“Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” The courage of Queen Esther

Esther could die if she went to the king uninvited. Her people would die if she did not. Her cousin Mordecai put the choice to her in one sentence.

The book of Esther is set in the Persian Empire during the reign of King Ahasuerus, often identified with Xerxes I. It is one of only two books in the Bible named after a woman, and it famously does not mention the name of God, although God’s hand is seen throughout the story.

An orphan becomes queen

Esther, whose Hebrew name was Hadassah, was an orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai in the Persian capital, Shushan. When the king removed Queen Vashti, young women were gathered from across the empire, and Esther was chosen as queen. On Mordecai’s advice, she did not reveal that she was Jewish.

Haman’s plot

Haman, the king’s chief official, was enraged when Mordecai refused to bow to him. He persuaded the king to issue a decree to destroy all the Jews in the empire on a single day, chosen by casting lots, called pur.

For such a time as this

Mordecai urged Esther to plead with the king. She reminded him that anyone who approached the king without being summoned could be put to death. Mordecai replied: “Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place… and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13 to 14).

If I perish, I perish

Esther asked the Jews of Shushan to fast for three days with her. Then she said, “I will go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish” (4:16).

The king held out his golden sceptre and received her. Through a series of banquets, Esther exposed Haman’s plot. Haman was hanged on the gallows he had built for Mordecai, and the Jews were allowed to defend themselves.

Purim

The Jewish festival of Purim, named after the lots Haman cast, celebrates this deliverance and is still observed today.

Lessons

Esther’s position was not an accident. She was placed where she could act. Her courage came after prayer and fasting, and she acted with wisdom and patience rather than rushing.

Many believers find themselves in positions, jobs or communities where they can speak for others. Mordecai’s question still stands: perhaps this is why you are here.