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Time as This
For Such a Time
as This
Up-Dated -
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Table of
Contents
* Esther
* Esther’s Place
* Esther's Preparation
* Esther’s Problem
* Esther’s Provision
* Principles
* Illustration
Where is God?
You probably would not have wanted to be in
Esther’s place.
She was orphaned.
She was enslaved.
She was forced to marry someone she did not
know, nor her husband love her.
She was chosen for marriage by her appearance.
Where is God in her life?
Former President, George Bush
Tells the story when he was at the funeral of Leonid Breshnev who
was the leader of the former Soviet Socialist Repubic
The President watched the widow during the
whole funeral. She never moved nor spoke. When the soldiers came to
close the lid to the coffin, she reached over and made a cross on
his chest.
She was married to the world leader of
Communism an avowed athiest but she demonstrated at his funeral that
she believed he was wrong.
She demonstrated no hope in Communism but hope
in God.
Was she saved? I don’t know.
Was she trying to reach out to God, yes, in at the very least a
small, but significant way.
Where was God in her life
"for such a time as this"
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Esther
This story reminds us of the Esther of the book
of the same name.
Where was God in her life
"for Such a Time as This"
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Esther’s Place
She was an orphan
She was a slave in as much she was required to live as the king
commanded or even die.
She was raised by her kinsman
Est 2:5
"Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose
name was Mordecai, the son
of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;"
Est 2:6 "Who had been carried away from
Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with
Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had
carried away."
Est 2:7 "And he brought up Hadassah, that
is, Esther, his uncle's
daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid
was fair and beautiful; whom
Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own
daughter."
Esther was where she needed to be
"for such a time as this"
Our situations must be seen as a tool of God to
use us for His perfect will.
Do you see God in your life or
Do you see the devil?
They are both there. But you a much better off
if you see God in everything rather than the devil, rather than evil
or careless people rather than bad luck rather than anything else.
See God
in the blessed rain
in the howling wind
in the destructive fire
in the hate of others
See God, don’t miss God
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Esther was
Prepared
Esther was prepared in every detail
Est 2:8 "So it came to pass, when the king's
commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were
gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai,
that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody
of Hegai, keeper of the women."
Est 2:9 "And the maiden pleased him, and she
obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for
purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven
maidens, which were meet to
be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her
maids unto the best place of
the house of the women."
Est 2:10 "Esther had not showed her people
nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not
show it."
Est 2:11 "And Mordecai walked every day
before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and
what should become of her."
Est 2:12 "Now when every maid's turn was
come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve
months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days
of their purifications accomplished,
to wit, six months with oil
of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with
other things for the
purifying of the women;)"
Skip down to verse 15
Est 2:15 "Now when the turn of Esther, the
daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his
daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but
what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women,
appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that
looked upon her."
Of which, incidentally, was not fair but, was
brutal
Esther was being prepared for a Job and she was
learning very fast.
Est 2:20 "Esther had not
yet showed her kindred nor
her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the
commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him."
Esther was being prepared for service.
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Esther’s Problem
Mordecai is not impressed with Haman the second in
command of the whole kingdom and snubs him at every opportunity.
Haman sees what is going on and plots to not only
get even with Mordecai but all the Jews.
Est 4:1 "When Mordecai perceived all that
was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with
ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a
loud and a bitter cry;"
Est 4:2 "And came even before the king's
gate: for none might enter
into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth."
Est 4:3 "And in every province,
whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came,
there was great mourning
among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay
in sackcloth and ashes."
Esther learns of the Mordecai’s lamentation
Est 4:4 "So Esther's maids and her
chamberlains came and told it
her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent
raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him:
but he received it not."
Look at 4.7
Est 4:7 "And Mordecai told him of all that
had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had
promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy
them."
Est 4:8 "Also he gave him the copy of the
writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to
show it unto Esther, and to
declare it unto her, and to
charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication
unto him, and to make request before him for her people."
Est 4:9 "And Hatach came and told Esther the
words of Mordecai."
But, Esther hesitates
Est 4:10 "Again Esther spake unto Hatach,
and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;"
Est 4:11 "All the king's servants, and the
people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man
or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not
called, there is one law of
his to put him to death,
except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that
he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king
these thirty days."
Mordecai fires back
Est 4:13 "Then Mordecai commanded to answer
Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's
house, more than all the Jews."
Est 4:14 "For if thou altogether holdest thy
peace at this time, then
shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from
another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed:
and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for
such a time as this?"
What a tragedywhen the people of God squirm out
from under the very reason for their existence and miss the whole
purpose of their life.
Because they are uncomfortable
they are tired
they are sick
they are old
they are disgusted with the system
they are just wanting a change.
"Who knows, you may have come to the kingdom
for such a time as this."
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Esther’s
Provision
Esther takes up the cause
Est 4:15 "Then Esther bade
them return Mordecai
this answer,"
Est 4:16 "Go, gather together all the Jews
that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor
drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast
likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which
is not according to the law:
and if I perish, I perish."
Why did she change her mind.
It was not because of her cousin’s convincing argument.
It was not because she began to feel sorry for the rest.
It was not because she was looking for her hour of fame.
Not her self will.
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Principles
There are a lot of principles that can be applied
in this story. And all of them have to do with living for God.
There is great value in purity. Especially if one
is pure for God.
Prov 20:11 "Even a child is known by his
doings, whether his work be
pure, and whether it be
right."
God has someone to help you. Mordecai and the
prayers of others, but God is there also.
Psa 46:1 "To the chief Musician for the sons
of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God
is our refuge and strength, a very present help in
trouble."
Some jobs take a long time in prepration
Est 2:12 "Now when every maid's turn was
come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve
months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days
of their purifications accomplished,
to wit, six months with oil
of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with
other things for the
purifying of the women;)"
Love gives credit
Est 2:22 "And the thing was known to
Mordecai, who told it unto
Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king
thereof in Mordecai's name."
Can’t solve internal problems with external
improvements rededication of the flesh is worthless rededication of
the spirit by the flesh is worthless.
Personal concerns cloud perspective fear for one’s
own life can not stand in the way of the lives of others.
Sometimes we have to tell the ones we love some
difficult things. Our greatest fear, may be our greatest opportunity
and priviledge
Right nor action is not defined by results
"if I perish, I perish"
Blessings and burdens are both opportunities to
serve God
Esther was not given the very best food, clothing, training just to
sit on a fancy throne but so she could be come an instrument to
deliver many people from Haman’s plot.
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Illustration
Dr. Shoemaker tells the story of an elderly
patient who had broke her hip She was in horrible pain.
She never fussed about the negligence of the
one who injured her She never complained about the ineptness of the
nurses.
She never murmurred about the Lord letting this happen.
She never blamed anyone else for the accident.
She never bellyached about the pain killer not working
She never complained about anything, but said, “Well, I wonder what
God has for me to do here?”
Her burden was God’s opportunity…
"For such a time as this."
I fear many of us are missing the real mission of
life.
Serving God and seeing him in the wrestling
grass as God goes pass or even the raise at work or even the fire
that destroys our home.
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