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Aug 2, 2007

Behind the Scenes...

Background:Today I put myself in Esther's shoes on the night she risks her life to meet with the king. I am nervous almost to death, yet I take that step toward the hall as I am noticed by the king and the king is pleased with me. I touch his scepter and bow down to greet him. Now what!!! How can I tell the king whats weighing down my heart? Well, he has offered me up to half the kingdom, I could probably take that and move all the Jews in there, but the enemy....what about the enemy of the Jews, Haman, and his edict? That would still be hanging like a noose over our necks. The king esteems him highly and has bestowed upon him an honor much higher than all other nobles in his court, even to the effect that people must bow to him just like they would bow before the king himself. The king's special man. I don't know what to say or how to plead my case against Haman's edict to annihilate the Jews sealed with the king's signet ring given to Haman, moreso the king has no idea I am a Jew too. Will my life end up like Vashti? It cannot - for her it was only her life at stake, for me, its all these people who have stood by me in fasting, my people, my uncle/brother Mordecai who has loved and cared for me like his own daughter since I lost my parents.
Thus must have Esther thought and decided to do what she thought best to do for that moment, Esther 5:4"If it pleases the king," replied Esther, "let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him." As the banquet continues, the king asks again what Esther's petition was, but she had not mustered enough courage yet (I guess) for she says Esther 5:8 "If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king's question.". She had got away from the situation she so dreaded (the possibility of offending the king) another time.

Lessons I learnt
  1. Taking the step of faith-She risked her life , by stepping out to meet the king without being summoned.

  2. The Wait-She had survived the meeting with the king, this would have probably encouraged her that God was involved for her life had been spared..especially with a king who would rather listen to his advisors and nobles, than his wife. She would have probably waited for that special hint from God, the nudge, when God says in your heart "Ok go ahead", "speak, for I am with you". And as she waited, that nudge from God came, quite vividly and clearly, because God moved in a powerful way.

  3. God moved-What are the odds for a sleepless king, entertaining himself by reading the chronicles of his reign? I'd think for the kind of king Xerxes has been portrayed so far, he should have called for some dancers or something. More than that, ironically, Haman was in the courts to talk to the king about hanging Mordecai while the king investigates v3 "What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?". As the event unfolds, Haman gets the task to honor Mordecai whom he had sought to kill.

  4. Go for the knock out-With all this now donoe for Mordecai, Esther suddenly has found her strength in going before the king, as she sees, an impossible turnaround in the circumstances, Haman(the enemy) honouring her uncle Mordecai before the entire country. So she spoke "If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king. [a] "

  5. Victory-In a blink of an eye the atmosphere changes from one of fear, to stress(hoping what the king would do about Haman), then in quick succession Esther views the fall of Haman, the enemy. She sees her victory manifest right before her eyes as "v9 ..Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, "A gallows seventy-five feet [b] high stands by Haman's house. He had it made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king." The king said, "Hang him on it!" 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's fury subsided."

Conclusion:Our God calls us more than conquerors . Every conquest requires careful planning and strategy. If we are conquerors, we would surely have a lot to conquer. Esther's experience with the king has taught me how God desires for us to fully win all the battles the enemy intends to use to annihilate us. In a battle though our face is turned toward the enemy our ears and concentration must be behind the scenes in our camp to wait and listen for our Leader's command to charge at the opportune time and not be moved by what is happening in the enemy's camp no matter how powerful the enemy might seem as Haman had seemed to Esther.

6 comments :

Sista Cala said...

"go for the knock out" That is exactly what we should do. Too many times we so fearful of the negative consequences we fail to put ourselves 100% into the battle. When we hold back we are saying that Christ's sacrifice is not enough to see us through.

preacherman said...

Great post.
I really like this study.

Neva said...

No matter what--the battle is already won---and with Him on our side, we cannot lose. That should take away any insecurities, trepidations or fears we have. We are indeed more than conquerors.

Peace
Neva

audrey` said...

Hi Godzheart
Our battles belong to our Heavenly Father too =)

Anonymous said...

I just love reading your posts, they really get me to thinking.

Sista Cala said...

After quite some meditation on this post, I recognize my serious need for more patience. Impatience could have spoiled everything for the Queen. Often times I wait for answers but I am not necessarily patient in my waiting.

I trust that you are doing well as you wait patiently for your blessings to come forth.