In our post this week, I'm retelling the story of Esther from last week's video study, with a few new observations!
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The book of Esther is truly epic. (I'm surprised Hollywood hasn't turned it into a movie, because it has all the drama and intrigue of any great story!) In the beginning of this Old Testament book, we see dramatic King Xerxes summoning his queen. He wanted to show off how beautiful she was to his guests, after they'd been partying for several days. (She wasn't with him in the first place because the men and women partied separately. He wanted her to come over to the men's party, in her royal robes and turban and show off!) The Queen wanted nothing to do with this and refused to go, which led to her be banished forever from the king's presence. Apparently nobody had ever refused the king before!
King Xerxes eventually remembered he needed a new queen. His people gathered the loveliest, eligible maidens from all over the land to come before him. (This is The Bachelor - Ancient Persia style!) One special Hebrew maiden, Esther, found favor (=GRACE) in his eyes and was chosen as the new queen. No one except her cousin Mordecai, however, knew she was a Hebrew, because she kept her identity a secret.
Even as queen, however, Esther, faced problems when her people were plotted against by Haman, one of the kings right hand men. Esther and her people were seriously threatened for their very survival. She could go before the king to plead for their salvation, but no man or woman, even the queen, was allowed to come uninvited before the king. The law said they would be executed UNLESS the king chose to extend the golden scepter to them, sparing their lives.
Esther hadn't been called to see the king in 30 days and she didn't know what kind of response she would receive if she dared to approach him without an invitation, but after fasting and praying, she did it anyway, declaring that if she perished, she perished! Esther 5:2 tells us what happened.
"When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she met with his approval. The king extended to Esther the gold scepter that was in his hand, and Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter." Esther 5:2
Other translations of the Hebrew phrase in that verse say, "he was pleased with her," "she gained favor in his eyes," and "she won favor in his sight." Can you see these are all ways of saying that the king extended GRACE to her?
Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of GRACE,
that we may receive mercy and find GRACE to help in time of need.
Unlike Esther, who had to risk her life to approach King Xerxes, Jesus already laid down His life so that we can come before the Father. Unlike Esther, who hadn't been called to appear before the king in a month's time, we have an open invitation to come before God's throne ANY TIME we need His help. Unlike Esther, who approached the king with her identity hidden, through faith in Christ we receive a new identity as God's children and we have nothing to hide!
God longs for us to come to Him with everything - our needs, our troubles, and our joys as well. Let's not be like King Xerxes' first queen who refused to see him when he called for her. She may have had good reason to refuse his request, but God, our King, is NOTHING like King Xerxes. He is good and kind and faithful and loving and always ready to pour out His mercy and grace on us so we can live the abundant life He has for us, which will be for our greatest good and for His great glory.
When we come before Him in humility, He promises to extend more grace to us. "But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6 NET)
But wait. Hebrews 4:16 says we're supposed to come before God's throne with confidence. Is that different than being proud? If God opposes the proud, can we be humble and confident without being proud? Let's see.
The Greek word for "proud" in James 4:6 means "appearing above others," while the Greek word for "humble" in James 4:6 can literally mean "not rising far from the ground."
The Greek word for "confident" in Hebrews 4:16 means "all out-spokenness, i.e. frankness, bluntness... by implication, assurance."
This holy confidence is not about seeing ourselves as better than anyone, but about freedom to speak. Those God opposes are those who see themselves as higher and better than others, (and the Greek root of the word there for "oppose" implies He's going to put them in their place!) But when we come to God in humility, recognizing we are nothing without Him, but we are LOVED anyway, we are received with grace and we can be outspoken in our requests. WE DON'T HAVE TO HIDE WHO WE ARE OR WHAT IS IN OUR HEARTS. God sees and wants it all poured out at His feet so He can pour His grace and mercy over us in exchange. This great exchange is what transforms us and sets us free.
There is much more about God's grace that we will marvel at in the weeks to come. For now, let's remember again to regularly approach God in prayer, with humility and reverence and freedom, because Christ has already paid His life so that we can do just that.
Here's the prayer I prayed at the end of last week's video...
Lord, whatever might be keeping us from experiencing the transforming power of your grace, I pray that in the weeks to come You would expose it and deal with it so we can learn to walk in greater freedom, deeper truth, incomparable power, incomprehensible peace, and overflowing grace by your Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ, rooted in your deep love, Father. Lead us into the abundant life You have for us because Jesus went to the cross on our behalf.
May we forever come and pour out our hearts before Your glorious throne of Grace.
Because of Jesus, amen.
Melissa ♥️
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If you are reading through the New Testament with us and have already finished the book of Matthew, I'd like to share a Bible reading plan here that will take you through the events of Jesus's last week before the cross. You can start on Sunday and read through each day's events. It looks like a great way to prepare for remembering Christ's death and resurrection. Sign up or check it out here!
