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South Bay SDA Church

Esther

Jeremy Arnall

Behind The Scenes

Coincidence Or Providence

For Such A Time As This

Footsteps of Faith

Out of the Ordinary

Joy in the Promise

A Divine Reversal

Have you ever thought about the fact that it is estimated that the average scalp contains around 100, 000 hairs, more or less?

Multiply that by 7 or 8 billion people, Multiply that by 7 or 8000000000 people and you get the idea that's a lot of hair, right?

And to think that God knows the number of hairs upon each and every head.

It's estimated that there are between 10 to the 78th power to 10 to the 82nd power of atoms in the known observable universe, in layman's terms.

That works out to be 10 quadrillion vigintillion and 100, 000 quadrillion vigintillion atoms.

And 100, 000 quadrillion vigintillion atoms.

And to think that he orders each 1 in its proper place.

Now to really boggle the mind, consider that amongst the 7 to 8, or I guess it's around, are we around 8000000000 now in the world?

The number of possible interactions and relationships that can be developed amongst that 8000000000 roughly numbered people is even more complex when you consider the aspect of timing involved in such encounters.

We often consider this type of thing when we think about the prophecies of Christ, but imagine the scope and the breadth of possibilities that God navigates when He directs in the lives of His followers around the world.

And to think that this story of Esther that we have been reflecting upon these past several weeks illustrates only 1 such example of the millions of stories that have transpired since the dawn of creation.

This morning, I would like to continue with our reflection on the story, the providential workings of God in the scope of humanity as we continue our series on the book of Esther.

And I understand and know that you, you know, many of you have gone through this story already this week in your Sabbath school lesson.

But in my intrigue, I didn't see the story of the lesson really dealing with what we're dealing with this morning.

Title of the message is Out of the Ordinary.

Dear Lord, we thank you that you have everything under control.

That as chaotic as the world may seem, as out of control people may appear, that you are able to navigate all of it.

And just as you order all of the atoms in their proper sphere, just as you understand all the hairs that are upon each and every head, just as you lead and guide in the relationships that your people have with all the millions and billions of people in this great planet, Lord, we Thank you that we can therefore take comfort that you are on your throne and that you see the sparrow that falls.

So Lord in this place, in this quiet moment, In this place that has been dedicated to be used for a holy purpose of us as your creatures meeting with our Creator, we pray, Lord, that a divine encounter would occur as we seek your holy face.

Wash me, cleanse me, fill me, that I might be a vessel for Your glory, that collectively we might sit at Your feet.

In this series of Esther, we have noted how God's providence is evident throughout the book of Esther, even though God's name is never found there.

The story began, as you recall, and we're rehearsing this, you notice, each and every week because Repetition deepens impression.

So we began with the King of Persia, Hasuerus, his Greek name being Xerxes, calling for a grand banquet.

He invites his wife, the beautiful Queen Vashti, to enter and present her beauty before all his royal officials, but she refuses him.

So the king at the suggestion of his advisors refuses to ever see her again.

And after a passage of time, the king misses his wife.

And so the advisor suggests something akin to a beauty pageant be taken, be gathered together and assembled there in Persia, that all the beautiful young virgins come to the kingdom whereby the king might select his next queen.

Now because the Jews had grown so comfortable with their new home in Persia, away from Jerusalem, they refused, many of them that is, to return to their homeland.

And she is snatched away to become a participant in Persia's got talent, if you will.

Queen Esther, the Jewish orphan, is selected to become queen.

Then her cousin, who raised her from her childhood, Mordecai, who serves at the royal gate, just so happens to learn of a conspiracy to kill the king and reports the conspiracy to the officials who then relay it to Esther and it is taken to the king.

Then the story progresses of how wicked Haman is made second in command only to the king.

When Mordecai refuses to stand or bow to Haman when he passes by, it infuriates Haman.

And he gains permission from the king to exterminate the troublemakers whose law is different than that of the kings and promises to fund, and by the way he never mentions, at least according to the text, he never mentions who this sect or group is.

He promises to fund this action generously with his own funds that the king's treasury might swell.

Some would call it a bribe, he was just being generous you see.

Haman is granted permission and given the king's signet ring.

Mordecai, along with the other Jews, learns of the order and Mordecai puts on sackcloth and ashes.

Esther learns of Mordecai's mourning and hears of his wardrobe and so she sends clothes that he might get out of those despicable sackcloth and ashes and put on something more fitting, because after all, the king was not to see displeasure or sadness or grief.

So Mordecai refuses the change of garments and assures Esther that this is not a wardrobe problem, that rather this is a threat that poses not just a threat to him but to her as well.

He sends the message that Haman, and he sends all the supporting documents to go with it, that it is via Hatoch to Esther this message, that Haman has promised to fund generously the king's treasury in order to remove the hated sect of Jews in all of Persia.

Mordecai wants Esther to intercede on behalf of her people.

And yet Esther responds by saying, you don't understand Mordecai, it's been 30 days since I have seen the king.

And lest you forgotten, it is not acceptable for 1 to appear before the king when they have not been invited." And so she's essentially saying, I would if I could.

And Mordecai receives this instruction and he informs Esther, don't think Miss Esther that you have come to the kingdom for just by accident.

That somehow it was your beauty and your charm that got you there.

It was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords that has put you there." And I know Mordecai never uses those words.

However, he says, perhaps it just is that the Lord has put you, I mean, I'm sorry, He doesn't say it like that.

He says, who knows but that you have been put there for such a time as this.

So she starts to consider And she responds by saying, let's have a three-day fast.

In our last study, we noted that through earnest prayer and moving out in faith and careful listening, Esther engaged with the king.

She approaches the king on the third day of the fast and is granted mercy.

This was no small task for her to go before the king uninvited was to put her life on the line.

Remember last time we spoke of that, what do you call it, that relief of how, you know, not a painting but a picture.

And in that picture of old, They have found a picture of a king with behind the king a man with an axe, implying that when you come to the king uninvited, your life is literally being put on the line.

And we also rehearsed that story that the historian, whose name slips me at the moment.

But anyway, it's a historian from that era.

And he said, he said, I still want to say who's, anybody remember?

So Herodotus tells us that indeed, now I forgot what he told us.

Herodotus tells us that there was a story of another lady whose name I don't remember, we won't go there.

But he tells us a story of a lady who came before the king and she made an appearance and she asked when he said, I'll offer you half the kingdom, remember that?

She came to the king and he made such an offer and she took him up on it and her family was ex...

So what Esther is doing in chapters 5 and 6 is no small matter.

So she invites them to the banquet, and he offers her half the kingdom.

And at the banquet, again, the king offers her half, up to half the kingdom, and asks her about her request.

She oddly invites them then to a second banquet the following day, at which she promises to make the request known.

You see, only when 1 is in tune with the direction of the Holy Spirit, through earnest prayer, faithful service, and an ear that is sensitive to the promptings and timings of God, then can 1 make such a move?

So Haman and the king accept the invitation.

They plan to meet the next day, and on the way home, the story goes, as we studied last week, that Haman passes through the king's gate, and Mordecai refuses to bow, which infuriates Haman.

Now, I just want to remind you what we noted last week.

The fact that Mordecai is in the gate tells us that he is no longer in sackcloth and ashes.

Because it tells us that after this three-day fast, Mordecai has had his faith renewed.

There's no longer a need to sit in sackcloth and ashes because God has got this.

And so, he doesn't bother to even get up.

First he won't bow, now he won't get up when Haman comes by.

I know he's second in command, but what it must have been like to be invited to a banquet when it's just Esther and the king, husband and wife.

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Series

Esther

Out of the Ordinary

Transcript

Parent Series

Sponsor

Recorded

General Sessions

Nothing is Impossible with God!

1h 55m

For Such A Time As This

36m

The Answer Was Created

The Answer Was Created 3

26m

Dare to be a Daniel

02 Final Kingdom

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Lewis Walton Weekend

Our Time, Our Message

45m

Sabbath School 2nd Quarter 2025: Allusions, Images, Symbols: How to Study Bible Prophecy

13 Images of the End

28m

Longing for Home

54m

A Priest Upon His Throne

50m

Plenary

God’s Mandate for These Unusual Times

2h 9m

The Experience of God’s Prophetic Movement

1h

Sound Doctrine