Esther: Intro

We’re beginning our series on the book of Esther. Esther is a book in the Old Testament that reads like a novel. You have a hero, an adviser, a nemesis, a devious plot and more. As a literary book it piques one’s interest as part of Scripture there have been its proponents and its detractors.

I do want to say I’m indebted to our friend Steve and Bible Stories with Steve for priming the pump so to speak in getting us familiar with the story of Esther, and I have to admit I enjoyed the way it has become a sort of melodrama as we cheer the heroes and boo the villains of the book.

I also want to commend to you the weekly Bible study so aptly led by Kari on Wednesday nights as they are also going through this amazing book. There you will be able to discuss, debate, wonder and reflect upon this book together, which I encourage you to do.

Certain features within the book have troubled both Jewish and Christian readers, primarily that the book does not mention God. How can you have a biblical book referred to as God’s Word without mentioning God?

Martin Luther criticized the book of Esther thinking it to be too aggressively Jewish, and because it doesn’t contain any gospel content. Despite it’s detractors, it was recognized as “scripture” long before the time of Christ.

The book itself is anonymous and so it cannot be dated by it’s author. However, it matches well the time in which it is set about 486-464 B.C.

At the time of it’s writing the Persian Empire extended from India, what is now Pakistan, to Ethiopia. It was massive.

We’re going to explore some of the key themes as we go through this book including:

KEY THEMES:

Divine Providence

Human Responsibility

The absurdity of wickedness

So as we begin this morning, let’s get a sense of the cast of characters.

AHASUERUS THE KING (אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ, achashwerosh)

Achashwerosh is the Aramaic name for Khshayarsha, the king of Persia, whom the Greeks called Xerxes (which is by far easier for our western tongues to pronounces). This Xerxes is the Achaemenid king in the Hebrew version of the Book of Esther, in the Greek version, his name is Artaxerxes. We’re just going to call him Xerxes.

As the book of Esther opens we find that Xerxes rules over 127 provinces and has at his table 7 princes of Persia and media. Xerxes is the son of Darius I by Cyrus’ daughter Atossa. He ascended the throne several years before his father died. Soon after he took the throne he passed through Palestine on his way to assert control over Egypt, ending a revolt there. Shortly after Babylon rebelled and he responded with a heavy hand including the destruction of religious sites, capturing idols and tightening imperial policies.

Classical greek historians charge him with wanton cruelty and weakness. The Greek historian Herodotus accuses him of trying to have an affair with his brother’s wife and succeeding in having an affair with her daughter. Such portrayals of Xerxes fall in line with his character in the book of Esther.

VASHTI (וַשְׁתִּי, washtiy)

She defies the King by not coming before him as commanded. She is banished over it as the King’s advisors tell him that she will be setting an example for all other women who will now look with contempt and wrath for their husbands.

ESTHER (אֶסְתֵּר, ester)

A Jewish woman named Hadassah (Esth 2:7) who became Queen Esther to Persian king Ahasuerus and risked her life to save her people.

Esther takes the place of Vashti as queen as is the heroine of the book. Were it not for her bravery and stepping in at the right time her entire people would have been at risk.

MORDECAI (מָרְדֹּכַי, mordokhay)

Mordecai is Esther’s cousin and guardian of Esther. From the tribe of Benjamin. Often viewed to be the true hero of the story of Esther. Represents a model Jew surviving in the Diaspora.

The Diaspora is the Jews living outside the holy lands, for those of you who were here during our Casket Empty series you may have remembered the map we had up here on our banner and the way the Jews were scattered all over the map outside of Palestine.

HAMAN (הָמָן, haman)

Haman, son of Hammedatha, is our villain in this story. A Persian official who plotted to destroy the Jews throughout the Persian Empire. Simply put he stands against God’s chosen people and one could say, God’s providence.

GOD’S COVENANT PEOPLE

God’s covenant people are the Jews, God’s chosen ones. At the time of Esther many are living outside the Holy land of Palestine. In the book of Esther the plot of Haman is not only against an individual but against an entire people.

These 6 main characters will weave through a plot of providence, antagonism, deception, and victory of good in the midst of evil throughout our book.

So with that as our context, let’s take a glimpse into the story of Esther.

Esther 1:1–5 ESV

Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.

It’s party time in King Xerxes kingdom.

On the seventh day the King commands seven eunuchs who serve him Esther 1:11-12

Esther 1:11–12 ESV

to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.

Xerxes asks his princes who served as legal counsel what should be done to Queen Vashti because she had not performed as commanded by the king.

She is to be banished from the King’s presence and lose her position in the royal court, but there is far more. Judging how they portray how queen Vashti’s refusal will snowball to the entire kingdom they seem to have worked for the cable news of the day. Their response has not only to do with Queen Vashti but they blow it up to include all women not only in the courtyard and the palace, but throughout the entire kingdom!

The culmination of chapter 1 is the king following the advice of his princes. Esther 1:22

Esther 1:22 ESV

He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people.

They then come up with a beauty contest of sorts to find a new queen: Esther 2:4

Esther 2:4 ESV

And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.

And enters our Esther into the story. What we know about Esther is that she is an orphan, her mother and father have died, and so she is cared for by a cousin, Mordecai who has taken her as his own daughter. She is described as a young woman with a beautiful figure and lovely to look at.

Even so she went through 12 months of beautifying:

Esther 2:12 ESV

Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women—

Esther is chosen and becomes queen and there is a great celebration. Now when the young women are gathered another time, Mordecai is sitting outside the gate and overhears a plot to “lay hands on the king. He told Esther who told the king.

Esther 2:23 ESV

When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows. And it was recorded in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.

The gallows were not like what we think of with a noose, but instead it was a wooden beam or stake; Hebrew tree or wood. This Persian execution practice involved affixing or impaling a person on a stake or pole.

So our story begins.

What are we seeing:

God’s Providence

Throughout this process we come across a particular phrase twice:

Esther 2:10 ESV

Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known.

which is repeated at verse 20. Clearly the pieces are being put into position for God’s work on His people.

Human Responsibility

We don’t know yet if Mordecai liked or dislike the king. However, hearing of evil plotted against the king, he let Esther know. She then let the king know. And justice was enforced.

Esther: Intro

The book of Esther challenges us again and again to consider whether we truly believe that God is sovereign. This is one of the tenets of our reformed faith.

If indeed God is sovereign, then we are where we are because God has a purpose. It’s not some random happenstance.

Knowing God is in control is not pessimistic or fatalistic. Knowing God is in control reminds us that we are where we are, who we are, what we are for a purpose and intent. That is to bring God honor.

The question for all of us is

How do we honor God where we are?

As we move through Esther in the coming weeks I hope that you will continue to consider this question. How do we honor God where we are? With who we are? With what we are? With what we have?

That’s where I’m going to stop today, but I hope you’ll stay with us through this series as we watch this plot unfold and see a woman take her stand where she is, as who she is and what she is to the glory of God.