What can we learn about intercession from Esther's plea in Esther 8:6? Opening the Text “For how can I bear to see the disaster that will befall my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my kinsmen?” (Esther 8:6) What Esther’s Words Reveal about True Intercession • Personal agony: Esther does not speak in dry, detached terms; she feels the weight of impending judgment. • Corporate concern: “My people…my kinsmen” shows she sees her destiny bound up with theirs. • Moral urgency: She cannot “bear” to stand by while evil proceeds; inaction is unthinkable. Key Lessons for Us Today 1. Intercession springs from identification – Esther stands with those threatened, much like Moses did: “Yet now, if You would only forgive their sin…” (Exodus 32:32). – Paul echoes the same heart: “For I could wish that I myself were cursed…for the sake of my brothers” (Romans 9:3). – Effective prayer is rarely distant; it is born out of shared burden. 2. Intercession requires holy dissatisfaction – Esther’s double question (“How can I bear…?”) reflects a refusal to accept disaster as inevitable. – Jeremiah wept over Jerusalem (Jeremiah 9:1); Jesus wept for the city (Luke 19:41). God uses a broken heart more than a brilliant plan. 3. Intercession moves us toward costly action – Esther has already risked her life by approaching the king unsummoned (Esther 4:16). Her plea in 8:6 pushes further, seeking a royal reversal. – True intercession can mean advocacy, generosity, and even reputation on the line for the sake of others (Proverbs 31:8-9). 4. Intercession aligns with God’s saving purposes – The decree that results will allow the Jews to defend themselves (Esther 8:11-13). God answers by granting real deliverance, not mere sentiment. – Jesus “always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Our prayers join His ongoing ministry, confident in God’s willingness to save. Putting It into Practice • Ask the Lord to let you feel what He feels for people in peril—spiritually, physically, relationally. • Stand with them through prayer and practical advocacy, even when it costs comfort or popularity. • Persist until deliverance comes, trusting the God who turned Esther’s plea into a national rescue can still turn situations today. Intercession that mirrors Esther’s plea will be passionate, self-sacrificing, and rooted in faith that the King still reigns and still answers. |
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