当以色列民在一个肤浅的异国君王统治之下生活时，神兴起了一个勇敢和能干的王后。以斯帖的故事有一个近似神话、飞上枝头作凤凰的开始；她是一个被选入宫的穷苦孤女，后来却贵为王后。可是，在这个表面看来浪漫的故事背后，却隐藏着一个恶梦般的现实。
以斯帖被送入王宫，她要遵守一套苛刻的规例。事实上，她像一个被卖的奴隶、多过像一个兴奋的选美会参赛者，她被选为一个愚昧君王的花瓶娇妻，起初她对整件事都持着缄默和恭顺的态度。难道这就是神的子民的遭遇－默默地跟随这个邪恶的世界的做法吗？
然而，当一件邪恶的事冒头、而以斯帖也知道后，她便不再保持缄默。有人要除灭国中所有犹大人的计谋被揭露了，身为犹大人的以斯帖便采取行动来挽救大局。她勇敢地去见王，不计较自己可能会因此丧命，她巧妙地精心策划整件事来扭转局面，藉此拯救了很多神的子民的生命。
耶和华神是真正的君王，祂提拔以斯帖得到王后的位份，“是为现今的机会”。在圣经记载众多的君王故事中，这位王后的故事最为特出。她为自己的同胞冒了一切风险，她所作的，便成为基督的慈爱王权和牺牲的预表了。
耶稣啊，感谢祢为我们舍弃祢自己的性命。求祢以祢的圣灵赐我们胆量，好叫我们有以斯帖的勇气和爱心去事奉祢。阿们。
以斯帖记 4
1末底改知道所做的这一切事，就撕裂衣服，穿麻衣，蒙灰尘，在城中行走，痛哭哀号。
2到了朝门前停住脚步，因为穿麻衣的不可进朝门。
3王的谕旨所到的各省各处，犹大人大大悲哀，禁食、哭泣、哀号，穿麻衣躺在灰中的甚多。
4王后以斯帖的宫女和太监来把这事告诉以斯帖，她甚是忧愁，就送衣服给末底改穿，要他脱下麻衣，他却不受。
5以斯帖就把王所派伺候她的一个太监，名叫哈他革召来，吩咐他去见末底改，要知道这是什么事，是什么缘故。
6于是哈他革出到朝门前的宽阔处见末底改。
7末底改将自己所遇的事，并哈曼为灭绝犹大人应许捐入王库的银数都告诉了他。
8又将所抄写传遍书珊城，要灭绝犹大人的旨意交给哈他革，要给以斯帖看，又要给她说明，并嘱咐她进去见王，为本族的人在王面前恳切祈求。
9哈他革回来，将末底改的话告诉以斯帖。
10以斯帖就吩咐哈他革去见末底改，说：
11“王的一切臣仆和各省的人民都知道有一个定例：若不蒙召，擅入内院见王的，无论男女，必被治死，除非王向他伸出金杖，不得存活。现在我没有蒙召进去见王已经三十日了。”
12人就把以斯帖这话告诉末底改。
13末底改托人回覆以斯帖说：“你莫想在王宫里强过一切犹大人，得免这祸。
14此时你若闭口不言，犹大人必从别处得解脱蒙拯救，你和你父家必致灭亡。焉知你得了王后的位分，不是为现今的机会吗？”
15以斯帖就吩咐人回报末底改说：
16“你当去招聚书珊城所有的犹大人，为我禁食三昼三夜，不吃不喝，我和我的宫女也要这样禁食，然后我违例进去见王。我若死就死吧！”
17于是末底改照以斯帖一切所吩咐的去行。
"I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." - Esther 4:16
While Israel was living under a foreign, shallow king, God raised up a courageous and competent queen. Esther's story has a sort of fairytale, rags-to-riches beginning. She's a poor orphan who goes to live in the palace and eventually becomes a queen. But the romantic facade of this story hides a nightmarish reality.
Esther is taken to the palace and subjected to a cruel process. She is more a trafficked slave than an eager contestant in a beauty pageant. She is made into the trophy wife of a foolish king. She is, initially, silent and subservient to this process. Is this what is in store for God's people—going along silently with the ways of a sinful world?
But when evil rears its head and Esther learns about it, she finds her voice. A plot to kill all the Jews in the kingdom comes to light, and Esther, a Jew, rises to the occasion. She courageously goes to the king even though it could cost her life. And she cleverly orchestrates a turn of events that saves the lives of many of God's people.
The Lord God is the true King. He has been raising Esther to her position "for such a time as this." In the Bible's many stories of kings, the story of this queen stands out. She risks everything for the sake of her people. And in doing that, she foreshadows the loving kingship and sacrifice of Christ.
Jesus, thank you for laying down your life for ours. Embolden us with the Holy Spirit so that we may have Esther-like courage and love to serve you. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
