Such A Time As This! 

                Here is a synopsis of the book of Esther from my Life Application Study Bible. I think it is a great overview and a little background for anyone who has never read the book.

                

          “Drama, power, romance, intrigue-this is the stiff of which best -selling novels are made. But this is far from a modern piece of fiction, those words describe a true story, lived and written centuries ago. More than entertaining reading, it is a story of the profound interplay of God’s sovereignty and human will, God prepared the place and the opportunity, and his people, Esther and Mordecai, chose to act. The book of Esther begins with the Queen Vashti refusing to obey an order from her husband, King Xerxes. She was subsequently banished, and the search began for a new queen. The king set out a decree to gather together all the beautiful young women in the empire and bring them into the royal harem. Esther, a young Jewish woman was one of those chosen. King Xerxes was so pleased with Esther that he made her his queen. Meanwhile, Mordecai, Esther’s older cousin, became a government official and serving his tenure failed an assassination plot. But the ambitious and self-serving Haman was appointed second-in-command in the empire. When Mordecai refused to bow in reverence to him, Haman became furious and determined to destroy Mordecai and all the Jews along with him. To accomplish his vengeful deed, Haman deceived the king and persuaded him to issue an edict condemning the Jews to death. Mordecai told Queen Esther about this edict, and she decided to rick her life to save her people. Esther asked King Xerxes and Haman to be her guests at a banquet. During the feast the King asked Esther what she really wanted, and he promised to give her anything. Esther simply invited both men to another banquet the next day. That night, unable to sleep the king was flipping through some records in the royal archives when he read of the assassination plot that Mordecai had thwarted. Surprises to learn that Mordecai had never been rewarded for this deed, the king asked Haman what should be done to properly thank a hero. Haman thought the king must be talking about him, and so he described a lavish reward. The king agreed, but to Haman’s shock and utter humiliation, he learned that Mordecai was the person to be so honored. During the second banquet, the king again asked Esther what she desired. She replied that someone had plotted to destroy her and her people, and she named Haman as the culprit. Immediately the king sentenced Haman to die on the gallows he had built for Mordecai. In the final act of this true life drama, Mordecai was appointed to Haman’s position, and the Jews were guaranteed protection though out the land. To celebrate this historic occasion the feast of Purim was established. Because of Queen Esther’s courageous act, a whole nation was saved. Seeing her God-given opportunity, she seized it! Her life made a difference. Read Esther and watch for God at work in your life. Perhaps he has prepared you to act in ‘such a time as this’ (4:14”

Sooner or later I think all of us will have an opportunity to either defend what we know to be truth or to sink in the despond of cowards. In today’s world it is getting harder and harder to stand for the truth.  Persecution is happening all over the US. If you simply state you believe in the nature Biblical marriage…be prepared for the hate mail! You will be called narrow minded, bigoted, haters, and homophobes. If you state your view on the sanctity of life and the preciousness of a baby unborn, you will be harassed. Because how dare you take away a “woman’s choice” and “you don’t know the circumstances”... As if any “circumstance justifies taking a baby’s life.

The world is changing quickly, values shifting, governments failing.  What we need are faithful women like Esther, not afraid of what will be said or even the extreme consequences for standing for the truth and for justice. It is a hard road to take but sometimes lives may depend on it. I have talked to too many people who say they agree with certain standards and values, but won’t come out in public and say so because they are afraid of the reaction. They will secretly whisper to me “oh yeah I think that too, but don’t tell anyone”. Where has courage gone and the ability to take a stand for what is right? Oops, did I just say there is a right and a wrong?  Even that comes into scrutiny in our society. We live in the “grey era” where every opinion is subjective. 

We have to set a standard of truth and instill it in our children so that they will have the strength to stand when their time comes. The book of Ether is such a wonderful example of prudence, wisdom, courage and dependence on the Lord! It is my prayer that when my faith is called into question or a cause that needs defending arises, that I would have the courage to stand in the midst of adversity. Of course this can only be done with our Strong Defender by our side.  He is our Rock that holds us steady and firm in the Way.

I hope that you read the Book of Esther for yourselves and see how amazing it is! Each of us have our own personal journeys to walk and battles to fight.

"Be strong and take heart all you who hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:24