seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Esther 4:1 When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. 2 But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. 3 In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.
6 So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. 8 He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.
9 Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”
12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For 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 but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
17 So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.
So.... word got to Esther.... but she's not sure what she can do.... she just can't go to the king..... she may be queen.... but unlike Sheba.... she's a queen in title only apparently. She can't go directly to her husband and talk about the day.... she must be summoned..... yuck.
This is from Bible.org.
From all we have been told earlier, Esther was accustomed to following Mordecai’s instructions. We may safely assume Mordecai had also become accustomed to being obeyed, even when Esther was the queen. It must have come as quite a shock to receive Esther’s response, which could be summed up in one word: “No!” This time Esther balks. She first informs Mordecai by Hathach that it was against the law to go in to the king without being summoned by him. The penalty for doing so was death, with only a small chance that the king might show mercy by extending his golden scepter and granting that the intruder might live. Since she could not go to the king uninvited, her only hope was to be summoned by the king. Since she could not go to the king uninvited, her only hope was to be summoned by the king. That was a problem; it had been 30 days since Esther had last been with the king. What other answer than "No" could she give to Mordecai?
Do not think that you will be safe as a Jew, even in the palace. Esther, Mordecai warns, is thinking wishfully. The decree Haman has made into law encompasses all Jews, no matter where they might be found in the kingdom. Esther seems to believe she is safe and that only others are in danger. She is unwilling to put herself in danger by going before the king unannounced to help her fellow-Jews, believing she is safe. Mordecai’s words are designed to convince her this is a myth. If she would not put herself at risk to save others, at least let her risk saving herself. Mordecai wants her to conclude that the most dangerous thing she can do is to do nothing and hope it will all go away.
You are the only hope of deliverance. If Esther does not act on her behalf and on behalf of her fellow-Jews, there is no other hope. How could I possibly reach such a conclusion? Does the text not indicate just the opposite? Does Mordecai not indicate to Esther that if she does not act to save her people, God will bring about their deliverance in some other way?
The survival of your family name is in your hands. You will recall that Esther is an orphan. He parents are both dead. Mordecai has adopted her as his step-daughter. If Esther fails to act, and both she and Mordecai perish, then her family will be wiped out. And it will be all her fault, Mordecai warns. This is real pressure. The young Jewish girl has never known pressure like this.
Ok.... so now Mordecai got word to the queen.... and now the queen has been reminded that she's a jew just like Mordecai..... and if he dies.... so does she. On top of that.... if she lives and becomes the mother of the king's son.... well that would just make their day.... but if this law becomes real... she won't live..... and neither would Mordecai.I want to note.... as stated in the first commentary of the first chapter.... God is not mentioned in this book.... and so far... God is not directly quoted or acting in this book.... it's just two Jewish people in Persia..... trying to save all the Jewish people of Persia. The commentary at the easy English site.... says a lot about God this morning.... even if the verses don't.
Esther heard what Mordecai said. She decided to obey him. Maybe she now understood that God was in control of all the events. Maybe she now understood why God had made her queen.
She asked Mordecai and the Jews in Susa to help. There were probably many Jews in Susa. (See Esther 9:15.) She asked the Jews not to eat food for three days. Usually people do not eat food so that they can spend more time in prayer. So, Esther was probably asking the Jews to pray for her. Esther and her maids would also not eat food.
After three days, Esther would go to see the king. She would go, although she was risking her life.
Some years later, Nehemiah served another king in Susa. He also did not eat food but instead he prayed. He did this before he asked the king to grant his request. (See Nehemiah 1:4.)
Just the mention of prayer and fasting..... that should bring some attention to their plight. Look..... I'm the oldest of five kids..... and at one point I had three kids all in diapers.... so I know what it's like to be actively watching kids. When there are kids involved..... my constant direct involvement is not necessary. It's ok to step out of the room for a minute or two..... they will be fine for a couple of minutes.... My kids are covered by my prayers and God is actively watching the kids too.
Now, I'm not saying God was out of the room when this happened..... I'm saying God let Esther and Mordecai work it out..... God's a much better caretaker than I could ever conceive of trying to be.... and it appears God is letting them work it out.
Now... Esther has to go see the king....
