The UnNamed Hero

"Nothing whatever, whether great or small, can happen to a believer, without God's ordering and permission. There is no such thing as 'chance', 'luck' or 'accident' in the Christian's journey through this world. All is arranged and appointed by God. And all things are 'working together' for the believer's good."
                                                             J.C. Ryle




We all have times and seasons in our lives when God is seemingly silent to us.  J. Vernon McGee says that "When God is not at the steering wheel, He is the backseat. He is the coach who calls signals from the bench. He is the unseen rudder on the ship of state. God is the pilot at the wheel during the night watch." In other words, He is always sovereign and providential even when we are not aware of what He is doing behind the scenes.

Recently, Brent and I had the privilege of attending a week long seminary class on the book of Esther. The Professor who taught the course was Mark Yarbrough, who is the Dean of Students at Dallas Theological Seminary. If you ever have the opportunity to take one of his classes (there are free courses on the Seminary's website), please do so. Truly, this was one of the most amazing experiences we have ever had.

Because we were studying the book of Esther, there was much discussion on the sovereignty and providence of God. Since the book of Esther is the only book in the Bible that never mentions the name of God, the reader finds himself (or herself) looking for God behind the scenes and through a series of God-incidences that occur frequently in this story. Before we took this course, it was always my inclination to think that Esther and Mordecai were the heroes, and yet we learned that they absolutely were not.

Professor Yarbrough succinctly pointed out that both Esther and Mordecai had been given opportunities to stand against the wickedness that was occurring in Persia during this time, and yet they did not. Joseph and Daniel were two Biblical examples he gave on people who did take a risk and stand against ungodly cultural norms, but Esther and Mordecai did not. In essence, Mordecai gave Esther to be the king's prostitute, and Esther complied. It is so interesting to see that, as people, we are always yearning to find a hero and, far too often, we settle on a human one.

The real hero in this story is never even named. The real hero was working diligently behind the scenes to save His children from death and destruction. The real hero was orchestrating events with purpose to bring about His desired results. God brought Esther to Susa to live with her uncle Mordecai. Then, He moved on Queen Vashti's heart to refuse to be humiliated and abused by the king, which left an opening for the job title of Queen. Next, He allowed King Xerxes to go to war with Greece for four years, which meant that when the king returned, he was more motivated to find Vashti's replacement. Even though God was quiet, He was also very active and intentional in what He was doing.

As I thought about the fact that God was the unnamed hero in Esther's story, I began to wonder about how many times this has been true in my own life? How many times have I gotten so immersed in circumstances that I did not accurately assess what God was doing behind the scenes? How many times did I forget to name Him as the true hero that he is? How many times in my own immaturity did I not stand against the wicked forces that were relentlessly pursuing me? If I am honest, it is far more than I would like to admit.

The good news is that both Esther and Mordecai did mature in their faith. When their backs were up against a wall, they repented and fasted and prayed. They cried out to God for His help and intervention. They grew up spiritually and stood in the gap for their people. All along, God had known what was inside of Esther and Mordecai and He allowed just enough pressure in their lives to call forth the strength and loyalty that He had placed within them. He partnered with them both to bring about the results that He desired.

Not only did God accomplish his will, but He also brought about a great reversal that is still celebrated to this day. The tall stake that Haman had built to impale Mordecai upon became the same stake that was used to impale Haman. In other words, the very tool that the enemy had planned to use against God's people was instead used for his own demise. It was turned around and used to destroy the one with the evil intentions of his heart.

In similar fashion, the signet ring that had been given to Haman that gave him all authority and power was stripped from his finger and given to Mordecai. God lifted up Mordecai and honored him for his faithfulness. God also placed him in a position of power that was second only to King Xerxes. This story teaches us that one day the enemy of our souls will pay for every one of his transgressions and God's children will be honored for their faithfulness.

We may not see today all that God is doing behind the scenes, but sweet one, believe me when I say that he is actively working. He will leave no detail untouched. He may even allow things that He does not prefer in order to ultimately bring about the things that He does prefer. Today, Jews around the world still celebrate the feast of Purim, which comes from the word Pur.  Haman used the pur as essentially dice that he rolled to determine the date that the Jews would be destroyed. God took the pur that were intended for evil and turned it into the Purim that celebrates the defeat of the Jewish enemies.

God will also do the same for each of us if we trust Him for the outcome of our dilemma. It is what he longs to do for His children. He is a God of great ironies and He shows us this time and again throughout the Bible. This means that what looks like it will inevitably happen will be stayed in the hand of a mighty God. And, what does not seem like it will occur does occur when God is involved. All of this is to show us once more that His timing is perfect and so is His plan.

Each one of us will ultimately be sent out with a story of redemption that we can share with others. Our story will remind others of the covenant faithfulness of our God and the grace that He so willingly lavishes upon us. It will challenge and encourage those around us to believe, even during those seemingly silent seasons of our lives. We will name our true hero as the One, True God that He is and ascribe to Him all the glory that He is due. God never has forgotten a promise, nor does He abandon them. He didn't for Esther and Mordecai and neither will He for us! Worship and thank Him in advance and see what He will do!


             "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
                                                             1 Thessalonians 5:18