Man’s responsibility
For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther 4:14
The book of Esther is like a movie plot, but God is not mentioned in any way throughout the book. While God is not mentioned at all, this book is woven tightly around God's sovereignty and men's responsibility, ultimately completing God's purpose for deliverance.
Today's key verse was spoken by Mordecai, Esther's uncle, who presented a critical choice to Esther as the Jews were about to be annihilated. Esther had a choice: be silent or speak out. It is noteworthy that Mordecai said "relief and deliverance would arise for the Jews from another place." Basically he said, “If you don't take this responsibility, God will choose someone else for His deliverance.” In other words, God's will always prevails, but it is always up to men to respond to God's calling. Therefore, I do not believe in fatalism that everything is predestined so we are not required to play our part.
Esther made a difficult decision that required courage, wisdom, and obedience since coming before the king uninvited was a huge risk, and she needed wisdom to defuse Haman's annihilation plan.
However, she knew her role as the queen and grasped why she obtained so much favor and was blessed with such beauty. It was clear to her that "favor for a purpose for such a time as this." This made her so determined to say “if I perish, I perish.”
Esther showed how men's responsibilities integrate seamlessly with God's sovereignty. As a result of her decision to help the Jews, she proclaimed a three-day fast to pray for the spiritual battles and the upcoming physical battles.
Several incidents followed the fast with divine timing, including the king suddenly recalling Mordecai at night, Haman appearing to insult Esther as he pleaded, thus Haman was executed on his own gallows. There was still more to the story, the Jews had to fight physically and destroy enemies that resulted in an overwhelming victory.
The book of Esther reveals the truth, to understand God's plan and obey and act on it. For "such a time as this" we were born to play our part!
Blessing prayer: May your "Chayil" mean valor, virtue, strength, and wisdom upon us, so that we may understand and act upon God's plan! In Jesus’ name, Amen
