We Cannot Escape God’s Providence

We Cannot Escape God’s Providence

The Book of Esther teaches that God’s providence is active in every facet of human life. We cannot escape Him. His purposes, though sometimes hidden, are far-reaching. We can be confident of God’s care and protection. 

Key Word Study Bible

    God’s providence, according to the Heidelberg Catechism, is “The almighty, everywhere present power of God, whereby, as it were, by his hand, he still upholds heaven and earth with all creatures and so governs them that herbs and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, meat and drink , health and sickness, riches and poverty, indeed, all things come not by chance, but by his fatherly hand.” John Piper described God’s providence as his “wise and purposeful sovereignty…It is God’s seeing to everything. Absolutely everything that needs to be done to bring about his purposes, God sees to it that it happens.” One of the most comforting truths we can consider is the providence of God. His wise and purposeful governing of our lives by His fatherly hand gives comfort in difficulties, peace in perplexity, and joy as we trust Him.

    During my Bible reading, I have reached the book of Esther. In the introduction the Key Word Study Bible says, “The Book of Esther teaches that God’s providence is active in every facet of human life. We cannot escape Him. His purposes, though sometimes hidden, are far-reaching. We can be confident of God’s care and protection.” Esther recounts the story of the rescue of God’s people from certain annihilation. God acts to save His people. As I read through the book of Esther, I took note of the display of God’s providence in bringing about His purpose to save them, and then I thought about them for our own lives. If we believe that God providentially directs all aspects of our lives, it relieves a great deal of anxiety and helps our heart to trust in Him. 

God’s providence in commands and refusals (Esther 1). The book of Esther opens in the kingdom of Ancient Persia. King Ahasuerus, from whom nothing is withheld, has thrown a banquet for his many nobles and princes. This is no ordinary banquet. Its length lasted 180 days, in which his splendor and riches were on full display. When the banquet was at its end, the king gives one more banquet lasting seven days for all the people of Susa. At this banquet, the king commands that his wife, Queen Vashti, be brought before him to display her beauty before all the people. Vashti refuses. Because of her refusal, an edict is written that states that Vashti would no longer come into the presence of the king. Queen Vashti is out; a new queen must be found. In God’s providence, a drunk king’s command and a bold queen’s refusal are ordained by Him to put things in motion to save His people from an evil man’s plot which hasn’t even been conceived yet. 

 

God’s providence in the favor bestowed by others (Esther 2). With Vashti removed, the king appoints overseers to gather beautiful women from all over the province in order to be considered as a replacement for Vashti. Hadassah, or Esther, a young Jewess is found to be “beautiful in form and face” (Esther 2:7). She is brought to the king’s palace and placed in custody of Hegai, who is in charge of the harem. The Bible says, “Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him” (2:9). Because of this favor, he provides all the best for Esther, even instructing her on what to take into the king when it is her time to go see him. When it was finally her turn, the king loves her more than all the other women, and makes her his new queen. Not only does she find favor and kindness in his eyes, but in fact, “Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her” (2:15). It would be hard to miss the repeated refrain of favor that is given to Esther. But God has purposed to save His people, and He has a plan which He is implementing. Esther, in the design of God’s plan, is granted favor in the eyes of the overseers, Hegai, the king, and the people. God is putting her exactly where He wants her. 

God’s providence in evil plots (Esther 2:21-3:15). Esther, now the Queen of Persia, keeps her identity as a Jew a secret. At the end of chapter 2, Mordecai, Esther’s uncle overhears a plot to kill the king. He makes the plot known to the Queen, who then informs the King, and the men’s plot is prevented. While nothing is done at this time to reward Mordecai for saving the king’s life, his name is written down in the Book of the Chronicles. This will be significant later, in God’s perfect timing. Shortly after these events, Haman is promoted by King Ahasuerus over all the princes. In this exalted position, all the king’s servants bow down to Haman as he goes in and out of the king’s gate. All, that is, except Mordecai. Enraged at Mordecai’s dishonor of him, Haman conceives a plot to kill, not just Mordecai, but the entire Jewish people living within every province of Persia. He “disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone…Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus” (3:6). Two evil plots. One thwarted that saves the king. One established to destroy God’s people. And God, sovereign over them both, putting in place a plan of salvation and judgment.

 

God’s providence in each one’s time and place (Esther 4). Esther 4 may be the most well known part of Esther. Mordecai, upon hearing the decree about the destruction of the Jews, is grief stricken and tears his clothes and puts on sack cloth and ashes. Esther hears of Mordecai’s state and sends a eunuch, Hathach, to find out why Mordecai is acting in this way. Mordecai informs her of the edict and implores her to go to the king to plead for the lives of her people. But Esther knows, that unless she is summoned by the king, she cannot come into his presence, even though she is his queen. If she comes without being summoned, the king must hold out his golden scepter to her, or her life will be forfeit. Mordecai tells Esther that though she is in the palace, she herself is not even safe from the edict, and if she remains silent “relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” (4:14). Mordecai makes it clear that Esther’s time and place are not accidental. She responds with boldness that she will go in to see the king, “and if I perish, I perish” (4:16). God has positioned her precisely with an advantage to seek the salvation of her people. 

God’s providence in petitions granted (Esther 5). Having fasted for three days and nights, Esther clothes herself in her royal robes and approaches the king. While in the court, Esther again obtains favor from the king when he sees her and he extends to her his golden scepter. What could have proved fatal has now gained her an opportunity to, in wisdom, not plead for the lives of her people yet, but to request that the king and wicked Haman come to a banquet she has prepared for them. The king, willing to even give her up to half of his kingdom, grants this request. Later that day, at the banquet, the king again offers Esther up to half the kingdom, guaranteeing that her petition will be granted. She requests that the king and Haman come again to a banquet the following day.  Haman, consumed with pride, heads home to boast to his family and friends. However, as he passes the king’s gate, he yet again sees his hated enemy, Mordecai, who continues to refuse to bow in honor of Haman. Even though this angers him, he controls himself and goes home and boasts to his family and friends of his glory and riches and great honor, that he alone is invited to another banquet in the presence of the king and queen. Yet he expresses how all of this is tainted every time he must look upon Mordecai. His wife and friends suggest that he build a gallows in order to hang Mordecai on it. It pleases him to do so. 

    Esther’s presumption has been met with favor. the king has eagerly granted her initial requests and generously offers her nearly anything. Haman, full of pride, continues to fly down a path of hatred. Thus, God’s providence continues to put every piece in place for the accomplishing of His purposes.

God’s providence in humbling and exalting (Esther 6). Strangely, or more accurately, providentially, the king cannot sleep that very night. The chronicles are brought in to be read to him, and the story of Mordecai’s unveiling of the plot to kill the king is read to the king. The king asks if anything had been done to honor Mordecai, and when he finds out nothing has been done, he immediately calls for whomever is in the outer court. Again, providentially, Haman has come at this exact time in order to seek the king’s permission to hang Mordecai. Unbeknownst to Haman, the king seeks to honor Mordecai, Haman’s despised enemy, and asks Haman, “What is to be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?” (6:6). In his pride, Haman assumes the king speaks of him and suggests that the man whom the king desires to honor ought to be clothed in the king’s royal robe, sit on the king’s royal horse, wear the royal crown, and one of the king’s noble princes ought to lead him around on horseback and proclaim, “Thus is shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor” (6:9). To Haman’s horror, the king tells Haman to do this for Mordecai. After he does, in shame Haman hurries back home to recount this unfortunate event, and his wife and wise men predict that Haman “will surely fall before [Mordecai]”(6:13). Their conversation was not yet even over, when the king’s eunuchs appear and rush Haman to the banquet prepared by Queen Esther for he and the king. While for a time it seemed Haman is exalted and Mordecai humbled, God brings about a shocking turn of events that neither of them could have imagined. Truly, “the LORD of hosts will have a day of reckoning against everyone who is proud and lofty and against everyone who is lifted up, that he may be abased” (Isaiah. 2:!2). 

God’s providence in justice and vengeance (Esther 7). At this final banquet, the king asks Queen Esther what her request is. Esther reveals to him that, “we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed and to be annihilated” (7:4). She then tells him that it is the wicked Haman who has devised such a plot, and, Haman, once proud, haughty, scheming, and wicked, is suddenly terrified. Angrily, the king goes to the palace garden, while Haman begs for his life from Esther. While Haman falls on her couch in desperation, the king returns, sees Haman assaulting the Queen, and at his word, they cover Haman’s head. And further, a eunuch makes known to the king about the gallows that Haman had built for Mordecai, and the king commands that Haman be hung on his own gallows. A Jewish woman as Queen in a foreign land, an evil plot to kill the Jews, a bold request in the King’s presence, a wicked heart scheming harm against his enemy: all, and much more, ordained by God to bring about the rescue of His people and the judgment on their enemies. The schemer is put to death, but the people are not out of danger yet.

God’s providence in salvation (Esther 8). Although Haman has been removed, the edict that Haman had sealed with the king’s signet ring, cannot be revoked. Esther exposes her relationship with Mordecai to the king. The king gives to Esther all of the house of Haman, and he gives his signet ring, which he took from Haman, to Mordecai. Esther goes before the king, who again extends to her his royal scepter, and she requests that her people be rescued from the calamity that awaits them. The king, bound by the decree that has been sealed by his ring and written in his name, cannot revoke the edict, but he calls his scribes to write another edict giving the Jews the right to defend their lives. The edict is carried to every province, and the Jews rejoice. And now, instead of fear there is rejoicing. Instead of a sentence of death, there is the hope of defense. And the dread of the Jews fell on the people. 

God’s providence turns sorrow into gladness (Esther 9). When the day of the enactment of the edict arrives, the Jews strike all their enemies, and they gain the victory over them, including the ten sons of Haman. The day set aside to murder the Jews turns instead to victory, and the following day is one for feasting and rejoicing. The lot that had been cast by Haman, Pur, to select the day of the Jews annihilation, will now be the name of their holiday, Purim, and a reminder of their deliverance. God had turned it for them “from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday”(9:22). 

God’s providence in raising up authorities (Esther 10). The book of Esther ends with the account of the greatness of Mordecai. Just as God had raised Joseph to power in Egypt as second only to Pharaoh, so Mordecai is raised to power only second to King Ahasuerus. He used his position well as he was “one who sought the good of his people” (10:3). Thus, as we come to the end of Esther, God’s providence has provided for His people, not only deliverance from their enemies, but someone who promotes their good from a position of power. They can live in peace even in exile. 

    All of this makes a wonderful story, but how should we be encouraged today as we live as sojourners and pilgrims? One thing I enjoy is the fact that in Esther, God’s name is not mentioned and yet His work is evident. How much like our own lives. We do not have our story written from the beginning to the end with God testifying to each turn of events, each delay, or each success, declaring His purposes in all of it. And yet, the Scriptures are clear that He is directing all of our lives. Nothing is left to chance or to the power or whim of another. While we may not see His direct involvement in every detail, we can be sure that He is ordaining everything that happens in our lives. Everything. Even those things that confuse and perplex us. Even the things we cannot understand. Even the things that appear to have no good purpose. Spurgeon said,“You and I think Providence is adverse to us, because we are looking at the wrong side. We do look at the wrong side while we are here; but when we get to heaven, we shall see the right side of God’s dealings, and when we do, we shall say, ‘O Lord, how manifold are they works! In wisdom hast thou made them all.’” Not all of the beauty of God’s providences will be evident this side of eternity, or as we see them in the book of Esther, but in eternity, we will see that His plan and His providence were carried out in beautiful mastery and we will marvel. 

    We believe He is infinitely wise and kind and good. While we cannot see the intricate patterns of the tapestry as it is being woven, but only the individual threads, these threads of our lives are being woven by the Master Weaver and when His designs are revealed to us, we will praise Him for His inscrutable understanding. In the choices made by governments and individuals, in the favor bestowed or withheld from us, in the places we live and work and serve, in the evil plots that are devised against us, in the prayers granted or delayed, in ours and others’ humbling and exalting, and in His justice and salvation, He is providentially ruling and reigning bringing all of these means to a beautiful and glorious end. We cannot escape His providence, and that is a wonderful thing. 

Photo credit to izzi99