The book of Esther is about reversals, about the upside-down being turned right side up.
Esther, a Jewish exile and orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai, was crowned queen of Persia. King Xerxes, not realizing that Esther was Jewish, approved Haman’s plot to destroy all the Jews in Persia. Mordecai recognized that only Esther could stop this evil plan, but to do so she would have to risk her life by pleading with the king to save her people.
Esther’s world seemed upside-down.
The only way forward was to take the Lord at his Word.
Over a thousand years before Esther, God had promised that a Messiah would come through the Jewish people. But if the people from whom the Messiah was to come were to be destroyed, not only the people of God, but the whole world, would be in trouble. God's promise and plan were at stake. Mordecai took the Lord at His word and said, in effect, the people of God will be delivered, somehow, some way.
When we take God at His word, faith flows into action and is accelerated in community.
Esther’s faith flowed into action. She told Mordecai to go and get all the Jewish people to fast while she and her attendants also fasted. Through this action, Esther acknowledged that she needed the support and fellowship of others, not just her own individual courage. Faith is a team effort.
To move forward in faith in an upside-down world, we need to be confident in God’s providence. Mordecai was confident that God would find a way to rescue His people no matter what. Mordecai said to Esther, “Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther then put forward her plan to approach the king after three days of fasting, adding, “And if I perish, I perish.” Esther was confident in God’s providence, and released the results into God’s hand.
Esther was ready, even if she ended up sacrificing her life, to trust God to use even that as a part of His plan to rescue His people.
Reversals: In the end, Haman was put to death and the Jewish people were allowed to defend themselves on the day designated for their destruction. Mordecai went from mourning in dust and ashes at the threat of the destruction of his people, to being appointed second in command of the entire Persian empire.
Haman completely lost his place of power and was executed on the very gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Esther, after suffering all the disappointments in life that she went through, stepped forward in faith, risked her life, and experienced being part of the fulfillment of the ancient promise of God.
The book of Esther started with King Xerxes’ extravagant banquet and ended with the Jewish people establishing a banquet of their own, called Purim, in memory of their being rescued from the brink of annihilation.
The greatest reversal in all of history was yet to come. Jesus Christ, the Creator Himself, was nailed to a cross, murdered by His creatures, and buried in a tomb. Yet the promises of God never fail. In that darkest moment, God was preparing the brightest victory and the ultimate turning of the tables.
Jesus’ cruel death on the cross was part of God’s plan for salvation all along. Three days later Jesus rose from the dead in resurrection power, conquering death, hell, Satan and all spiritual evil, making a way for us to be forgiven and to receive eternal life in His name.