Lighthouse Church Durban
The Providence of God in our Lives
Divine providence is the governance of God by which He, with wisdom and love, cares for and directs all things in the universe. The story of Esther is a great example of this.
God in his providence:
- places his agents in suitable situations for doing His work
- tests his people
- restrains his enemies.
Esther 2:17, 3:2-6, 4:1-17, 6:1-2, 7:3-6, Proverbs 16:9
- Duration:
- 21m
- Broadcast on:
- 07 Dec 2024
- Audio Format:
- other
My message for this morning is the providence of God in our lives. So what is divine providence? Divine providence is the governance of God by which He would ease wisdom and love cares for and directs all things in the universe, all providing for or sustaining and governing the universe by God. That thing is more practical than a doctrine of providence, for it causes both fate and godly fear. We learn that godly fear is because, sorry we learnt what godly fear is because Jase gave us an exposition of it two weeks ago. If you must it, you can find it on our social media channels. Whether one is willing to admit it or not, everyone constantly lives in the providence of the living God. The more the believer is conscience of God's providence, the more it can be seen of it. As BB Warfield wrote, "every way he or she sees God in his mighty stepping, every way or she feels the working of his mighty arm, the throbbing of his mighty heart." In the Bible we see many examples of God's providence with people and all other nations. Today we will delve into the book of Esther. The book of Esther depicts a dark period for the Jews in the fifth century BC. Some of us may know the book of Esther does not mention God by name even once, but even though God is not mentioned directly in this book, it is a team reflecting God's providence. I will summarize certain chapters and will be attending to certain scriptures. Esther chapter 1 begins by introducing us to the Great Empire of King Arcereus, which was Persia. He gave a feast to all his officials, servants and the people of Persia. On the 7th day, when he was in high spirits from wine, he commanded his eunuchs to bring before him his wife, Queen Vashti. In order to display a beauty to the people and nobles for she was lovely to look at. But the queen refused to obey the king's command and the king became furious and burned with anger and a royal decree was issued that Vashti was never again to enter in the presence of king exists. In chapter 2 we see that the king was looking for another queen and Esther appears in the narrative. She was of Jewish descent, but her uncle Modica forbade her to reveal a nationality and family background. In verse 17 it says, "Now the king was attracted to Esther more than any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti." As we go through this story we begin to notice whether this was a coincidence or whether it was the work of God even now is not mentioned. Vashti uncovered the plot of two of the king's offices, who were plotting to assassinate the king and told Esther about it and she reported it to the king. The report was investigated to be true and the two officials were impaled on polls. This incident was recorded in the book of Anur. In chapter 3 King Vexus honors Amund's son of Amadatta the Agacite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honour higher than that of all other nobles. In Esther chapter 3 verse 2 it says, "All royal officials at the king's gate knelt down and paid honour to Amund for the king had commanded this concerning him, but Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him Hana." Now why did Mordecai not honour Amund? Mordecai was the descent of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was therefore related to King Saul. Amund was the descent of Agag the Amakalite, the ancient tribal enemy of the Jews. When Israel came out of Egypt, the Amalakites attacked them in the wilderness for which God cursed them and condemned them to extinction, which is in Exodus chapter 17 verse 8 to 16. In one Samuel 15 we see that God sent King Saul to carry out that sentence on Amalak, Saul failed to carry out the commands of God. If King Saul had carried out his commission properly in the first place, there would not have been any Agagites to threaten the Jewish nation. It did not take long before Mordecai's behaviour was brought to Amund's attention. In Esther chapter 3 verse 5 to 6 it says, "When Amund saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay Yimone, he was enraged. Yet having learned who Mordecai's people were is called the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead, Amund looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews, throughout the Old Kingdom of Texas. A day and a month was chosen by Lot and it fell on the 12th month to eliminate the Jewish race. In order to make this plot work, he needed a king to agree with his plans. The king agreed with Amund and he decreed it. In Esther chapter 4 verse 1 to 3 it says, "When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he toyed clothes, put on sackcloth, and ashes, and went out into the city wailing loudly and bitterly." But he went only as far as the king's gate because no one quoted in sackcloth was allowed to indicate. In every province to which the edict and the order of the king came, there was great morning among the Jews with fasting, weeping, and wailing, many lay in sackcloth and ashes. Instead of crying out to God, Mordecai's first thought was to appeal to the king to Esther, so he went only as far as the king's gate, knowing that he could get attention. He did catch attention and she was deeply distressed. She did not catch on the freelessness of the situation immediately. Only after Mordecai refused the clothes she sent to him and she sent a servant attack to inquire why he was known. In verses 7-8 he says, "Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money heimened and promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews." He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for the annihilation, which had been published in Sousa to show Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go to the king's presence to beg for mercy and pleading for her people. When Esther received the report, she hesitated because she was afraid to approach the king, reason being according to custom, nobody is allowed to approach a king without being summoned or they will be put to death, and also 30 days passed since she was called to go to the king. Mordecai was not easily discouraged. His second request to Esther was even stronger. In Esther chapter 4 verse 12-14 it says, "When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back the sunset. Do not think that because you are in the king's house, you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish and listen to this and who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such time as this. Or maybe you could have meant, would Esther be in such a position of royalty if God had raised up, if God has not raised up?" He was arguing that there is a meaningful cause of history, but who can provide such meaning except according to them? Face would these circumstances, Esther made a choice. In verses 15-17 it says, "Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai, 'Go get it together, all the Jews who are in Susa and fast for me, do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I am my attendant who are fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish." So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther's instructions. Esther's fast makes sense only as a community appeal to God to do the miraculous and enabler to find favored king or series. Fasting in the Bible is a means of expressing sorrow over sin and dependence upon God. She's solidarity would do Esther no good without divine intervention on her side. In Esther chapter 5 we see that after a three-day fast Esther dressed in a royal bust and presented herself before the king. Against all expectations she won favor his sight and extended his scepter to her in a gesture of recognition and work. At this point we breathe a sigh of relief. The threat of death is now removed, Esther will not die but will live. God was just definitely orchestrating these events. The king asked her, "What was the request and she invited him together with Ayman to a banquet that she had prepared for the king?" The king accepted the invitation and took Ayman to the banquet. At the feast the king once again invited Esther to reveal the request and she asked the king and Ayman to come to another feast the following day and should all supposedly be revealed. We see that Esther had laid the plans well and executed them with patience, care and cunning. All that now remained in the disparate name game of chess was to wait until the pieces were exactly in the right position before making the decisive move that would hopefully checkmate Ayman. Ayman saw Mordecai at the king's gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence and he was filled with rage against Mordecai. He went home and plotted with his family in angering Mordecai on the candles. In Esther chapter 6 verse 1-2 it says, "The night the king could not sleep, that night the king could not sleep." So he ordered the book of the chronicles. The second of his reign to be brought in and to eat. It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigtana and Teresh, two of the king's offices, who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Zixes. Was this a coincidence or the work of God? God's sovereignty did not end with keeping the king awake. But he also directed him, the king to hear what was written in the book of chronicles. The king questioned his attendance of whether Mordecai received any reward and he said no. But divine providence had been moving the other pieces into place as well and Ayman was in the courtyard coming to speak to the king about every Mordecai and on the candles. As events would prove, it was not a lucky moment at all but rather a providential moment and providence at something far different for in mind, for him that Ayman expected. Ayman was asked by the king, "What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?" And Ayman is thinking that the king will only aim and he says, "Let them rope the man, the king delights to honor and lead on the oss through the streets." Then the king commanded Ayman to get the rope and the oss and do just as he suggested for Mordecai. Imagine the evens face when he discovered for a womb, these were actually intended and worst of all, he had to rope and lead Mordecai on oss back to the city streets. These plans to aim Mordecai was destroyed. So the king and Ayman went to Queen Esther's banquet and the king again asked Esther, "What is a petition?" In Esther chapter 7, verse 3-6, it says, "Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor would you your majesty and if it pleases you, grant me my life. This is my petition and spare my people, this is my request, for I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet because no such distress would justify disturbing the king. In Texas asked Queen Esther, "Woo easy, where is the man who had dared to do such a thing?" Esther said, "An adversary, an enemy, disavowed Haman." The king became enraged and had Haman hung in the gallows which Haman had prepared for Mordecai. The edict could not be revoked, but the king may be secretaries, write another decree in the king's name on behalf of the Jews. The Jewish nation was saved from destruction with the intervention of God and that enemies were killed. So let me conclude. The book of Esther illuminates three points about the power of God's providence. In his providence, God places his agents in suitable situations for bringing his work. The Lord was not taken by surprise by Haman's plot. In fact God had foreseen it and he also forestalled it by ensuring that a young Jewish girl Esther would become free of pleasure before Haman designed his own scheme and method. God also used Mordecai and Esther cooperatively to facilitate steps in his divine plan. Mordecai would not have been of little use without Esther. And Esther likely would not have rendered aid if Mordecai had not encouraged her. The simple application is that the Lord has not only placed you and I in a particular place at a particular time, he has also placed other agents in efficient positions so that they may collaborate with them. Number two, in his providence God tests his people. When Mordecai first sent word to Esther, in chapter 4, verse 9, the initial response was not "our help" but "essipation". Mordecai sent his word back to Esther and grasped it in chapter 4, verse 14, "Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" After Esther used these words, it is then that the pressure of the child begins to produce the positiveness in her. It moves from thinking about her own preservation to the preservation of all the Jews. Mordecai wants to the loan in refusing to board a bow down to Eamon. Mordecai was tested not to be too Stanley independent to seek help for his people and to seek help from his cousin Esther. Esther was tested in the midst of all the luxuries of royalty that we have persuaded her to forget about God. She was also tested to see what was in her heart if she was willing to give up everything even a life for something greater than this life but she chose God because she knew she had God's providence upon her. Number three, in his providence God restrains his enemies. Eamon was obsessed of executing his plan to destroy all the Jews. He was quite anxious to have his cruel and immoral decree accomplished with completeness and resorted to using the king to issue a decree that seemingly could not be revoked. Eamon may have been able to attempt to destroy God's people but providence chapter 16, verse 9 says, "In their hearts, humans plan their cause, but the Lord establishes their steps." This acts to explain why at the end of Esther, all of Eamon's plans were frustrated. Mordecai finds favor of the king after the king discovered there was a conspiracy by two of the servants appealing. Mordecai reviewed the plot. This was the providence of God upon Mordecai. There is a complete reversal. Eamon tries to end Mordecai but it is Eamon who is hanged on the same gallows that he built for Mordecai. It is not the Jews who were destroyed but the enemies of the Jews. The point is this trusting God requires trusting in his providence and in his providence God restrains his enemies. We often wish that God would do something miraculous to deliver us from our predicament but God rolls the world by his plans and providence not by miracles. And in that providence he often uses the schemes and methods of his enemies to destroy his enemies. God intentionally plays Mordecai way with fear of the assassination plot against the king. He strategically placed Esther as a queen so she would be able to save God's people from extermination by Eamon. This story is a reminder that even when God seems absent, it does not abandon his people. And today with the intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eamon. [BLANK_AUDIO]
Divine providence is the governance of God by which He, with wisdom and love, cares for and directs all things in the universe. The story of Esther is a great example of this.
God in his providence:
- places his agents in suitable situations for doing His work
- tests his people
- restrains his enemies.
Esther 2:17, 3:2-6, 4:1-17, 6:1-2, 7:3-6, Proverbs 16:9