Intercessors: Esther - Friday Praise & Pray November 26, 2021

Queen Esther's story is a story on intercession we can learn from. She was a Jewish orphan who became queen to Xerxes, the King of Babylon, and became the savior of her people.

Her husband's trusted advisor - Haman - decided to have every Jew living in the Babylonian kingdom killed. He hated Jews all because Esther's uncle - Mordechai - refused to bow to him when he rode past on his horse. It's very possible he was just a bigot who used Mordechai's refusal to bow as an excuse for his evil designs but, we'll never really know.

That said, Haman convinced the king to declare that all Jews could be killed by anyone on a particular day. Once the edict was announced, Mordechai sent word to Esther (whom nobody knew was his niece) and called on her to do something. She was queen after all. Like most of us, she initially explained why she couldn't help - she hadn't seen the king in 30 days and she couldn't waltz into his court because anyone who entered uninvited would be killed.

Mordechai didn't accept the excuses. Esther 4:13-14 - he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

In reply, Esther asked her uncle to get every man, woman and child in the capital city, Susa, to fast for 3 days and pray for her. Esther 4:16 - ...When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.

Her people did as instructed and she and her attendants also did the same. At the end of the fast period, she dressed beautifully and went to the king's court. Rather than have her killed, he showed her great favor and even offered her up to half of his kingdom, pledging to give her whatever she wanted. Esther refused the offer but invited both the king and his trusted advisor Haman for a banquet. For two days, she feted her husband and Haman then she revealed to the king that she was a Jew and Haman's genocidal edict would have her killed if fulfilled.

In the end, Haman was killed (he'd thrown himself on the queen for mercy but the king interpreted the act as a sexual advance), and the edict to kill the Jews was modified so the Jews could defend themselves on the date evil Haman had slotted for them to be killed.

Notice the layers of intercession in this story. The Jews of Susa fasted and prayed for their queen and she, buoyed by humbling herself before the Lord, was able to turn the tide on Haman. She put her very life on the line for her people, having to go to the court at the risk of being killed and revealing she was a Jew. Also, notice the war strategy used to garner God's favor which translated to favor before man - fasting.

Intercessors can take a page or two from Queen Esther. We can't watch others suffer and think their suffering will never reach us. We must stand up for those in need. We must put on our regalia and enter the King's court to plead for the lives of people that He will spare them from death. Like Esther, we will be welcomed into the court and treated as precious to the King. When we fete our King with praise and worship, then call on Him to show mercy, He will raise His sword against the oppressor and help those on whose behalf we have come before Him.

Let us humble ourselves then stand before the Lord as Queen Esther did and watch Him answer our prayers to His glory. Praise the Lord! See you at 12 Noon EST when we'll come together to fete our God then intercede for others. May the Lord fuel us and show us favor like He did Esther and her prayer subjects, IJMN, Amen.