September 14, 2025 -Advise You Can Trust

EZRA 6:14-22

EZRA 4:6

ESTHER 1:1-4:17

Chronological Bible Readings

Esther 1:13 Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times

Here I see a leader who doesn't know God so he doesn't seek Godly council but he does seek council from men. I don't know what is worse a leader who will not take council or a leader who cannot make a decision without asking someone else what they should do.

Esther 1:15 “According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”

A leader should know the law. I wonder if he was only asking so that someone else would be responsible for what happened. Maybe he just wanted someone to tell him what he wanted to hear. I think he was just an indecisive person who couldn't make a decision on his own,

Esther 1:21 The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed.

He did hear something that pleased him so he did it. He had the queen deposed and she was never to enter his presence again.

Esther 2:2 Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. 3 Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. 4 Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.

What worldly man would not find it appealing to have a bunch of beautiful women paraded in front him for him to pick and choose from. This is the way a leader leads if he is not seeking God. They look to other people instead of God. And then do what pleases them.

God can give council through other Godly people. But before we ask someone else what we should do we need to be in relationship with God and seek Him first. God has spoken to me in many ways recently about how to seek God and hear His voice especially when a spiritual decision needed to be made. God can speak to us through the bible, prayer, circumstances and the church (the body of Christ). I have heard sermons and podcasts, read scripture in the bible and a book I am reading and had conversations with a few people who have expressed a desire to better understand how to hear God's voice. Even last night a woman I have not seen in years started talking to me about what she thinks God was saying to her. Also, I am the chairperson of our nominating committee at church and we have discussed that the most important thing we need to do is to be continuously watching and listening for God and what He is doing and seeking His direction in the nominating process. He can speak without us asking someone what they think we should do. In my experience God will speak and confirm when it is something specific we are seeking Him for. That is how you know it is Him. When we pray asking for His guidance, He may speak to our spirit as we listen for Him in quiet times of meditation. That is when we should ask and look for confirmation. It may come through bible reading, a sermon, a conversation with a brother or sister in Christ, and things that happen to point the way. When He speaks in other ways seek confirmation in the other areas.

Esther 2:20 But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.

Here we have a godly man coming and giving advice. Esther finds herself in an uncontrollable situation. She doesn't get to decide if she should go to the king's palace and go through this process. She is not seen seeking confirmation about what he is saying because she knows she can trust him. The book of Esther is the only book in the bible that does not mention God but Mordecai is shown to be a righteous person who follows God. He is a Jew so that means that he is one of God's chosen people. He raised Esther so she knows that. She trusted his council because he had proven himself to be wise and she was under his authority as his ward. That is why she listened to him not because he said something that pleased her. We can assume from his unwillingness to pay honor to Haman that it is because he would only pay honor to God. When we have strong Godly people in our lives that we know are faithfully following Christ and they give us advice that does not contradict scripture it is reasonable to trust it. As it is proven reliable over and over again it becomes a reliable source of advice.