Esther 4:1-14 "When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; and came even before the King's gate: for none might enter into the King's gate clothed with sackcloth. And in every province, whithersoever the King's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her, Then was the Queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not. Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the King's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.
So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the King's gate. And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the King's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them. Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to show it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the King, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people. And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;
All the King's servants, and the people of the King's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the King into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the King shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the King these thirty days. And they told to Mordecai Esther's words. Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the King's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this ?"
In order to understand the place of this book within the historical section of the Old Testament, it should be read between chapters six and seven of the book of Ezra, linking the events in Esther with not only the book of Ezra but also the book of Nehemiah. Esther, a Jewish captive, became the bride of the Persian King, Ahasuerus, and it is clear that she, under GOD's sovereign hand, came to the kingdom at a very critical time. The book of Esther is fascinating, with a cast of characters consisting of King Ahasuerus, Vashti (the Queen who was displaced), Esther (the orphan who was crowned in Vashti's place), Mordecai (a detested Jew who came to be respected), Haman (the villain, fittingly executed in the end), and the Jews, who won their freedom after being sentenced to die when Haman sought to destroy them because of his utter hatred of Mordecai -- yet another satanic attempt to abolish the people of GOD.
This book is the Romans 8:28 (pictured above) of the Old Testament. Though the name of GOD is never mentioned in the text, we find the singular providence of GOD in taking care of HIS people amid adversity, in humbling the proud, in exalting the lowly, and in saving those who pray to HIM and trust in HIM. Matthew Henry said, "If the name of GOD is not here, HIS finger is." A. T. Pierson wrote, "The name of GOD is not found here. HIS is a secret control of the affairs of HIS people: a hidden hand shifts the scenes. Only the eye of faith sees the divine factor in human history, but to the attentive observer all history is a burning bush aflame with the mysterious PRESENCE." We are here reminded of GOD's unseen hand in delivering HIS people, even unto this day. JED
Your servant in CHRIST,
Julie
Copyright, FEATURE: A Daily Bible Study Guide.
Used with permission. www.featoday.org
https://fivestarchristianministries.com/salvation
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