Esther: God's Perfect Work Through Imperfect PeopleНамуна

Jesus Has A Better Kingdom

Esther chapter 2 presents us with a difficult question; what should we do when we don’t know what to do? In a world where the “right” answer is not always obvious, how do we make wise decisions?

According to chapter 2 verse 16, the events in this chapter take place about 4 years after the events in chapter 1. Historically, this points to the events in this chapter, and to Persia’s losing military campaign against Greece. The king is unhappy.

To be clear, the quest to find the king a new queen was no beauty contest. In modern terms, we would call it human trafficking. Women were taken from their families and essentially forced to sleep with the king as he looked for Queen Vashti’s replacement. Each woman who was not chosen would be a part of the king’s harem for the rest of her life. While they might have been materially provided for, they would have no chance to marry or have a family of their own. This is what Esther was brought into.

It is worth noting that both Esther and Mordecai are Persian names, not Jewish names. This means that they had assimilated well into Persian culture. While survival certainly played a role in adopting the Persian culture that the Jewish people had been exiled into for about 120 years at this point, it also shows us this important truth: faithfulness is not accidental. We must be intentional about walking with the Lord, or we will drift away. It is clear that Mordecai had climbed the political ranks in Persia, and he likely had to compromise some of his Jewish convictions and beliefs to do so.

Nevertheless, Mordecai cares for Esther and her well being. She was put in a position she didn’t choose, and we must ask ourselves what we would do in her predicament. Given the difficult dynamics at play here, this story also reminds us that grace is better than judgment.

It will be easy for us to judge both Esther and Mordecai’s decisions as we read this book. It is a lot harder to know what we would have done if we were them. This doesn’t downplay the importance of honoring God, but it reminds us that we need as much grace as they do.

Biblical scholar Karen Jobes writes this in response to Esther chapter 2:

“This episode from Esther’s life offers great encouragement and comfort when we find ourselves in situations where every choice is an odd mix of right and wrong. Only God knows the end of our story from its beginning. We are responsible to him for living faithfully in obedience to his word in every situation as we best know how.

Even if we make the “wrong” decision, whether through innocent blunder or deliberate disobedience, our God is so gracious and omnipotent (all-powerful) that he is able to use that weak link in a chain of events that will perfect his purposes in us and through us. Esther may have looked back on this episode of her life with shame and regret, or she may have looked back on it with a clear conscience, knowing that she acted as wisely as she knew how at the time. In either case, every one of us also has both kinds of episodes in our own lives. Esther’s story shows that we can entrust them to the Lord and move on.”

Here is the good news for us as we read the story of Esther: your past does not disqualify you from God’s purposes.

Perhaps you can think of times where you have compromised your faith and your convictions, but what we see over and over again through Scripture is God using broken people in spite of their past. His grace and forgiveness are greater.

Today’s reflection:

What in your past do you feel like God cannot forgive you for? What would it look like to take him at his word today and believe that he always responds to repentance with grace?