God Behind the Scenes

God behind the scenes (Esther 1:1-22)
With the benefit of hindsight is it possible to see the intricate details of God’s plan in the book of Esther. So also in our lives, we may have no idea what God is doing. The king sets in motion a chain of events that culminates in the deliverance of God’s people.
Behind the scenes, God was working out His will through the actions of Ahasuerus, Vashti and Memucan—without violating their free will. Their choices were willing choices for which they were accountable. God uses all things to fulfil His purposes, and even uses evil for His glory and for our good. He used the courage of Vashti, the foolishness of Memucan, and the drunkenness of Ahasuerus to do His will. These were all pagan worshippers. God can use the noble, the good hearted and the wise—as well as the ordinary, sinful and foolish to fulfil His purposes.
The occasion of originating the deliverance of the people of God was not a religious assembly or a prayer meeting. It was a feast marked by drunken revelry. The Sovereign God can use any event whether it is a gathering of a worldly assembly or a false religion or His church to carry out His purposes.
We also notice God’s foreknowledge and provision. While no step was taken by Haman towards the destruction of the Jews, the God who foreknew all things had taken many steps towards the deliverance of the Jews.
Whether we see it or not, whether we recognize it or not, it is God who was orchestrating every move in the Persian kingdom and who is orchestrating everything in our world today—to serve His greater purposes. The largest and most powerful regimes in the world are ultimately nothing in light of God’s power and sovereignty.
God’s kingdom is not like that of Ahasuerus. God doesn’t use people for His own purposes as if they were disposable commodities. While Ahasuerus shamed His queen, God does not shame His bride but lavishes grace and mercy. Unlike Ahasuerus who was looking for a beautiful bride to satisfy His pride and pleasure, Jesus Christ gave His life for those who were dead in their transgressions and made them His bride. How can we not joyfully respond to the call of the righteous King who has loved us so freely. We can see why Queen Vashti refused to appear before Ahasuerus, but who would refuse the wonderful invitation Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. And let the one who is thirsty come. let the one who desires take the water of life without price. (Matt 11:28; Rev 22:17). Have you responded to His call to come? It is the height of folly to refuse His invitation. If you refuse, like Vashti, you will be banished from His presence forever.
Eventually God’s kingdom, with Christ as King, will bring all the empires of the world to their knees. As we read in Rev 11:15 “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.”

Questions for the children
Select the correct answer to fill in the blanks
1. We are going to begin studying the book of ____________ (Ezra, Esther, Vashti) today?
2. This is about Jews who remained behind in ______________ (Babylon, Persia, Rome) after all the others returned to Jerusalem.
3. One reason why Esther is a peculiar book is because it does not mention _________ (rivers, money, God) anywhere in the book. You also don’t read about miracles in the book.
4. God’s silence does not mean that He is _______________ (angry, absent, asleep).
5. The king during the time of Esther is _______________ (Xerxes, Cyrus, Nebuchadnezzar).
6. How many parties/banquets did the king throw to show his enemies and his own people that his kingdom was strong and rich? Answer ______________ (one, two, three).
7. When the king called Queen Vashti, she refused to go to him because she ______________________ (was proud and stubborn, did not like to be shown before the king’s drunk guests, hated the king).
8. The king listened to the foolish advice of _________________ (Memucan, Mordecai, Macbeth) and sent the queen away.
9. God was working out His will by using Ahasuerus, Memucan, and Vashti, but God was ___________________ (forcing them to do things, allowing them to make their own choices, making them do things by hypnotising them).

We can see why Queen Vashti did not want to go to King Ahasuerus when he called her. But who can refuse the wonderful invitation of King Jesus? Open to these verses in the Bible and write them down: Matthew 11:28, Rev 22:17