Once Upon a Sleepless Night

Many times in life when we don't understand what God is doing.

But there's never a time when God isn't in complete control of your life. As the psalmist said God never slumbers because God is never can, because God never sleeps.

We don't have to be in control of every situation in every circumstance and every person because God already talked the king into warranting the death of thousands of people, but in today's message God gives the king a dramatic wake-up call, but we need to be careful because it might be that were a lot more like Amon than we care to admit. This is wisdom for the hearts Stephen Davey continues through a series from Esther with this message called once upon a sleepless night.

Go back and it is a drama now and try our best to keep up with some rather interesting twists and turns were in the book of Esther chapter 5 now and verse one.

Now it came about on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace in front of the king's rooms and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace. When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court she obtained favor in his sites now want to stop in for just a moment because I was rather unexpected.

You probably read ahead anyway. But the nobody expected the king to give her his favor that this is a little too easy even for the rabbis going back centuries and so, in the Greek version of the Old Testament, they decided at about 100 versus as I told you before and right here is where they insert some of those verses that try to make it a little bit more believable. Frankly, what is God's work in this king's heart and she violates all the protocol stating the key that her time is more important than his, which would go over very well. Notice here verse two. The king saw Esther the queen standing.

The court she obtained favor insight and king's tended to Esther, the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched top of scepter. This was all court protocol for the king advanced instead of being rebuked and dismissed by an irritated king.

The king gives her his undivided attention and that is the scepter toward her, which was cannot saying come on and I was on your mind. This was absolutely shocking.

In fact, the entire court screeches to all. I remember going to the courthouse downtown Raleigh paper ticket I got were evidently the radar gun and state trooper malfunction friend of mine Josh Dr. paying for my fine I slipped into the back of his courtroom which was in session sitting on the front right you just make out the children. The heads of men dressed about six of them in orange jump suit. Evidently the case my friend was dealing with a case that that has something to do with with them and he Moshe he spotted me back any motion for me to come full conspicuous disorder gradual. All I wanted you be buried somewhere. Imagine multiplying that by a few million. This judge has not invited Esther to stop by and say hello. The Esther we would expect a part of the providence of God would lose her head that afternoon, but instead I'm convinced, to everyone's surprise, he asks for in verse three. Look, there what is troubling you.

Queen Esther and what is your request notice. Even the half of the kingdom, it shall be given what was bothering you the phrase even half of the kingdom is an expression with many diseases willing to do whatever you can do to satisfy her request is basically saying well I Esther says in verse four, if it pleases the king made king and Haman, this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him. That's a product, knows what I want to come to my quarters. Queen's quarters after work and eat supper with me. Oh and by the way bring the prime minister with you, by inviting Haman. She accomplishes several things. The first thing she does is she allows the ego payments to blind his eyesight any suspicions, he would have automatically entertained about why Queen is risking her life to have supper with the king some things on those suspicions would have been immediately neutralizing so caught away with the fact that he gets invited.

This was evidently not what Esther had originally planned to do. We know that from earlier worshipful Mordechai: everyone the fast syncretism during that three day fast. God's wisdom is obviously at work in her heart so she formulates this plan that is going to do this amazing she is going have the king and the conspirator, the Prime Minister Haman alone with her, which means that she has pulled them away from the court away from the press away from the obvious public embarrassment. „ The king once he discovers that by his own order any unit has been signed, which puts her to. So the king summarizes much of the camp. They arrived when the meal is over. The king and Haman are drinking wine in the me over six look there. The king said to Esther okay with it. Basically what your petition for it shall be granted to you, so Esther applies verse seven my petitioner, my request is this if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and it pleases the king to grant my petitioner do I request made again and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them and the more I will wear that she does need a double reinforcement from king. In fact what she's doing is risking his his irritation.

This is a minute doesn't wait for anybody. Now she's making him wait.

What I believe is happening here, ladies and gentlemen, is the providence of God is moving Esther to keep from asking at that moment he muscles her mouth now from from her perspective. She might have been afraid from her perspective. Had you asked her she might've frozen up. She might've lost a person but from God's perspective this way is it was his plan that she not ask until the following evening.

Why because a lot of things have to take place in the next 24 hours for this plan to succeed things outside the plan of Esther things on no to Esther.

In fact what Esther doesn't know is her plan to keep the Jewish people alive is still going to pressure because before that didn't happen. Mordechai will be she she doesn't know that Haman is going plan Mordechai's dad and his wife then Haman went out that they gladden please the heart measles, when Haman saw Mordechai the Kingsgate that he did not stand up or tremble before him.

Haman was filled with anger against Mordechai not only Mordechai's taken off the sackcloth new.

Evidently that Esther had favorable reception by the king he puts on his clothing is back at his desk in the king's gate that that that was the policy ministration offices. We talked about he's inside sitting at his desk when Haman walks out everybody was seated stands and then bows in reference to him except Mordechai stays seated now no longer an issue. I just didn't see the card about now. Mordechai in front of him refuses to get to see and bow down, but control himself. No one's going to spoil his party. He's just been invited back to dine with the king and queen again to talk once his ministry twice is a pattern excited to my wife not to expect me for supper. From here on this is this is the best day of my life to marketing the even better. Verse 10 tells us he went to his house and sent for his friends and his wife Sarah Swain only hear what happened to me the first 11 then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches in the number of his songs.

In every instance where the king and magnified and how the king promoted him about the princes and servants of the king, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah like Narcissus here that this does Greek legend tells us his greatest lie was his own reflection in a little ditty when you're a kid I learned became oh so hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way I can't take my eyes off the mirror as I get better looking each day camp was a high moment in my spiritual life. This is Haman's favorite song. Haman is frankly one gigantic hot air balloon, self conceited, self absorbed, self applauding self-promoting but did you notice here in the text that even though he's going on and on and on about how great his life is and how wonderful he is at the core of his being is still dissatisfied. Verse 13 he says to them yet. All of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordechai Hsu sitting at the king's. This is classic human nature.

I got 99 things, but I want on one on the one saying out of reach keeps me from enjoying saying I now have is something that you don't have. Is there something that you can't reach and yet you pull that up so close to your heart and your eyes you can't see any thing else. The truth is we are a lot more like Haman, the favorite person in our world to please is ourselves. Our most favorite topic of conversation is who we are and what we want or how we feel, Haman craves for one thing, he doesn't have and it will be like Narcissus's undoing not disappoint his wife and his friends rally around them and they basically given fairly ungodly crescent cruel advice. Verse 14 they should have a Gallup 50 cubits Jaime in the morning asked the king to have Mordechai hang on the go joyfully with the back delete going on. Any advice please Haman, so we had Gallo was made yesterday as this second banquet. The next evening will be too late. Mordechai will be the building's 50 cubits high that seven stories 75 feet. Let's make sure nobody can visit Zara's is make sure 75 feet nine, nobody can mess. This is what happens to people who do not bow to your glory.

At this point in the drama. Frankly, things have never looked worse. Esther's plan is to work more, because plan is working morning is a dead man unless God does something during the night and does God ever something during chapter 6, verse one. During the night. The king could not sleep, the king could not sleep. So I gave in order to bring the book of records. The Chronicles and they were read before the king. Love is the Kings in his bedchamber, he can't fall asleep.

Nothing works so because the servant and says like I want you to begin to read from literally the words of the day the words of the day. This is the Persian equivalent to the congressional record that will knock anybody out to all thousands of items as that man has access to these records, and the person for world world renowned for the record-keeping of all places the servant could choose to begin to read. He turns to some events that occur five years earlier where a man named morning, I heard about a plot to take the life of the king told Esther and the king's life was spared the reading of this event. By the way did several things it brings audibly and in the king's mind. The two names of his loyal subjects. Esther and Mordecai brought to his mind as well that he's never rewarded Mordechai for his active loyalty and saving the Kings once we ask in verse three. Look, there would honor and dignity's been in the servant scans the record looks back up changes topic subject leases king done nothing for this is out of character for Persian customs is already rewarded for soldiers with plots of land is Artie made one man the governor Celestia for saving the Kings is his brother but this game has failed to fulfill his world and get this, you'll find a little labor right now.

He learns in the reading that morning still be a what a Jew.

How can he promote someone that he is condemned and in that provoke my thinking. In fact, I went back in time to do this today is to be the result but went back to read it even more carefully than ever before, and it occurred to me it is truth struck me. Haman is the one who actually wrote the edict Haman is the one who sealed the edict with the ring the king and given it's quite possible that Hatteras is callous disregard for life.

Let us do not even care to find out who the people were in the name of the matter to me so he doesn't know and just about the time the servant informs the king that his loyal subject Mordechai the Jew has never been rewarded. Jesse shows up early in the Kings court because this is to be the greatest day of his life. Haman, that hot air balloon has descended to get started with special just finished building his gallows. He's been up all night to get a private engagement with the king and queen's going to be the greatest of his labor 60. Haman came in and the king said, what is to be done for the managing Zara's on I is a legitimate question on the trip of payment will Haman of course thinks it's all about him and his honesty done some thinking because immediately able to list six things that is less well just you just so happen ask for seven for the man in the king desires honor verse eight let them bring a royal road to the king is worn and the horse on which the King has written and on his head a royal crown is been placed unstoppable saying don't just give that man a horse given the horse you written that special. Don't just give them a row give you are personal roads that you have learned anything was to be special to us. Haman's figure all this out. He's been waiting now is my moment. Is this day going to be great.

What happens next is what all simply call the great reversal. Verse 10 the king said to Haman, take quickly the ropes and the horses you said and do so for Mordechai, the Jew who was sitting at the Kingsgate do not fall short in anything of all that you have said you were construction indicated Italy Haman who actually dresses Mordechai. It'll be Haman who actually kneels down, which would be there custom and Mordecai will step on his back to get up on the saddle.

It'll be Haman who leaves the horse along declaring the glory of the one the king desires the water. This is a series of crushing blow to great reversal. Mordechai Sacco to honor Greif Loring Haman goes from glory to grief covers his head, his mood now. Of course Darla changed worried his wife and friends regather instead of helping him lick his wounds. They deliver a prophecy and they still don't deliver it to its fullest extent. They just figure he's going to lose his job, but notice what they say in verse 13. What if Mordechai before you begin the fall is of Jewish origin.

You will not overcome him, but surely will for and according to the text verse 14. These words are just coming out of their mouths when the king's limousine shows up to whisk Haman all way to the second banquet which will effectively be his last meal.

Only God can arrange the timing of these events. This is the work of products. There are some observations I want to give you about the providence of God is the study of the give you three of them first.

God is at work even when circumstances are uncontrollable.

I'm not sure about this but I have little doubt that during this sleepless night news was delivered to Mordechai, probably on to Esther that there was a gallows being constructed to an exaggerated height 75 feet take long for them to figure out why it's possible that that news might even galvanize Esther to not delay any longer. This is going to be stunning news that she delivered study at a later time, God had to be at work because as much planning as she had gone through the vents were outside of her control. Secondly, God is at work even when life is on think about Mordechai all by himself. He's a nobody from nowhere and then he's promoted to work directly for the king inside the administrative wing of these sentenced to death by Haman's eating and then he's lamenting outside the palace encyclopedias rewarded by the king and then he is mounted on the king's own horse if it bye-bye now Mordechai ought to have motion sickness with all the changes in his life. Talk about unpredictable ladies. Now here's here's the point want to make stability in life never comes from line if you're waiting for you to figured out of her life to become predictable, waiting for the wrong thing. Stability in life does not come from life. It comes from the one who gives us life, whatever stability we have in fact the stability comes from trusting and knowing that God is at work even when life is unpredictable. Third, God is at work even when sin seems unstoppable. The edict has been written into the law of the Medes and Persians unchangeable.

What will find out later that many believers don't know is that the unit is going to be carried out what will happen is that the Jews will be allowed to defend himself. This gallows is seven storing this high coming done anything soon. Things never looked worse. But God was work as the psalmist said God never slumbers for so when you have trouble sleeping.

He's awake with you when you finally go off to sleep. He works because God is never tired, you can. Not good enough because God never sleeps.

We can we don't have to be in control of every situation and every circumstance and every person because God already. The events of life are are his horsemen riding upon the winds of his will is actions and counter actions, his plans and his counter plans are moving about the universe and your life with perfect precision and irresistible power. God is at work even when circumstances are uncontrollable, even when life is unpredictable even when sin seems unstoppable. There is a gallows 75 feet high. I said that you and king to sleep. Think about it.

If he had gone to sleep.

This would've taken place just couldn't sleep. William Cooper was befriended by John Newton, the author of amazing grace.

He was discipled by Cooper as a believer still struggling with belts of suicidal depression.

One evening he called for a carriage in order the driver to take him to the use River where he planned to throw himself in a drought. The river was 3 miles away. The driver picked up quickly.

The state of mind of this passenger knew that the only reason we take River and he would say later that he breathed a prayer of thanks as they were driving toward the river and suddenly a thick fall came out of nowhere. The driver intentionally got lost in the fall, Cooper fell into a deep sleep in the carriage behind. After several hours he pulled the carriage back up at Cooper's home Cooper woke up and said were home and why is that carriage driver said to him was certain it was the fall. I'm sorry Cooper paid his fare when it was home and pondered how he spared from harming himself by what he would claim to be nothing less.

The providence of God, and that same night he would write the lyrics to his most famous 1774 was the year he wrote this in that very these lyrics. God moves in mysterious ways's wonders. He plants his footsteps in the scene. Ryan's storm deep in unfathomable my never failing skill treasures of the spring and works some judge not the war by feeble sin's trust for his grace for behind a frowning profit smile. God is control over all the affairs of your life and often the interpretation that we bring to our circumstances lacks perspective because we can't always know what God has in mind for us, but we can know that he's always at work and that his ways are always good. This is wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi were glad you joined us today.

This message is called once upon a sleepless night. It's the sixth message in Stephen's series through Esther.

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