Ester 1

Ester 1

Vernon McGee - The Strange Providences of God - Borrow Ruth and Esther Providence is the hand of God in the glove of history. Providence is a theological term. Dr. Strong, in his ponderous tome, defines it like this: “Providence is that continuous agency of God by which He makes all events of the physical and moral universe fulfill the original design with which He created it.” To explain it in layman’s terms, there are three words that describe the work of God as it affects His physical universe. 1. There is creation, which explains the existence of the universe. By God’s fiat He created all things. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). We have only two alternatives today: We either accept revelation or we choose speculation. These are the only two explanations. And regardless of what you may believe, evolution is speculation. “Science” has no scientific explanation for the origin of the universe; it has to speculate. I accept revelation because it explains the origin of the universe without resorting to the speculations of men. 2. The second word is preservation, which explains the continuance of the universe. In other words, God not only created the cosmos, He holds it together. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Creator. He is also the Preserver. We are told in Colossians 1:17 says, “… by him all things consist.” Everything would come unglued today if it were not for Him. God Himself is holding together the atoms which are the building blocks of this universe. 3. The third word is providence, which explains the progress and development of the universe. Creation explains its origin, and preservation explains its continuance; but providence explains the progress and development of the universe. Providence is the means by which God directs all things—animate and inanimate, seen and unseen, good and evil—toward a worthy purpose, which means that His will must ultimately prevail. The Word of God teaches this. For instance, Psalm 103:19 says, "… his kingdom ruleth over all." And notice Psalm 135:6: “Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.” God is running this universe to please Himself, not to please you or me. We are creatures; He is the Creator. We ought to get this straight in our thinking. The only freedom of speech that you and I have is that which He gives us. He is the Creator. We are creatures. Also notice verses 7–10 of Psalm 135: He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries. Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast. Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants. Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings. God takes the responsibility for doing those things. In Daniel 4:35 it is written: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? In other words, God does not have to report to anyone concerning His conduct. God runs this universe and He runs it His own way. That is what providence means. Paul, in Ephesians 1:11, expresses it thus, “… who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” You may think that is too theological, so let me put it like this: Providence is God at the steering wheel of this universe. It is the way God coaches the man who is on second base. Providence means that God is behind the scenes, shifting and directing the happenings of the world. Or, as we have had it expressed, God stands in the shadows, keeping watch over His own. Or, again, providence is the hand of God in the glove of history, and that glove will never move until He moves it. The Book of Esther teaches the providence of God. Actually, the name of God is not mentioned in the Book of Esther, and for this reason there were those who did not want it included in the canon of Scripture. However, the Book of Esther is a revelation of the people of God out of the will of God. They are walking in a willful pathway; no appeal is made to Him by name in the entire Book of Esther. But God will overrule their attitude, and He will protect them. The word providence means “to provide.” God will provide. Providence means that God is back of His creation today, back of the human race, back of those who are His own by redemption. And God is giving men and women direction in the world today. ESTHER 2 Esther 2:1 After these things when the anger of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. Esther 1-2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries King Calls for Virgins to be Gathered to Replace Queen Vashti Ferguson introduces this chapter with these sage comments… Remarkably the providence of God delivers His people in a most wonderful way without a single miracle. We see this throughout the Old Testament. This truth would have been a great encouragement for Jews living in this uncertain time, as it is for believers today. As one writer put it, One would suppose that many of the dramas of the Old Testament were planned on very purpose to show how intimately things secular and things sacred, as we call them, are connected together; how entirely the minutest events are controlled by God, and at the same time how thoroughly the freedom of man is preserved. The meeting of two convicts in an Egyptian prison is a vital link in the chain of events that makes Joseph governor of Egypt; a young lady coming to bathe in the river preserves the life of Moses, and secures the escape of the Israelites; the thoughtful regard of a father for the comfort of his sons in the army brings David into contact with Goliath, and prepares the way for his elevation to the throne; the beauty of a Hebrew girl fascinating a Persian king saves the whole Hebrew race from massacre and extermination. All of the lives in this book have been recorded for our edification and instruction. This is not so we can hide behind their sins, but so we can be warned about them. The greatness of this book is that it explains for us what God is doing when He is silent. Doubtless, God gave it to us to build our faith amidst the confusion of life. When we face the trials of life the silence of God should now make sense. We can all understand the implications of history but none of us can make sense of the future now as, For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope (Rom. 15:4). (God in the Shadows - The Life of Esther ) HISTORICAL INTERLUDE After these things - Always pause and ask What things? (This phrase occurs 29x in NAS) Esther 1 and Vashti's removal as queen. Comparing Esther 1:3 (third year), Esther 2:12 (end of 12 months), and Esther 2:16 this chapter would begin in the sixth year of the reign of Ashasuerus, more than 3 years after Vashti had been deposed as queen. Esther 2:16 would be about 4 years after the events of chapter 1 because of the 12 month preparation period in Esther 2:12. Although the text does not tell us what transpired between Vashti's removal and the pivotal events of Esther 2, history records that the Persian forces (reported as numbering 100,000 or more) under Ashasuerus (Xerxes I) were held off for seven days by only approximately 7000 Greek soldiers, before the Grecian rear-guard was annihilated in one of history's most famous last stands. (See Battle of Thermopylae) As noted below, during this same time period, Ahasuerus' navy suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Salamis. Stan Anderson: The second chapter begins, “After these things,” which refers to the things that happened in chapter 1. We see the hand of God working in the glove of history, and as chapter 2 unfolds we see further evidence of God’s sovereignty and His providence. Sovereignty is God’s control over all things. Providence is God’s working in all the details and events to accomplish His will. God uses bad things, good things, big things, and little things to carry out His plan. J. Vernon McGee defines God’s providence as “the means by which God directs all things, both animate and inanimate, seen and unseen, good and evil, toward a worthy purpose, which means His will must finally prevail.” (Paul Apple) Henry