Esther 4:13-14 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?

God Uses Esther to save His People

In chapter 2 we once again see God’s Providence at work as we meet Mordecai and Esther through the search for Vashti’s replacement. Mordecai was one of the Kings officers who served in the court and whose station was “at the Kings Gate” this may have been a literal gate in the palace or it may have simply meant a place where the kings officers would wait to be called to the King.

We then met Esther, Mordecai had raised her as his daughter when her father, Mordecia’s uncle had died.

Esther has been installed as the replacement of Vashti in the Kings attention and affections when in chapter 3 we meet Haman, a proud vain, ambitious, sycophantic man who wants first place in the Kings court. When he rides out one day past the other officers in the court yard, Mordecia refused to bow down as the others do.

There may have been a good reason for Mordecia refusing to bow and Haman despising Mordecia. Haman we are told is “Agagite,” which could mean he came from a district in the empire known as Agag. But it could also mean that he was descended from Agag, king of the Amalekites (1 Sam. 15:8). If the latter is the case, then we can easily understand why Haman hated the Jews and Mordecai would not bow. These were ancient, bitter and implacable enemies from the time of the Exodus.  - Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Committed, “Be” Commentary Series, (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1993), 92–94.

Haman determines not only to punish Mordecia, but to destroy all the Jews in all the lands of the Empire. Perhaps the greatest revenge of one person upon millions of people until Hitler.

Haman though his lies and his position with the King, gets the king to sign a law into effect that on the 13th day of the 12 month all the Jews in all the kingdom were to be killed and those who did the killing could keep the possessions of the families that they killed as a bounty.

It is under the danger of that decree that Mordecai comes to Esther and tells her she must be God’s Person for this hour. God’s person for God’s providence Eshter had never even told the King or anyone else that she was a Jew and now she must walk into the King’s presence without an invitation, which could result her own death and try and stop the slaughter of Mordecai and her people.

Mordecai in convincing her asks  this famous question, “who knows whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this.

He then appeals to her using three principles in 4:13-14

Faith: …then shall deliverance arise to the Jews from another place (based upon God’s promises.)

Fidelity: Thy fathers house shall be destroyed (loyalty and duty to your family)

Fortitude: thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this (courage to act)

We know God used Esther and Mordecai but the question for us today is….

Will God Use You?

In the Bible there are many examples of “for such a time as this.”

Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah: Daniel 3:16-18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Daniel in the lions den: Daniel 6:10  Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Peter and John before the Sanhedrin.: Acts 5:27-29   And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

You might say, “sure if those things happened, I’d stand for God just like the heroes of the Bible.”  Le me give you some other examples from today.

A teacher attacks Christianity and opens the class for discussion.  Do you speak or hold your tongue?

Co-workers or friends call you over to listen to a dirty story or watch an immoral video on their smart phone.  Do you awkwardly just smile and just go along or say something?

Your children want you to buy them music or take them to a show that you know is a bad influence and shows sin as enjoyable, even desirable.  Do you say ok?

Friends decide to eat out after work and when you arrive, they order a pitcher of beer for your table even though they know you don’t drink as a Christian. Should you stay while they drink?

You and a friend are driving down the highway and pass a car with the hood open and steam coming out of the radiator.  A mile or two later you pass a man walking with a gas can in his hand. Do you stop and help him?

The point is that no one can know for sure when God will use us, therefore we must be always ready “for such a time as this.”

How do you know what to do in these situations? What principles will you use to decide what you must do?  Just like Mordecai’s appeal to Esther we must have:

Faith in God’s promises

Fidelity to your God, you family and your Church

Fortitude, the courage to act now.

Those principles will never fail you in any decision you will make. I think they are reflected and summarized here in ….

1 Chronicles 19:13  Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.