Glory to God! God has been faithful to us all throughout the past week. His loving kindness and compassion never fails, as it is mentioned in Lamentations 3:22-23, Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. God has blessed us with a very encouraging and hopeful Scripture passage (Esther 4:16 [mentioned above]) for this week’s Scripture for the Week meditation. The content of this passage was an invitation for all God’s people to gather together and fast in order to get God’s attention urgently to intervene in the matter of His people Israel (Jews) because their lives were in great danger in the citadel of Susa and throughout the whole kingdom of king Xerxes. The context of this passage, described in Esther 3:1-15, is that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, whom the king had elevated and gave a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles in his kingdom (Esther 3:1), hated the Jews and plotted to annihilate them because the Jews do not bow/kneel down before him to honor him. In the midst of all such life-threatening situation for Jews, Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin (Esther 2:5-6); and queen Esther (Mordecai’s cousin Hadassah who was also known as Esther, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother[Esther 2:7]) took initiatives to defend the Jews from being annihilated.

The book of Esther is very interesting to study because it gives the facts and figures of Haman’s hate crime against the Jews and how the Jews victoriously overcome such a hate crime with the help of the God of Israel. The interesting factors about Esther’s book is that it is one of the two books in the Bible named after women (the other book is Ruth). Also, the book of Esther is one of two books in the Bible that doesn’t mention God’s name (the other book is the Song of Solomon). Although the book does not mention God’s name directly, God’s work is very much evident throughout the book. The incident narrated in the book took place during the reign of king Xerxes or Ahasuerus, one of the powerful rulers of the Medo-Persian empire, who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush (Esther 1:1). King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa (Esther 1:2). In the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles, officials, military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces that lasted for six months, a total of  one hundred and eighty [180] days (Esther 1:3). In addition to the 180 days banquet for all his nobles and officials, the king gave another banquet, lasting seven [7] days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa (Esther 1:5). It was on the seventh day of this second banquet that the king deposed Vashti as the Queen of Persia (Esther 1:10-19a) and consequently elevated Esther as the Queen of Persia (1:19b-2:18). Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background to anyone including the king, because Mordecai had forbidden her from doing so (Esther 2:10, 20).

It was during those days, king Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles (Esther 3:1). When king Xerxes elevated Haman’s position higher than all other nobles in his kingdom, Haman’s attitude changed toward others, especially towards Jews. He hated them and plotted to destroy them completely. It all started with an ill-advised identity crisis Haman had towards Mordecai. Since the king gave Haman a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles in his kingdom, Haman wants everyone to kneel/bow down before him in order to honor him. All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman but Mordecai, being a pious Jew, would not kneel down to pay him honor (Esther 3:1). Perhaps, both Haman and Mordecai were serving the king in a similar status as colleagues prior to Haman’s elevation to a seat of honor. When Haman was elevated in to a higher position than Mordecai and other royal officials, he wanted Mordecai to kneel before him to pay him honor like the other Royal officials, but Mordecai does not want to kneel down before Haman to pay him honor, which troubled Haman and he hated him and decided to kill him. One of the key reasons specified in the Scripture regarding Haman’s hatred against Mordecai is nothing but Mordecai does not kneel or bow down before Haman to honor him just like other royal officials do (Esther 3:2).

Haman waited for an opportunity to take revenge against Mordecai, and when he got one, he influenced the king to annihilate the Jews (Esther 3:5-9). Haman also promised ten thousand (10,000) talents of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury (Esther 3:5-11). Perhaps, according to Haman, that was the price he calculated for all the Jews in the Medo-Persian empire (Joseph son of Jacob and Rachel was sold for 20 pieces of silver by his brothers [Genesis 37:28], thirty pieces of silver was the cost of a slave during the Old Testament time [Exodus 21:32], thirty (30) pieces of silver was the wages of a shepherd [Zechariah 11:7-12], and Jesus was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver [Matthew 26:15]).

Haman, upon the authorization of the king, made preparations to annihilate all the Jews across the Medo-Persian empire (Esther 3:10-15). In addition to that, upon the advice of his wife Zeresh and friends, Haman made arrangements to hang Mordecai in the Citadel of Susa (5:9-14). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not stop trusting and worshipping the God of their fathers, the God of Israel, despite the threat of tossing into fiery furnace (Daniel 3:1-30); Daniel did not stop praying to Yahweh, the God of Israel, despite the threat of throwing into lion’s den (Daniel 6:1-28). Like them, in the midst of the threat of annihilation, Mordecai and the Jews in the Citadel of Susa also continued to trust in the God of Israel and pleaded to Him for Him to intervene in the situation and save them from such a calamity (Esther 4:1-3). This was the time God elevated Esther to the position of the queen of Medo-Persian empire. Remember, before the king gave a seat of honor to Haman and elevated him above all other nobles and officials, God elevated Esther, a Jewish exile, into the throne of queen in the Medo-Persian empire as the wife of king Xerxes, a position almost equal to the emperor and, definitely, higher than all the nobles and royal officials in the entire empire.

The Jews were betrayed and in pain, fear, trouble, and they were in great danger. This was the darkest season in the lives of Mordecai, Esther, and the entirety of the Jewish exiles. In most cases, darkness is dangerous because during the darkest hours there will be no visibility, which means, there will be confusion, struggles, sufferings, chaos, and so on. Darkness is not a good time to talk or complain because most people will talk only negative things during the dark seasons in their lives. Remember, it is the time to be silent and listen to God, so that God will give you a message/testimony to speak in the light.

Mordecai, being a Jew as well as the leader of Jewish community in the Citadel of Susa, sent an urgent message to queen Esther to request the king to revoke the order that Haman issued with the approval of king Xerxes that would annihilate all the Jewish exiles in the kingdom. However, Esther cannot enter into the presence of the king without being called to his presence, even though, she is the wife of king Xerxes as well as the queen in the Medo-Persian empire. It is because there was a strict order from the king that no one should enter in the inner court without his invitation: All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives (Esther 4:11). Esther is in trouble from both sides – King’s side and Jews’ side (Esther 4:10-11). She cannot simply walk-in before the king – she has her own limitations. She knows the law and punishment for the uninvited guests into the presence of king (death). Moreover, she well remembers what happened to Queen Vashti (Esther 1:19). Yet, she decided to go into the presence of the king, without being called, in order to plead for herself and her people. Esther’s love for God and for her people enabled her to look beyond her love for her own life (Esther 4:16). She knew that no one can help the Jews at the moment other than the God of Israel. God is the Refuge and Shelter and an ever-present help in times of troubles:

• • • The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble (Psalm 9:9)
    • God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1)
    • The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

When we are in danger and the enemy is too strong, prayer is the only answer. As Jesus said to His disciples that … this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21). Before Esther headed to meet with the earthly king Xerxes to plead with him to revoke the decree, she (and Mordecai, and the Jewish remnant in the Citadel of Susa) consulted with the God of Israel, the King of the universe. Esther and her attendants decided to fast for three days and she asked Mordecai and all the Jews in the Citadel of Susa to fast as well for God’s favor in their lives as she prepares to go into the presence of the king without being called.

• • • Esther decided to fast and pray
    • Mordecai decided to fast and pray, and
    • The Jewish people decided to fast and pray

In fact, ever since the news of Jewish exiles’ annihilation was sent out, Mordecai and the Jews were in great anguish and distress and they all put on sackcloth and lay in ashes, and prayed to the God of Israel. Fasting would help us focus on prayer and prayer connects us with God, and consequently we draw closer to God. Many of the Old Testament saints also put on sackcloth when there was crisis in their lives. Below mentioned are a few of those saints (please read the passages for more details):

• • • Mordecai and many lay in sackcloth and ashes  (Esther 4:1-3)
    • Jacob put on sackcloth (Genesis 37:34)
    • King Ahab put on sackcloth (1 Kings 21:27)
    • King Hezekiah put on sackcloth (2 Kings 19:1)
    • King David put on sackcloth (1 Chronicles 21:16)
    • Daniel put on sackcloth and ashes (Daniel 9:3)
    • The king of Assyria/Nineveh did it (Jonah 3:6)

Esther said: If I perish, I perish (Esther 4:15-16). She was very determined and ready to face any consequence. She did it because they want to be out of trouble but they can’t save themselves because the enemy is too strong for them. Neither the king nor Haman knew that God already started working before they started working. God already started working well before Haman was given a seat of honor by king Xerxes and placed Esther in a much higher position than him. When the enemy challenges/threatens you, your family, and friends, call upon the name of God, He will come down to deliver you from your enemies.

As the result of prayer and fasting, when Esther approached the king, God turned his heart in favor of Esther and consequently Esther’s identity is revealed (Esther 7:3-4). Esther pleaded to the king for her life and the lives of her people and the king granted her requests.

• • • King Xerxes issued a new edict in favor of Jews (Esther 8:1-17)
    • Jews were delivered from the danger (God delivered Jews’ from being annihilated)
    • The enemy was destroyed
    • Mordecai’s promotion to the second highest position in the empire (10:1-3)
    • Jewish Festival called Purim was introduced to commemorate the Divine deliverance
    • The Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honor (8:16)

According to 1 Corinthians 2:9 (also refer: Isaiah 64:4) No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love Him. Moses, one of the greatest ever leader in the Israel’s history, wrote:

What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8 And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today (Deuteronomy 4:7-8)

Although, Esther became the wife of king Xerxes (Ahasuerus) and, thus, the queen of Medo-Persian empire, she did not forget her past or her people who are helpless. She was a courageous woman of faith who stood along with other Jews to save their lives. In the same way, when God blesses us, we should not forget about our past and our dear and near ones, the people who have stood with us in our needs, and especially those who are helpless. Like Esther, Mordecai, and the Jews trusted in the Lord their God in times of trouble, let us also trust in the Lord when disaster strikes us. Proverbs 3:5-6 states that Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

May the Lord God Almighty bless us all! Amen!