While the Jews were in captivity under Persian rule, Esther, a Jewess, was selected by the Persian king Ahasuerus to be his queen (Esther 2). Mordecai, a relative of Esther’s, looked after her and advised her to keep her race a secret, “Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it” (Esther 2:10). It seemed as if all would go well for the Jews until a law was passed that was essentially a death sentence for God’s people. Laws of the Medes and Persians could not be revoked after they were made (Esther 1:19; cf. Daniel 6:8, 12). Haman, the enemy of God’s people, had convinced Ahasuerus to grant him the sanction of his signet ring to sign an unalterable law into edict to kill all Jews, both young and old, even women and little children, in one day (Esther 3:10-13).
Mordecai counseled Esther that she must make a supplication before the king on behalf of her people (Esther 4:8). Esther responded, “All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days” (4:11). Perhaps the most famous words of the book of Esther come next in Mordecai’s prompting: “Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (4:13-14). Mordecai had confidence that God would deliver His people one way or another, but he saw Esther was at a unique time and position to have an opportunity to save the Jews. Though she would do so at the risk her own life, Esther decided to be identified with God’s people and appear before the king uninvited to plead for her people. What would you and I do in this situation? Christ has called us to fear God more than men, being willing to confess Him before others even on pain of death (Matthew 10:28-33).
It is at this point in the narrative that Esther’s courage is revealed with great energy. Instead of fearfully waiting for Mordecai to tell her what to do, we read, “Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.”
She was successful in her request of the king. Haman was hanged on the gallows he had prepared for the Jews (Esther 8:7). The Jews were allowed by the king to defend themselves and thus survived as a people through whom Christ would come (Esther 8:11). Today, when one is baptized, one is identifying oneself with Christ’s death by burying the servant of sin and being raised to a new life (Romans 6:3-7; Colossians 2:12-13). As Esther was energized when she was willing to die to be identified with the people of God, so giving ourselves to Christ in baptism means we are choosing to serve a purpose greater than our own concerns. We are dying to ourselves to serve Christ as our Lord in hope of life beyond this earthly existence. Baptism is that defining moment when the selfishness of past sins are washed away and a bold pledge is made that one will henceforth be identified as belonging to Jesus Christ (Acts 22:16; Galatians 3:26-27). Have you died to self in order to serve the Lord Jesus Christ?
-Mark Day
