Esther 4:14 AMPC
[14] For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance shall arise for the Jews from elsewhere, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion?
Who would have thought that an unknown slave girl would become queen? Who would have thought that a stranger, not a citizen of the land, would rise to become queen? Who would have thought that a young maiden, who was also an orphan, would be instrumental in delivering a whole nation from its enemies? The story of Esther is one that always brings to remembrance the workings of God in the lives of men. It is God who orchestrates the events of this life to line up with His will. He is the only One who can use acts of rebellion and disobedience to bring out His will. This was where Israel and Judah were. They were in exile in the land of Persia, where they had been taken captive due to their disobedience. As always, it is important to note that God does not delight in punishing just for fun, but He is faithful to His Word. If He says I must not do something, it is only fitting that I do not do it.
God's faithfulness also requires Him to apply the just punishment for sin, which He has consistently warned us about. This was the place and position Esther and her uncle Mordecai, found themselves. One thing must be noted: like Daniel, a change of scenery did not make them forget who they were or where they were coming from. Yes, sin had led to exile but like Daniel, they would not compromise on God's standards. Before we focus on the times we are in, and what the times may demand from us, are we people that God can trust with His secrets, sure that we will not blend in with the times we are in at the first sign of pressure? Esther and her uncle held on the traditions they had been taught, and this could be the reason why God found them as useful vessels at the time to save the people of Israel from total destruction. Can God count on me for such times as these?
What makes this account critical to our days now is the fact that silence at a time was very important. Mordecai told her niece not to say anything about where they were from, and it must have saved them from trouble. However, the time for silence was now gone, and it was time to speak up. God had placed Esther in a position where her voice could now count for something. As queen, her voice carried the weight it did not have as a slave girl. Do I know when to be quiet and when to speak? Do I know when to let things play out, and when the right words spoken in season will be of help to other people? Silence cannot usually be quoted, but there are times when silence would mean agreement with whatever is happening. Like Mordecai said to Esther in the verse above, who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this, when the occasion demands that the right people speak? God does not make mistakes; I am where God wants me to be, if I am His child and obedient to His command. I ask God for grace to hear clearly, so I can speak timely words, and be a blessing to the earth I have been placed in. God's time of favour is here.
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