ESTHER 6, 7

 TEXT FOR REFLECTION

 On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2 And it was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3 And the king said, “What honor or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” The king's young men who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” 4 And the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king's palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him. ESTHER 6: 1-4

REFLECT

The story of Esther is deceptively parochial and almost domestic. The drama takes place largely in the King's court, or Haman's home, or in the vicinity of where Esther lived. The story revolves largely around Mordecai who sits daily at the palace gates, Esther who appears at the king's court at huge risk to herself, and Haman, the king's powerful, vain, and ruthless prime minister.

What the present day audience needs to be reminded is that Persia, the country in this story, is no small town. Rather, it was an empire comprising 127 vassal states, and about the size of present day China. Persia was then the most powerful nation in the world. Mordecai was merely an insignificant figure in this huge empire. Mordecai, Esther, and the Jews were powerless people in the stage of world politics. When a decree was made to kill Jews, it did not simply apply to a townful of Jews. It simply meant that every Jew would be killed; all of Judaism would be obliterated.

Chapter 5 ended with Haman obtaining permission from the king to hang Mordecai. Haman had all that he wanted. Throughout the Persian empire, he was the most powerful man, second only to the king. Mordecai was merely an ant compared to Haman. His fate was sealed the moment Haman received permission to hang him. Nothing and nobody could save him.

Uncannily though, overnight, the king remembered that Mordecai had saved him from assassination, and the king had not rewarded him for this. Since Haman had just entered the court, the king asked Haman how such a person should be rewarded, without revealing that it was Mordecai. Thinking the king was talking about Haman himself, Haman prescribed giving the hero the highest honour. Mordecai, who had just received the death sentence, was now to receive the highest honours from the king.

This story tells us that God is not just the Lord of large global events, but that He has His eyes on the small events and the 'insignificant' people affected by the acts of 'powerful' people. In the arena of world politics where the powerful vie for even more power, and the 'small people' are treated as mere pawns for the benefit of the elite and the powerful, God's concern is for the lowly ones, and He cares about every detail of their lives. 

RELATE

The story of God is about how God would come to live among the poor and the lowly. In the form of Jesus, God came to live with the despised, the unwanted, and the helpless. He showed that within the powerful Roman empire, he would live and eat, not with the rich and the powerful, but with the lowest of  the people. He reminded the people that even though they were pawns of the Roman emperor and of the religious elite, and their livelihoods depended on the powers that be, their God who feeds the sparrows will surely feed them. The gospels are full of stories, not of how God dealt with the powerful Roman emperor, but of individual stories of how Jesus touched the lives of the common person, most of whom were rejected or despised by others.

We often feel helpless in the hands of powerful persons. When top executives of a corporation decide to change the direction of their business, we are simply retrenched. Hardly any thought is spared for our welfare. We are just one small chip on their board. And while we worry about our futures, the rich and powerful simply earn an extra dollar at our expense. 

When a leader of a country decides to block the passage of grain from the rest of the world, he does not care that millions will starve as a result of his selfish decision. Yet the sovereign God cares for each individual affected by these actions. And we need to look out for stories of individuals and how God the Provider enters their lives and reaches out to them. And we need to pray that God who sees individuals will minister individually.

REST

Do you feel as if your future is determined by powerful people who do not care about you or your welfare? Our God cares for your personal struggles and welfare. And as He did for Mordecai, He will respond to your needs despite what those in power do. 

There is a children's song that has blessed me greatly, and which I would like to share with you (google it to get the song):

Did you ever talk to God above,

Tell Him that you need a friend to love?

Pray in Jesus' name believing that

God answers prayer?

Have you told Him all your cares and woes?

Every tiny little fear He knows.

You can know He'll  always hear

And He will answer prayer.

You can whisper in a crowd to Him

You can cry when you're alone to Him.

You don't have to pray out loud to Him,

He knows your thoughts.

On a lofty mountain peak He's there,

In a meadow by a stream He's there,

Anywhere on earth you go,

He's been there from the start.

Find the answer in His Word, it's true.

You'll be strong because He walks with you,

By His faithfulness He'll see you through

God answers prayer.

Chiu Ming Li