The Progress., 1893-03-04
ESTHER'S MISSION.
LESSON Xl, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH ~.

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 a 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, Nashti Of Israel. Esther Of the
| church. Mordecai Of Jesus, and Haman Of
satan and chat the whole book Is a histOr-
| ical and prophetic picture of the kingdom
| of God. illustrating the grace Of God.
| 10. II. There is one law Of his 10 put
| him to death, except such to whom the
king shall hold out the golden scepter that
| he may live" Because OF Haman's hatred
of Mordecai he had caused a decree 10 20
! forth throughout the whole empire that on
certain day all the people Of Mordecai-
! that i, all the Jews-should he slain. Be
cause of this decree Mordecai went through
the city, and even to the kings gate,
clothed in sachcloth, crying with a loud
and bitter cry. Esther's maids told her Of
it. Then she was grieved, for Mordccia was
her own cousin, who had cared for her, her
own father and mother being dead CHAP
ter ii, - and sent IIatach TO find out what
it was and why it was Gv, -. Mordecai
| then told Hatach the whole matter, and
sent a request TO Esther that she 60 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 at the risk Of her life.
~. 13 "Think not with til, elf 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 (iii, l3l,
50 that there was no hope for Queen Esther
any more than for the poorest jew or jew
ess i'm the kingdom. In the plan of saliva
tion we are reminded Of the fact that, rs 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 lowlaDds, but there was no differ
ence.
Il. Enlargement and deliverance shall
arise, and VINO hhOwoth whether thou art
come to the kingdom for such a time as
thisY" Mordecai was sure thtt dcliyprance
would come. How he was SO sure we are
not told, but he suggests TO Esther that
possibly the providence of God had put her
in TINS high position for this very ener-
gency. As believers in the Lord Jesus
Christ, and therefore saved 10y 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, 10. so will | 90 in unto the king,
which is not according to the law, and if !
perish, perish" In reply to Mordecai's
second message Esther returned answer
that they should fast three days for her,
and that she and her maidens would do
likewise, and then she would go to the
king whether she lived or died. she beiuc
one of them would take her life in her
hand and lay it down if need be on their be-
half. The Lord Jesus knew that He would
lay down His life for us, and became one
of us that He might do 50. But If Esther
is suggestive of the church. where does the
laying down of the life come in? Is il 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"
IL. 80 Mordecai went his way and did
according 10 all that Esther had com
manded him" 1t would no doubt be fast
ing to some puris 50, for it. was matter
OF life or death. When David's little child
was sick he tasted and prayed, How much
more should these people fast when the
lives of "a 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,
2, 81. Jesus said concerning certain evil
spirits, This kind goeth not out but by
prayer and fasting (Math. xvii, 2l) And
is it not written in Jer xxx, 10, "Ye
shall seek Me aud find Me when We
shall search for Me with all your heartsf"
v, l. Now it came to pass on the third
day that Esther put on her royal apparel
and stood in the inner court of the kings
house" 1t is easy for us to read it. but
how mucl it must have IneaG. 20 Estherl
We read that on the third day Abraham
lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar
off, but who stops TO think how much that
third day meant to Abraham? It meant
the taking of his very life, for was not
Isaac the son in whom all the promises
centered, and this was the day Of the sac
yihcsf SQ With Esther it peant, IL need
be, the laying down OF her life.
2. She obtained favor In his sight. and
the king held out to Esther the golden
7ter that was in his hand" Life then
was hers, and not death. or was it not as
life FROM the dyada Do ~ was WIN x.....-
ham, for on that day he received Isaac
back from the dead in figure (Heb ri, 1e)
And this Is the meaning OF the third day in
Scripture, 1t is resurrection, or life from the
dead. After two days will he revive us:
in the third day he will raise us up, and
we shall live in his sight" (Hos. vi, p.
Think also Of Jonah and his third day, but
especially Of our Lord Jesus and His third
day, with all its glorious results yet to be
fully seer.
3. What witt thou, Queen Esther, and
what is thy request' 1t shall be even given