What can we learn about patience and timing from Esther 3:7? The Verse in Focus “In the first month, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Xerxes, they cast the Pur (that is, the lot) before Haman for every day and every month, and it fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.” — Esther 3:7 Why the Casting of Lots Matters • Purim was not a casual gamble; Haman treated the lot as guidance from supposed pagan deities. • The result fixed an eleven-month gap between his decree and his intended destruction of the Jews. • Even when evil men manipulate time for wicked ends, the true God quietly rules the results (Proverbs 16:33). Patience Stretched Over Eleven Months • Mordecai and Esther learned that God’s deliverance sometimes sits on a long runway. • Eleven months gave space for: – Esther’s growth in courage (Esther 4:14–16) – Mordecai’s unnoticed faithfulness to be recorded (Esther 2:21–23; 6:1–3) – The king’s sleepless night at the decisive hour (Esther 6:1) • The wait illustrates Habakkuk 2:3: “Though it lingers, wait for it; it will surely come and will not delay.” God’s Timing Overrides Human Plots • Haman’s date looked perfect to him; God used the very delay to spring the trap back on him (Esther 7:9–10). • Scripture consistently shows divine timing overruling human schemes: – Joseph’s brothers planned evil; years later God turned it for good (Genesis 50:20). – “When the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son” (Galatians 4:4). – “My times are in Your hands” (Psalm 31:15). Personal Takeaways for Our Waiting Seasons • God may allow long intervals so His larger purpose can ripen. • Delays aren’t denials; they are often strategic set-ups for greater deliverance. • Stay faithful in the ordinary while you wait—Mordecai guarded the gate long before the breakthrough. • Trust the unseen hand directing the “lot” falls in your life; heaven’s sovereignty trumps earthly chance. • Anchor hope in promises like 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness.” |
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