On Wednesdays, in 2024, on this blog I will be posting a series of surveys of O.T. books and answers to questions about the O.T.
The Title and Purpose of the Books of Esther
This book is a Cinderella-like story of an orphaned Jewish girl who becomes the Queen of Persia. The Book of Esther opens with a reference to these events occurring in the 3rd year of King Ahasuerus, which is around 483 B.C – between the 1st and 2nd deportation of the Jews heading back to captivity – before Ezra arrived in Jerusalem. But this book doesn’t take place in Judah or Israel; these events happen in Medo-Persia, where the Jews have been in captivity for 70 years.
The Book is named for Esther who is a Jewish heroine who is a leader in her own right. The name “Esther” means “star;” her Hebrew name was Hadassah which means “myrtle” (Esth 2:7).
It was during the Book of Esther that the Persian Empire was ruling the world (539-331 B.C.) Much like the Book of Exodus, the story here speaks of foreign powers trying to eliminate the Jews and God intervention to preserve them. It demonstrates God’s faithfulness to honor His covenant promise made to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3; 17:1-8).
The book’s purpose is as follows: to encourage the Jews returning from exile by reminding them of God’s faithfulness and showing His providence.
The Author and Date of Writing of the Book of Esther
We cannot be for sure who wrote this book or when it was written. No Hebrew tradition has ever suggested an author, but it was probably a Persian Jew living during that time who had a strong sense of Persian customs, etiquette and history.
Date of writing: unknown
Surveying the Book of Esther
The Selection of Esther (Esth 1-2)
When we open the pages to the Book of Esther, we find a great banquet taking place. It was a week-long feast with lots of drinking and revelry. During this party, the Queen was summed to visit the men celebrating and she refused, and we don’t know why she refused.But, because of her actions, Queen Vashtiwas removed from being Queen so her actions would not encourage other disobedience. Perhaps she refused because she feared that being in such a public scene of drunken madness would not reflect well on her own character or maybe she feared for her life; we simply do not know the reason she refused to go. The King was obviously not happy; so, he decided to replace her with a new Queen. The King decided his method of choosing a new queen by gathering virgins from his harem, beautifying them for about a year, and then having a bona fide beauty pageant to see who pleased him the most.
God brought a man named Mordecai who had been raising a young woman named Esther, who is known for her beauty “inside and out”. She was taken into the King’s harem for this beauty pageant as well … and she won!
The Detection of Haman (Esth 3-7)
Mordecai at this point uncovered a plot from 2 men to kill the King and was able to win the King’s favor by informing him of the matter. But this was not the only plot being hatched.
A man named Haman, who hated the Jews, wanted to see the King persecute the Jews, even though they were headed back home. Haman was able to use Mordecai’s refusal to serve Haman as proof to the King that there were too many Jews in their midst who were following their own laws. Haman convinced the King to issue an edict calling for the destruction of the Jews. And once the edict was pronounced, the slaughter began. No one was immune to this suffering. Every Jew was to be killed.
As Mordecai heard story after story of his fellow countrymen being killed and husbands or wives being taken from their homes, Mordecai couldn’t remain silent. He had to do something. He also knew that the previous decree of Cyrus was not being followed directly. Instead of allowing the Jews to return home, they were being killed.
Esther was informed about the Jewish persecutions taking place, and she joined the grief of Mordecai. But she was in a precarious position as the Queen of Medo-Persia. So, she prayed. God answered Esther’s prayer and gave her an idea. She positioned herself in a court that she knew he would visit, and it worked. The King approached her and listened to her request to put on a banquet hoping that she would have an opportunity to talk to him one-on-one but the King invited Haman to join them as well, which doesn’t work well when you are wanting to talk about the evil plot of Haman and he is going to be sitting at the dinner table!
Before this banquet occurred, Haman devised a plot to have Mordecai, the rising leader of the Jews, hanged. That night, the king was listening to the readings of the events of the day, and when he heard about Mordecai’s thwarting of a plot to kill the King, the King decided that Mordecai needed to be honored for this protection of the throne. Ironically, the King forced Haman to honor Mordecai – the one Mordecai actually wanted dead.
The next day was the day of this banquet that Esther had planned. Haman was in trouble, and the King saw Haman for what he truly was.
The Protection of the Jews (Esth 8-10)
Esther had saved the Jews! Haman’s estate, that he bragged about, was given to Mordecai. And the Jews began to experience the kind of protection they deserved when the King learned that the plot of Haman was not deigned just to kill the Jews or Mordecai but eventually Esther herself.
This great deliverance of the Jews became reason for the installing of a permanent festival. Purim was introduced. The word “Purim” means “lots.” Its historical background is the festival where casting of lots that fell to Haman to determine the slaughter of the Jews. The festival is held on the 14th and 15th of the last month (between February and March) of the Jewish calendar. During the festival the Book of Esther is read.
At the end of our story, Mordecai receives his due. Because of his loyalty to the King, the King brought him into the palace and brought him to “second in command” in the entire Empire, which is a position Daniel also maintained in Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon and Joseph in the Pharaoh’s Egypt.
Final Thoughts About the Book of Esther
While the name of God is never mentioned in the Book, His sovereign and providential hand is on display at every juncture. We serve a God who is not only sovereign, but He brings about events and circumstances at just the right time for the right people and for the right purpose. This is a long narrative illustration of Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
God is always there; He may be in the shadows where you can’t always see Him clearly, but don’t forget, He is always there. If you are looking for God in your life, you will find Him.
Worldly Saints 