Esther illustrates the Providence of God

 Esther -- "A Study for our Time"

"During World War II a delightful Christian English lady kept a personal diary. It tells of her husband's death in the war effort. It tells of food rationing and the horrible bombing of London . It tells of her children's evacuation to the countryside. One night during the bombings the woman confessed that she woke up and could not get back to sleep. She kept thinking of Hitler, invasion, and the S.S. troops. She trembled until she suddenly thought, "Where is Alexander the Great who gobbled up the world? Where is Caesar's dogmatic rule upheld on the tips of spears? Where is Napoleon? They are all in their graves and come to naught," she wrote. "And that is where Hitler will be, too. The same God reigns!" And she rolled over, laughed, and went back to sleep! The Mid-East, terrorism, crime, abortion -- is this what your eyes are upon? Are you gazing at the world, and glancing at Christ? Rise above it! Lift up your eyes and see! The same God still reigns. Be assured!"

Stephen M. Crotts, Sermons for Sundays after Pentecost, CSS Publishing in sermons.com 

And this is the story for all of God's Children who live by trust and faith in Him. In 444 BC Nehemiah rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem. Esther was Queen in Persia 30 years before the wall was rebuilt.

Some say such as Halley in his Bible Handbook that without Esther, a Jew who became queen and was very influential in Persia ,that the wall would not have been rebuilt. Because of her actions along with others the Jewish people  (her adopted uncle---Mordecai is one)would not have been around to help along God's plan of the coming of Christ.

In other words all the stuff we see as trivial has a meeting. God is providentially working out His purposes among the jigsaw puzzle we don't see coming together.  Esther is such a book that without even mentioning God's name we see a Divine presence working out the purposes through the stuff we call unimportant. ( Perhaps we should call this new series Illustrating the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Bible by looking at the Bible characters and their stories?)

1. Esther replaces Queen Vashti because of the Persian queen's conduct.  Queen Vashti would not come at the King's command to his banquet.  In ch. 1 it was said she was a beautiful woman and he wished to show her beauty at his banquet.

Here although He is not mentioned God sets a train of action in motion that will cause Haddasah ( myrtle in Hebrew), Esther ( Star in Persian) to be the instrument of salvation for the Jews living in Persia at that time)

Application---what are we doing and going through in our life that we had not planned but we end up following because it is God's will for us?  Here too we trust in an unseen Providence.

2.  Esther is thrust into the queenship by a series of events.  Her uncle , Mordecai plays a part.  Esther follows his instructions and wisdom.  "Esther charms all who saw her."  2:15. New English Bible. It was more than her outward beauty.  Peter in his letter mentions this as well ch 3 of I Peter .  In talking of women who have disbelieving husbands, they may be won over, without a word being said, by observing the chaste and reverent behaviour of their wives.  ...." Your beauty should reside , not in outward adornment ---the braiding of the hair, or jewelry or dress--but in the inmost centre of your being, with its imperishable ornament, a gentle, quiet spirit, which is of high value in the sight of God.." 3:4 in I Peter

A royal crown was put on her head and she became queen in place of Vashti.   Here as well we here of something good that Mordecai did for Ahasuerus  the king.  He stopped two of the king's servants from carrying out a plot to kill the king.  He told Queen Esther of it, and " she told the king, mentioning Mordecai by name."  2:22

Application---We should listen to those of wisdom around us who follow God , and not be in such a hurry to do what we think is right. There is good, and there is better.  We need to choose , accthe better path even though we did not plan it.  Our patient following of God's will is the more acceptable path we should take as well.

----I wish to close this by quoting from one of the books my great-grandfather wrote " Living Messages of the Books of the Bible":"  God stands ' within the shadow , keeping watch above His own'.  He stands there today just as much as He did in the olden days.  ...We may make God a blasting force, or a healing one according to our attitude toward Him.  That is providence.  Providence is not a sweet sensational method, by which God juggles to take care of a few...I cannot escape His influence.  He is touching my life at every point."