A Humble Spirit I Will Exalt Esther 8
What’s the most humbling thing that has ever happened to you? For me, one of them was when I lost my first fulltime job. The job was brilliant to start with. I had just turned 22, completed my science degree and a diploma in Aquaculture and landed a job at Marine Culture Developments at Brooms Head. Over 100 people had applied for this job and I was fortunate enough to get it at an oyster hatchery as a Centres Biologist, but then I lost it: last on – first off: couldn’t see a purpose in it. It started off well; what happened?
In the book, he is often referred to as “Mordecai the Jew.” His faith was constantly on display. Everyone knew where Mordecai stood with respect to his belief system. There would have been many others of Jewish descent who did bow down when Haman was paraded before the crowd – even at the king’s request. Mordecai stood out as a lone figure; who would not? (Esther 3:8-10)
We can often dismiss this and say, well he had his religious convictions. Here he was just being intolerant. Any zealot can do that. Often those who have such convictions are ridiculed in the media and are even put down by others of the same faith as being too hard in their stance.
While we know many who have stern words but no heart stirred by hope and grace, this was not the case with Mordecai. How do we know? How do we know that Mordecai was a man of true humility and not just a religious zealot?
Because of an incident that is recorded very early on in the book of Esther. It is found in Esther 2:20-23.
Nothing more is mentioned of this story until later in the book of Esther, but when the decree went out from the palace that the Jewish people were to be wiped out, what do we see Mordecai doing? He stood in sackcloth and ashes at the king’s gate, making his protest before Almighty God.
What could he have done? He knew the king’s servants. Indeed, through Esther, he had their ear. Couldn’t he have said, “Hey this order has gone out from the king to annihilate the Jews. Don’t you realise that it was a Jew who saved your life? You want to kill even the one who discovered a plot take the King’s life?” Why didn’t he do that?
Because true humility should never exalt our works, it should exalt the works of God! If there is an injustice somewhere, who is the sovereign over all who can fix it? Mordecai acknowledged that the Lord had ordained Esther into her position and even when she got a bit shaky and needed strength from the Lord, Mordecai’s faith and testimony was that even if Esther didn’t stand up, “relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place.” (Esther 4:14) God’s got it in hand.
We know the story, that after Esther had asked people to fast and pray for 3 days and nights, the significance of which we have mentioned, the king couldn’t get to sleep. When things are on your mind, you can’t sleep. Maybe the king was thinking about this decree he had issued against the Jews, starting to trouble him, he couldn’t sleep. Well…you want to go to sleep, read a boring book, especially in a monotone voice. What’s more boring than modern history and what’s more monotone than a king’s servant? The king called for the chronicles to be read to him.
Nothing had been done for Mordecai. It’s a coincidence perhaps that the king couldn’t sleep. A coincidence that it happened after the fasting and praying by God’s people. A coincidence perhaps that the King read what Mordecai had done. A coincidence that as the Chronicle had been read only in the king’s presence, that Haman, the enemy of the Jews, appeared in the court.
What was Haman doing there at the hour of sleep, if only to plot to cover his tracks? Then we see a turn in the book. This man Haman, who had been exalting himself, was about to be humbled and Mordecai, who was truly humble, was about to be exalted. Esther 6:4-
The tide had turned. We know the rest of the story. Haman was discovered as a plotting murderer and, while pleading for his life, fell on the couch where Esther was sitting. The king who was already angry, now saw this man as attempting to abuse his wife and queen. Haman was hanged on the gallows that he had built to hang Mordecai. The Jews were delivered and even protected by the Kings army.
Esther was given Haman’s house by King Ahasuerus and she promptly gave it to Mordecai and the King gave Haman’s authority to Mordecai. As we read, Mordecai was second in charge to the king - similar to what we read of Joseph under Pharaoh and Daniel under Darius.
I think we can put this story with many of the scriptures into the realm of “that was then, but this is now.” But God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He still has a heart (and will) to exalt the humble.
True humility however involves trust and often requires boldness when it is stirred by faith in Christ. Mordecai had a chance to take things into his own hands and even had every right to do so, but he humbled himself to trust in His Saviour – the God of Israel.
We trust in this same God, but it is a daily choice within the heart. Daily, we must ask ourselves, just as Joshua challenged his hearers, to “Choose this day whom you will serve.” (Joshua 24:15)
Choosing Christ means resigning your will and your ways to Him and His word. He calls everyone to follow Him. Yes, this involves tough choices at times, that’s what it means: picking up your cross and dying daily to self. But the promise is that in this humility we will be exalted. Mordecai had Haman’s house and was given his authority under the king. Jesus says, “"Let not your hearts be troubled.” (John 14:1-3)
Christ, after his season of humility, was “exalted at the right hand of God.” (Acts 2:33) Choosing Christ means that we also will rule and reign with Him. It is only possible as we accept His grace and are humbled to repent of sin (choosing our own way), and following after Him.
Maybe even as Christians we have strayed in some of our decisions. We have perhaps reminded others of what we have done, rather than allow the Lord to speak on our behalf.
Choose Christ today and enter into His rest. Today is the day of your salvation.