knows.

God is…Our Rescue when we come to the end of ourselves. God has a Plan.

God is…Our Life Source to all who humbly bow before Him in Jesus Name.

God is…Found by all who seek Him wholeheartedly.

May we never forget the God who saves!

May we never forget…

God is with us always!

God knows our needs before we know them with resources to help us.

God never sleeps and is always at work on our behalf. 

God designed The Ultimate Plan to save us—His Son, Jesus.  God’s Plan of salvation for all was created from the beginning of time itself. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

God demonstrated His Perfect Love for all created mankind, created in the image of God, with The Plan.  “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” That was The Plan.

God’s Plan was to sacrifice Jesus, Son of Man/Son of God, who was without sin to be sin on the cross. Unlike the annual animal sacrifices of the Old Covenant that had to be repeated, Jesus entered the holy place once and for all with his own blood, establishing a new, better covenant.  Hebrews 9 explains;

The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!  For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” Hebrews 9:13-15

The writer of Hebrews continues with clarity;

When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”Hebrews 9:10-22

Israel defeated its enemies and initiated the Festival of Purim to commemorate its deliverance.  God is always faithful to his people.  God wants us to remember!

Jesus, Son of God, taught His disciples—”do this in remembrance of Me.”  What is “this”?  “For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Luke 22:18-20

We must daily remember the shed blood and brutally scarred body of Jesus who willingly laid down His life in payment for our sins. 

There is no circumstance we are in that escapes the notice of God. There is no sin we commit that cannot be forgiven because of what Jesus did for us.  To remember daily keeps our focus on the One who saved us and sets us free to act justly, love mercy, as we walk humbly with our God!  (Micah 6:8)

Troubles will come for we live in a fallen, imperfect world.  Our Enemy is not flesh and blood but the fallen angel who has hated God since He was kicked out of heaven for trying to be God himself.  The Enemy’s army of demons will harass and tempt us; but God intervenes by His overcoming power to rescue us when we ask.  He stands ready to help us before we know we need it!  Jesus is our Overcomer of all our troubles!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”—Jesus, John 16:33

ALL part of God’s Plan of salvation.

Circumstances present themselves sometimes by our lack of judgement or planning. Is all lost, without hope? Absolutely not!

When we are weak and don’t know what to do next; God demonstrates His glory and strength!  We cannot lose when God is our Master and Jesus is our Lord! 

When confused, trying to seek and sort out what is true and right, is there help? Absolutely! God’s Holy Spirit lives in all who believe to guide us to all that is Truth!  We cannot lose because our God does not fail. Jesus is Truth, lived Truth, died and rose again to proclaim Truth forever!

God is forever—God!  Remember—

God’s Plan: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13.

God’s Word through is angel for the women ready to serve the body of their Lord: “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” Matthew 28:5-7

God’s Command to all who believe, trust, and obey: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”—Jesus, Matthew 28:19-20

This is the secret—Jesus Christ lives in us giving us all we need to go and tell.

“For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us.” Colossians 1:27-28, NLT

Lord,

Thank you for helping us to remember what you have done for us as we studied the lives of Esther and Mordecai and what you did in and through them! Thank you for being with us always, guiding us, by your power, to all that is Truth—You!  Lead me, Lord.

In Jesus Name, Amen