Will you remain silent at this time?

READ: Esther 4-6; Psalms 30; Acts 22:1-21

SCRIPTURE: Esther 4: 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?”

OBSERVATION: Haman’s wrath against all the Jews appears unreasonable and raises questions concerning the motives behind Haman’s evil scheme. Further, we do not know why Mordecai refused to respect Haman, for there was no law against it. Mordecai and Haman’s ancestral names remind us of the long-standing tension between the Amalekites and the Israelites (Exodus 17:14-16; 1 Sam.15:7-9). Perhaps, Haman the Agagite wanted to revenge against Mordecai, a Benjamite. Haman successfully persuaded the king in favor of his plan to annihilate all the Jews from the empire. Haman might have thought that nobody could stop his plan, which was against God’s redemption plan. Haman was utterly unaware of Esther’s Jewish origin and her connection with Mordecai.

“At this time,” Mordecai sent a message to Queen Esther to remind her responsibility in saving her people and pleading for their lives with the king.  He said that Esther’s royal position might be a divine providence to protect her people. Mordecai was sure that Esther should intervene for the Jews. Then Esther asked Mordecai to call all the Jews who lived in Susa to fast for her for three days. She also fasted with them with a determination, “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). Before Esther went to the king to intercede for her people, she joined with people’s sorrow in fasting and prayer (Esther 4:3). Esther must have understood her role during such a time to save her people. Joseph also had a similar experience (Gen. 45:7). It is not coincidental that we are in a particular place or position. When a crisis comes, with prayer and fasting, we should do all we could do. Then we can be sure that God will do the rest and will be glorified through us. God, who averted the evil plans of Haman, is faithful to protect his people from all the dangers and diseases even today. Trusting God, we need to intercede for our people and start doing something for them.  We should not remain silent.

APPLICATION: God has a call and purpose for my life. Even before a threat comes against God’s people or me, God knows them and prepares his provision accordingly well in advance. I can trust God during challenging times and pray for his help. When I act on faith in God’s power, He does great things.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for reminding me to pray for people in dire needs and sufferings. Lord, help me to intercede for them in prayer and fasting and remain in you. Amen.

- Arputharaj Samuel
+91 9538328573

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