What does Esther's request reveal about her character and faith in God? The text at the center “If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if I have found favor with him, and if the matter seems proper to the king and I am pleasing in his sight, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces.” Setting the moment • The first decree authorizing Jewish destruction still stands (Esther 3:12–13). • Although Haman is gone (Esther 7:10), the irreversible law of the Medes and Persians remains (Esther 8:8). • Esther now speaks a third time before Xerxes, knowing the stakes have never been higher for her people. What her words reveal about her character • Humility under authority – Four times she couches her request in the king’s pleasure (“If it pleases the king… if the matter seems proper…”). – She models 1 Peter 2:13–17 long before it was penned—voluntary submission while seeking righteousness. • Selfless courage – She risks the king’s displeasure again, even after experiencing favor. – Her life is no longer the focus; the survival of God’s covenant people is (Esther 4:16 fulfilled). • Respectful boldness – She does not merely ask for leniency; she asks for full reversal—something unprecedented. – Proverbs 28:1: “The righteous are as bold as a lion” rings true in her approach. • Strategic wisdom – She frames the appeal around justice (“to revoke the letters devised by Haman”), not personal preference. – She understands royal protocol and leverages it for godly ends. What her words reveal about her faith in God • Confidence in divine providence – Esther acts because she believes God placed her in the palace “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). – Her initiative shows she trusts that God turns hearts of kings (Proverbs 21:1). • Dependence on prayer-backed action – Her earlier fast (Esther 4:15–17) indicates ongoing reliance on the LORD, not on court politics. – Action now flows from previous intercession, an echo of Nehemiah 2:4–5. • Alignment with covenant promises – God vowed preservation of Abraham’s offspring (Genesis 12:2–3). Esther’s plea aligns with that immovable promise. – By seeking life for the Jews, she trusts God’s covenant faithfulness more than the empire’s decrees. • Hope in God’s justice – She names Haman’s plot as evil, anticipating the reversal of wicked schemes, as Psalm 7:14–16 describes. Supporting snapshots from Scripture • Moses before Pharaoh—similar balance of humility and firmness (Exodus 10:3). • Daniel before Nebuchadnezzar—respectful appeal coupled with unwavering conviction (Daniel 3:16–18). • The apostles before the Sanhedrin—“We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), foreshadowed in Esther’s stance. Take-away truths for today • Godly influence thrives where humility and boldness meet. • Prayer prepares the heart for decisive obedience. • Even in hostile systems, the LORD can pivot national decrees through faithful individuals. • Standing for God’s people is never merely political; it is covenantal alignment with God’s redemptive plan. |
    |