There are two books in the Bible named after women, and these are Ruth and Esther. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that these books were written by women but rather that a woman was a key player in the events recorded in the books.
While Ruth was a Moabite, Esther was a Jew (2:5-7) with a Persian name ‘ester’ derived from a Persian word meaning ‘star’ (stara). Her Hebrew name was ‘Hadassah’ which is a ‘Myrtle tree’ though the name also could mean ‘Compassion’.
According to Esther 1:1-2 whatever happens in this book is not in Israel but in Babylon during the Persian reign. The Jews had been in captivity for 70 years and after the fall of Nobodinus (Nebuchadnezzar’s successors), in 538 BC Cyrus gave an edict of freedom to return for all willing Jews in captivity. Jews left Babylonia at various times (three different returns actually as we saw in the introduction of Ezra-Nehemiah), and each time, some Jews chose to remain in Babylonia and the decision of some to stay established numerous Jewish communities living permanently in the diaspora.
The story in the book of Esther is about the Jews who stayed in Babylon after all the returns
Jews left Babylonia at various times (three different returns actually as we saw in the introduction of Ezra-Nehemiah), and each time, some Jews chose to remain in Babylonia and the decision of some to stay established numerous Jewish communities living permanently in the diaspora.
The story in the book of Esther is about the Jews who stayed in Babylon after all the returns.
Outline
The book has 10 chapters in which Chapters 1-2 introduce the King who held a feast intended to discuss how to deal with the Greeks who had defeated him in the battle he was coming from. So it was a banquet to relax and review. Out of excitement, he calls his Queen to come and strip-dance. The Queen defies the order and that results into a royal decree of the national superiority of men over women. A beauty contest is held intended to search for a lady who will replace the rebellious Queen Vashti and that is how Mordecai and Esther take the opportunity to discreetly participate in the contest which they win.
Apart from Mordecai contributing a queen to the palace beauty contest, he also volunteers information about the conspiracy to end the life of the king and the King’s life is saved due to this information.
Chapter 3 deals with the rivalry between Mordecai and the prime minister of the kingdom by the names of Haman. Haman plots to kill Mordecai but since he has no cause, he turns it into a national Jewish genocide and launches a lot of Pur to help him decide the day to kill all the Jews including Mordecai. In Chapter 4, we have Mordecai’s efforts to survive where he uses the help of the Queen (Esther) to ensure that they reverse the Haman Jewish national genocide.
In Chapter 4, we have Mordecai’s efforts to survive where he uses the help of the Queen (Esther) to ensure that they reverse the Haman Jewish national genocide.
It is Chapters 5 and 7, Esther gets to work through two banquets where she seeks to negotiate the lives of her people but with the caution that she doesn’t disclose any sign of conflict of interest.
In Chapter 6, after the first banquet, the king asks that the book of historical records be ready and he learns of the man who provided information that saved his life and that is how Mordecai gets back into play. The King honours Mordecai and gives him the office of his enemy Haman and Haman becomes a spokesman to Mordecai throughout the nation.
In Chapter 7, Haman is killed by the same death arrangement he had prepared for Mordecai but the King’s decree to massacre the Jews he (Haman) had negotiated remains.
Chapter 8 is about the efforts of Mordecai and Esther dealing with the irreversible decree of the king (courtesy of the evil Haman).
Chapters 9-10 is a celebration of a 2 feasts day named after the enemy’s lot Pur, which turns into an all generations’ day of Purim throughout all Israel.
Quick Lessons:
The book is about those in exile and we are no different we who are in this sinful world. Here are quick easy lessons:
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- We are in exile as well, and we can learn how to live in the exile from these people in the book. How to behave in a none-Christian society and actually how to survive without compromise.
- We are all called to associate but not to assimilate.
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- Esther, Joseph and Daniel are characters who were positioned to both represent the will of God as well as help his people. Wherever you are (good or bad), you must never forget that you are POSITIONED.
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- God doesn’t use groups but individuals (both men and women).
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- God will preserve his people in critical moments.
- God rules the world and all rulers in it.
Theological Bites
Finally, in a very ironic manner, God is not mentioned in the entire book. Imagine a biblical book without the word ‘God’ in it!! Well, because the book was written in anti-Semitism times when it was dangerous to mention the name of God, the author did mention the name of God acrostically and we have five acrostics in the book. So God is mentioned in the book of Esther.
In this book, God is not just a character mentioned in acrostics but he is also the character behind every scene in the book. Statistically, there are too many coincidences in the book and we cannot help but conclude that this is the hand of God influencing the events. It is God’s providential-presence that qualifies the book of Esther to be part of scriptures.
In this book, God is not just a character mentioned in acrostics but he is also the character behind every scene in the book. Statistically, there are too many coincidences in the book and we cannot help but conclude that this is the hand of God influencing the events. It is God’s providential-presence that qualifies the book of Esther to be part of scriptures.
Another interesting study in the book is the King’s ‘Irreversible Decree’. The Medo-Persians decree was irreversible and Mordecai and Esther did not bother asking the king to reverse the decree that he gave to the evil Haman. All they asked for was a ‘counter decree’.
This is an image of the fall of man and God’s plan of salvation exhibited in Genesis 2-3. God decreed that if man ate of the forbidden tree, he was to die and die an eternal death. However much God loved man, the decree of death could not be reversed. The only thing God could do was to launch a counter-decree. And this divine counter-decree is signalled in the words of Prophet Isaiah:
God decreed that if man ate of the forbidden tree, he was to die and die an eternal death. However much God loved man, the decree of death could not be reversed. The only thing God could do was to launch a counter-decree. And this divine counter-decree is signalled in the words of Prophet Isaiah: He said,
“They are my very own people. Surely they will not betray me again.” And he became their Savior.” (Isaiah 63:8 NLT)
It is because of this divine counter-decree that we have this God dying on the cross for us, and glory to God, he resurrected and lives today. This is our last chance, there is no other decree apart from that of death eternal and the counter-decree of life eternal to specifically those who believe Jesus Christ. Will you believe Jesus Christ today? Enjoy your reading.
God bless you I invoke TRUTH, REASON and FAITH (2Tim 2:7)
Pr. I. T WHITE
The Gospel Hawker
iTiS Well of Worship Fellowship (John 4:24)
iTiS Well of Worship Fellowship (John 4:24) 