Esther 4: A Time Appointed for Everything

Life is full of seasons, some more pleasant than others. By studying Esther 4, we can have the assurance that there is a time appointed for everything.

In this chapter we read one of the best-known verses in the book and perhaps the one we most associate with Esther’s story.

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come from another place for the Jews, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this? Esther 4:14

That reference to the appointed time, an occasion when action must be taken, just as the preacher said in the book of Ecclesiastes. Looking at the details of the story of Mordecai, Esther and the Jewish people, we’ll evaluate how we face the different times or seasons of life.

To study Esther 4, this time we’ll use the acronym TIEMPO (TIME) to divide the chapter. It’s my prayer that, as we advance, these divisions will help you apply the principles we see in this portion of the Word about God, time and our life.

T – Tragedy (Esther 4:1-4)

In these verses, at the beginning of the chapter, we see how Mordecai expresses his pain in an evident and public way, since he didn’t express it only in his house, but came to the palace.

Tearing his clothes and dressing in sackcloth and ashes means he dressed in mourning; he had unbearable sadness that didn’t allow him to continue living his days in the same way.

Mordecai was not the only one saddened, but in all the provinces where the announcement arrived, among the Jews, what existed now, after celebrating Passover, was weeping, mourning, fasting and lamentation.

Esther receives news of Mordecai’s state and asks him to remove the sackcloth, but he didn’t do it.

Esther still doesn’t know the reason why Mordecai is distressed; she doesn’t know that a tragedy has been announced for her people.

The seasons of tragedy

Seeing Mordecai’s mourning and lamentation, we have to ask ourselves: How do we handle our pain?

Beloved, let’s be careful not to believe the lie that because we’re Christian women we won’t go through pain or that we can’t express our pain.

Yes, it’s true that the Lord turns our mourning into dancing (Psalm 30:11), but this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t process and handle our pain.

There’s a time to weep and a time to laugh. There’s a time for us to process our lamentation (Ecclesiastes 3:4), our mourning and grief until the time to laugh and dance returns.

The Lord has created us with emotions so we can process life’s events. It’s true we have to handle our emotions well, but we can’t go to the extreme of wanting to eliminate them from our life.

Mordecai’s example, approaching the king’s gate, should encourage us in our most tragic moments to approach our King.

In the midst of our pain, weeping and sadness, let’s remember the truth expressed in Hebrews 4:16: “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Let’s also take the opportunity to ask ourselves: how are we helping others process their pain? When we have the opportunity to be with those who suffer, let’s remember there’s an appointed time for everything and, as Paul taught us, weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15).

I – Intercede (Esther 4:5-8)

Upon receiving Mordecai’s refusal, Esther sends Hathach to investigate what’s happening. In response, Mordecai sends her all the details of the decree and the tragedy they’re about to face.

But not only that, he includes a challenge; he challenges her to intercede for her people before the king. In the previous verses we saw that Esther very promptly moved to try to resolve Mordecai’s sadness, even without knowing all the details of what was happening.

Now Mordecai gives her this challenge. As if saying, now you know what’s about to happen: our people are about to be exterminated, and since you’re in the position of queen, you must take action and intercede.

It’s time to intercede

Esther receives the challenge to intercede for her people in human terms before the king, and this should lead us to meditate on what our attitude is when interceding for others in human terms.

I believe it’s a struggle for all of us to maintain balance when interceding for others, but let’s take a moment and consider which side we lean toward: ignoring others’ needs or interceding excessively to the point where it’s not helpful.

In the spiritual aspect, we must intercede (pray) for our needs and those of others, while our confidence grows in God that He hears our prayer.

Moreover, with the assurance that He Himself intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-27) and that, as we’ve seen so far, the sovereign God will fulfill His will.

E – Escape (Esther 4:9-13)

Esther’s response is one of self-protection; she sends a reminder to Mordecai about the law regarding approaching the king without being called; that the result of this action is death.

With this valid detail, Esther finds a quick escape from the responsibility that Mordecai has placed on her and from the tragedy that’s about to occur outside the palace.

Mordecai responds with simple words, but full of meaning: “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews.”

Are we trying to escape?

I have to make this warning again: we cannot believe that, because of our faith, we’re exempt from pain or circumstances that happen because of evil in this fallen world.

Jesus, praying for us, asked that we not be taken from here, but that we be kept from evil (John 17). So we must meditate on whether we’re like Esther trying to escape from risky or difficult situations, when we should be exercising our faith and our responsibility.

While reading Esther’s story of trying to escape her responsibility, it’s impossible not to remember Jonah who, thinking of his comfort or his preference, chose to flee to Tarshish.

Trying to escape God’s will is more dangerous than any difficulty we might face while we’re under His plan.

M – Moment (Esther 4:14)

Mordecai reminds Esther of the truth that you and I are now studying by reading her story. God always fulfills His plan, whether we’re willing to participate or not.

He reminds her that if she’s in the position of queen, it’s not because of her beauty or because, as we saw in one of the previous lessons, she found favor with everyone; but because being in that position was part of God’s plan.

Living for God’s glory

In Luke 19:39-40, Jesus confirmed Mordecai’s words: when God has arranged something in His will, if we don’t do it, creation will make it possible.

Many times we’re very quick to act in these “easy” moments to resolve, perhaps to be recognized or “demonstrate” what we want others to see in us.

However, in moments that can be more difficult, we tend to pull back or seek to protect ourselves.

We need to ask the Lord for discernment to react to situations not according to our emotions or pretensions, since our heart is deceitful. But rather that we live motivated so that everything we do results in God’s glory and doing what we need to do for the praise of His name (Philippians 1:9-11; Jeremiah 17:9).

P – Perish (Esther 4:15-16)

Mordecai’s words confronted Esther and provoked in her an action full of faith and confidence.

Being reminded of God’s nature, the God who fulfills His will, and confronted by her sin of wanting to escape her responsibility, Esther is filled with faith in such a way that she says: “if I perish, I perish” (v. 16).

A confidence that made her previous worry small and irrelevant before the need to fulfill her role in God’s plan. That filled her with courage to take action that would prepare her to face whatever was to come.

Serving at any cost

In her expression, Esther was saying the same as Paul in Philippians 1:21: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Like Esther, we are confronted by God’s nature and our sin, but we add Christ’s redemptive work. When confronted with these truths, the response should be that our faith and confidence in God grow more.

A faith that leads us to believe that, through Christ’s work, we have been forgiven, redeemed, justified, adopted and sanctified. A faith that fills us with courage to risk others knowing that Great Gospel. Faith that removes all worry and moves us to fulfill our part in God’s plan.

Read Mark 8:34-38 and let’s evaluate our life. Are we prepared and willing to risk ourselves for God’s plan? Are we ready to deny ourselves and serve our God wherever He leads us?

O – Prayer and fasting, from Oración y ayuno (Esther 4:16-17; Matthew 6)

The way Esther prepares to approach the king is through prayer and fasting; not only her, but she asks Mordecai to have everyone join and even her maidens will join these three days of fasting and prayer.

In the narrative we have silence during those three days; we don’t know what type of fast each one did or how their prayers were. Believing that God’s Word contains everything we need, we must rest in that knowing these details is not essential.

What we need to know is the result of these actions; after those three days, Esther came out ready to face whatever came. In the next lesson we’ll see in detail how Esther was willing to act under God’s sovereignty.

Strengthening our spirit

Spiritual disciplines, which include prayer and fasting, are not only for those in leadership positions; they’re for each of us who have put our faith in Jesus.

As disciplines, we should exercise them frequently. As we see in this example, in difficult seasons we can be more intentional and intensify our practices as individuals and as God’s people.

Practicing our spiritual disciplines won’t change God’s will, but it will strengthen our faith and confidence in God. It will help us focus on Him and rest in the truth that He is sovereign and His will is perfect.

A time appointed for everything

I hope that after looking at Esther’s reaction to tragedy in Esther 4, we can look at our life honestly before God, repent of the times we want to resolve things our way, of the times we want to escape pain or the responsibilities we have.

May we turn to our Sovereign King through prayer and fasting so that our faith and confidence are strengthened and we can do what we have to do to bring God’s redemption to others and that His perfect will be fulfilled.