A new queen was needed
Now let’s talk about how God used a brave woman named Esther to help save the Jewish people.
King Xerxes held a great royal celebration. At the end of the celebration, he held a banquet that lasted seven days. On the seventh day, King Xerxes told his servants to bring Queen Vashti to him so he could show everyone her beauty. But Queen Vashti refused to come. This made the king very angry, so he removed her from being queen.
After that, the king’s servants began searching for a new queen. They looked throughout the kingdom and brought many young women to the palace. One of those women was Esther.
Esther became queen
Esther was Jewish, but she did not tell anyone because Mordecai told her to keep it a secret. Mordecai was Esther’s cousin, and he had raised her as his own daughter after her parents died.
Mordecai cared about Esther and kept watch over her while she was at the palace. God gave Esther favor, and she was chosen to become the new queen.
A good deed was written down
During this time, Mordecai heard that two of the king’s officials were planning to kill King Xerxes. Mordecai told Esther, and Esther told the king.
The men were stopped, and Mordecai’s good deed was written in the king’s records.
Pride caused trouble
Later, a man named Haman became one of the king’s most important officials. Haman wanted people to bow down and honor him. But Mordecai would not bow down to Haman.
The Bible does not tell us every reason Mordecai refused, but Haman’s pride turned into anger. Haman hated Mordecai so much that he made a plan to destroy all the Jewish people.
For such a time as this
Haman convinced the king to make a law saying that the Jewish people would be killed on a certain day. When Mordecai heard about this, he was very upset. He told Esther that she needed to go to the king and ask for help.
Mordecai reminded Esther that God may have placed her in the palace for this very reason. He said, “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Esther was not queen by accident. God placed her in that position so she could help save her people.
Esther asked for help
Esther asked Mordecai and the Jews to fast for her for three days. Then she made a brave choice.
She said, “When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Esther went to the king
Esther went to the king, and God gave her favor. The king welcomed her instead of punishing her.
Esther invited the king and Haman to a banquet. Then she invited them to another banquet.
The evil plan was stopped
At the second banquet, Esther told the king that she and her people were in danger because of Haman’s evil plan. The king became very angry with Haman.
Haman had built a pole to kill Mordecai, but instead, Haman was punished on the very pole he had made for Mordecai.
The first law could not be canceled, but the king allowed a new law to be made. This new law gave the Jews permission to defend themselves. God protected His people, and the Jews were saved.
Esther chose courage
Esther’s story teaches us that God can use anyone for His purpose. Esther was afraid, but she still chose to be brave. She trusted God and did what was right.
Sometimes God places us in certain places for a reason. When we choose courage and obedience, God can use our lives to help others.