Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-03-10
ESTHER'S MISSION.
LESSON xl, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERlEo, MARCH 10.


Memory Verses, v, 1-3-Golden Text,
Prov. XXI, documentary by the Rev.
ID. VI. stearns.
One lesson only has been assigned to us
from this most marvellous book Of the
providence Of God, a book in which, in the
English text, the name of God is not found,
but which nevertheless is full of God from
beginning to end. "Oh, blessed is he to
whom is given the instinct that can tell
that God is on the field when He is most
invisible" (Faber)
The whole book tells how the people OF
God were delivered from death by medi
ator of the highest rank, who undertakes
the greatest danger for them and is mys
teriously one of them. 1t is thought by
some that Ahasuerus is suggestive of the
great king, Vashti of Israel, Esther of the
church, Mordecai of Jesus, and Hannah of
satan, and that the whole book is histor-
zeal and prophetic picture of the kingdom
of God, illustrating the grace of God.
10, II. 'There is one law of his to put
him to death, except such to whom the
king shall hold out the golden scepter that
he may live" Because of Humans hatred
of Mordecai he had caused decree to go
| forth throughout the whole empire that on
a certain day all the people of Mordecai-
that is, all the Jews-should be slain Be
cause of this decree Mordecai went through
the city, and even to the kings gate,
clothed in sackcloth, crying with loud
and bitter cry. Esther's maids told her of
! it. Then she was grieved, for Mordecia was
her own cousin, who had cared for her, her
own father and mother being dead Chap
ter ii, y, and sent Hatach to find out what
it was and why it was Gv, 81. Mordecai
then told Hatach the whole matter, and
sent request to Esther that she go to the
king and make request on behalf of her
people. Esther sends word back to her
! cousin, who had been father to her, that
she could not approach the king uncalled,
except ut the risk of her life.
IL, 10. 'Think not with myself that thou
shalt escape in the kings house, more than
all the Jews" The decree included all
Jews both young and old, little children
and women, and the command was to de-
! stroy to kill and to cause to perish (ii, 10,
so that there was no hope for Queen Esther
any more than for the poorest Jew or jew
ess in the kingdom. In the plan of saliva
ton we are reminded of the fact that, as to
being sinners and needing a Saviour,
"There is no difference, for all have sinned
and come short of the glory of God" (Rom.
iii, 29. This is illustrated in those who
persisted in the deluge; outside of the ark
not one was saved; some were rich and
some poor, some learned and some igno-
rant some lived in the highlands and some
in the lowlands, but there was no differ
ence.
IA. enlargement and deliverance shall
arise, and who knoweth whether thou art
come to the kingdom for such time as
this?" Mordecai was sure that deliverance
4
not told, but he suggests to Esther that
possibly the providence of God had put her
in this high position for this very emer-
gency. AS believers in the Lord Jesus
Christ, and therefore saved by His precious
blood, we know that the church will be
completed and the kingdom will come.
Israel shall be saved and the earth filled
with the glory of God.
10, IL. so will | 20 in unto the king,
which is not according to the law and if /
perish, perish" In reply to Mordeca's
second message Esther returned answer
that they should fast three days for her
and that she and her maidens would dc
likewise, and then she would 90 to the
king whether she lived or died. She being
one of them would take her life in hel
hand and lay it down if need be on their be
half. The Lord Jesus knew that He would
lay uOMll MS lllt lot US, anu became one
of us that He might do so. But if Esther
is suggestive of the church, where does the
laying down of the life come in? Is it not
found in John iii, 16? Hereby per
ceive we the love of God, because He laid
down his life for us, and we ought to lay
down our lives for the brethren"
II. 80 Mordecai went his way and did
according TO all that Esther had com
manded him" 1t would no doubt be fast
ing to some pur!4 Sc, for it was matter
of life or death. When David's little child
was sick he tasted and prayed. How mucl
4 more should these people fast when tn,
lives of whole people were at stake
Daniel ate no pleasant bread for three
! whole weeks, because he was earnestly
seeking to know the mind of God dan. X
u 2, -. Jesus said concerning certain evi
: spirits, This kind goeth not out but by
= prayer and fasting" (Math. xvii, 21). Ant
= is it not written in Jer. xxx, 49, ~,
|, shall seek Me and find Me when V,
: shall search for Me with all your heartss'
n v, |. Now it came to pass on the thirt
: day that Esther put on her royal appare
and stood in the inner court of the king,
house." 1t Is easy for us to read it, blu
:. how much it must have meant to Esther
" We read that on the third day A ABRAHAM
= lifted up his eyes and saw the place afa
off, but who stops TO think how much tina
third day meant to Abraham? 1t mean
the taking of his very life, for was no
Isaac the son in whom ali the promises
conferred, and this was the day of the sac
rifceS So with Esther it meant, if neeC
be, the laying down of her life.
2. "She obtained favor in his sight, ant
the king held out to Esther the golde;
scepter that was in his hand" Life theI
was hers, and not DEATH or was it not a.
life from the deadS So it was with Abra
ham, for on that day he received Isaa,
back from the dead in "a figure Heb. ri, l9)
And this is the meaning of the third day il
Scripture, it is resurrection, or life from tn,
dead. after two days will he revive us
In the third day he will raise us up, ant
we shall live in his sight" Hos vi. p
Think also of Jonah and his third day, bu
especially of our Lord Jesus and His thirt
day, with all its glorious results yet to b,
fully seen.
3. What wilt thou, Queen Esther, ant
what is thY reQueStp IL shall he even river