The Gospel According to Esther, Part 2

So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city. And these days of Purim were not to fail from among the Jews or their memory fade from their descendants. In other words, let's make sure we never forget the providence of God in our deliverance.

And I love the fact that they were probably talking about, what do you think we ought to call this thing? Let's call it Purim. Let's remind ourselves as we celebrate of Haman who threw the dice to find the most propitious day to wipe us off the planet. It's not pleasant to think about, but we need to acknowledge that physical death comes to all people. We also need to acknowledge that death is not the end. That's true for both Christians and unbelievers. There's one of two destinations in store for every person. Those destinations are heaven or hell. Through the power of the gospel, God makes salvation possible.

And that offer is to all people. Today on Wisdom for the Heart, Stephen Davey is concluding his series from the book of Esther. Keep listening as Stephen brings you the conclusion to his message called The Gospel According to Esther. There is another analogy in the gospel of Esther. It is what we'll simply call the intercession of Esther. After three days of solitude, Esther suddenly appears without any introduction. She suddenly standing in the presence of the king, she intercedes on behalf of her people.

She willingly risks her life to save the life of her own people and if I die, well, then I die. I discovered that many Jewish rabbis and scholars have believed that the three days of solitude experienced by Esther are mysteriously linked to the three days of Jonah inside the whale. And for those of us who believe the gospel of Christ, we know that is the sign of the three days and nights in the tomb, followed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jewish tradition has taught for centuries that the dead, this is what the Bible teaches, this is Jewish tradition, that the dead will come to life three days after the start of the final judgment. And they get that from a misinterpretation of Hosea chapter 6 and verse 2 which reads, after two days he will revive us, on the third day he will restore us that we may live in his presence. But what is correctly interpreted from that text is this wonderful picture of the coming and the dying and the resurrecting of Jesus Christ after three days in the tomb, after experiencing the wrath of God the Father on the cross, and here's where the analogy breaks down.

Not risking his life, but giving over his life. He now stands before the Father petitioning on our behalf. In fact, Martin Luther, the reformer, wrote of this same gospel analogy and I quote him, translated from German to read in English, on the third day after judgment transpired on the cross, Jesus Christ arose guaranteeing safety to enter God's presence to all who reach out in faith to touch the scepter of the King which is in the shape of a cross.

It's true isn't it? The Father gladly receives the petition of the Son based upon his cross work and intercession on our behalf so that Jesus could say, by the way, no one comes to the Father except by me. There is another analogy in the gospel according to Esther and it would be then this edict of life. Earlier I quoted a verse, many of you knew it, I even heard children saying it, but I only quoted the first part of it. For the wages of sin is what? Death. That's the irrevocable edict, but the verse doesn't stop there does it? What's the very next word? But the wages of sin is death, but what a wonderful, wonderful word that is. What a great conjunction, but.

Changes everything doesn't it? In fact if you're talking to someone what comes after they say but is what really matters. Your boss calls you in at the end of the day and says you know I just want to tell you that that was a great job, but. Now you're really listening. Your girlfriend calls you and says I really enjoy being with you and all, but. You know what that means?

You're free to move about the country, right? Man I hated to hear my mother when I was in 4th grade pick up that phone and hear her say after the phone was ringing hello. Well hello Mrs Jolly.

I knew for me because Mrs Jolly was a big tattle tale that it was an edict of death for me. Maybe it's a client who calls you up and says you know I really enjoyed doing business with you these last five years, but. Maybe it's a doctor.

Who calls you and says you know everything looks good. Listen whatever comes after that little word matters a whole lot more than anything that came before it right? In fact the latter has the power to nullify.

The former. And in this case this little word becomes a hinge word upon which eternity swings. With the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life. Death, but life. An irrevocable edict of death, but an opportunity for everlasting life through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and his even now interceding for us. Jesus Christ said it this way and I love it the way he summarized both edicts. He said I am the resurrection and the life he that believes in me will live even though he dies. John 11 25. In other words none of us can avoid the edict of death. It is irrevocable, but all of us can by faith in Jesus Christ our Messiah experience the nullifying eternally nullifying edict of death through this edict of life. And when that comes into your life, when he comes, you have peace. The battle is over.

In fact if you'd skip ahead look at chapter 10. The last verse is describing to us the the glory of Mordecai and his new position of influence and power. We're told in the latter part of verse 3 note that that he was seeking the good of his people and note this and one who he was one who spoke for the welfare of his whole nation. The one who spoke for the welfare literally that phrase the one who spoke shalom the Hebrew word. The one who spoke peace.

What a great way to summarize the interceding work of both Esther and Mordecai on behalf of their people. What a great way to demonstrate the gospel of Jesus Christ in that it brings peace. Now listen there isn't peace anywhere on the planet at least for very long except in one place inside the heart of the person who's been redeemed by Christ and reconciled to God.

I don't mean in that you have some never-ending state of ecstasy or some kind of happy thrill every day you climb out of bed and it just gets better and better. No I mean peace, settled, secured, reconciled status. God is no longer your enemy against whom you fight. He is now your friend. He's your friend all because of Christ and we sing the words of the hymn before the throne of God above. I have a strong a perfect plea a great high priest whose name is love whoever lives and pleads for me. My name is graven on his hands.

My name is written on his heart. I know that while in heaven he stands no tongue can bid me fence depart. When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look and see him there who made an end to all my sin. Because the sinless Savior died my sinful soul is counted free for God the just is satisfied to look on him Christ and pardon me to look on him and pardon me. It is the gospel of Christ that brings peace.

Can I tell you dear flock that these last few months have been so fruitful I am hearing reports from so many different places within our ministry of reconciled redeemed individuals placing their faith in Christ. One gentleman in our church told me just a couple of weeks ago that he worked in New York for Wall Street financially and professionally successful. His office looked out over the twin towers. He told me as we sat in my office that on 9-11 he saw everything. He saw both planes come and crash.

He saw the towers crumble. This successful unbelieving middle-aged businessman eventually made it home and he and his wife decided that life as they knew it wasn't really worth living. This dear Chinese couple raised in Buddhism said they decided to move and they sold everything and moved to North Carolina. They began to search for spiritual answers. Their religion hadn't helped them and so they decided to search out ours and they went from church to church and even more churches. Finally this past year they visited here and I asked him. I interrupted him. I said why did you stop visiting? Why did you stay here? And he said well I couldn't describe it any other way than saying when we came in here and we sat down we sensed peace.

They listened intently. After a few months sitting perhaps where you're seated at the end of the service when we closed in prayer he gave his life and heart to Christ and his wife began taking Bible study and growing and her understanding of the gospel. We prayed together in my office for her. Just last Sunday he came down to introduce her to me and she said I'm ready to place my faith in Christ and we prayed and she did just that. Couple of weeks ago our sports ministries director told me how he had just partnered with another local church that shared our passion for disciple making and they had they had organized a dozen teams of adult men for a flag football tournament.

That's as close to organized murder as you can ever establish. Most of the men were unaffiliated with any church and that was the reason they did it. Following the tournament he told me one of the leaders gave his testimony of personal faith in Jesus Christ explaining the gospel explaining the claims of Christ. The end of the program 22 men accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Isn't that great. Praise God for that.

I want you to know as well we're coming to the end of one of the most interesting and fruitful greenhouse classes. About 30 so far are ready to state their identification with Jesus Christ through baptism and we've had several individuals pray during the semester to receive Christ as their savior. Ladies and gentlemen the gospel brings peace not externally. It doesn't bring an easy life.

In fact it makes it harder because now the stakes are so higher so much higher. Now you wrestle with sin. Now you struggle with conviction. Now you search the scriptures to define for you the nature of this invisible God. But you know when you pillow your head there is peace between you and God. I want to give you another analogy and I know we're getting close to time here but I want you to look at verse 26 there in Chapter 9. This is an enduring reminder of deliverance. Let me say a few things about Purim. This refers to the letters written by both Esther and Mordecai. Notice verse 26. Therefore they call these days Purim after the name of Pur. And because of the instructions in this letter both what they had seen in this regard and what had happened to them the Jews established and made a custom for themselves and for their descendants and for all those who allied themselves with them so that they would not fail to celebrate these two days according to the regulation and according to their appointed time annually.

Verse 28. So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation every family every province and every city and these days of Purim were not to fail from among the Jews or their memory fade from their descendants in other words let's make sure we never forget. Let's build a monument. Let's make a memorial to the providence of God in our deliverance. And I love the fact that they were probably talking about what do you think we ought to call this thing?

I don't know what do you think? They came up with maybe some names and it was let's call it ironically after that hateful event let's call it Purim from Pur which means lot. Dice. Let's remind ourselves as we celebrate of Haman who threw the dice to find the most propitious day to wipe us off the planet. Let's celebrate the feast days of Purim. Days of great joy and in that we discover the wonderful use of this name in fact we as English people use it we refer to the lottery we refer to our allotment in life we talk about our lot in life don't we? David the psalmist used the same word found here in Esther when he read Lord you have assigned me my portion and my cup you have made my lot secure. In other words even the roll of the dice is determined by the sovereignty of God.

There's no such thing as chance. There's not one stray atom that finds itself outside the ultimate purposes of God. So because of that the days of Purim could become days of celebration and joy and the Jews gather to this day to hear the reading of the Esther scroll. That's our plan next Lord's Day. I'll edit it down to about 10 minutes. When the Jews get to chapter three one author said wildness breaks out. That's what's going to happen in here. The audience delights and at the sound of Haman's name booing and hissing and stamping their feet many will write Haman on the soles of their of their shoes as they stamp their feet. This is what we're going to do.

This is about as charismatic as we're going to be allowed to be back to normal. They share gifts and we've got a gift for you. Let me quickly wrap up our study of this wonderful book with a with a couple two or three principles overarching truths. You asked me to summarize the entire book.

This would be it. Number one the providence of God reflects his grace and ought to be remembered. We tend to build memorials in our minds to bad things bad days bad relationships bad decisions. Let's take time to remember good things good decisions good circumstance the good hand of God upon us. So maybe it's starting a journal for you or maybe making a list maybe the next time you talk to a friend that's finding something in the day that is good. The truth is the enemy of our souls loves to taunt us with past failures and past disappointments past wrongs past calamities turning as one author said our lives into one dark long dark tunnel with no light.

It is the truth that brings light. We got a letter a couple of weeks ago from a woman who'd written us listening to us on the radio. She said I had decided to take my life. She said I had experienced years of one tragedy after another. In fact she had twenty one major surgeries in a row and then she said my mother died my last living relative and even though I was a believer I was in a tunnel. There was no hope and I decided to end my life. She said I got up on that fateful day and I turned on the radio and I caught your program and it changed my mind. So this letter wrote would you get the news to that preacher that I've decided to live.

Gospel brings light. And we ought to build monuments to those kinds of events. Has it ever occurred to you and I thought about it as I was reading the biography of Orville and Wilbur. It occurred to me that monuments were never built at places where they failed to fly.

I know that's deep and it's close to lunch fact it's it's getting late but I have you know have you thought about it. You don't go visit something and this is where Orville and Wilbur tried to fly and failed. Where's the picnic. No you have a monument where they succeeded. Why is it that we build monuments where we fail and we make them out of granite where God allows us good success.

We etch those in sand. The providence of God reflects his grace and we we ought to do a better job remembering it. Secondly the providence of God is spiritually discerned although widely ignored. You go to the last chapter of the book of Esther and verse 1 and it tells us what happened after all these wonderful events. Look there now King of Hazris laid a tribute that is a text on the land and on the coastlands of the sea. After all that's happened remarkable deliverance he discovers his wife is a Jewess. He's introduced to a God who so wonderfully redeems them and delivers them that many of the Persians become proselytize Jews and the king's going now what do I want to do next. How's my life going to change.

I know I'll tax the people. That's it. There's no revival no conversion no impact. Yeah the providence of God comes and goes and I don't even see it. Can we be like that. It's a challenging truth for all of us who claim the God of Esther as our Lord that we can go about life as usual missing one event after another where God's hand is at work. Oh that God would by his spirit wake us up and make us alert to not settle for the way the world talks. Isn't that a wonderful coincidence. Look at what just happened. No God is continuing to move us and this world toward his final and ultimate purposes which please him and fulfill his will and I want to make one more second to the last point. Esther had no idea when she won the crown that there was a greater issue ahead of her not a greater issue but another issue another event.

It's easy to miss. She had no idea that God would bring about in his perfect timing the death of her husband who would be assassinated in order to bring to the throne a hazardous son a king by the way who would have a similar experience. See one of his trusted officials will one day stand before him going against court protocol risking his own life because sadness is all over his face. A Jewish man by the name of Nehemiah and the king would show him great favor. The Bible tells us in Nehemiah chapter 2 that the queen was sitting with the king.

That would have been highly unlikely. In fact we've learned already from Persian history that it wasn't the practice of the Persian court to include the queen. The queen stayed in her quarters until she was summoned. To not do so would risk her own life and she certainly didn't sit on a throne near the throne of the king which has led others including myself to believe that this is a reference to the queen mother the wife of the former king who would have been none other than Esther. So when this Jewish man named Nehemiah stepped forward and asked the king for his favor no doubt influenced by Esther a Jewish he said not only will I allow you to go but I'll give you a blank check.

It's on me. Esther's influence would continue 21 years later and influence the return of many of the exiles to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. My last principle and I'll tell you ahead of time this takes us where we began. It takes us all the way back where we started.

It's simply this. The providence of God is physically invisible but it is ultimately invincible. At the end of the book God is the hero. He alone is deserving of all our praise. His providence has made certain of his promises. So like Charles Wesley I close with his him ye servants of God your master proclaim and tell out abroad his wonderful name that name all victorious Jesus extolled. His kingdom is glorious.

He rules over all. With that good news resonating in our hearts we bring this lesson and this series to a close. This is Wisdom for the Heart the Bible teaching ministry of Stephen Davey. Stephen is also the president of Shepherds Theological Seminary.

If you or someone you know is interested in pastoral ministry I encourage you to consider studying with Stephen at Shepherds. Today was the ninth and final lesson in a series through the book of Esther. Today's message is entitled The Gospel According to Esther. If you missed any of the lessons in this series you can go to wisdomonline.org to listen again. We've also taken the entire series and packaged it into a set of CDs. This would make a great addition to your personal library of biblical resources.

It also makes a great gift if you know someone who could benefit from having this series. If you'd like information give us a call today. Be sure and ask about the book that Stephen's written also called Esther. The phone number here in our North Carolina office is 866-48-BIBLE. Once again that's 866-48-BIBLE or 866-482-4253. We'd love to hear from you today and help you in any way we can. There are other ways you can interact with us as well. If you use social media be sure and like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. We post a new Bible message to our YouTube channel each day so you can subscribe to that as well. The Wisdom International app allows you to take our teaching archive wherever you go, right on your phone. There's plenty of ways to engage with us and I hope you will. I also hope you'll be with us next time, here on WISDOM FOR THE HEARTS.