Esther: Inconspicuous Providence

Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods and marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and precious stones. Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king. And drinking was according to this edict: “There is no compulsion.” For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired. Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus.  On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.  Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for this was the king’s procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment, the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom): “According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, “Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For the queen’s behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt, since they will say, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.’ This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s behavior will say the same to all the king’s officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty. If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.” This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people.

After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. Then the king’s young men who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the citadel, under custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Let their cosmetics be given them. And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.  Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away. He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. So when the king’s order and his edict were proclaimed, and when many young women were gathered in Susa the citadel in custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king’s palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women. And the young woman pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen young women from the king’s palace, and advanced her and her young women to the best place in the harem. Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known. And every day Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.  Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women— when the young woman went in to the king in this way, she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.  When the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her. And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther’s feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.- Esther 1-2:18 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The real king

Ahasuerus was king. He is also known as Xerseus. He is the king over the Medes-Persian empire. He is throwing a party. Not just any party, this is a six month long party. This is not a formal party. He issues an edict that people can drink as much as they want. He had furniture made of gold. He is trying to impress. But this is a satirical portrayal. The author is trying to poke fun at them. The king is drunk and he calls for his wife, his trophy wife. She is refuses and he's angry. So he gets his advisors together to figure out a solution. Who gets an advisory board together to address a personal family issue? The king of this empire cannot control his wife. The book of Esther is the only book in the Bible that makes no direct mention of God. But even though he is not mentioned, he is at work and in control.

Esther acts in contrast to Daniel. She sleeps with a pagan king as an unmarried woman. She eats unclean food. There is no indication that she tried to follow God or stay Jewish. She was trying to be like the Persians around her. She hid that she was Jewish as prompted by her uncle. We may admire Daniel, but we are probably more like Esther.

The salvation

God still uses Esther and her position as queen to save the Jewish people from genocide. She was beautiful on the outside, but God makes her beautiful on the inside. She is confronted with a deadly conspiracy and commanded to risk her life. She steps out in bold faith with risk of death. From a comfortable lifestyle, she becomes a tool of God to save the people of God. This is not an encouragement to disobey or compromise our Christian principles. Rather it is that when we disobey, God will not abandon us. God can work though our mistakes.

Daniel's prayer: Books prayer for a helpless people

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.  Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. To us, O Lord , belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him. He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem. As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly.  “O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us. Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”  While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision. Daniel 9:1-23 ESV

Rev. Dan Whang

This prayer is during the first reign of Darius. Daniel is an old man. He's praying after reading Jeremiah. He has determined that the people's time of exile was drawing to a close.

Urgency of intercessory prayer

Daniel knows that the exile was drawing to a close. The people will return to their place. Their own cities, their temple... This was a done deal. But instead of kicking back, he throws on a sackcloth and prays. Why? It is like he doesn't believe it will come to pass... But he does believe. He sees himself as an intercessor. He prays for those around him. He is not okay with the spiritual deafness and slumber of those around him. There is concern for those around him. He is concerned for his people and their eternal destination.

Content of intercessory prayer

Invocation: call and declare who God is

Confession: declare shortcomings and failings

Appeal: throw ourselves upon the grace and mercy of God (rather than any personal righteousness)

Petition: Ask (for the glory of God)

Power of intercessory prayer

After Daniel prayed, Gabriel came. Before Daniel had finished praying, God has already called for an response. There is no delay, no lag. God hears our prayer and responds. God gives the ability to understand scripture. He tells Daniel that He loves him. God does not treat His people like employees. We may not get the same response as Daniel, but we will understand the scripture more and be more secure in God's love.

Ending thoughts

If you find it hard to pray or you doubt your faith, look for God's promises and pray for that which God had already promised.

How to engage non Christians

Six aspects of engaging the non Christian works

Learn the vocabulary of this world

You need to learn vocabulary that is used in the real world. Don't talk like you are at seminary. Listen to people. What are they familiar with?

Learn people's authorities

What are the sources of authority for the world? The Bible is not seen as authority by the world. For instance, popular music is an authority to those of the world. This allows you to engage them easier.

Display sympathy for non-Christians

Why does a gay person desire marriage?
They deeply desire intimacy and don't want to be alone. This is something both homosexuals and heterosexuals can understand.

Affirm what is good

If there is something good, we should commend it. It is not only believers who do worthwhile things.

Expose what is mistaken

You need to unravel what their worldview looks like. Not just focus on the positive, but show them what is irrational about their views.

How does the gospel address them?

For each individual, speak to their fears and desires.

Is Jesus Lord?

Redemptive historical (gospel) worldview

Normative (objective truth)

More than how Jesus makes you feel, is Jesus Lord?

Is Jesus who he claimed to be?

This is the central pivotal point that the entirety of Christianity stands on. Everything else is secondary. Gay marriage, drunken lifestyles, etc. Jesus is Lord. Not just savior.

This starts a domino effect. His Lordship changes everything in your life. If not, you don't really understand who Jesus is. You might not be saved.

Existential (personal)

The truth of Jesus' Lordship will affect our lives. The objective truth will make us change how we handle finances, relationships, etc. It will impact us personally. This is the biblical worldview.

Subjective (situational)

Creation, fall, redemption, and consummation. This is the right view of history from the biblical point of view. Not only that, but this changes how we will read the Bible. We often read moralistically, rather than with a biblical worldview. But moralism only breeds either pride or defeatism. Biblical reading makes you consider Jesus as the center. That makes us approach things differently.

Is Jesus Lord?
If so, how should I live?
If so, how does it change how I perceive things?

Defend the faith, apologetics

Defend the Faith.

Dr. Paul Jeon

Apologetics is a direction, not a ten step program of making people into Christians. It is about you, the person, the lifestyle. It is not about what you know, but how much you understand the gospel.

To be equipped, you never need to know more than the gospel

But you do need to be aware of your current culture.

We live in a post Christian age. We no longer have unified Christian categories.

Your worldview affects how you perceive reality. In the USA, we think that belief in the supernatural is old fashioned and backwards. But this view is narrow and may not be the way the majority of the world thinks. Supernatural activity and demons are considered an everyday occurrence.

What is the biblical worldview?

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,1 Peter 3:13-14 ESV

Salvation belongs to the Lord. God is sovereign. You cannot save people. Sovereignty frees you to share the gospel regardless of how someone looks.

When you are blessed, then you will be a good witness. Blessed is based on our identity. 1 Peter is in the context of suffering. You are dying and going through horrible times, but you are blessed. This blessing is through our identity in Christ. Even though we are broken or suffering, we are blessed as a child of God.

All those around us desire redemption

Bold Faith in a Hostile World: The visions of Daniel

Daniel 7-12

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The first half of Daniel is narrative. The chapters here deal with prophetic visions. They speak of the coming victory of God. There is too much detail to cover, so I'll be summarizing and distilling things down to some applicable points. When approaching apocalyptic passages, we need to be aware that there is a lot of metaphor and symbolism. So we need to be careful in taking it too literally.

For the believer, suffering and struggle is the norm

Daniel has visions, but he is deeply disturbed. He's had visions before, but these affect him. His color changes, he felt sick, and he is emotionally troubled. God wins at the end, but the people of God will suffer throughout history. They will be trampled. Daniel sees God's plan through history and he sees how believers and followers of God will continue to go through hard times. The grass is not greener on the other side. Life continues to be difficult for the believer. It is the norm. You can do everything right, like Daniel, and still suffer and experience trouble. He was exiled... Lived and died in a foreign land under a foreign king... Never to see his homeland again.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
Hebrews 2:10 ESV

We are to live life expecting tough times. That is the Christian way and path. Jesus suffered, even though he lived a sinless life. We are to share in Christ's suffering and to suffer well.

There is more to our suffering and struggles than our eye can see.

There are angelic brings named in the visions. There is a fight unseen that is raging. God's kingdom is opposed. There is an enemy and he is in a spiritual battle. There is a demonic opposition looking to restrict the growth of God's kingdom. Do not underestimate the enemy.

We must not overestimate the enemy.

We need to stay in God's word and in prayer. Daniel's prayer is answered by an angel. 

Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.
Daniel 10:12 ESV

We are not fighting a physical battle. This is a spiritual battle. As you share with your friends about Christ, pray. As you serve the small group, pray just as hard. Prayer works. Prayer matters.

It is through suffering and trouble that victory comes.

Under the final Prince, the Antichrist, things will go from bad to ridiculously worse. We don't know all the details, but we know enough that we are to live faithfully.

He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. ...
But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”
Daniel 12:9, 13 ESV

Jesus died. How dark a time that must have been. But his death (and resurrection) has bought Christians victory.

In this day and age, many bemoan the loss of Christian morals in this country. But Christianity seems to do best when Christians are marginalized. This day and age are an opportunity. Perhaps the greatest revival will come when following Christ is no longer mainstream.

Suffering is not just about us. It is also a way that God demonstrates the gospel. Our suffering shows how Christ anchors and keeps us.