God’s Orchestration of Esther’s Story … and Yours and Mine

If you haven’t read the book of Esther recently, here’s some motivation to revisit this exciting story. God still orchestrated our lives just as much as He did Esther’s.

At the beginning of Esther’s story, she had no idea she and her people would face life-threatening danger. She walked step by step in faith. Esther’s journey is the same for us. We don’t know the future, or how God wants to use us. We can only faithfully follow through on the guidance we receive. Knowing God’s orchestration behind the scenes in Esther’s story can build our courage.

Today, we may not be able to see God’s work, but stories like Esther remind us God is always at work. He never feels uncertain, worried, perplexed, or confused. He is totally in control. That’s the basic definition of his sovereignty: he is totally in control.

Here are some of the examples of God’s sovereignty in the book of Esther:

• Rejection of Vashti as queen thus setting up the search for a new queen (chapter 1).
• Favor of king toward Esther out of the many women he could choose from (chapter 2).
• Haman hated the Jews (chapter 3). It may seem strange God would allow someone to plan evil, but in the end the plan is defeated thus giving God glory.
• The king can’t sleep and requests some of the chronicles of his reign be read (chapter 6). At this point, he’s been in power for twelve years. The reading about Mordecai was five years earlier, yet that story is the one chosen by God’s design.
• Mordecai wasn’t given any reward when he saved the king’s life (chapter 2). God would later use the “mistake” to give Mordecai favor with the king (chapter 6).
• When the king wants to honor Mordecai, Haman enters the outer court precisely then (chapter 6), and Haman must honor Mordecai.
• The king enters the room at exactly the time when it appears Haman is attacking Queen Esther (chapter 7), thus causing the King’s anger and Haman’s demise.
• The hearts of the enemies of the Jews are changed to favor them (chapter 8).

We don’t know to what degree Esther had insight to understand God’s orchestration, but certainly much of what happened must have given her courage to proceed with God’s leading.

So often we don’t think we have courage because we aren’t taking huge steps. But Esther’s story can speak to us how God leads one step at a time. He brings the results he wants in his timing.

One step she took seems unusual—have the king and Haman come to dinner two times. Commentators offer several possible reasons.

• She was led specifically by God.
• She was intimidated at the first dinner and didn’t have the courage to follow through on her plan.
• She believed the pleasures of two delightful and delicious banquets would prepare the king’s heart to hear her request and be more favorable toward it.
• The ploy emphasized the importance of her request.
• The delay piqued the King’s curiosity and interest.

Of course, we don’t know the reason(s) because Scripture doesn’t spell them out. Ultimately, the “why” or “how” isn’t important. The essential vital message is God will fulfill his plan to save the Jews.

Our courage will grow if we are convinced God will fulfill his plan. Ultimately, we really don’t have the power to prevent or aid God’s will. If we did have that kind or level of power, we would be his substitute, a god. No one and nothing can substitute for the Lord God Almighty.

We can also have greater courage knowing even if we make a mistake or don’t follow through with the right plan (like Esther possibly did), God can overcome any obstacle or mistake on our part. He knew from the beginning how he would save his people, to whom he had promised his loyal protection in the first covenants with Noah (Genesis 6:18) and Abraham (Genesis 15).

(Excerpt from Heart of Courage: Daughters of the King Bible Study. Gain more courage from studying women of the Bible. Appropriate for individual and group study.)