If you know me or have been following this blog, you know that Esther is one of my favorite Bible heroes. It is also my favorite book of the Bible. If you don’t know the story of Esther, I suggest you set aside some time to read the entire book. But, in a nutshell…
Esther was an orphan Jew in pagan Persia, was adopted by Mordecai, her uncle, and then, because of her beauty, taken into an evil king’s harem. She kept her identity as a Hebrew hidden. She was then appointed (by God’s hand no doubt) into the position of Queen of Persia. At that time, the king promoted wicked Haman (3:1) to a seat of honor higher than all other nobles. Haman later issued a decree to kill all the Hebrews (Jews) of the Persian empire. (3:8-9) Facing a do-or-die defining moment, Esther chose to risk her life by going into the king’s presence illegally and revealing herself as a Hebrew, interceding before the king and, in so doing, saved the Jews from genocide. (7:1-5).
Throughout History, women have interceded for their loved ones. I’ve prayed scripture over my daughter since she was a toddler. Francis Frangipane studied the history of revivals and saw that there was an organized prayer movement preceding each one – except the Jesus People Movement. “Why?” he asked the Lord. “What enabled You to bring this revival?” The Lord told him, “I answered the prayers of a million mothers.”1
October 12 is the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur); it is considered the most important holiday in the Jewish faith. Falling in the month of Tishrei (September or October in the Gregorian calendar), it marks the culmination of the 10 Days of Awe, a period of introspection and repentance that follows Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It is the day when the priests enter the Holy of Holies in the Temple and offer sacrifices for the sins of Israel.
The Lord said to Moses, “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves and present a food offering to the Lord. Do not do any work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement when atonement is made for you before the Lord your God. (Leviticus 23-26-28)
On October 12, 2024, I will join a million (or more) women and men on the Mall in Washington, DC. We will gather as Esthers and Mordecais. We will worship. We will pray. We will intercede for a nation under attack from evil not so different from the plans of Haman. We will repent for the more than six million babies murdered in the womb. We will repent for the attacks against the sanctity of marriage and God’s creation of man and woman. We will repent for the evil that mutilates children after convincing them that God created them to be the wrong gender. We will repent for the churches and pastors who sit idly by rather than stand for God in a world desperate for salvation. We will cry for a return to the Godly principles upon which this great country was founded. We will cry out to the One who was, is, and is always. We will cry out for God to deliver us, once again.
I recognize not everyone can make the trip to Washington D.C. But you can learn more about this world-changing event (https://amillionwomen.org) and join us via the live feed. And you can be praying for me and all the men, women, and children who will gather in corporate worship in our nation’s capital.
God has raised a remnant. We will not be silent. I will not stand down and cower to evil in the name of political correctness. There are only two choices in this world – God and the enemy. And make no mistake, choosing silence is choosing the enemy. Choosing to sit back and wait for God to fix everything is abdicating your responsibility to be His hands and feet in this world. The enemy’s soldiers have demonstrated their commitment. It is time for Christians to demonstrate ours.
The most well know scripture from Esther is likely 4:14: “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
I was born for such a time as this. And so were you.
1Taken from October 7, 2024, GiveHim15 (givehim15.org). Francis Frangipane is the founder River of Life Ministries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa,
This week’s accompanying prayer can be found at https://simplyjoy.online/prayers/im-an-esther/
So glad you got to go to washington, dc