(I hope you are continuing to read Esther as we share in this passage.)
Such a Time as This!
“For if you remain silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish [since you did not help when you had the chance]. And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this [and for this very purpose]?” Esther 4:14(AMP)
Today will define Esther’s name and the definition of favor and meditate on it.
Remember from our post yesterday her Hebrew name was Hadassah. Here are the definitions, which make her even more special as we learn more about her:
The name Hadassah is derived from the Hebrew word hadeas, a “myrtle tree”. The myrtle has a pleasant fragrance. The name Esther is derived from the Hebrew word hester, which means “hiddenness”. Using these definitions, we can describe Esther with these words from a famous philosopher, “Just as a myrtle has a sweet smell and a bitter taste, so too Esther was good and listened to the righteous Mordechai, her cousin, and was adverse “bitter” to the wicked Haman. Calling Queen Esther by both names represents the self-sacrifice she displayed in order to save the Jewish nation."
A righteous God, who is in heaven, used a woman, in the physical world, to save a nation.
We can be like Esther when we choose to do something righteous instead of following our desires.
She also found favor and kindness in the eyes of the king.
“The best definition of the word favor is “demonstrated delight.” The favor of God can be described as “tangible evidence that a person has the approval of the Lord.” When we favor someone, we want to be with him or her. We delight in him. We connect with them in a way we don’t connect with everyone. We usually favor people who also favor us. In the same way, God shows favor to the ones who delight in, connect with, and give honor to Him. (Taken from Got ?)
“These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” Isaiah 66:2
This opens another word, I had to look up to understand, “contrite”
“A contrite heart is one in which the natural pride and self-sufficiency have been completely humbled by the consciousness of guilt.” The Hebrew and Greek words often translated “contrite” actually mean “crushed, crippled, or broken.” When contrite modifies the heart, we get the picture of a conscience that is crushed by the weight of its own guilt. When a human spirit stops justifying its wrong choices, awakens to the depth of its depravity, and humbly accepts God’s righteous condemnation of sin, contrition is present. A contrite heart offers no excuses and shifts no blame. It fully agrees with God about how evil it is. A contrite heart throws itself upon the mercy of God, knowing that it deserves nothing but righteous wrath”
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9
To be “perfect” toward Him means we seek His favor more than we seek the favor of anyone else, even ourselves.”
This is a lot to meditate on, so we’ll stop here.
Prayer: Lord, as we study Esther, help us to be humble ourselves before you. Help us to cast down our pride. Help us to remember what Jesus did as we learn about this Old Testament character. You took our guilt, You took the condemnation sin offered in our lives! Help us to surrender our hearts completely to you, so we can be used like Esther for “such a time as this!”
Amen
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