Queen Esther

Queen Esther by Darrin Compagner Scripture Reading: Esther 4 “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:16

While Israel was living under a shallow foreign king, God raised up a courageous and competent queen to intervene for His people at a dangerous time in their history.

Esther’s story has a sort of fairytale, rags-to-riches beginning. She was a poor orphan who went to live in the palace of the king and eventually became a queen, but the romantic façade of this story hides a nightmarish reality.

Esther is taken to the palace and subjected to a cruel process. She was more a trafficked slave than an eager contestant in a beauty pageant. She was transformed into the trophy wife of a foolish king. She initially was, silent and subservient to this process.

Is this what is in store for God’s people—going along silently with the ways of a sinful world? It may appear hopeless at the onset that any glory can come to the Lord through Esther's dilemma, but God has a plan.

When evil rears its head against her people, Esther learns about it, and she finds her voice. A plot to kill all the Jews in the kingdom comes to light, and Esther, a Jew, rises to the occasion!

She courageously goes to the king even though it could cost her life, for she is forbidden by law to go to him unless he bids her to come.

When she is received by the king, who is enthralled by her beauty, she cleverly orchestrates a turn of events that saves the lives of God’s people! The evil plot against the Jews is turned on its perpetrator and justice triumphs.

The Lord God is the true King. He has raised Esther to her position “for such a time as this.” In the Bible’s many stories of kings, this story of this queen stands out. She risks everything for the sake of her people, and in doing that, she foreshadows the loving kingship and sacrifice of Christ.

Her story enables us to know that when we face dismal circumstances, when darkness threatens to overtake light, we may stand confidently on the Word of the Christ who loves us and trust in His ability to rescue us, to take us onto His arc of safety.

Jesus, thank you for laying down your life for ours. Embolden us with the Holy Spirit so that we may have Esther-like courage and love to serve you. Amen.