“…who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

For the background of this text, read the Book of Esther in the Old Testament in the Bible. The Jews were in a bad light, and were about to be killed by Haman and his cohorts. Mordecai was Esther’s cousin and had raised Esther. Esther had become the queen to King Ahasuerus, who reigned from India to Ethiopia at this time. Mordecai had sent word to Esther in the palace asking her to petition the king to save the Jews. Esther replied to Mordecai that the king had not sent for her in 30 days, and without the king’s call, it could be certain death to go in to see him.

Mordecai’s answer is found in Esther 4:13-14:

“Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. (14) For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther had to make a decision whether to speak out for God’s people, or to be silent and protect herself as the queen to King Ahasuerus.

This question is directed to every saved person today. This question should be examined and answered by each born-again person. However, the message of this devotion is on two words: “a time.”

Time is only applied to God’s creation. Time is not applied to God; for God is eternal, no beginning and no ending. One day is as a thousand and a thousand days as one day with God. God uses time, but time has no limitations or boundaries on God. God uses time; time does not use God.

God ordained time for His people; to manifest Himself in the Body of Jesus Christ, in time. Galatians 4:4, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,” to redeem them in His Atonement on the Cross (Galatians 4:5-6).

Time has been defined in days, weeks, months, and years by God Himself, in order to bring His Appointments in a certain order of events (Ecclesiastes 3:1-11; 8:6). God reveals in time that He is a God of order. Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 does not speak of time as a certain time of year, like a certain season as spring, summer, fall, and winter; but the Hebrew words in verse 3:1 are very clear that there is a certain, definite point in time that events take place.

Every birth and every death is not set up on man’s schedule, or upon the laws of nature; but a certain, definite, fixed time set up by God. This is shown in Galatians 4:4, “But when the fulness of the time…” The Body that housed God was born in Bethlehem and birthed by Mary at a definite moment in time. God is on schedule; so both history and the future are on God’s timetable, not man’s.

Esther was born, raised, and married on the exact time schedule of God. She had been placed in the position of queen to King Ahasuerus to do what had to be done at that certain time to save the Jews from being killed. It was no accident, but a movement of God in providence. (Job 14:5) “…thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.” Proverbs 19:21 makes it very plain that we are where we are by God’s appointments. (Also see Job 23:13-14.)

God is Sovereign; and He is in control of His creation. He is the Cause and we are the effect. The universe is moving on God’s timetable, not evolution’s lies.

So it is for each of us, we are on God’s timetable. Therefore, we should examine Mordecai’s question to Esther, “… who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

The answer is, “Yes.” Just as God had placed Esther as queen to King Ahasuerus, and had made her beautiful in his eyes, to save the Jews. So God has placed each one of His children in His Kingdom and has equipped each one with certain gifts and talents for such a time as this.

Child of God, there has been no time in the history of man that God’s children should stand up for the Name and Cause of God as now. The marriage institution is being mocked and defamed today as never before; the Church is standing in compromise, and not in separation. All the governments of the world are in confusion and have no real solid leadership. The sanctity of life means nothing; as the abortion of unborn children is the cry of the liberal thought. The internet, the media, and the sex-crazed movie and music industries have led our children to believe: “Do whatever feels good, no matter of the laws of God”; and the results are disastrous. Children are no longer raised to respect God, authority, parents, and the law; consequently, murder, sex, and violence are the call of the day. Parents have no standards for the children to follow; adultery, fornication, confused sexuality, etc. have left the world in confusion and destruction. Prisons are full and running over; mental wards are full; right is wrong and wrong is right.

Child of God, listen to Mordecai’s warning to Esther in Esther 4:13-14:

“Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. (14) For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Child of God, it is high time to wake up out of your sleep. Stand up in your mind, body, and soul, and in your deeds for God and His Righteousness.

(1 Peter 1:13a, 14-16) “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober… (14)  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: (15) But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; (16) Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

Stand in the gap; build up the hedge:

(Ezekiel 22:30) “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”

Return to the old paths:

(Jeremiah 6:16) “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.”

Be a repairer of the breach:

(Isaiah 58:12) “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”

Stand for Truth and Righteousness and Holiness. Be a light in a dark world; holding forth the Word of Life:

(Philippians 2:15-16a) “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (16) Holding forth the word of life…”

Be a witness for Christ in word and deed; in the home, in the work place, and in the church. Now is the time to act; lest thou and yours be destroyed by the lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and the pride of life in this evil and wicked world.

Yes, it is our time as God’s children to stand up for Righteousness, before our time has passed and we are swallowed up by darkness.

(Romans 13:11-14) “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (12) The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. (13) Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. (14) But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

See 1 Corinthians 16:13; Galatians 5:1; Ephesians 6:11, 13-14. Also 2 Thessalonians 2:15:

“Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.”

Now is the time appointed by God of Salvation. See 2 Corinthians 6:2, where Paul was quoting Isaiah 49:8, concerning not spiritual regeneration, but a time of the Preservation of Jacob, of Israel; even a light to the Gentiles (Isaiah 49:6); and a time of the Restoration of Zion (Isaiah 49:13-17); and a time of the manifestation of the Church as His Holy Temple (Ephesians 3:1-21). Now is the time that the Church must stand up and send forth the message of Salvation in Christ, even our Preserver.