There is a critical lesson for our lives as believers. When things get bad in our lives, when it looks like our world is about to fall apart, don't think for a moment that God is whiling away His time, busy with other things. Remember, He may be invisible, but He is at work. That's the beauty of His invisibility. He can be moving in a thousand places at the same time, working in circumstances that are beyond our control. "I know that thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted" (Job 42:2). "Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases" (Psalm 115:3).
This is what we see in the story of Esther. Esther, was her Persian name. Her Hebrew name was Hadassah. She was an orphan from the tribe of Benjamin. She lived among the Jewish exiles in Persia. She was raised by her cousin Mordecai, who served as a minor government official. A king by the name of Ahasuerus, also known as Xerxes, was the leader of the Persian Empire. This most likely places the story approximately 500 years before the birth of Christ.
The story begins simply enough with a king holding a banquet. King Xerxes of Persia has just spent six months parading his wealth before the entire kingdom (it took that long), and now he is throwing a feast for all the men in the capital city for seven days. His queen, Vashti, was giving a banquet for the women at the same time. After seven days of drinking, the king orders the queen to come and parade herself naked before his drunken guests. Queen Vashti refused to come. This made the king furious. Seeing his anger, the king’s personal attendants came up with an idea: They suggested that the king issue a royal decree, declaring that Vashti was never again to come into his presence. They also encouraged him to make someone else queen. They said, “Let’s find as many beautiful young virgins as we can for the king. Then let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the King Xerxes, and the search began. In the city there was a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai, who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem. Mordecai had a beautiful cousin named Esther, whom he had raised because she had neither father nor mother. When the king’s edict was announced, many girls, including Esther, were brought to the king’s palace. An early version of “Who Wants To Marry a Multi-Millionaire”
Esther didn’t tell anyone she was a Jew, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. Every day, Mordecai walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her. The king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and he eventually made her queen. While Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, he overheard two of the king’s officers plotting to kill King Xerxes. He told Queen Esther about the plot, who in turn reported it to the king, giving the credit to Mordecai. And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were put to death.
During this time, King Xerxes honored a man named Haman, elevating him to a place of high honor in the kingdom. The king commanded all royal officials to kneel down and pay honor to Haman because of his position. But Mordecai refused to kneel down. Haman was so angry that he looked for a way to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes. Because of Haman’s influence, King Xerxes listened to him, and the order went out to kill all the Jews. Mordecai and the rest of the Jews don sackcloth and ashes to mourn and weep over the decree. He sends word to Esther that it is time for her to reveal her Jewish identity and plead with the king for her life and the lives of her people.
WHERE DO WE TURN IN THE WAITING TIMES?
But now Esther, Mordecai, and the Jews need help. So for three days they are praying and fasting (Esther 4:16-17). Where do they turn? Where do they look? Who are they looking for? What kind of help do they seek? They look to the same help that David did.
David lifted his eyes up to the hills when he was in trouble and said, “I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm- he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121)
David was in trouble. He looks all around him for help and finds none. Often times in life we come to these points where human resources, our own talents and abilities, and nothing in this world can get us out of this problem. They can be points of despair or points of faith. David looked out and realized that his help came not from the hills. Instead he looked up and saw that the source of his help is but from the Lord, who made the hills. He reminded himself of two great truths: One, God is a mighty creator over all the problems of life; the other is that God never sleeps. Think of this. God is a tireless worker. During all this time God has been working in Esther and now while they are praying and fasting and a decree has gone out God is still working out His divine purposes.
GOD WORKS FOR THOSE WHO WAIT
God was working in Esther’s life and God is a tireless worker in your life. Isaiah 64:4, " From of old no one has heard, or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who works for those who wait for him." In this text we see three things about this work which God does: 1) its peculiarity; 2) its proficiency; 3) its stipulation.
First, the peculiarity of God’s work. The text suggests that in working for those who wait for him God does something utterly unique. "From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who works for those who wait for him." No one has ever heard or seen the likes of this God. What sets Jehovah apart from all the other gods is that He does not need to be worked for. He is self-sufficient. He has no need for help or workers. He will work for those who wait for him. Therefore, no eye has ever seen the likes of such a God; it is without parallel anywhere that the Creator should come down and work for the creature.
Second, the proficiency of this work. We've all had work done for us. We all know what it is like to depend on someone who does a job for us and then to be let down through incompetence in one form or another. But things are altogether different when God works for us. God is not lacking in any of the things that cause humans to let us down in the help we need. They may lack integrity. They may lack sufficient understanding of how to do the job. They may lack sufficient strength or endurance to finish it. In other words, their motivation their knowledge and their power may be inadequate for what needs to be done and so they sometimes let us down. But with God things are utterly different. His motivation to preserve His glory, honor, and avoid the reputation of incompetent is infinite. His knowledge of how everything works and how to meet every need is infinite. And his strength and endurance are infinite. God cannot fail. As he says in Isaiah 46:9,10, I am God and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose." If God undertakes to work for us, he cannot fail. He will succeed in providing all the services we need.
Finally, the condition of God’s work For whom does God work? In one respect God works for everyone. In His common grace He works to produce life and to provide sun and rain and harvest for all his creatures, even those in rebellion. He gives health and prosperity to millions who ignore him or give him token acknowledgment. All this is meant to lead them to repentance and gratitude and worship. (Rom. 2:4-5). But the work of God referred to in our text is a special grace. It is work done only for those who have a certain disposition. "No eye has seen a God besides you, who works for those who wait for him." The work mentioned here is the investment of all God's energy in every way for our eternal good. This he does only for those who wait for him.
Listen to the promise of God in Jeremiah 32:40-41,
“I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. ‘I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul’.”
Oh dear reader, please take the time to read this. Please don’t only read it but let your mind linger in thought on this for a moment. Don't run your eyes over the promises of God like the wrong pages in a phone book. Listen, the Maker of heaven and earth, has said, "I will not turn away from doing good to them.... I will rejoice in doing them good ... with all my heart and with all my soul." Let all three promises sink in. This is the greatness of our God! God is unique, He is not looking for help; He is joyfully, passionately, and enthusiastically looking to help. He is not looking for great men and woman; He is looking for those who will wait upon Him! WAIT! WAIT ON GOD!
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