Roll of the Dice, Esther 3-4:17
- How do you make decisions? If God is in control do my decisions matter? If I am accountable for the choices I make, how do I make right choices? Is everything just a roll of the dice?
- Review, Read Esther 3:1-4
- Mordecai makes a choice to not “bow down” to Haman.
- There is a back story here but it should be noted that Mordecai’s choice to not bow down is motivated by God’s word. We are called to not bow down and worship anyone but God and God alone. This choice could cost him his life but he trusted in the Providence of God; his protective hand that gives us the ability to trust and obey. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey.
- Agagite: Most likely a reference to Haman being an Amalekite.
- As the children of Israel went across the dessert they were attacked by Amelek.
- Exodus 17, Story of Moses holding up his hands. After that war, the Lord told Moses to write down that God will utterly destroy Amelak and that he will make war with Amelak from generation to generation. Years later, King Saul and the Amalekites went to war and the beginning of the end for Saul was because Saul didn’t kill the king. Then the prophet went and hacked him up with the sword. Crazy stuff.
- This is the back story. But when it comes to Haman, and his decisions, it’s motivated by pride and entitlement
- Review, Read Esther 3:1-4
- Read vs. 5.
- Have you ever made a choice based on entitlement and pride? How’d that work out for you? The knee jerk reaction is usually anger.
- Story of throwing a track back at a guy. Oh, youthful pride.
- Don’t give in to worry or anger; it only leads to trouble. Psalm 37:8
- Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret–it leads only to evil. Psalm 37:8
- And with Haman, this couldn’t be more true…
- Read vs. 6, Entitlement, pride, anger… When we make decisions based on those, it never goes well.
- The die was cast, but now the details…
- Haman Cast lots to find out when, how, etc.
- The die was cast, but now the details…
- Read Vs. 7. (roll dice) Should I have all the jews killed? Best 2 out of 3?
- The “when” was almost a year later…
- Read vs. 8-11, & vs. 15
Decisions and the sovereignty of God
- We make choices based on desires. If we are not redeemed, our desires are bound to hostility towards God, his ways and his people.
“Until someone is born again by the power of God’s Spirit, all human beings, ever since Adam, are spiritually blind (2 Corinthians 4:4). They are darkened in their understanding, hardened in their hearts (Ephesians 4:18). They cannot grasp spiritual truth (1 Corinthians 2:14). They are rebellious against God (Romans 8:7), spiritually dead in trespasses (Ephesians 2:1), enslaved to sin (Romans 6:6), and unable to please God (Romans 8:8). Pretty devastating bondage.” John Piper
- Humans are accountable for those decisions thus, the wrath of God.
- How can one be released from such bondage?
- By God’s grace and faith that God will provide a savior, and he has. His name is Jesus. We see that faith in Mordecai.
vs. 14 “From another place” He trusted God’s word.
- You see, God is Sovereign. He is in control. He will do what he wants when he wants because he is God. When Jesus comes in to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 “Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey” And if the people didn’t worship, the rocks would have to fulfill the will of God.
- Mordecai knew the Jews were to be saved, the question is, would Esther be involved.
- That’s the question to us. God will save his people, but will he use you, or another?
- If you have been born again, you have been set free from the sinful mindset.
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. Romans 6:20–22
How to make godly decisions?
- #1. Trust in God.
- #2. Obey his word
- #3. Get counsel from others (But in the multitude of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 15:22)
- #4. Pray and fast
- #5. Obey
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey.
Lead into communion.