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Esther
ESTHER
A JEWISH QUEEN FOILS A PLAN TO EXTERMINATE HER PEOPLE
This is a book that would make a great movie. Not only is there great drama here, but there is also great comedy. I will point out to you two scenes that I would love to see on You Tube. I think they would be hilarious.
The setting of this book is Persia. The time is about 15 years before Ezra returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Here is the cast of characters:
Queen Vashti, granddaughter of Nebuchadnezzar, daughter of Belshazaar, the last of the Babylonian kings. He was the one who hosted a banquet and God’s hand appeared to send him a message of doom (Dan 5). When the Persians and Medes invaded, Vashti was the only survivor. King Darius discovered her during fall of Jerusalem and took pity on her and betrothed her to his son, Xerxes.
King Xerxes (also known as Ahasuerus), banishes Queen Vashti.
Mordecai, a Jew and older cousin of Esther.
Esther, a Jewish girl who helped save the Jews from genocide.
Haman, the villain of this story. When you read his name, feel free to hiss, boo and stomp your feet. I will explain why later on. He is identified by some as Memucan, one of the princes who had access to the king (Esther 1:14). Haman was an astrologer and a direct descendant of Agag, an Amalekite, and longtime enemies of Israel. The attacked them on numerous times (Ex 17:8, Deut 25:17-18, Judges 3:13, 6:2-5). God commanded Saul to kill them, including their king (I Sam 15:2-3). They were finally killed (I Chron 4:43).
Esther 1:5, 7 King Xerxes of Persia hosts a seven day feast where the “royal wine was abundant.”
This feast was for all of the nobles and officials. Anyone who was anyone was there. To not be invited probably meant that your career was on the downhill slide.
Esther 1:10-11 When the King was “high in spirits from wine,” he commanded Queen Vashti to come and display her beauty to his guests. She was to wear her
crown. Some commentators suggest that the crown was the only thing she was to wear. She was “lovely to look at.”
The queen wanted nothing to do with this drunken debauchery and she refused the kings “request.” When the king “asks” or “suggests” that someone do something, it is much as it is in the military today. When the General “suggests” or “asks” it mean it is an order. Kings and Generals do not like to be told “NO!” by anyone. The queen said “NO” to her husband and this created a crisis.
The King consulted with his princes to decide which “course of action” he should take (1:15). Memucan, who might be Haman, suggested that if the king’s wife disobeys him, all of our wives would do the same. You must put her in her place, they suggested.
The decision was made that the queen would never again enter the presence of King Xerxes. Now I don’t know exactly what this meant. Was she sent off into exile? Did she remain in the area, “under house arrest”? Was she executed? Tradition says that she was executed.
It’s time to find the king a new queen. There is a nationwide beauty contest and guess who becomes the next queen? Yes, it’s Esther (2:17). The other contestants lived out their lives as widows.
Esther 2:21 Mordecai overhears talk of a conspiracy to assassinate the king and reveals this information to Esther, who passes it onto the king. The two conspirators were hanged.
Esther 3 Haman, a high government official, sought a decree from the king to have all of the Jews killed. His argument before the king was that the Jews were different, not to be trusted and besides, they didn’t obey the king. Why would Haman want to have the Jews killed? Besides being an Amalekite, it was because Mordecai would not bow down to him in public. Haman was an astrologer and had idolatrous images embroidered on his garments. Mordecai would not bow down to these. As an incentive for everyone to participate in this genocide, those who killed Jews could plunder their belongings (v 14).
When Mordecai heard of this decree he put together a plan to protect his people.
Esther 4 Mordecai urges Esther, the new Queen, to break protocol and approach the king concerning the edict that was issued allowing for the murder of all Jews. In that day you could not approach the king on your own. You had to be summoned by the king. If you came uninvited, you could be executed. So Esther is in a difficult position. Should she approach the king and risk her life in doing so?
Esther 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 royal position for such a time as this?”
Esther is pulled between obeying her cousin or the king.
Do you ever wonder why certain things have happened in your life and where you are going? Perhaps what God allowed to happen to you in your life will be used to position you to be used by God in some way.
Esther 5 finds Esther not only approaching the king, but she hosts a banquet
Esther 6 The king couldn’t sleep so he started to read a book on Persian history. There he was reminded of the time Mordecai revealed to him the assassination plot against him. Haman enters the room and is asked, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?” Haman thought that he was referring to him. So Haman suggests that the person be given a robe, a horse and have him led through the streets to be cheered by the crowds. The king liked his idea and ordered him to bring Mordecai the Jew to be so honored. Imagine the shock on Haman’s face. About then he probably wished that he had suggested that the person to be honored should get a “Certificate of Appreciation” rather than such elaborate, public honors. So Haman had to lead the procession through the street that honored Mordecai. Can you imagine the look on Haman’s face? This is a comedic scene that I would want to see on You Tube.
Esther 7 The king and Haman came to dine with the queen. There she asked that her people be spared from the planned genocide. The king asks, “Who came up with such a crazy idea?” The queen pointed at Haman and said, “The adversary and enemy is the vile Haman (v 6). The king is shocked. He steps outside to the patio to get a breath of fresh air and to think about what he has just heard. While he
is outside Haman begins to beg Esther for his life. In the process he stumbles over the coffee table or rug and land on top of the Queen, sitting on the couch. This happens just as the king returns to the room and he declares, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”
Haman is taken out to the gallows, the very same gallows that he had built to kill Mordecai, and he was hanged (v 10).
Esther 9:18 the holiday of Purim was established to celebrate the deliverance of the Jews from the Holocaust planned for them by Haman.
Purim is a holiday that emphasizes being drunk with happiness. Traditionally Jews drink a bit more wine they usually do. In some ways Purim is a second birth of for the Jewish people. During Purim gifts are sent to one another. People get dressed up in costumes. The Book of Esther is read. Whenever Haman’s name is read the people hiss, boo and stomp their feet. Some write the name “Haman” on the bottom of their shoes. One of the traditional pastries is called “Haman’s Ears.”
The term Purim is sometimes used to refer to any “special deliverance” by the Lord. What is the greatest Purim of all? It is when Jesus sacrificed himself to deliver us from our sins. Haman is a type of Anti-Christ and the second coming is the final Purim (Rev 19:11-16).
Esther 10:3 “Mordecai . . . is held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.”
Recent Articles
Purim is a Jewish celebration, more like the Fourth of July or Mother’s Day, than a religious holiday like Passover. Purin is usually observed in February or March of each year. The word Purim means, “lots” as in a lottery, which was the means that the villainous Haman, an Amalekite, used to set the date for the massacre of Jews in Persia (previously Babylon). These events in the Book of Esther take place between chapters six and seven of the Book of Ezra. The setting is Persia, seventy years after they were taken into captivity by the Babylonians. Israel spent 70 years in captivity in Babylon, which was later taken over by the Persians in 539 B.C. Just a year later, the Persian King Cyrus decreed throughout his empire that any captive Jews in Babylonia who desired could return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Cyrus even allowed the vessels of gold and silver stolen by Nebuchadnezzar’s troops to be returned. As we will read in Isaiah 48 , they all should have left, but some stayed behind. Let’s look at the cast of characters in this drama. The villain in the story was Haman, an Amalekite. The Amalekites were descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother. You might recall that these siblings had a long-standing conflict that revolved around the birthright. Esau, the firstborn, sold his birthright to his brother Jacob. The hostility that Jacob and Esau had for one another carried on through the generations like a bad gene. Esau had a grandson named Amalek, from which we get the name Amalekites. These cousins of the Israelites attacked them whenever they had the chance. When the Jews were led out of Egypt by Moses, the Amalekites attacked them in Rephidim, in the Sinai Desert. This unprovoked attack led God to promise to blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven (Ex. 17:8-14) . Forty years later, in his last major speech to his people, Moses reminded the Jews of the command to go after Amalek (Deut. 25:17-19) . Saul, the first King of Israel, was commanded to wipe out the Amalekites (I Sam. 15:2-3) . But Saul disobeyed and spared the life of King Agag (I Sam 15:9) . This led to the premature end of the reign of Saul (I Sam. 15:23) . Saul, realizing his mistake, subsequently did kill Agag, but one of his sons survived. So not only was he disobedient, but he was also incompetent. Some 500 years later, one of his descendants was Haman. Others in the cast of characters included the royal couple, King Xerxes (some think it was King Ahasuerus or perhaps both names refer to the same person), and Queen Vashti. Then there was Esther, the Jewish maiden, and her uncle Mordecai. And so, with the setting in place, the cast of characters on stage, let the drama that led to Purim begin.
JOB SUFFERS AND DEMANDS FROM GOD AN EXPLANATION AS TO “WHY?”
Did it Really Happen? Does it Really Matter?
Ezra Comes to Jerusalem and Teaches the People
The Miracle of Passover: Zola Levitt
The Jews Journey to Jerusalem
The Israelites Head for Jerusalem and Rebuild their Temple.
How Israelites Should Behave When They Return Home
December 7-15, 2023, is Hanukkah (Festival of Lights)
Chapter 22: The Book of the Law was Found, Josiah leads a Return to God
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Why Study the Bible?
Don’t many consider the Bible to be just a book of myths? Why do we read the Bible rather than the sacred literature of other religions?
How do we know that it is from God? How do we know that what we have today is an accurate translation from the original? Is the Bible complete or have there been some books that have been lost?
We should be able to answer these questions, and there are answers! So start here!
Answers to Common Bible Questions
Lent is a six week period of spiritual devotion starting on Ash Wednesday and ending at Easter. Those who observe Lent usually give up something for Lent. Some might give up coffee, or soda pop, or alcohol, or chocolate. May I suggest that you give up something that will really impress God and make this season of Lent one of the most memorable and meaningful seasons of your life? May I suggest that if you are giving up something, why not give up some of the acts of our sinful nature mentioned in Gal. 5:19? Why don’t we give up lying about others? Do you think you can give up the hate you feel towards others? How about envy, can we work on putting envy aside this year? How about giving up on the naïve idea that all pastors are mature Christian leaders whose word should always be accepted, rather than wolfs in sheep’s clothing (Matt 7:15). How about giving up the idea that everyone in church is a real Christian (Matt 7:21-23). How about giving up your desire to seek revenge on those who have hurt you (Matt 18:21-22)? If you are insecure and feel threatened when you see the success of others in ministry, how about giving up efforts to hinder others who have been called to minister (Rom 12:4-8)? Of course it is easier to give up something like chocolate, etc. and make yourself feel like you are doing something that is pleasing to God. If you are not willing to give up unchristian behavior, might I suggest something that will really please God this Lent? Give up all evidence of your profession of Christian faith, such as books, pictures and jewelry. Don’t talk about God, Jesus or the Church. I think God would appreciate it if you would stop giving HIM a bad name by the way you live. Let’s give up what hinders our witness and become a better ambassador for Christ (2 Cor 5:20) this Lenten season.
In Matthew 2:1-2 is says that the magi saw "His star in the east." What was this star that guided these men to Jesus? Some have suggested that it could have been a comet, an asteroid, or perhaps a meteor or an especially bright star. The problem with these suggestions is that these physical things either quickly move across the sky and then disappear or are too far away to provide directions with any precision. It would be hard to get directions from such objects. The "star" had to move constantly or intermittently at the same pace as the magi. Then it says that it hovered over the house where Mary and Joseph had moved to with Jesus. It hardly sounds like a comet or meteor or a star as we know them. Can you think of another time that people in the Bible were guided by some form of light? How about the time when Moses was leading the Israelites out of Egypt? He didn't have a global positioning system with him. He did have a pillar of fire that led him at night (Ex 13:21-22). We see this light in Solomon's Temple (2 Chron 7:1-3) and when the Jews were about to go into Babylonian captivity, we see it leaving the Temple (Ezek 9-11). In the New Testament we see it at the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:9) at His transfiguration (Matt 17:5) and His ascension (Acts 1:9). What exactly was this guiding light? The word "star" can also be translated as "radiance." It appears that it was this "radiance" that guided Moses and the magi. The Jews call this the "Shekinah", a physical manifestation of the glory of God in the form of a supernatural radiance. This, I believe, is what the Star of Bethlehem was.
Imagine that you are the pastor of a church. A young married couple is having some difficulties in their relationship and they seek counsel from you. On Monday the wife comes in to give her assessment of their marriage. What do you think she will say? She might say that she is a hardworking, caring and supportive wife and that it is her husband who is the neglectful, insensitive brute and the source of all problems in the marriage. You feel so sorry for this wife and when you see her husband in the hallway, you think to yourself, "What a jerk." On Friday the husband comes in and gives his assessment of the marriage. He tells you that he is hard working and very generous and that she is the major problem in the relationship. As the pastor, you are wondering if they both are talking about the same marriage. Each person tells you what makes them look best and their spouse the worst. Where is the truth? The truth is probably somewhere in between Proverbs 18:17 says, "The first to present his case seems right, til another comes forward and questions him." There are conflicts in all relationships, between spouses, parents and children, employees and employers. When you hear one side of a story, don’t assume that what you hear is the complete truth. And don’t pass on to someone else what you have heard. Probably, at least some of what you heard is untrue to gain your support in a conflict.