In the church year we are in “Ordinary Time” between Pentecost and Advent. Throughout this season, we are looking at women of the Bible who faced difficult times and issues. We’ll see how they lived and flourished, with God’s help, despite the swirling world events around them. Looking at the complicated lives can help us see how the tapestry of our life is being woven in and with the challenges we face. We see the back and the messiness. God sees the completed and beautiful work.
This week we’ll consider Esther. She faced political and societal upheaval with courage and faith. Her story is found in the Book of Esther in the Old Testament. It reads rather like an old-time melodrama. First there is the sweet young Jewish girl, living in the Persian city of Susa when King Ahasuerus reigned. Many scholars think Ahasuerus is Xerxes I who ruled from 486-465 BCE. The girl’s name is Hadassah and she is niece of Mordecai son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, a Benjaminite [carried into exile by King Nebuchadnezzar]. (Esther 2:5-6)
We learn from the Book of Esther that the king became angry
with his queen and exiled her. Then he issued an edict and many young women
were gathered in the citadel of Susa…Esther also was taken into the king’s
palace. (Esther 2:8) Mordecai advises her to keep her Jewish identity
secret.
Talk about losing your rights, identity, and freedom all at
once!
Esther is ultimately chosen by the king as a replacement for
Queen Vashti, which you would think assures her security. Enter the villain. A
man named Haman is promoted by the king and when Mordecai doesn’t honor him he plotted
to destroy all the Jews…destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and
old, women and children, in one day. (Esther 3:13)
Mordecai urges Esther to go to the king to make
supplication to him and entreat him for her people. (Esther 4:8) Esther argues
she can’t just go to the king, to which Mordecai responds, “Do not think
that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews…Who
knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.”
(Esther 4:13-14)
Indeed, it turns out that Esther can use her “royal dignity”
to save the Jews. She bravely goes to the throne room where (ta-da!) the king
extends the scepter. Esther then invites the king and Haman to banquet and then
to a second one (Esther 5:4-7).
Cue the suspenseful music… Overnight Haman decides to hang Mordecai and prepares a
giant gallows. Meanwhile the king has a sleepless
night and during a reading of the royal records is reminded of the time
when Mordecai foiled an assassination plot. In the morning he tells Haman he
wants to honor someone. Haman, sure it is himself, gives advice and ends up honoring
Mordecai.
Later at the banquet, Esther pleads for her life, “If I
have won your favor, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given
me—that is my petition—and the lives of my people—that is my request...”
(Esther 7:3-4) She then tells the King it is “A foe and enemy, this wicked
Haman!” (Esther 7:6)
The King angrily stalks out and Haman tries to throw himself
on Esther’s mercy. This is mistaken as attempted rape and Haman is hanged
on his own gallows. Mordecai is honored and writes a letter to all
the provinces allowing the Jews who were in every city to assemble and
defend their lives…. (Esther 8:11-12)
Like all good melodramas everyone lives happily ever after. Esther is
acclaimed as heroine and the Jewish Feast of Purim is celebrated in her honor. Scholars
debate whether Esther was even a real person, but the festival remains. Purim
is celebrated by reading the Megilla—the Book of Esther, by doing a
mitzvah (good deed) of gifts of food to friends and the needy, there is a
festive meal and many wear costumes.
Over the past several years we have felt buffeted on all
sides by politics, violence, injustices, and death. We might feel like we’ve
lost our identity or our security or even our rights. Esther found herself in
strange and dangerous circumstances. Instead of hiding or running away, she
asked for community support. She prayed and then she acted. (Esther 4:16-17)
Sometimes it is tempting to act before praying. We seem to
think we have to help God ‘fix’ whatever we perceive as being wrong or hurtful
or dangerous. The trouble is, we only know our part of the story. We don’t know
the fullness of God’s plan. We only see the knots on the back of the tapestry,
not the beautiful design on the front.
In times of turmoil, sometimes the best thing we can do is
seek God and sit quietly so that God’s peace can enter our hearts. When Jesus
was pressed on by crowds he often went away to pray, when in the boat on the
stormy sea, Jesus was asleep. While in prison, Paul and Silas sang songs of praise.
Before posting another meme supporting “our side” of an
issue, maybe we can step back and wait for God. Maybe we can go the extra mile
and listen to someone else’s interpretation of events—without judging and
without trying to change their mind. Maybe we can look for something good
rather than focusing on negatives. Find something we can do to bring peace,
reconciliation, and conversation into a tense time.
Esther didn’t force the king to do anything. She simply gave
him the facts after prayer and fasting. Next week we’ll look at another woman
whose life was overturned by the abuse of royal power. She responded in a
different way, which proves that there can be more than one response to a
similar situation.
