THE VIRTUE OF TWO QUEENS
Esther 2:17-19
17 The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 Then the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his princes and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts according to the king's bounty.
Est 2:20-21
Esther did what Mordecai told her as she had done when under his care.
INTRODUCTION
From the day Israel entered into the promised land their hearts were stilled
Focused on the lifestyle and the idol gods they worshiped in Egypt. 900
Years later they continued in their disobedience to God’s commands, angering Him to the point He commission King Nebuchnezzar of Babylon
To destroy Jerisalem and take them into captivity for 70 years.
After the 70 year period the Persian were in charge of the kingdom. God
Commissioned King Darius to set the Israelites free with the command and
The resources to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple Many Jews had become comfortable and prosperous in the foreign land
And made the choice not to return to the promised land.
There are six point to consider in this text
LET GOD LEAD YOU OUT OF TROUBLING SITUATIONS
VIRTUE IS BETTER THAN POSITION
DON’T REVEAL YOUR BUSINESS TO THE ENEMY
YOUR ELEVATION COMES WITH RESPONSIBILITY
LET YOUR PLANS BE GUIDED BY THE LORD
GOD WILL COME TO YOUR RESCUE
POINT 1. When God give you a way out of a bad situation, take it immediately
The first mistake of some of the Israelites after God made it possible for them to return to the promised land was to stay in the land they had become comfortable with. They were in land that worshipped idol gods. This was not the home God chose for them. We should never let our comfort over rule the righteousness of God.
God has given us good sense to know when we are in a bad situation. It is a choice to stay or go to a safer place. It is easier to say where you are and hope for the best than to pick up and move.
POINT 2. VIRTUE IS BETTER THAN POSITION
Ahasuerus became king of the Persian empire where many Jews lived. In the third year of his kingdom. He threw a party for 180 days to show off his
Kingdom and power to all the nations under his rule. A drunken, boastful king ordered his queen, his wife Vashti to come and dance before the group of drunken men to show off her beauty. She refused to degrade herself in that manner and this infuriated the King.
King Ahasuerus had degraded himself with his drunkenness to all the
Officials of the 127 provinces he ruled. Sin had taken it’s course for
180 days. The king’s degradation was at its lowest level. It was Lust of the flesh to request his wife to degrade herself before drunken men. It was a sin against the sacred office of marriage that God created.
There is a difference between like and love. There is a difference between love and lust. Queen Vashti was one of the king's prized possessions. She
Was replaceable. She did not live in the King’s chambers. She was only invited to his bed when he, the King had a need. If she approached his chambers uninvited she could be killed. The lesson from Queen Vasthi is
YOU GOT TO STAND FOR SOMETHING OR YOU WILL FALL FOR ANYTHING. STAND FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
The king was infuriated. Vashti set an example for all the women of the kingdom. They had value beyond the empty picture of a wife. She set an
Example that we live and answer to a higher power than man.
The king listened to all his advisors on what to do with Queen Vasthi. They
All counselled the King to replace Vashti for the bad influence for all the women of his empire to disobey the King and their husbands. There is no mention of the king counseling with Queen Vashti before or after the banquet. His like became hatred. There was no love involved. There was no grief involved that he would lose his wife.
The king held a pageant of all the beautiful virgins in the empire. Esther was most beatiful and was chosen by the king to replace Vashti as queen.
He relied totally on her beauty for His selection (2:17).
POINT 3 DON’T REVEAL YOUR BUSINESS TO THE ENEMY
The problem Esther had was that under the direction of her uncle Moidecai she did not reveal that she was a Jew. This secret would work to hear advantage in an upcoming event unknown to her. God never tels us all events, but He there with us as they happen.
After a time, two of the kings trusted officials became angry with the king and developed a plot to kill him. Satan came to steal, kill and destroy. He is an equal opportunity killer. Satan’s evil influence on people my open opportunities for you.
GOD IS WORKING IN THE BACKGROUND FOR YOUR GOOD
Esther 2:21-23
21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's officials from those who guarded the door, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 22 But the plot became known to Mordecai and he told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai's name. 23 Now when the plot was investigated and found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows;
Because Mordeca and Esther saved the king’s life, they were held in high esteem. God allows evil to benefit those He loves. We never know what
Work God is doing through others that will benefit us.
HAMAN’S PLOT BACKFIRED
Esther 3:1-2
After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and established his authority over all the princes who were with him.
Hanam was a proud man and he demanded that everyone bow down to Him. Mordecai refused and a plot was hatched to kill all the Jews in the Persian empire.
Doing the 70 years of captivity, the Jews had multiplied through out the
127 provinces of the Persian empire. Haman and his cohorts hatched a plan to deceive the King that all the Jews had their own laws and did not
Follow the KIng. He promised to pay the King 10000 talents of silver to
Kill all the Jews (13 to 200 billion in today's dollars)
The King signed the decree but had a dream that cause him to review the
What Mordecai had done to save Him. He ordered Haman to honor
Mordecai. The king did not know Haman had built a gallows to hang
Mordecai.
POINT 4 YOUR ELEVATION COMES WITH RESPONSIBILITY
QUEEN ESTHER FORCED TO GET INVOLVED
In the meantime Mordecai had heard the plan to kill all Jews and tore his
clothes and put on sackcloth before the gate of King palace. All the jews
Did the same throughout all the provinces of Persia.
Haman’s plan was made know to Queen Esther by Mordecai
Est 4:13-14
13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, "Do not imagine that you in the king's palace can escape any more than all the Jews. 14 "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?"
Sometimes God will position us to a work He has prepared for us
Esther was not responsible for location in an unGodly land that
Worshipped idol gods. As a child she was cared for by Her uncle
When her parents died. Her uncle Mordecai made a decision to
Stay in Persia after God released the Jews to return to Israel.
Many other Jews stayed in Persia. Esther was positioned by God to save’
The lives of many Jews.
POINT 4 QUEEN’S PLAN GUIDED BY THE LORD
PRAYER AND FASTING COMMUNICATION WITH THE LORD
Est 4:15-5:1
15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 "Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish." 17 So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.
While the Name of the one true living God is not mentioned in the text it is clear that God was in the minds of the Jews. Putting on sackcloth and torn clothes is a Jewish custom . Sackcloth was a sign of grief and repentance
(Job:42:6, Lam 2:10, Joel 1:8). Corporate prayer and fasting was a Jewish tradition (2 Chronicles 20:5, Jonah 3:5-10).
Corporate prayer is powerful before the Lord. He knows our hearts and
Hear our prayers. The Bible says where two or more are gathered in His name He will be in the midst. God acts according to our faithfulness. He will act in a time that is appropriate to our circumstances.
Queen Esther had not seen the king in 30 days. It was a death sentence to approach the kings chambers without being invited, She knew the law of the persians so she stood outside His chambers until he invited her in. The king noticed her troubling spirit and promised half his kingdom to end her troubled heart.
Est 5:1-4
Now it came about on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace in front of the king's rooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room, opposite the entrance to the palace. 2 When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter. 3 Then the king said to her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you." 4 Esther said, "If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him."
Esther had a plan to expose Haman’s plan to kill all the Jews. She requested a banquet with the king and invited Haman. She saved the details until the banquet. A plan to keep her troubles on the king's mind.
About the same time Haman was gaining glory from his wife and friends
Who advised him to build a gallows to hang Mordecai.
POINT 5 GOD INTERVENED ON BEHALF OF BELIEVERS
Esther 6:1-2
6 During that night the king could not sleep so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2 It was found written what Mordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh,
Esther 6:4-5
Haman had just entered the outer court of the king's palace in order to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared for him. Est 6:5
Haman came in and the king said to him, "What is to be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?" Est 6:7-9
Then Haman said to the king, "For the man whom the king desires to honor, 8 let them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and the horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown has been placed; 9 and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king's most noble princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and lead him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him, 'Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.'"
Haman thought the KIng was referring to Him. So he advised the king to
Elevate the man in question to a position of glory. Assuming the king was
Talking about him, Haman would have the highest honor next to the king.
God can cause your enemies to bless you with their mouths. What the enemy prepare for themselves can be given to you. God causes the evil plans of the enemy to bless you.
Esther 7:1-7
7 Now the king and Haman came to drink wine with Esther the queen. 2 And the king said to Esther on the second day also as they drank their wine at the banquet, "What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done." 3 Then Queen Esther replied, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me as my petition, and my people as my request; 4 for we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed and to be annihilated. Now if we had only been sold as slaves, men and women, I would have remained silent, for the trouble would not be commensurate with the annoyance to the king." 5 Then King Ahasuerus asked Queen Esther, "Who is he, and where is he, who would presume to do thus?" 6 Esther said, "A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman!" Then Haman became terrified before the king and queen.
POINT 6 A PLAN WITH GOD IS A PLAN THAT WILL SUCCEED
Haman’s plan was born out of his pride and failure to force Mordecai to
Bow down to him. He elevated himself before men boasted of his success
And wanted all glory for himself. His anger was such that he would kill a
Nation of people to satisfy his desire for fame.
Haman’s plan failed because God heard the prayers of His people in a foreign land. The same thing happen in Egypt for God’s people who
Cried out to God for relief from idol god worshipping Pharaoh.
God is the same today as yesterday. What God did for others He will do for you.
Eshert 7:7-8
7 The king arose in his anger from drinking wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm had been determined against him by the king. 8 Now when the king returned from the palace garden into the place where they were drinking wine, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, "Will he even assault the queen with me in the house?"
Est 7:10
So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, and the king's anger subsided.
Haman meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.
WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE TWO QUEENS
FROM VASHTI VIRTUE IS BETTER THAN POSITION
IT DON’T STAND FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, YOU WILL FALL FOR ANYTHING
NEVER BE COMFORTABLE IN ANY UNGODLY SITUATION
WHEN GOD PROVIDES YOU A WAY OUT OF AN UNGODLY SITUATION, TAKE IT IMMEDIATELY
YOU CANNOT TRUST AN ENEMY OF GOD
GOD PUTS YOU IN BAD SITUATIONS TO STAND FOR OTHERS
YOUR ELEVATION COMES WITH RESPONSIBILITY
YOU ARE THE VOICE OF GOD FOR THE COMMUNITY
TRUST GOD WHEN ATTACKED BY THE ENEMY
TAKE YOUR REQUEST TO GOD
PRAYER, FASTING AND MEDITATION
ENLIST THE COMMUNITY TO PRAY
FOLLOW THE LAWS OF THE LAND
ALLOW GOD TO DIRECT YOUR PLANNING
STAND FOR RIGHT AND ALLOW GOD TO MAKE IT
RIGHT
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