Throughout the book of Esther, God works quietly behind the scenes. While His presence may at times feel distant, Esther 6 clearly reveals His sovereign hand. Through a narrative filled with both humor and irony, we see how the Lord uses seemingly insignificant events and decisions to bring about the miraculous deliverance of Mordecai - and His people.
In Esther, chapter 5, we see a sharp contrast between the words and actions of Esther and the words and actions of Haman. And while it's easy to identify with the former and condemn the latter, we have to admit that there's a lot of Haman in all of us. Thank God that He is a King that extends grace and favor to us even when we don't deserve it.
In Esther 4, we see God’s people facing a desperate situation, condemned to death and unable to save themselves. While Esther is called to risk her life on behalf of her people, we are reminded that we, too, need someone to intercede for us and accomplish what we cannot do for ourselves. In the fullness of time, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who willingly bore our sins, defeated death, and accomplished our salvation, giving us a sure hope in Him.
As we pick up in the story of Esther again this Sunday, we are introduced to the villain of the story - a man named Haman. And in what might be the greatest overreaction in all of human history, Haman feels disrespected by Mordecai and vows to have Mordecai's entire race destroyed. Come be reminded that God's providence and God's promises are still in effect, even when it looks like the enemy is winning.
This Sunday, as we move into the 2nd chapter of Esther, we are finally introduced to two of the main characters. However, as we see the lives of Esther and Mordecai, and the decisions they make, we are left wondering if they have remained faithful to their Jewish heritage. Are they compromising their faith, or just concealing it? And either way, who should we look to as the hero of this story?
As we launch a new sermon series in the book of Esther this Sunday, we begin by seeing a very wealthy and powerful earthly king - a king who decides to throw a massive feast. However, a series of questionable decisions leads to some very providential events. And through it all, we see that the true King over creation is actually in charge, and He is planning an even greater feast.
