Rev Jim Lyons_Esther Ch5_Sun 8th Mar 26

Continuation of our series in Esther where Esther approaches the King. The Bible reading is from the book of Esther chapter 5 v 1-14.

Transcript

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To the book of Esther, and we're in chapter five. So we're gonna read this chapter together, just fourteen verses of Esther, chapter five. I'll give you a little time to find that. Book of Esther, chapter five, beginning at verse one. Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace, across from the king's house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house. So it was when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court that she found favour in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter. And the king said to her, What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you up to half the kingdom. So Esther answered, If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him. Then the king said, Bring Haman quickly, that he may do as Esther has said. So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared. At the banquet of wine the king said to Esther, What is your petition? It shall be granted to you. What is your request? Up to half the kingdom. It shall be done. Then Esther answered and said, My petition and request is this if I have found favour in the sight of the king, and it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then that the king and Haman come to the banquet, which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said. So Haman went out that day, joyful and with a glad heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the gate in the king's gate, and that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zarish. Then Haman told them of his great riches, the multitude of his children, everything in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and servants of the king. Moreover Haman said, Besides, Queen Esther invited no one but me to come in with the king to the banquet that she prepared. And tomorrow I am again invited by her along with the king. Yet all this avails me nothing. So long as I see Mordecai, the Jew sitting at the king's gate. Then his wife Zarish and all his friends said to him, Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it. Then go merrily with the king to the banket. And the thing pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made. Amen. We look to the Lord for his blessing on his word. That's a short prayer. Heavenly Father, we come before you this evening, and we just bow before the authority of your word. We pray that you'll help us, not only as we've read it, but help us to understand what it's saying to us, and Lord, minister to us through it. Help us to grasp what it meant for the people then, but how we can take it and take it into our lives and how we can apply it to us each day. And so, dear Father, we just commit the remainder of the service to you and ask you for your help for Christ's sake. Amen. And as they're trying to convey this particular thing to you, you have a blank look on your face which just simply says, I don't have a clue what you're talking about. The problem is, of course, that they are in the middle of thinking through something, and in the middle of all of that, they launch out from that point to converse with you. Names, places, experiences are all recalled, yet you're totally at sea as you try to join the pieces together and make some sense of it. To say the least, they are a little bit frustrated with your lack of response, and when it dawns on them what has occurred, they then bring you into the context of their thoughts, and all things eventually become clear. As we consider Esther chapter 5 this evening, I'm aware that we haven't been in the book since January the 18th due to another preaching engagement and five Sundays of testimony meetings in the evenings. Because of this, I don't want to launch into the middle of this without some context. The narrative of chapter up to chapter three, we know has involved the removal of Vashti from continuing as queen, and of course the choice of Esther as her replacement. That process, of course, that led Esther to becoming queen in chapter two was not neat and tidy in this godless empire. Yet, through it all it was evident that God was with Esther. Although Esther is queen, yet wicked Haman is exalted and honored as the King Ahjawerus as prime minister in chapter three. And the king's decree alongside of that and accompanying his appointment was that everyone would bow and publicly honor him. He felt absolutely brilliant about this, but Mordecai, being a Jew, refused because he must obey God, especially when authorities expect him to do something which God forbids. Haman, of course, is infuriated. He overreacts to say the least, and he seeks to punish Mordecai and wipe out all Jews because of a longstanding hostility against them, and that those right down his ancestry to the Amalekites. The data set to achieve this aim, and that of course is accompanied with the king's approval. Chapter 3 concludes with a document both drawn and then circulated by the couriers through the empire. In chapter 4, the Jews respond with great grief, and in particular, the spotlight is shone upon this individual Jew, Mordecai. Mordecai then seeks to get Esther the Queen's attention, to get her and help her to see that she has a tremendous responsibility of now making supplication for her people, the Jews, before the king. And that's the setting for chapter 5. And how Esther responded to this request of Mordecai. In this chapter, the three main players obviously are Esther, the king, and Haman. And yet, of course, when you're looking at this book, there are always four. Because although not mentioned in the book, God is present. Therefore, it's always good to remind ourselves that when God is seemingly absent, he is evidently present through events in our lives. As we consider the chapter before us, we look obviously at those three main characters. So we look at Esther's approach to the king in verse 1, and then the king's favor toward Esther, verse 2 to the 8. And then that's followed by Haman's heart in all of its ugliness in verse 9 to 14. So, first of all, we have Esther's approach in the first verse. And there are two points we can make about Esther's approach that she made to the king. And the first thing we can say that her approach was both courageous and it was wise. When Mordecai set before her the great responsibility of going to the king on behalf of her people, as far as she was concerned about this suggestion, it's not as simple as it sounded. And she emphasized that back in chapter 4 and verse 11. All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who is not being called, he has but one law, put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go into the king these thirty days. In so many words, Esther says to Mordecai, This is verging on the impossible, and my life could be in the line by taking such a course of action. The point is that you just don't go nilly-willy into the king's presence, but you wait to be invited, as this is the recognized protocol. To do otherwise was fraught with danger, for if he didn't hold out the scepter of acceptance, then you would be executed. And previously we noted from historians that he had men around his throne armed with axes to mutilate anyone who approached without a specific summons. That's the background to Esther's approach to the king. So to respond positively here would involve, from Esther's point of view, great courage and also trust in God's sovereign control. Also, she exercises wisdom, as at the end of chapter four, we have the balance between surrendering to do what needs to be done, alongside also the preparation before doing so. So she asks them to join her and her maidens at the end of chapter four in fasting. It doesn't mention prayer, but we assume that prayer is packed into that. Then she revealed what her course of action is in verse 16 of chapter 4. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law, and if I perish, I perish. In this, Esther expresses a clear dependency upon God and acknowledges that as Mordecai has already said, that it is he who has brought her into this position to the kingdom for such a time as this. She trusts in God. She shows great courage in going before the king to plead on the behalf of those who are condemned to death. To see how big a thing it is, just try and imagine what it would be like if you were in her shoes. Maybe we can compare a little bit to Solomon, who was about to take control of the kingdom of Israel, following his father David. When Solomon succeeded David, he had an overwhelming sense of inadequacy. He knew the people would expect great things from him, which is often the case when a son takes on the same role from his father. So during the night, God appears to him in a dream, and he asks him, What shall I give you? And because of the great challenge, great expectations, great fear and inexperience, he asked for wisdom to judge the people. And God granted him his request. He was leaning upon God for his future rule. No doubt Esther would have been praying for courage, but surely she would be seeking God for wisdom. We too face situations in our lives, and when we are dealing with people, we just cannot adopt one rule for all. Otherwise, we will find ourselves in a mess. We will make massive mistakes. We need courage to do what's right, yet we must exercise wisdom so that we don't rush in like a bull in a China shop and then be left with greater repercussions than the initial problem. In gaining wisdom from God, Solomon leaves us familiar and great advice. I hardly need to put it up because we know it so well. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. That means to lie down flat on your face. Lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path. So I think it's fair to suggest that her approach to the king involved courage, but it also involved great wisdom before going in before the king. The second thing is her approach was careful and respectful in verse one. We'll read it again. Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace, across from the king's house. While the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house. When we come to Esther's approach to the king, we can sense the seriousness of the situation from the fact that before she goes to the king, she asks them to fast for three days. So has spent, she has spent this time in preparation, and on the third day she knows now it's time to act. And there is a time for waiting, and there is a time for preparing, and there is a time for pre praying, but there is a time for acting. And when that time comes, we must act. The seeming outcome for Esther in both scenarios is death. If she didn't go before the king, if she didn't respond positively to Mordecai's suggestion, then she's gonna die with the Jews. If she did, it seems, his henchmen would rearrange her physical feature from breaking the evident protocol. Giving all this, we can see this is a pressured, this is a very tense and stressful situation. And it's one, it seems, in the book that the writer wants us to think about because think about so seriously because of the way he slowed, the writer slows things down at this point to nearly like a walking pace. You can see this when you consider in chapter 1, verse 3. The narrative commences in the third year of the king's reign. Chapter 2, verse 16, you jump to the seventh year of the king's reign. Then from chapter into chapter 3, verse 7, we're taken to the 12th year of his reign. Therefore, in the first three chapters, you've covered about a region of an area of about nine years. Yet what happens in these next chapters is just a matter of days. So the writer says that Esther put on her royal robes, whatever they were. They were obviously dignified dress for a queen, and I'm just surmising that when the king crowned Esther, put the crown on her head in chapter 2, verse 17, that along with that crowning came these robes for his new queen. Whatever may be drawn from her dress, we can say that she was careful in her attire. And it spoke of respect for the king and his possession of authority. I do not think here there is any warrant for going to the races and running all over the place with respect to dress. But the focus clearly here is upon respect to authorities for official possessions. Yet, in that, certain circumstances may involve dress. If I am going to see King Charles tomorrow, that's not happening. I wouldn't want to go on a Monday morning anyhow, getting over Sunday, but just never going to happen. But if I was going there, I wouldn't be going in my Monday wear, a pair of jeans and whatever else. Just wouldn't. Because people in their position, their position demands respect because of the place of authority that they have. And we know it's clear from Romans 13, from 1 Peter 2 and 1 Timothy 2, that the authorities above us are a gift from God. Therefore, at times, although we may not agree or even appreciate, and maybe at times not even like the official, we are called to respect the official position and pray for those who have the rule over us. Esther was respectful of the king, but she was very careful in how she went to approach him. The situation was dire, and given the planned destruction for the Jews, she just didn't come and rush into the king, spit everything out before him, but she carefully thought everything through. She dressed appropriately, she positioned herself in a strategic place so not to break the protocol, yet close enough that the king could see her. So Esther makes her approach to the king. That's took a bit of time. This will take a less time, I hope, or you will be sleeping. Secondly, we have the king's favor shown toward Esther. Although she is attired and positioned, yet that didn't guarantee her acceptance. Naturally, in this context, she was in the position of condemnation, and only if the king held out the scepter would she be accepted. And we have the king's response here in verse 2. So it was when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court that she found favor in his sight. And the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter. We maybe can see here a picture through Esther as mediator, and the Lord Jesus' our mediator. As mediator for her people, she risked her life. She went into the presence of the king to plead for a condemned people, and the king spared her life. So the Lord Jesus, as our mediator, to plead for us, didn't just risk her life, but deliberately and voluntarily gave his life, passed into the heavens to appear in the presence of God for us. Therefore, we can come without any sense of condemnation to this throne of grace and mercy, confident of acceptance before him. That when I recognize that the Lord Jesus died on the cross for me, that that sacrificial offering was for me, to make peace with God for me, and I rest in him with all my heart as my Savior, then he comes into my life by his Holy Spirit, and we have free access into the presence of God, and no longer is there condemnation over my life. We know from Proverbs chapter 21, verse. 1 That just as water can be diverted and directed to the place where it is needed, so the king's heart, it says, is in the hand of the Lord, and he can move him to accomplish his purposes. This is the most powerful man in the empire. And yet God can move him whatever way he wants. He's one to be feared above all others. Yet here the tables turn. As we follow the narrative through, we will see in this dialogue that Esther seems to be the human person in control. Knowing that Esther's not coming to pass a time of day, but there's something motivating her to come. And the king knows this. So he asks her and he gives her great insurance, assurance in verse 3. King said to her, What do you wish, King Esther? What's your request? It shall be given to you up to half the kingdom. What a welcome she's given. The king gives and writes her a blank check. The promise of half his kingdom. And of course, we know that happened in chapter 6 of Mark in the New Testament. It was made by King Herod to Herodias's daughter. And it's something that we don't take literally. It's hyperbole, hyperbole, I'm not sure which it's pronounced, but you know what it means. It's really tantamount to saying, I really want to give you whatever you desire. I don't think that Ahazoeris was about to give half of his kingdom to his queen. I'll give you whatever you desire. Esther must have been amazed at how God has gone before her in answer to prayer. We often find this to be the case, don't we? When we're stressing over something which we have already committed to the Lord. Yet looking back we can see how God was ahead of us in preparing the way. You would think that with the door now open to Esther, just ask me, Esther, whatever you want, that she would just slap down her petition about the people, and she would reveal the wicked deeds of Heman. Esther does display great wisdom, as the time would come and the context would be right to make a request, and she is little by little moving toward that goal. So she responds to the king in verse four by inviting him and Haman to the banquet, which will be held in his honor. In verse five, he and Haman attend the banquet, and in verse six, once again he asks Esther what her petition is, and give the assurance it'll be granted. So she responds, In verse seven, then Esther answered, My petition request is this if I find favor in the sight of the king, if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then let the king and hean come to the banquet, which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do, as the king is saying, She's a busy woman. She's a busy woman preparing banquets. There's going to be another banquet the next day. It may seem that Esther is playing hard to get, yet it wouldn't be until chapter seven, and the third asking from the king, that Esther would reveal her petition. It's a you know, I don't think I can truly grasp the courageousness of this lady. How much God was with her to just drag this king along, the most powerful man in the empire. And as much as we just love the chapter, go to chapter 7, we'll confine ourselves to chapter 5, Esther was waiting for God's timing. Because sometimes, isn't it true? Immediate action is necessary. While at other times, which we do find very difficult to explain, you sense we need to delay until the right moment. Therefore, sometimes if I go visiting somebody or I'm in a situation where I've got to talk to somebody and I've got all worked out in my mind what I'm going to say to them and what I want to say to them and what I feel will be helpful for them. And then when it gets to the point of you're going to do that and convey that to them, there just seems to be something stopping you. There just seems to be a restraint in your spirit. And when the Holy Spirit does that, well, we need to follow his promptings and follow what he's trying to do. And sometimes it's immediate action, and then sometimes the Lord holds us back. We live in a society that's used to getting everything immediately. And you know, sometimes in our society it can affect our Christian living in that we find it difficult to wait for the Lord's time. Sometimes in our Christian lives we're seeking for something and thinking about something, and I just want to see that happening and that develop. And we can be, as this mentioned this morning, Abraham and Sarah, who, although having God's promise of a great nation coming through their relationship, yet they don't even have a child at that point. They take matters into their own hand and they sought to have children through Hagar. Such action, of course, brought great trouble into their home. And it reminds us we must be careful of trying to ever run ahead of God, to trust in him with all our heart, not lean on our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge him. He will direct our past. The last section is Haman's heart, verse 9 to 14. This section commences in verse 9 with Haman having a good day. This was only because he was only because only he's invited to be guests with the king and the queen. Not only that, but he's invited back for the second banquet on the following day. And with the prospect of hearing Esther's request, what it was going to be. And he's absolutely full of this in verse 12. I'm sure you're familiar with the phrase, or maybe you're not kakahoop. You're familiar with kaka hoop? Kakahoop is a phrase that has various interpretations regarding its origins. But its meaning is to be extremely happy or excited about something. And if you have somebody who's excited about something, you could say they're kakahoop. I think Haman at this point is Kakahoo. But you know what it's like when you're having a good day? There's something or someone that comes along to challenge your mood, as there was for Haman here in verse 9. So it says, So Haman went out that day joyful and with a glad heart. And when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's game, and that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against this man, Mordecai. What got to him was that this Persian official would not bow and pay homage to him like everybody else did. What's what's what is it with this man? It grieves him so much, it's mentioned again in verse 13. Haman loves public recognition and the praise of others, of course, as long as he is a center of attraction. But when he doesn't get it, his self-centered ego is severely damaged. We see in verse 10 how he responds to this. Somehow he's able to restrain himself. On that occasion, then he went home to continue the train of self-congratulation. Verse 10 and 11, nevertheless, Haman restrained himself, went home and he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zerish. And Haman told him of his great riches, the multitude of his children, everything in which the king had promoted him, and how he advanced him above all the officials and servants of the king. But they probably knew that already, anyhow. Haman's heart is in full display. It's just downright ugly. Imagine a man coming home from work, he's done his day's work, he goes in the door. What does he do? Well, any man with sense and a love for his wife will say, How was your day? How did your day go? He says to his kids, How was school? How did things go for you today? Not Heaman. He's not interested in anybody else. He's just interested in himself. Do you know? I think if Heyman were alive today, what he's doing here, I think he'd have it all over Facebook. For his friends to see how wonderful he is. There's something badly wrong with this man, and badly wrong with everybody who put themselves on show for everybody to see. If we are to be praised, then we must let God do it. And we must keep humble about it. The actor John Barrymore said, one of my chief regrets during years in the theatre is that I couldn't sit in the audience and watch me. That's Heyman, isn't it? Oscar Wilde said, Come over here and sit with next to me. I'm dying to tell you all about myself. That's Heyman all over. He's full of pride. When Heyman came home, he didn't ask his family, as I said, how did things go for you? He can't wait to talk about himself. Pride's an awful sin. It's an awful sin because it blinds us to the fact that all we have by the way of success and achievement is really a gift from God. It also robs God of the praise and the glory that ought to go to him. Just a couple of scriptures to remind ourselves of, ones we know so well, Proverbs 16, 18. Pray goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before the fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud. Proverbs 29, verse 23, a man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor. You just write that over Naiman's life here, and in this situation. This led to his exaltation to the Father's right hand, far above all authority and dominion. His example then became the pattern for Christian living. And the apostles took this up in their teaching. And so, thinking of Peter and James, we're reminded from then that God resists the pride, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, they say we they exhort us to humble ourselves under God's mighty hand, and he will exalt us at the right time. But Haman's pride was going to bring him down. A man's pride, the Proverbs said, will bring him down. Because of his dented pride, his wife and friend suggested in verse 14 to build a gallows. That before you go to the great banquet tomorrow, high Mordecai on those gallows, go to the banquet. But a man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor. And isn't that what's happening next in chapter six and seven? This man's pride will bring him down, he'll be hung in his own gallows, and despised Mordecai will be exalted. Just to remind you again of God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12, verse 3. He said, I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you. And that was true of this man Haman and the ugliness of his heart. So Wester came and approached the king, and the king showed favor to her. And then it seems like an interlude, we've got this whole piece here about Mordecai and about Haman's heart and the ugliness of pride, and that's introducing us to the next section when Mordecai is honored and exalted. Let's stand together and sing our closing song.