Esther 1-2

Its typically the practice of our church that we work through whole books of the Bible verse by verse to try to understand them and today we begin the book of Esther.

I want to begin with to interesting facts about the book of Esther.

Firstly, this book does not reference God at all.

There is no reference to God, to the temple, to worship, or to prayer. There is no explicit commands or teaching or interpretation about morality.

That’s interesting fact number one.

Here is another one.

This book of the Bible was forbidden from being read out loud in Nazi Germany during World War II.

Where as Jews traditionally gathered once a year for the feast of Purim which celebrates this book and reads this book…, the Germans put a stop to it and forbid it.

Why?

Why would this book that doesn’t reference God at all, be a special emphasis especially during a period of time where an evil kingdom seemed to reign supreme and when God’s presence may feel hidden?

Somehow someway, this book provided massive encouragement even to those in the concentration camps.

Well Instead of beginning with overview, I think the best way to find out this morning is to simply begin by diving into the story.

We are going to work through all of chapters 1 and 2, but let’s begin with just verses 1-9 and a prayer.

Esther 1:1–9 ESV

Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, 2 in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, 3 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, 4 while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. 5 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. 6 There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods and marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones. 7 Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king. 8 And drinking was according to this edict: “There is no compulsion.” For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired. 9 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus.

Lets pray

Esther is a historical narrative.

The book begins with the same Hebrews formula that opens other historical books of the Bible like Joshua and Samuel.

The author intends for you to understand that this book tells a real story about a historical place and a historical king

His name is Ahasuerus

He reigned over Persia from India to Ethiopia.

His throne was located in Susa which is now located in modern Iran.

His Greek name was Xerxes.

And we actually know a great deal about him because a historian named Herodotus wrote a book just 25 years after his reign entitled the History of the Persian Wars

Herodotus characterizes Xerxes as the tallest and most handsome of Persian kings and as an ambitious and ruthless ruler with an obsession for conquering Athens, Greece which sat west of his empire.

In fact, if you have ever seen the movie 300 about the Persians fighting the Spartans…,

The King Xerxes depicted in that movie is the King Xerxes described in the book of Esther.

The banquet being described here in chapter 1 corresponds with what was called the Great War council of 483 B.C. Where xerxes hosted nobles, officials, military leaders, princes and governors for the purpose of rallying support for a new military campaign against the Greeks with the goal of taking Athens.

Herodotus actually records Xerxes making this statement possibly during this very banquet thats described in Esther….

Listen to what history tells us that Ahasuerus said at this banquet….,

“For this cause I have summoned you together, that I may impart to you my purpose. It is my intent to bridge the Hellespont and lead my army through Europe to Hellas [Greece] that I may punish the Athenians for what they have done to the Persians and to my father. You saw Darius my father was minded to make an expedition against these men. But he is dead, and it was not granted him to punish them; and I, on his and all the Persians’ behalf, will never rest till I have taken and burnt Athens…, As for you, this is how you shall best please me: when I declare the time for your coming, everyone of you must appear, and with a good will; and whosoever comes with his army best equipped shall receive from me such gifts as are reckoned most precious among us.” - King Ahasuerus/ Xerxes

This speech certainly fits with what is described in Esther 1.

King Ahasuerus is putting on a spectacle of a feast for his officials and servants and for the armies of Persia and media, and the nobles, and governors

he is purposefully showing off his riches

and as a means of recruitment and promise of reward if they remain loyal to fight in his army.

Notice verse 4 as a summary statement.

Esther 1:4 ESV

while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days.

This is a historical event,

No moral significance is ascribed to the description,

But we obviously read it through a theological lens…,

We know that what we are seeing is an example of human pride that is representative of all human kingdoms.

Truth #1 We Live In Prideful Human Kingdoms

The human ambition has not changed for many thousands of years…,

In Genesis 11, mankind rejected God’s will for society in pursuit of building a tower to the heavens… so that they could make a name for themselves.

Genesis 11:4 ESV

4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

I couldn’t help but reflect on this passage while in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia this week.

It is home to the second tallest building in the world, and the tallest twin towers in the world

Surrounded by millions of people who are working, and striving, and laboring, to reach the top echelon of wealth in the Asian world.

One of the repeated themes we heard from 5 different churches was that it was very difficult to find anyone who wants to serve as a pastor…,

because it is seen a cultural failure to make such little money in that role rather than to pursue the glory and honor of business opportunities available in the city.

Everyone in all places

For all time is always fighting the prideful desire to make a name for oneself

by building an impressive human kingdom…,

We do it…, and we live in a world serving under government leaders, bosses, and authorities who are doing it…,

We live in prideful human kingdoms that are always trying to expand their influence and display the riches of royal glory and splendor and pomp…,

human desire is to sit on the throne of glory….,

rather than submit ourselves to the true throne of glory.

As we learn about King Ahasueras we should be warned that such a sinful heart is in us…,

So the stage is being set in this narrative…,

the highest and most powerful authority in Persia is hungry for glory.

Let’s keep reading.

Esther 1:10–22 ESV

10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, 11 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. 12 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. 13 Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for this was the king’s procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment, 14 the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom): 15 “According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” 16 Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, “Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17 For the queen’s behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt, since they will say, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.’ 18 This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s behavior will say the same to all the king’s officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty. 19 If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. 20 So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.” 21 This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. 22 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.

If the first scene showed the prideful nature of the man’s kingdom.

This second scene shows the foolish and fragile nature of man’s kingdoms.

Truth #2 We Live in Foolish and Fragile Human Kingdoms

The first evidence of just straight foolishness is the brief comment about the kings drunkenness on the seventh day of feasting.

It was not uncommon for Kings like King Ahasureus to actually have very important meetings about diplomacy and war strategy while intoxicated.

Some considered drunkenness to be like that of a spiritual experience

and thus decisions made while drunk at the highest court were sometimes seen as spiritual decisions that were aided by the gods.

There is just a foolishness to the whole scene here…

Imagine a drunken king stumbling all over himself commanding his queen to come to the feast for the expressed purpose of allowing the generals, and nobles, and military leaders to lust after her beauty..,

King Ahasuerus essentially wanted to show her off in the same way that he was showing off all his other trinkets. .

But shockingly…, when the servants are sent after her…, she says no…,

It had to be an awkward moment for the servants caught between King and Queen..,

we aren’t told why the queen refused,

We aren’t given much context,

all we know is that she said no…,

And the king pitched a temper tantrum.

Verse 12 says he was enraged and anger burned within him…

So he asks his buddies - the so called “wise men” what to do.

And they are afraid that the queen is going to set the precedence for wives to rebel throughout the kingdom..,

So they suggest that not only Queen Vashti be banished from the kings presence,

but that letters be sent throughout the kingdom so the record is straight.

You can’t help but read this like its a bunch of dudes sitting out in their garage drinking and bouncing dumb ideas off of each other…,

But the picture of the government rule is being filled out for us.

Not only is the kingdom one of arrogance..,

It is both foolish and fragile..,

The drunken king can’t even lead his own wife,

He claims to be a god who will conquer Athens and bless whoever joins him with riches…,

but his own wife refuses to come to dinner when he asks..,

And his confidants are worried about household rebellions crumbling the kingdom from within.

It’s meant to be somewhat comical…,

Especially if you read the book in light of the history…,

King Ahasureus shows off his glory,

Can’t lead his own household,

And historically he’s actually fails to overtake Greece,

And is murdered in his own bedroom by people in his own court.

We live in Human Kingdoms that are Foolish and Fragile

God makes this point throughout the Bible in different ways…

King Ahasureus simply falls into a long line of human kings who thought they were powerful and glorious..,

But at least here in chapter 1…,

He’s left humbled, embarrassed, and without a queen.

So he devises a plan.

Esther 2:1–4 ESV

After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. 2 Then the king’s young men who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. 3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the citadel, under custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Let their cosmetics be given them. 4 And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.

The king takes the advice of young men who suggest that he take captive the beautiful young women in Susa…

Put them in captivity under the care of one of his servants…,

Doll them up with cosmetics..,

And then cycle through them to see which one he is most pleased with.

Truth #3 We Live in Selfish and Cruel Human Kingdoms

King Ahasuerus exercises his authority to serve himself at the expense of others.

Again, the text doesn’t tell us that his actions are evil…,

But we know that this goes against Biblical law and natural law…,

One man is to be one flesh with one woman by God’s design…,

Yet this king will exercise his authority to force many young woman to be one flesh so that he can choose his favorite.

It is a display of selfishness and cruelty.

And ladies before you think that this is a book just about the oppressive patriarchy hurting young woman only…,

Don’t forget about the eunuchs in the Persian court too.

The historian Herodotus reports that five hundred young boys were gathered each year and castrated to serve as eunuchs in the Persian court.

This is the kind of thing that humans do when they have absolute power and authority…

They use it to please themselves while destroying others.

This is life under Persian rule.

Now the stage is more fully set.

Now enter, a new set of characters to the story

Esther 2:5–8 ESV

5 Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away. 7 He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. 8 So when the king’s order and his edict were proclaimed, and when many young women were gathered in Susa the citadel in custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king’s palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women.

We are given important information about these new characters in their introduction.

Mordecai is a Jew who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the king of Judah.

That’s important backstory.

The people of God had given themselves over to false worship…,

And they paid the consequences.

According to God’s warnings of judgment, Babylon conquered them and took them into captivity.

Mordecai was one of those surviving Jews living in exile first under Babylonian rule and now under Persian rule.

And Mordecai’s survival, represents the existence and the perseverance of yet another kingdom

- the kingdom of God.

Mordecai’s existence and identification as a Jew in captivity is a testimony to God’s promises to build his kingdom through the offspring of Abraham and King David.

God had promised Abraham that his offspring would lead to the God’s blessing of all the nations.

God had promised David that from his offspring, God would establish an eternal kingdom.

God had promised Jeremiah that the people of God would eventually be freed from captivity and would be able to return to the promised land.

Mordecai’s introduction as a Jew who was taken into captivity testifies to this fact that God’s promises are not dead.

The blood line of promise remains in tact though in exile.

Not only is he one of the remnant of God’s people left in exile..,

Mordecai is described as compassionately caring for his orphan cousin Esther whose parents had died presumably at a young age.

God is caring for his people in subtle but real ways as they endure the exile.

these characters are very different than the ones introduced thus far.

They live in Man’s kingdom…,

but their heritage represents God’s kingdom,

And they become unlikely main characters in God’s work to preserve his people.

Truth #4 God Builds His Kingdom Through Lowly Exiles

These characters are introduced as a man in captivity and an orphaned girl

In contrast to the pride and power of the Persian kingdom…,

This is consistent with the way in which God works throughout the bible…

Abraham and his wife are in their 90’s and unable to have kids…, yet he is the one who receives a promise that his offspring would make a great nation.

King David is the younger and smaller brother, yet he is the one who slays Goliath and establishes the kingdom.,

Jesus’ disciples are purposefully a group of unimpressive fishermen, yet they become the apostles who would help change the world.

And now enter the stories of Esther the orphan girl, and the Mordecai the old exile…

Esther is taken into custody to enter the King’s beauty contest.

Esther 2:9–18 ESV

9 And the young woman pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen young women from the king’s palace, and advanced her and her young women to the best place in the harem. 10 Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known. 11 And every day Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her. 12 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— 13 when the young woman went in to the king in this way, she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. 14 In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name. 15 When the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her. 16 And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, 17 the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther’s feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.

The orphan Jewish girl is now queen of Persia.

It is a remarkable chain of events.

But, what did it take for that to happen?

We need to pause and take note of a few details here.

Esther is a unique book because it never comments on the morality of any one action.

It just gives the facts of what took place.

At first introduction, Mordecai, seems to be a compassionate older man who cares for an orphan girl.

And Esther is a beautiful young lady subject to cruelty and captivity.

They seem to be developing has purely heroic protagonists of the story like that of Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego who fought for purity and resisted the pressure of evil king.

But in this section we have some questionable choices.

Esther pleases the King….,

You don’t have to think too hard to recognize what that means.,

Not only does she please the pagan King, she keeps her identity as a Jew a secret…,

Mordecai commands her to hide her identity as an Israelite.

That means not only would she have to please the king, she would have to ignore just about every dietary and worship law in the Old Testament law to blend in with the Persian pagan lifestyle.

She became queen…, but she no doubt ignored God’s law along the way or perhaps she was not familiar at all with the book of the law at this point.

These things show that Mordecai and Esther are not exactly flawless heroic examples in this story…,

They are complicated.

Their stories are complicated.

They are sinners figuring out how to live in exile….,

But as the story unfolds, this may actually be one of the points…,

Truth #5 God Builds His Kingdom Through Complicated Characters

If you’re familiar with any of the biblical stories of the Old Testament,

this again should come to no surprise to you.

Abraham is the one through whom God promised to bring blessing to all the nations..,

Before having the son of promise though…, Abraham slept with his servant girl Hagar in an attempt to accomplish this promise because he felt that what God actually promised was impossible.

David is the one through whom God promised to bring blessing through his offspring…,

He commits adultery, arranges the death of his friend, and then suffers the consequences of his sin when his son dies.

God is building his kingdom…,

And he’s not using perfect people with perfect track records who handle every situation with the utmost wisdom and righteousness…,

Only Jesus lived the perfect life in exile.,

Only Jesus brings forgiveness to imperfect people like you and me…,

But our failures in the past and present do not render us useless in the kingdom of God…,

God is carrying out a plan and sometimes he is mysteriously and sovereignly using even our mistakes to weave together his master piece of redemptive history.

If you think your life is an unredeemable mess because of pour decisions you have made..,

Take heart,

God is in the work of using even our complicated messes for his glory.

Now there is one more scene in chapter 2 that sets up the unfolding drama to come.

Esther 2:19–23 ESV

19 Now when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. 20 Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him. 21 In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 22 And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai. 23 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.

Now, remember this is a historical narrative.

These events really happened…,

But the author is a good story teller..,

He is giving us events and details so that the drama builds…,

Like any good movie or novel…, we are getting details that we aren’t sure why they matter at first..,.

But we know that they will matter later in the story.

Here we have the record of what seems to be a coincidental moment, but it now doubt will be a consequential moment.

Mordecai is sitting by the king’s gate so that he might catch a glimpse of Esther and make sure that she’s ok.

He overhears a conversation about an assassination attempt on King Ahasureus.

So he tells Esther,

And Esther tells the king and gives credit to Mordecai.

The matter is investigated,

It proves true,

The men are hanged,

And the event is recorded in the king’s history book with Mordecai’s name as the helfpul and loyal citizen who helped save the kings life.

Now, we don’t know why this matters yet…,

But it obviously matters…,

Mordecai has secured some relational change in the bank with the king of Persia…,

Truth #6 God is Building His Kingdom Through Circumstantial Details

Though God’a name has not been mentioned…,

And though man’s kingdom is proud, foolish, fragile, selfish and cruel.

God is no doubt weaving together details so that his people are preserved in their place of exile.

Like Joseph being thrown into the pit by his own brothers and sold into slavery in Egypt only to years later actually save his brothers from Famine as leader in Egypt.

Or Like Moses being placed in a basket in the Nile and being picked up and taken into the care of Pharoah’s daughter.

God is working in the details.

They may seem small, imperceivable, and the characters may be lowly exiles, and complicated in their morality…,

God is none-the-less carrying out his promises.

This will be the theme of this book over and over again.

God’s providence and God’s promises.

His providence means his purposeful sovereignty over the details of life to bring about the fulfillment of his promises to his people.

So what does all this mean for us. Let me leave you with just a couple takeaways:

Takeaway #1 Be Unimpressed with Man’s Kingdom

The power structures and the luxury and the pride of human kingdoms in this world may seem impressive.

But They are fleeting.

Pharoah’s kingdom was impressive.

Moses was not.

But Pharoah’s kingdom was crushed by the hand of God.

The King of Persia was impressive,

but the unfolding story portrays him like a power hungry man-child going along with what other people tell him to do….,

All the while the king of kings is actually weaving together his greater story.

Remember the warning of the book of Revelation.

Those who will be put to shame in the end will be those who put their trust in the kingdoms of men.

Revelation 18:16–19 ESV

16 “Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls! 17 For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.” And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off 18 and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, “What city was like the great city?” 19 And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, “Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste.

Takeaway #2 Be Thankful for a Better King

If King Ahasueras is representative of human kingdoms…, he also stand in contrast to our king…,

The king of kings.

Jesus Christ who deserved all the glory and the highest throne…,

Yet he humbled himself to die for his people.

To save for himself his bride - the church.

He is the better king who establishes an eternal kingdom for the purpose of saving, and blessing his people forever.

Praise God that this is the kingdom God is building and one day human kingdoms will be no more.

Takeaway #3 Trust the Quiet Providence of God

The book of Esther is a book about deliverance much like the book of Exodus…,

But it stands as a contrast to Exodus.

In Exodus, the people of God are saved through mighty acts and wondrous miracles.

As we will see…,

In the book of Esther, the people of God are going to experience a deliverance through the quiet weaving together of many details through the course of normal, complicated, difficult life in exile.

Our task is to trust the sovereign God who works out his purposes both in the bright pillar of fire by night and the coincidental conversation that actually leads to you hearing the saving message of Jesus for the first time.

Either way, what we are praying for during this series is that God would grow our faith…,

We want to be the kind of people who trust the quiet providence of God even when it feels like God’s presence is hidden from us.

Why was this book forbidden by Nazi Germany?

It is a book about God’s faithfulness to preserve his people and build his eternal kingdom through providential details and lowly exiles under the authority of a tyrant king.

Praise God that even when God is not mentioned by name…, he is working in his providence to accomplish his promises.

Let’s pray for faith that trusts that reality.

Related Media

Related Sermons

Earn an accredited degree from Redemption Seminary with Logos.