Queen Esther had bowed in
humility before King Ahasuerus and pleaded to him with tears in her
eyes to save her people the Jews. She rose to her feet after his
golden scepter of acceptance was raised, and she passionately
interceded on behalf of her people. In chapter eight and verse six we
see more of her fervent plea. We read:
For how can I endure to
see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to
see the destruction of my kindred?
The
verse begins, “For how can I endure to see the evil that shall
come unto my people?” In rhetorical fashion as Queen Esther
pleas on behalf of her people, she poses her question. As if to carry
the king with her into her future, Esther asks, “how can I
endure to see the evil...?” She is probably imagining the
plight of the Jews should this edict be completed. The carnage, the
destruction and the bloodshed is more than her mind can conceive.
She knows the evil that is planned and desires that the king
intervene on her behalf.
The
verse goes on to say, “ or how can I endure to see the
destruction of my kindred?” As though she needed to present a
further appeal, Esther brings her family into the proposed threat.
She once again asks, “how can I endure...” except this
time she adds those who are closest to her. Let us remember that she
was taken by the Persians to her location with her cousin Mordecai.
Her parents had died, and she was living with him as a displaced
orphan. She knew the pain of this type of evil, and now she wonders
before the king how she will ever live with this destruction again.
One of
the discoveries we have enjoyed as we have ventured through this
story of Esther has been the passion and risk in which
representatives throughout the story have lived their lives. Mordecai
knew the risks that were involved in not bowing to Haman, and he was
vindicated by God for not doing so. Esther passionately not only
entered and won the beauty contest for the new queen, but she also
went before him unannounced which could have cost her her life. This
passionate plea of Esther should remind us that there are certain
situations in our lives to which God loves for us to be passionate
and at risk. As we consider Esther's plea, perhaps our thoughts
should be to question what we are so passionate about that we could
hardly see ourselves being able to endure should we not see it
transpire. What is it that we would carry others into our futures and
have them wonder how we could ever withstand should that not be
fulfilled? Now, let us go to the Lord Jesus and make a plea before
Him about that situation.
Next
time we will take a look at the beginning of King Ahasuerus' answer
to Esther, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation” and the new marriage book “So, You Want
to Be Married” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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