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— Gaebelein. Gome to the kingdom for such a time as this. This is the heart of Christian belief in God’s overruling providence. He has brought each of us to the kingdom for such times as those in which we live. Every age needs a peculiar witness and service on the part of God’s people. There are tasks lying to hand which if we do not take up will never be accomplished. There are those with whom we are presently brought into contact who must hear the message of salvation from our lips or not at all. We have by grace been brought to the kingdom for noth ing less.— Holden. .We should consider for what end God has put us in the place where we are and should study to answer that end lest our opportunity slip.— Sum. Bible. v. 15. Return this answer. The un changed simplicity of Esther’s character is first apparent in her submissive obe dience to her guardian even after her high position has been attained. It speaks well for Mordecai’s sound train ing of the orphan girl that his ward proved to be of stable character^ where a weaker person would have been dizzy, with selfish elation. Though she is treated as his queen by the great king, she does not forget the kind porter who had brought her up from childhood. With all her greatness and power she is still a simple, unassuming woman.— Exp. Bible. v. 16. I will go. She was a true child of Abraham in this, according to God’s way of dealing in grace with him, for he was to leave his country and his kindred and be cast entirely upon God. Surely this one has these marks as an object of grace that God delights to point out. Death had done its work in her case, and judgment too, in making her a captive. Dependent upon another’s kindness, she had learned subjection. She was broken by utter ruin. There was only one that could bring in deliverance— God- He is the One for those who are without strength.—Taylor. If I perish, I perish. Esther is a heroine, capable, energetic, brave. The splendor of her career is seen in this very fact, that she does not succumb to the luxury of her sur roundings. The royal harem among the lily beds of Shushan is like a palace in the land of the lotus eaters, where it is always afternoon; and its inmates in their dreamy indolence are tempted to forget all obligations and interests bejond the obligation to please ihe
the Bible is His providence more con spicuous.— Scofield. v- 10. Esther spake unto Hatach. Over thè splendor of her palace life very soon came a cloud. The news of the conspiracy that had been hatched agadnst the Jews came to her from her uncle, Mordecai. The fate of the queen herself hung upon the dreadful deed that was to be done. The only remedy possible was that she should intervene. — Elder. v. 11. Come unto the king into the inner court. We should he thankful that nothing need bar us from coming into the inner court of our King in the time of need. We are welcome in the very holiest through faith in the blood of Jesus.— Sei. v. 13. Mordecai commanded. Mor- decai’s answer is -a sublime one. It would have been quite natural for Mor decai to say, “ If thou canst not save all the people, at least save me.” He does not think of his personal interest and safety- It is the salvation of his people which is upon his heart.—Anno. Bible. Mordecai never forgot his Jew ish race and ancestry, which was dear to him, and above all, his father’s God, Jehovah. He knew that nothing but the interposition of God would deliver the people. He was resolved that the queen should risk everything in the at tempt to save them. It was an awful risk, a narrow escape, a wonderful de liverance. It came without the help of man, beyond all human expectation, through the mercy and faithfulness of God Himself. Faith in God laughs at impossibilities and sees them melt away like a cloud.— Sei. v. 14. If thou holdest thy peace. Our Lord’s great principle, “ Unto whom much is given, of him shall much be required,” is clear as a mathematical axiom when we look at it in the ab stract, but nothing is harder than for people to apply it to their own cases. If it were generally acted on, the wide social gulf between the fortunate and the miserable would be speedily bridged over. Esther was wise in taking the judgment of her cousin that she had been raised up for the very purpose of saving her people.—Walter. Deliver ance from another place. Mordecai ex pressed his deep conviction that the Jewish people cannot perish. He knew the history of the past and trusted in God that He would find a way out at this time also. He believed more than this that Providence had put Esther on the throne just to effect the deliverance.
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