For Such A Time As This!

Have you ever read the book of Esther?  This book could definitely be made into a best-selling novel or even a movie.  There is drama, power, romance, history and conspiracy.

This true story actually takes place in the Persian capital.  King Xerxes ruled during this time. 

Esther begins with Queen Vashti refusing to obey an order from her husband, King Xerxes.  The King's staff reminded him that by the Queen refusing him then he would be perceived that he had no authority and his military credibility would be damaged.  In the King's anger, he banished the Queen from his presence.  He did love the Queen, but because he banished her, the decree could not be rescinded.

The King and his kingdom began to look for another queen.  There was a beautiful young lady named Esther.  She had been raised by her uncle.  Esther was one of the beauty's that was taken to the palace to be groomed by the servants and to be presented to the king.

Esther won the King's favor and approval over all the other young ladies.  So she was crowned Queen.  There was a banquet for all the king's nobles and officials.  Even a holiday was declared.

Mordecai, who was Esther's uncle, was a jew and had been carried from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar into the Persian Empire.  Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do.

During one of the ceremonies, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate and he uncovered a conspiracy of two officers that were planning on the assissination of the king.  Mordecai told Queen Esther and she reported to the king of this plot.  These men were sent to the gallows.

The King had several nobleman and one of them was Haman.  Haman thought he was important and he wanted to be bow down to and paid honor.  Mordecai refused to kneel down to Haman because he was wicked and wanted to be worshiped like a god.  This made Haman furious.  Haman knew Mordecai was Jewish.  He wanted Mordecai and all Jews to be killed.  Haman sent a decree out that all Jews would be murdered within the year.

Mordecai asked Queen Esther to go before the King and to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people, the Jews.  Queen Esther said that she couldn't go before the King because if she went before him without being summoned she could be executed.  The only exception was if the king extended the gold scepter then her life could be spared.  It was a gamble.  What was Queen Esther doing to do?

In Esther 4:13-14, Mordecai replied "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 royal position for such a time as this?"

God tells us in Psalms 139:16 - "Your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."  So God placed Esther on the throne even before the Jews faced the possibility of destruction.

You never know why you are placed in certain circumstances.  God does have a plan for each of our lives and you are in certain places for a purpose.  Sometimes when we are in a life-threatening situation, we say I'll wait for God to fix everything.  God may be wanting you to ask for direction and just "do it".  Just like Queen Esther, God may have placed you there "for such a time as this."

Queen Esther did go before the king and he did extend his gold scepter.   The king did hear her request but Haman's message had been sealed with the king's signet ring and could not be reversed, even by the king.   King Xerxes realized that Mordecai was the man who had warned him about the  men who wanted to murder him.  The king had Haman hung and put Mordecai in a position to assist the Jews from being murdered.

Even today the Jews observe the celebration(Purim) of the Jewish deliverance.  This holiday will be celebrated this year from sunset of March 20th until the nightfall of March 21st.

So as you go through life, always remember you are put in a certain job(s), friends with a particular person or live in a specific neighborhood, city or state because you could make all the difference for whatever problems arise, to being a friend....  For such a time as this!