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10 King Ahasuerus imposed tax on the land and on the coastlands of the sea. And all the acts of his power and might, and the full account of the high honor of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.
(ESV)
As Chapter 10 winds down, I can’t help but reflect on the sovereignty of God.
First and foremost, God had a plan. He knew exactly how this entire situation would bring glory to Himself. However, it is also true that the King, Queen Vashti, Haman, Mordecai, and Esther all made decisions. They had free will. It would have been fair for God to intervene in a way that coerced or demanded that humans walk in line with His plan. We see no indication of that in Scripture.
In fact, their reality is our reality. They experienced stress, anxiety, disappointment, and fear. They were forced to wrestle with the tension of a sovereign God allowing for these circumstances to occur. They were forced to move on with their lives and make decisions based on what they believed God was asking of them. When everything shakes out, we find that those who placed their faith in God, trusting in Him while they persevered, were richly blessed. Those who opposed Him were destroyed.
This is the truth of the God we serve and we must not lose sight of it. Even if your life is in shambles today, there is hope for tomorrow. Those who trust in the Lord will experience justice, freedom, and love. Their lives will be a testimony for future generations. All will know that our God saves.