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Thoughts on Providence and Esther
Thoughts on Providence and Esther
While reading some background history on the story of Esther I came across these appraisals of King Xerxes. One writer spoke of him as "an arrogant Eastern despot who serves as God’s foil in the story"1. Another writer, C. E. Van Sickle, says the first signs of decay in the empire appear in Xerxes’ reign. Xerxes “had the weakness, tyrannical character, and love of luxury to be expected in a prince reared at court.”
Interesting thought: was HE raised up in order that God could show His power over him? OR is he part of the world situation? While it is stated that God raised up certain men specifically (i.e., Pharaoh, Cyrus), most world leaders come and go without any biblical comment on what role God played in their lives. There of course must be the realm of choice that is involved in all men's lives.
Without such specific knowledge of God's activity and plan how should a believer respond? While God may have not given us specific information on each situation in life, He has given us great righteous principles from which we make our choices.
Esther had no idea IF God was using her. Hence the 'WHO KNOWS aspect' when her uncle stated: "For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Without knowing what the outcome would be, she set her course to seek what was right. She did so with the possibility that she was NOT the person of the hour. 'If I perish, I perish' (Esther 4:16). That attitude reminds us of Daniel's three friends: "Our God is able to deliver us, but if He doesn't...".
Peter wrote: "Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good" (1 Peter 4:19).
We set our goal to be right with Him and not on the outcome of our worldly situations. We must allow that God's purposes and plans often are greater than our own lives. Such Biblical stories of providential acts of God are often in light of His great plan to redeem man through the offspring of Abraham. We can tell the stories of Joseph, baby Moses, Gideon, David, Daniel, Daniel's friends, and now Esther. Yet while God was directly active in their lives, I am always aware that there were countless multitudes of people whose lives are unrecorded. In the saving of Joseph there was also the death of many people. With the saving of Israel from Pharaoh there were thousands that died. When you ask about God's 'purpose and plan' for each individual that is NOT mentioned in such stories you end up with a big blank.
Will you worship God because God is worthy of such? Or do we only worship Him because we profit in some way from it? In my trust of God I need to learn what is right and then do what is right, and 'if I perish, I perish'. Let me die the death of the righteous.
Hugh DeLong
