For Such a Time as This
Today’s Bible reading* is a familiar story to many of us who grew up in church. It concerns a young Jewish woman who became queen and found herself in a position to intercede on behalf of her people “for such a time as this”.
Hadassah (Esther’s real name) didn’t seek the position of queen. But she was chosen for the position for such a time as this. Queen Vashti refused to parade herself in front of her husband and his counselors and was thrown out as queen.
King Ahasuerus needed a new wife so many of the young women in the kingdom were prepared for a year to be presented to the king. Hadassah was chosen. At her uncle Mordechai’s recommendation, Hadassah didn’t reveal her Jewish heritage — before nor after she was chosen as queen.
King Ahasuerus’ highest counselor, Haman, hated Mordechai because he didn’t bow down to Haman as he passed by. Mordechai knew that only God was worthy of bowing down to. So Haman hatched a plan to entrap Mordechai and have him hanged on seventy-five feet-high gallows (we’ll see more about the gallows) and every Jew would be hunted down and killed by King Ahasuerus’ people.
Mordechai learned of the plan and warned Hadassah that she would not be spared if Haman found that she was Jewish, too. Mordechai implored her to appeal to the king on behalf of the Jewish people.
Perhaps God had placed her in the position of queen for such a time as this to save her people.
Application
The book of Esther is the only book in the Bible that doesn’t mention the name of God. But if you just read the book, you can see His hands on every page.
Throughout their history, the Jewish people have been hated and hunted. And the main reason why is that they are God’s chosen people. God befriended Abram — a man who had done nothing special to be rewarded by God — and chose to give this old man and his old wife an heir. Actually, Abram and Sarai were promised to become the parents of a great nation. And God made good on His promises.
After generations of turning their backs on God, God finally turned His back on His people and exiled them from their homeland to Babylon. Hadassah was one of those young exiled to this strange land.
And like Abram, Hadassah had done nothing special to earn God’s favor. But God sovereignly chose her to be queen for such a time as this … to save her people — and His people — from extinction.
Perhaps God has put you where you are for such a time as this. Perhaps He has placed you where you are for the purpose of interceding for family members, coworkers, and fellow church members.
Don’t waste your life. Ask God what He would have you to do for such a time as this.
* Chapters covered in today’s reading:
Esther 1
Esther 2
Esther 3
Esther 4
Esther 5
This devotional was originally published on September 22, 2021.
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