Problem: Romans 13:1 informs us that even pagan governments are “appointed by God,” and Peter adds, “submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake” (1 Peter 2:13; cf. Titus 3:1). But it says that what she did was “against the law” (4:16). So, didn’t Esther violate the God-ordained laws of Persia by going before the king?

Solution: Sometimes it is necessary to disobey human government, namely, when it compels us to sin. For example, if the government says we cannot pray to God (Dan. 6) or we must worship idols (Dan. 3) or we must kill innocent babies

Expanded from Ex. 1:15–21:
PROBLEM: According to Exodus 12:37 and Numbers chapters 1-4, the size of the nation of Israel as they departed from Egypt must have been about 2 million persons. This would mean that there must have been several hundred thousand women. However, Exodus 1:15 states that Pharaoh spoke only to the Hebrew midwives who were Shiphrah and Puah. How could two midwives care for such a large number of women?

SOLUTION: Pharaoh spoke only to them because they were the leaders of the midwives of the Hebrews. History records that the Egyptian society was highly organized. There were individuals who functioned as overseers for almost every profession and craft in Egyptian society. Much of the commerce was regulated by the government, and craftsmen were required to take orders from the government official in charge of their district. It would be in keeping with this type of structure for the Israelites to have appointed these two individuals to function as superintendents of a large group of Hebrew midwives (cf. Ex. 18:24-25). This type of organizational structure would have facilitated interaction with the Egyptian officials. When Pharaoh, or some other Egyptian official, needed to communicate some new mandate to the group, he would do so through these two superintendents.

, then we must disobey. In Esther’s case, however, there was no law compelling her to sin. But neither did she disobey the law of the land, since the law allowed for someone to come before the king unannounced at their own risk (Es. 4:11). Knowing of this provision of the law and accepting the risk of her life, Esther went before the king to save the lives of her people. In this case there was no need to disobey the law, since it was not compelling her to kill anyone or to commit any other act of sin.