Queen Esther, whose rise to the throne was God ordained and Uncle Mordecai inspired, spoke for her Jewish people and saved the nation from utter ruin. During her impassioned speech to the King she makes a contrast that was a pure surprise:
"if we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king."
Merely been sold as slaves? Merely? If one is looking for a pro-life statement in the Scripture this is it. Life in slavery versus being killed is far preferable. That contrast is flip-flopped today. Lots of cultural issues are flip-flopped today.
And that is my "aha" moment: Esther sees faith possible in life in slavery. The Jews have done the slavery thing and come through with God's help. But death is final and without hope.
Is this an earth shattering statement? To our modern ears, yes. We can hardly conceive of a decree anihilating a people in our midst done by their neighbors with the State sanction: cries of "Third Reich" or tribal warfare would arise instead. Today this still happens, however. The Islamist Boko Haram, ISIS, Al Qaeda and others seek to "cleanse" their land of the Jew and Christian. Two days ago video evidence of ISIS beheading 21 Egyptian Christians was broadcast. Christians in Iraq have been surrounded and executed. Slavery? We can manage that. Death? Time to fight back.
Is this harsh? Yes. Is it real? Yes. Will it come? That depends on which God you believe in. The God of the Word or the god of the age. One has the power to deliver from evil, the other has the power of evil.
God grant that I do not have to make the Esther choice: slavery or death, and hear my prayer for my fellow believers in the world who currently do not have a choice. Rise up for them an Esther. Amen.
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