Wednesday, 23rd March 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One Esther 4:1-12 It’s Impossible
V1-3 ‘When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. He went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.’ When the Jews found out they were going to be destroyed, they were all very sad and they all saw their death coming.
V11 ‘All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden sceptre, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.’ When Mordecai asked Esther to ask the king to spare the lives of the Jews, the first thing she responded was that the king had not summoned her for 30 days. Very likely she had lost her favour in front of the king and if she asked to see the king she might be killed. Her first reaction showed that she saw the reality and thought it was an impossible mission.
Section Two Esther 4:13-17 Follow Boldly
V13-14 ‘And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?’ Mordecai told Esther not to think she could escape this because she was in the palace. The name Esther means ‘stars’ and Mordecai saw Esther as the stars in the darkness and he believed God would let Esther shine. But even if she decided not to shine for God, God will always find another way to save His people. Do we believe that God will intervene when we face troubles?
Mordecai’s words convinced Esther, she knew that she could hide in the palace, but she could also see the miracle of God. She became the queen for a time like this and she had the opportunity to experience God’s Work! Everything we have today is from God, our work, our family, our relationship… do not think that we have everything only because of our ability and strength, when we are willing to offer to God and His people, God will bless us more!
V15-16 ‘Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!’ So Esther listened to Mordecai, she decided to follow God boldly. We are also followers of God therefore do not be restrained in the worldly rules, but be willing to obey God, follow Him boldly, stop having so many excuses, simply have faith and trust in Him.
Section Three Esther 5:1-8 Have Blessing Have Wisdom
V1-2 ‘Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house. So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favour in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the sceptre.’ When we are willing to follow God, to let go and let God, then God will do the work. The king hadn’t seen Esther for a month, it was unknown to Esther if the king would still want to see her or not.
V3-4 ‘And the king said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!” So Esther answered, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”‘ Esther was very wise, when she was offered half of the kingdom, she didn’t want anything but a banquet with the king and Harman. Esther knew if she just asked the king to save the Jews, then she’ll be the idol for them. Esther knew everything she knows and everything she can do was taught by Mordecai, she didn’t want to take this credit. She would not take the honour and glory from Mordecai. All blessings are coming from above, therefore we must learn to honour our authorities and honour God, do not take the glory from them, otherwise, we will be the ones, who stop the blessings coming down to us.
Section Four Esther 5:9-14 Joy Begets Sorrow
V9 ‘So Haman went out that day joyful and with a glad heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, and that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai.’ Haman thought he was being honoured by the queen, he was even showing off to his wife and his family. The name of Haman’s wife means ‘gold’, we can see that she gave Haman an idea, which backfired on themselves later in the Book.
This is the end times, we often feel we are ‘stuck’ by a lot of things, so how can we live out the blessing of God? Only by obediece we can receive life, and pride will only lead us to death. May God help us to learn to humble and obey!
以斯帖记 4~5 – 顺服得生 骄傲致死
2022年3月23日 星期三
潘锡安牧师
我们生活中似乎经历很多走一步退三步的情景，但要看到是神能让我们往前走那一步，也要看到所退的三步是自己的问题，感恩神一路带着我们走到如今。漂亮的王后以斯帖也有曾经软弱的时候，她的经历帮助我们学习如何在逆境里面走出反败为胜的生命。
一、4:1-12 是不可能的
4:1-3 末底改知道了犹大人要被灭族（3:8-15），所以“撕裂衣服，穿麻衣，蒙灰尘，在城中行走，痛哭哀号”。其他犹大人也“大大悲哀”，因为大家看到的都是死亡。
4:11 以斯帖听到末底改要她去见王为本族人求情之后，用一个“定例”作为理由试图推脱。以斯帖虽然是集万千宠爱于一身的王后，但亚哈随鲁王的后宫佳丽众多，如今王已经30天没有召见王后了，她极有可能在王面前已经失宠，若擅自进宫见王会被杀头的，更遑论求王救自己的民族。所以，她听到末底改的嘱咐之后认为“不可能”，这是很自然的第一反应，因她只考虑到了她所看见的“事实”。很多时候权柄给我们一个任务，我们若只从事实出发看自己的情况 – 比如能力不足、家庭事务缠身，等等，我们就只会看到要完成这任务是“不可能的”。
二、4:13-17 勇敢跟随
4:13-14 末底改劝诫以斯帖，不要以为自己在王宫里可以逃避灾祸。末底改看以斯帖是黑暗中的星星，所以他相信，神将以斯帖放在天空，但她若不发光，神必能用其他方法拯救犹大人。我们在遇到挫折的时候，是否觉得神只有一种方法解决问题，还是相信神必会出手？
“你和你父家必致灭亡”- 意思是“不要以为自己现在在高位，你总有一天会灭亡” – 这句话触动以斯帖，并非因她怕死，而是她现今已经30天没有见到王了，而这个妻妾成群的王，随时可以废掉他的王后。我们现在或许过得很好，没有什么问题，但我们是否看到神的作为呢？
“焉知你得了王后的位分，不是为现今的机会吗？”- 不要以为我们现在有很好的工作和家庭就是靠自己得到的，我们能这样生活无忧，焉知不是为了神现在给的机会吗？要知道，我们能够有现在的一切，都是神赐给我们的恩典。我们能否在自己没有的时候还愿意奉献？我们不要紧紧抓住自己有的，以为这些就只是属于“我的”。当我们愿意让神使用我们所拥有的，神会更多祝福我们。
4:15-16 以斯帖听了末底改的话，马上回复说愿意在禁食后“违例进去见王”。我们跟从神的人，不要用规条定例当作借口绑手绑脚，要有“死就死吧”的信心去勇敢跟从。
三、5:1-8 有恩典有智慧
当我们愿意完全倚靠神，承认在困难的时候自己即使有缺乏有需要也还是愿意先给出去，神就看顾、祝福。
5:1 以斯帖相信神，所以愿意违反规定去见王。
5:2 王看见王后，“就施恩于她”。我们跟从神，就会经历恩典。
5:3 原本以斯帖这样违例去见一个已经三十多天没有召见她的王是要死亡的，但当以斯帖愿意跟从神，愿意放下自己、先神后人再大地，不仅不用死，现在竟然连“国的一半”都可以得到。
5:4 以斯帖很有智慧，没有真的去跟王要“国的一半”，而是先请王带着哈曼去赴她预备的筵席。
5:6-8 王再次施恩典，而以斯帖知道，如果她马上跟王求情，以色列人从她口中得拯救，她就会成为以色列人的偶像。所以，以斯帖愿意谦卑，不为自己争功劳，只是做了末底改教她做的事，然后就等候神出手。以斯帖知道自己能够走到如今，都是末底改的帮助，她虽贵为王后，却仍看末底改为她的权柄，所以她不会去抢夺末底改的位份。我们蒙祝福的水流是从上往下的，我们不要被人的掌声冲昏头脑而去争取本不属于自己功劳。当我们没有在权柄之下谦卑顺服时，我们很快会枯干，走下坡路，唯有与我们的权柄对齐水位，祝福才会顺着水流从上而下临到我们。
四、5:9-14 乐极生悲
哈曼以为自己独得王和王后的宠爱，在朝门看到末底改没站起来时还“暂且忍耐”，回到家后开始向亲友炫耀。哈曼的妻子细利斯名字意思是“黄金”，可以看出她的家庭何等唯利是图。妻子给哈曼出了一个鬼主意，没想到这个提议最后反而害死自己的丈夫。
在这个末世，我们觉得自己被很多事情“卡住”，要如何活出神的祝福？唯有顺服得生，骄傲致死，求神帮助我们学会谦卑！