People in Exile - Refuse to Remain Silent

Refuse to Remain Silent
Text: Esther 4:1-17 (Also read chapter 3 as background to this passage).


Seasons come and seasons go. Change marches toward us like an invading army. Opportunities here one day fade away to be replaced with something new. Each moment, each day brings new options for how we should live life or how we deny living. Into this reality comes questions, “What are you doing with the moment that has been granted to you? What are you doing with the opportunity placed before you?”


As the story of Esther progresses we discover a conflict that exists between Esther’s uncle, Mordecai, and an Agagite named Haman, a conflict that threatens God’s covenant people. Historically, the Jews and the Agagites have never gotten along. Agag was the king of the Amalekites at the time of Saul. This people frequently raided Israel. They are the first nation who tried to attack the Israel, as can be seen in Exodus 17. Saul was supposed to destroy the Agagites, but did not completely destroy them, leaving King Agag alive. Through the centuries, Agagite was a term used to speak of anyone behaving as enemies of Israel. Therefore, Haman may have been a direct descendent of Agag or he may have been identified as an Agagite because he and his father both have disdain toward the Hebrew people. The conflict between Mordecai and Haman is about more than Mordecai not bowing down to Haman. This conflict has its roots in racist attitudes. Now this conflict has risen to a point of extermination because Haman has convinced the king to eradicate the Hebrew peoples within the Persian Empire all because Mordecai refuses to bow down.


With this threat upon the Hebrew people a reality, Mordecai seeks to convince his niece to use her position as queen to persuade the king to reverse the law that calls for the eradication of all Hebrews. For Esther, to fulfill this request has its own set of risks. She would need to approach the king. To do so without the king’s permission could be courting death. Into this very real threat Uncle Mordecai challenges Esther with these words, “. . . if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.” Upon hearing these words Esther realizes that God has placed her at this time, in this place to deliver God’s covenant people. She has an opportunity and she takes it!


Ultimately, this passage is about God calling a person to be His agent of deliverance for the Jewish people in the Persian Empire. God uses Mordecai’s words and challenge to cause Esther to emerge from her cocoon of not identifying with the Jewish people and answer her call as deliverer.


We too are called at this moment, in this time to be God’s instruments of deliverance! It may not be in as severe of a circumstance as presented in the book of Esther, but we do have a purpose. Scripture defines the purpose of God’s covenant people as sharing the truth of the Gospel and making disciples. This is a call to deliverance-declaring that God gives victory through Christ Jesus! When we boldly claim this moment, this time and use this moment in our lives to bring deliverance to others, we claim purpose. Too often we feel we do not have purpose or we become focused on another moment, past or future, missing our purpose in the here and now. We all have a purpose in this time and this place!


Prayer: God, you are the guiding light for your people. Inspire us to claim this time as your time and as an opportunity to share the truth of your grace and love with the world. Banish our timidity! May we rise up in boldness with you as our faithful guide! May we depend on the truth of your presence as we bravely make use of this time you have granted! In Christ’s name, Amen!

People in Exile - Presence in the Absence

Presence in the Absence

Text: Esther 2:1-18 (You can read chapter 1 as well as it sets up the story)

All too often we find obstacles in life – things that push us away from our plans or away from how we think things should go. In normal life, we might deal with the loss of a loved one, a forced move, or the repercussions from choices made. Today, we all deal with the obstacle of Covid-19. It has interrupted our routines, our plans, our dreams, our futures.

Too often when faced with such times we also face the seeming absence of God. Unlike Moses, there is no burning bush calling out to us with plans. Unlike Isaiah, we do not encounter God in a vision of heaven, in which we are directed to act in a specific way. We exist and God seems outside of that existence.

This is how the people of Israel feel as they live in Susa, Persia at the start of the book of Esther. This is a people in exile. They rebelled against God and God came against them, sending them into a foreign land. They are away from the Temple, away from the Promised Land. In their thought this means they are away from God. Without the Temple, there is no divine presence to whom the people can go for worship and direction.

The author of Esther chooses a very unique way of presenting this reality. The author uses a literary technique of absence to declare the feelings of those in exile. In this historical retelling, the name of God does not appear. In the everyday activities the people feel that God does not appear. They are a people in exile. Too often we are a people in exile. Let’s begin to look at the story in this book to discover the truth of God’s presence even when we feel His absence.

The book of Esther tells the story of a people, the Hebrew people, apart from their homeland. The story begins by setting up the need that King Xerxes has for a new queen. In the king’s search for a new queen, he discovers the beautiful Hebrew woman: Hadassah or Esther. What will be discovered as the story continues is that there is an unseen hand moving and blessing the Hebrew people. Esther is elevated to the position of queen for a specific reason.

These behind the scene actions by a seemingly absent God reveal truths that can comfort us as we deal with the question of “Where is God?” in the midst of our current circumstances:

1.       God seems absent from this narrative. We never hear his name. In fact, the primary character of the story is encouraged to deny her heritage with the Hebrew people.

2.       Yet, God is present, sustaining His people. God chooses an individual from a remnant so that His people might rise up and have a place even as they are separate from the Temple and amongst the revelry, gods and materialism of the pagan lands.

3.       Life circumstances cannot subvert God’s sovereign plan or the protection He affords to His covenant people.

4.       God moves all history forward and works within that history to uphold the promises of His word.

5.       Often we find ourselves in exile. In the midst of this exile God is present even when He appears absent.

Prayer: All Present God, when I am honest, it feels that you sometimes abandon me. When I find myself feeling this way help me to rest in the truth that you promise to uphold those who seek after you. Help me to realize that a God who is love will never forsake the beloved. In Jesus name, Amen!