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For Such a Time As This from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

Today I want to talk about God’s timing. Too many of us read the Scriptures and feel that God is dated, or out of touch with modern times, when nothing could be further from the truth. He invented time. He created the Sun that the Earth orbits. Sometimes we can feel that He is distant, unconcerned with the occurrences in our life. Part of this is because we cannot see what is happening behind the scenes.

What I want to stress is that God is never late, nor is He early. His plans come together right on time. While things are lining up in the spiritual realm, they are invisible to us. We often do not even know what He is preparing us for, or why we are in a certain place for a season. We can’t see what is happening so we can begin to worry and be anxious. We can feel like nothing is happening.

Think of the book of Esther. It is written about a young Jewish girl who was raised by her cousin Mordecai after her parents died. She was apparently very beautiful and when the king of Persia started searching for a new queen, Esther was chosen to participate in a year long makeover with oils and perfumes before she was presented to the king as a candidate. It was an extravagant beauty contest with all the best-looking girls from across the land involved. They were presented to the king one at a time and at the end, he chose his favorite and crowned her as queen. He chose Esther.

At the same time, there was a life long enemy of the Jews named Haman in the palace. He is called an Agagite meaning that he probably descended from King Agag, the arch enemy of King Saul. Mordecai and Esther were descended from Saul’s tribe of Benjamin, possibly even from Saul’s father Kish. There was a long feud between these families as both tried to wipe the other out (1 Samuel 15:8).

Over time, Haman worked his way up through the ranks to become the Persian king’s second-in-command. When Mordecai the Jew refused to bow to him one day, he convinced the king to have all the Jews killed on one day, and their properties looted. It is pretty amazing to read, scripture records the decree in Esther chapter 3:

In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring. And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions. A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province, being published for all people, that they should be ready for that day. Esther 3:12–14 NKJV

To the Jewish people, the decree looked horrific. The king had it written in his name and sealed it with his signet ring. It became a law in every province and it could not be reversed. Mordecai called for queen Esther and at first she was afraid to get involved. She had hidden her identity and the palace did not know that she was a Jew. Her cousin Mordecai sent her a message in Esther chapter 4:

 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:13–14 NKJV

Esther agreed to fast for three days without food or water, then to try and see the king. To go into his presence without being summoned was a death sentence unless he chose to spare you by holding out his scepter. Esther fasted and then went into his courtyard, and he spared her life, so she invited the king and Haman to a banquet she prepared for them. There she told the king that she was Jewish and her people were about to be destroyed, “by this vile Haman.” Esther chapter 7:1:

So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther. And on the second day, at the banquet of wine, the king again said to Esther, “What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!” Then Queen Esther answered and said, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.

For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king’s loss.” So King Ahasuerus answered and said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing?” And Esther said, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!” So Haman was terrified before the king and queen. (Esther 7:1–6 NKJV). 

Well, needless to say, it did not go well for Haman after that. He had no idea that his plot included killing and looting the queen. Things fell apart pretty quickly. Haman and his sons were hanged. Mordecai got his job. Esther got his house and property. The Jews were spared. The time became a Jewish festival celebrated in the spring called Purim.

These events happened over the span of about ten years. Evil against the Jews was growing in the palace but God had already been moving things into place to counter it. Esther was born and put into place before there was a plot, before she even knew the part that she was going to play.

You don’t surprise God. When a Goliath rises up, God has already prepared a David. When a Haman raises up, God already has an Esther in place. We cannot see what He is doing in the spiritual realm, behind the scenes. Neither could satan, or he would have never allowed them to crucify Jesus (1 Corinthians 2:8).

God is never late. He is never early. He is right on time. Just like Esther, we are put into positions for such a time as this. You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for all that You are doing for there are so many things that I cannot see. I put my trust in You. I know that You can see the end from the beginning and that nothing catches You by surprise. Please guide me and help me be a part of what You are doing today, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.