Introduction
In this passage, the evil design that Haman has for all the Jews is revealed to everyone, and it hits like a thunderbolt. Mordecai reacts with great grief in the city of Shushan, but a similar reaction starts to happen all over the empire, as the decree reaches them. The day of the appointed catastrophe is still eleven months out, and so the outpouring of grief is not wasting time. If there is anything to be done, then there is time to do it. But is there anything to be done?
The Text
“When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; And came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes . . .” (Esther 4:1-17).
Summary of the Text
When Mordecai got word of the coming slaughter, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and lamented in the midst of the city (v. 1). He came to his official station, the king’s gate, but couldn’t go in because of the sackcloth (v. 2). As the word came out to every province, the same kind of lamentation arose (v. 3). The queen’s maids and chamberlains came and told her about Mordecai. She was distressed about it and sent him a change of clothes, which he refused (v. 4). So Esther summoned Hatach, one of the king’s chamberlains assigned to her, and sent him to find out what the situation was (v. 5). This indicates the decree was not known inside the palace. So Hatach went out to meet Mordecai in the street, outside the king’s gate (v. 6). Mordecai told him everything, including the money Haman had promised (v. 7). Mordecai gave him a copy of the decree to show to Esther, and to tell her to go to the king and plead for her people (v. 8). Hatach delivered that message (v. 9), and Esther sent a reply (v. 10). Everyone knows that no one can approach the king in the inner court without being summoned, and Esther had not been summoned for a month. Unless the king extended his scepter, the penalty for entering was death (v. 11). This may have been court protocol, or it may have been that security was really tight since the assassination plot had been discovered.
This information was passed on to Mordecai (v. 12), and he had a two-fold reply. Esther should not think of silence as an option. If she went to the king, death was a possibility. But if she didn’t, it would be a certainty (vv. 13-14). Mordecai knew that deliverance for the Jews was certain, and it appeared to him as though she had been placed in the palace for just this moment (v. 14). Esther demonstrated her pluck and courage as she replied (v. 15). She told Mordecai to have all the Jews of Shushan fast for three days and nights, and she and her maidens would do the same. She would then approach the king, which was against the law—although the king could decide to show mercy. She was resigned to the prospect of perishing (v. 16). Mordecai was satisfied, and he went away, obeying Esther’s commandment (v. 17).
Commanding and Obeying
Even though they were cousins, remember that Mordecai was a lot older than Esther, and had brought her up, as though he was her father (Est. 2:7). Understandably, she respected him greatly and continued to obey him (Est. 2:10). And this deference continued even after she became queen: “for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him” (Est. 2:20). Now in this moment of crisis, this authority relationship continued. Mordecai doesn’t hesitate to tell her that she needs to appeal to the king (Est. 4:8). When she explains the difficulty involved in this, he doesn’t hesitate to charge her to live up to her providentially-assigned position: “for such a time as this” (Est. 4:14). He does not hesitate to tell her that she needs to do something, and she agrees.
But she is nevertheless the queen, and she knows more about the internal workings of the palace than he does, and she knows how risky this venture is. And so she is the one who draws up the actual plan. And notice that—as the queen—she commands Mordecai on what he needs to do in organizing the Jews of Shushan, which he willingly does (Est. 4:17). And she doesn’t go to the king immediately, as Mordecai had first suggested. And Mordecai had said nothing about hosting any feasts for the king and for Haman. That was all Esther.
Duty and Providence
The great phrase that rises out of the book of Esther is this: “for such a time as this” (Est. 4:14). Mordecai had instructed Esther to conceal the fact that she was a Jewess, and he had apparently been anticipating a time when that fact ought to be revealed, thus surprising everyone. He had been thinking ahead, and he was clearly reading the story he was in.
He had read enough of the story to know that if Esther did not fulfill her role, God would still deliver His people. Mordecai was confident about the fact of the deliverance, although he did not know precisely how. He had a decent idea how it would happen, but he was not certain. Esther was not sure about it at all—“if I perish, I perish.” Mordecai was being a strategist, playing the long game, while Esther was simply being courageous. She was doing her duty because it was her duty.
Understanding and Obedience
Like Mordecai, Christ has a strategic intention for the church. The church has a role to play—but plays it centrally simply by being the church. When we are called to do something, all we need to understand is what it is we are called to be and do. Duties are ours—consequences are God’s.
When Christ set His face to go to Jerusalem, He was going there to implement the plan. He knew what the evil rulers would do, and He knew what God would do (Matt. 16:21-23). It would be supremely difficult for Him, but it was not supremely opaque. He knew fully and did what He did for the joy set before Him (Heb. 12:2). He knew that He was going to bind the strong man (Matt. 12:29). Like Mordecai, He had a purpose and plan.
But Esther is a type of the church. We sometimes do not know what will happen if we do the right thing. But her example still inspires us because this ignorance of the consequences does not erase what the right thing is. We have our Bibles and we still know what that is.