Meeting with the King

Background:Esther now convinced by Mordecai of the responsibility she had before the king to go and present the case for her people. She is the queen, but she knew the preparation it would take for her to meet with the king. She prepared herself, first spiritually, then physically in order that there was nothing undone on her part. As she went before the king, she knew the results of the meeting were not her hand and was willing to risk even her life for the case of the Jews.

Esther's preparation to go before the king

1. She fasted (Esther 4:16)
2. Change in her attitude from concerning herself to concern for others(Esther 4:16)
3. She put on her royal robe (Esther 5:1)
4. She waited at the inner court before being summoned by the king to enter into his hall (Esther 5:1)

Lessons I learnt - I have often wondered why prayers sometimes go unanswered even if they sound right. This lesson from Esther's life taught me, there is a preparation to pray or to make a petition before the King of kings and Lord of lords. Our Living God is not just another person we go to ask a favour from. Too many times because of the goodness of our Lord we forget His status, His power, His authority, His mightiness, His glory, His very being.

1. Fasting-Esther fasted, her petition was regarding the deliverance for the Jews. Thats the kind of fast our King is looking for especially pertaining to deliverance. Isaiah 58:6"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?" Fasting, as Esther did was not a temper tantrum, saying "I wont eat till you grant my petition". It is an act of spiritual preparation for the petition she was going to make whether it be granted in her favour or not.


2. Attitude-Esther had been thinking about her life, until Mordecai had her realise, it wasn't about her alone, but for all the Jews. Too many times we love to take a petition before our King so that when its answered we'll get some glory out of it for having done so. Wrong attitude!! James 4:3 "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."


3. Royal Robe-Though Esther was queen, she had to specially get dressed up to go before the king. Why would a wife have to do that? She was no regular wife, she was a king's wife and she had to represent that when she went before her husband, in order that she may respect his position, his authority as a king. If she goes in tattered and torn, what kind of outlook would the king have had for her. We are brides of the King to come. Our King is the Almighty King of kings and Lord of Lords and we have a robe too. Romans 13:14 "Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ...". Our petition to our King is not heard because we made the petition, but because we make the right petition "In the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ". This is our covering our robe that our Saviour Lord Jesus has given to us, to approach our Father in Heaven, the King.


4. Waiting at the Inner Court to be summoned in-Esther, though being the queen could just go into the king's chamber, yet with respect for her king's authority she remained at the inner court where she could be seen from the king's hall, until the king summoned her in. The best times I have had in prayer have been times when I have begun with praise and thanksgiving and then waited on the Holy Spirit to guide me and take me past the outer courts into the Holy Place where my King waits to hear my petition. Esther knew she had favour with the king when the king raised his sceptre toward her. For us our King has raised His sceptre towards us too Hebrews 1:8 "But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom."1 Corinthians 1:30 "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption."

Conclusion:Are we ready to meet with the King of Kings and Lord of lords? Hebrews 4:16 "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." The confidence that is based upon our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and not our own ability or position. Honouring and revering the power and authority of our King.

For Such A Time As This

Background:Esther had a number of reasons why she could not go speak to the king regarding the Jews about the edict that was in circulation from Haman, who sought to annihilate all the Jews. She had not been called by the king for 30days, also as per Persian rule, no one could seek audience with the king without the king inviting them to do so. In spite of this if someone chose to meet the king it would be at the risk of their lives, unless the king would stretch out his gold scepter to them to indicate, their presence before the king was welcome. To all this excuse/reasons to avoid confrontation with the king, Mordecai replied to Esther 4:13-14 "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 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?"


Lessons I learnt

1. You have been chosen for your time and place-Like Esther all of God's children who believe in Him and walk in His will have been appointed to be in specific places at specific times. Acts 17:26 "From one man he(God) made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live."
2. Purpose of our being at our appointed places and times-Esther was chosen for her time, and so are we who have been chosen by our Lord to follow Him in these times. Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
3. The effect of the times comes on everyone, believer and unbeliever alike-"Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 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." Mordecai declares something very critical to Esther. It didn't matter where she was the edict would affect her as much as it would the other Jews, moreso if she were silent. When governments make a decision it affects all people in the country, aliens and residents alike. Whether they are working at the parliament or running a coffee shop in the corner unless the people involved take the initiative and speak out(not be silent).
4. To act upon the good works is our decision- "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place." It was for Esther to decide whether she would act and go before the king without his permission and die, or just plain die as per the command on the edict. The edict could be stopped but as for God's plan , it cannot be stopped Job 42:2"I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.", so we can decide to either participate and be blessed and be a blessing or just be an onlooker and gain nothing and be nothing. God's plan of salvation for the Jews would come from elsewhere and it did not depend ONLY on Esther's obedience.

Conclusion: Each one of us, have assignments (good works) to do before we depart. We have been saved for a cause, we are living in these times for a purpose, to shine out our Father's light before all the earth. Our tasks may include prayerfully voting and being faithful in our duties for our country, our families, our neighbours...in reverence to our Lord. For who knows, it could be your vote, which could sway the decision toward the right candidate. For who knows it is your life that could show someone the light and give them hope to live. For who knows it is your prayer that could bring a soul to the Lord. But be not mocked, God doesn't need to depend upon our work to fulfil His plan. We can choose to be a channel of God to the world around us. Lets face it, the more the amount of water that flows through a channel, the less likely it is that the channel will be clogged. Whereas an unused channel with some water it continues to hold without letting it flow, is likely to attract only mosquitoes and other insects and that channel will soon find itself to be in a stinky situation.

Swimming Upstream

Background: Esther 3-4 I have been complacent in my prayer life recently and this lesson from Esther just stirred my heart to continue standing in the gap till my work is done-either I have fully failed or fully succeeded, but not to give up in the middle of trying.

In these 2 chapters from Esther, Haman has been appointed in a place of authority and people must bow down to him as per King Xerxes' command. Mordecai refuses to do so and this brings a death sentence on all the Jews, just for this one man Mordecai. Mordecai then urges Esther to go before the king and plead their case. For Esther it is a time of testing, she hasn't been summoned by the king for a long time and as per Persian law, anyone who seeks audience with the king without the king's summon could be put to death, unless the king would raise their scepter toward them for entry.

Lessons I learnt

1. When you don't bow down to the enemy, it's highly likely he will attack not only you but all who are connected to you-When we decide not to go the way satan is taking the world, he sure doesn't like it and will make sure that not only you but all connected to you will suffer for your standing.


2. Though the enemy may seem to have authority to defeat/destroy you, God already has planned your escape route, are you ready to walk it- Though Haman had the king's signet ring to authorise the killing of all Jews, God had already placed the a key person for the Jews on the same turf-Esther, she was already in the king's house even before all this began. God was ready for this decree even when the Jews and even Esther was not.


3. Do whatever it takes to work out you and your people's freedom-From the current situation, Esther being in the king's palace, she was the only one who had access to talk to the king on behalf of the Jews. Mordecai urges her Esther 4:13-15 "...Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 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?" And Esther's decision to have herself and all the Jews fast for her before she goes before the king, with this determination "I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." (Esther 4:16)

Conclusion: Whenever I feel complacent about praying or sharing the message from Jesus Christ to someone in my family or someone in my knowing who does not know the Lord I remind myself of this-what would I do if I see a person drowning right before my eyes, when I know swimming and the person doesn't, will I sit and watch them go down or am I going to jump in and desperately and frantically try to bring them out of the water at any cost, even at the cost of my life. For I know where I will go when I die, but what about those that have been brought into my life, am I desperate enough as in a life or death situation to be moved and urged to bring them out?
Ezekiel 33:6 "But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood."

Dear Lord Jesus, remove every bit of complacency in me and fill me up with Your Passion for the people in this world, that You being God did not care about giving up Your life, so that we may be saved and live eternally. If it was so important to You that our lives be saved, teach me to be as passionate as You are about our lives. Fill me with the urgency to pray, to share the Word of God and demonstrate Your love and do whatever it takes to bring them to the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Saviour, that they too may be saved and enjoy Your Love for them. Who else could tell them except we Your body, Your eyes, Your hands and Your feet. Help me Lord and move me with passion for Your children who are lost and for whom only I could speak.
Amen

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