The Invisible Hand of God
Pastors Leslie & Adeline Chua
“On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king.”
The book of Esther is an interesting read.
It is a gripping drama full of intrigue. It tells the story of the Jewish people facing an existential threat, which is a recurring theme in the history of God’s chosen people. This incident was not the first time the Jews faced the possibility of total annihilation, and as history shows, it was not the last time. The worst is yet to come as biblical prophecies reveal.
The story of Esther reads like a thriller with twists and turns that you would expect from good fiction. But this is not a work of fiction. If this story is not found in the Bible, many people, including Christians, would have written it off as a conspiracy theory.
Why would anyone hate the Jews so deeply that he wanted to destroy them completely? Are there such wicked people around?
Well, Pharaoh attempted to depopulate the Israelite slaves. King Herod tried to kill all the Jewish boys below two years of age. The last such diabolical man is Adolf Hitler, who systematically murdered six million Jews in gas chambers.
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Esther is the only book in the entire Bible where God is not mentioned at all. But it does not mean that God is absent.
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For me, the most interesting fact is that God is not mentioned even once in the entire book. It is as if He was not present with His chosen people when they were facing the imminent threat of total extinction. This is especially strange considering the story is part of the Holy Scripture.
Esther is the only book in the entire Bible where God is not mentioned at all. But it does not mean that God is absent. On the contrary, God was actively at work to reverse the evil plot of Haman, the wicked courtier and conspirator-in-chief.
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Divine silence does not mean divine inactivity. Later chapters in the book of Esther unmistakably reveal that God’s invisible hand was at work to deliver His people.
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Why God’s name is left out is anybody’s guess. Perhaps, His presence was not felt in those dark moments. Maybe, the people cried out to the LORD, but He was silent. Have you not had such an experience before where God’s silence is deafening?
As we would learn later in the story, divine silence does not mean divine inactivity. Later chapters in the book of Esther unmistakably reveal that God’s invisible hand was at work to deliver His people. God intervened to rescue them from their plight.
If You Keep Silent
However, before that happened, we see a flurry of communication between the two protagonists in the story. On learning of the plot, Mordecai reached out to Esther asking her to appeal to King Ahasuerus.
Initially, Esther was hesitant. Though she was the queen, she was never involved in court matters and politics. She was just an ordinary young lady who became queen on account of her beauty and poise.
Then, Mordecai grew impatient with Esther. He sent these words to Esther - “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14)
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Mordecai’s words - for if you keep silent at this time – ought to challenge us. We must continue to share the gospel with people in our sphere of influence. We must continue to speak truth to our culture and society.
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These words have practical relevance for Christians today. Our present time is marked by a steep decline in morality and serious cultural issues. Lies have flourished and truths trampled in our society. Christian truths are often maligned and have no more place in public discourses. And Christians have been cowed into silence.
Mordecai’s words - for if you keep silent at this time – ought to challenge us. We must continue to share the gospel with people in our sphere of influence. We must continue to speak truth to our culture and society.
Christians are not doing so for two reasons. Either they are clueless or they are afraid to speak up.
We have no reason to be clueless, especially for those in leadership. The church is called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Therefore, we cannot close our eyes to what is happening in our culture. Why? Because it exerts a strong influence on Christians, especially on the younger generation.
For those who are aware, many do not speak up. They know the problems, but they do not bother due to a lack the conviction. Then, there are those with conviction, but they lack the courage to act for various reasons. A common reason is there is a price to pay. It might cost them their credibility, and worse, their jobs.
If I Perish, I Perish
Thankfully, for the Jews, Esther plucked up courage and went for broke. Approaching the king without being summoned could mean death under Persian law. But she had decided - ”if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16).
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Esther’s sense of calling and destiny inspired her to act courageously despite her fear.
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Perhaps, it was these words that stirred Esther to act – “And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this” (Esther 4:18). It is often said that courage is not the absence of fear but in spite of it. Esther’s sense of calling and destiny inspired her to act courageously despite her fear.
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Esther’s conviction, courage, and action moved the invisible hand of God. It set off a series of events that began to reverse the hopeless situation.
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Take note that Esther did not rush to see the king though the situation was desperately urgent. She called the Jews to fast together with her for three days. Only then did she go to seek an audience with the king.
Esther’s conviction, courage, and action moved the invisible hand of God. It set off a series of events that began to reverse the hopeless situation.
It started with a seemingly unimportant event. King Ahasuerus had insomnia one night. So, he gave orders to have the book of memorable deeds read to him. A recorded incident caught his attention. Some time ago, Mordecai had tipped off the palace about an assassination plot on the king. The attempt was thwarted saving the king’s life. But somehow Mordecai was not rewarded.
King Ahasuerus immediately ordered that Mordecai be honoured. It so happened that Haman was in the palace at that late hour and he was asked to undertake the task on the kings’ behalf. Reluctantly, on the next morning, Haman had to lead the procession to honour his nemesis, Mordecai.
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Though God is not mentioned throughout the saga, you cannot fail to see His invisible hand at work. God orchestrated the events from behind the scenes.
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From that time onward, one thing after another happened in quick succession reversing the fortunes of Haman and the Jews. Finally, Haman was hung and the edict to annihilate the Jewish people throughout the empire reversed.
Though God is not mentioned throughout the saga, you cannot fail to see His invisible hand at work. God orchestrated the events from behind the scenes.
But it all started with one woman’s conviction, courage, and the decision to act, and not forgetting her call to prayer and fasting. Without all these things, God’s invisible hand would not be activated, and nothing would happen.
God is Always Present
Are you going through a crisis now? Do you feel like God is distant and even absent?
Be encouraged by the story of Esther. Though you do not feel Him and hear Him, as is always the case when we go through challenging times, know that God is always present. Pray and fast. Commit the matter to the Lord. He is watching over you. You can trust His invisible hand to work to bring you relief and deliverance in His perfect time.