Esther

Introduction

We are beginning a new series in which we will be traveling through the book of Esther. Women’s ministry is also going through the book of Esther with Beth Moore. I am going to encourage you not to tell me where I overlap with Beth or where I differentiate from her. I like Beth Moores teaching but have purposely not watched her videos. In prayer that that she will not influence me and then you get to hear the same thing twice. Because she really is a talented teacher.

But I am looking forward to taking a journey through this book with you. A book that is not like the rest of the books in the Bible. A book that is not like the others we would normally turn to. Yet it is one of the most popular OT books.

Esther1:1-2

Esther 1:1–2 LEB

And it happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Cush—over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces. In those days as King Ahasuerus was sitting on the throne of his kingdom, which was in the citadel of Susa,

I read just these two verses because we need to set some background.

When

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 11: Ezra / Nehemiah / Esther Date

Simply stated, the language of Esther (late Hebrew, with some Persian words) locates it sometime in the fourth or third centuries B.C.

During the reign of Ahasuerus in Persia. The Jews had been taken into captivity when the Babylonians aka the Chaldeans conquered Israel and Judea from about 606 BC to 586 BC when the Temple was destroyed. and in a method of Getting the people to be docile they took them into captivity and made them live somewhere else. It is harder to rebel if you don’t know the land, don’t know the people and don’t know the language. Think Daniel and Jeremiah.

Then in the year 539 the Persians conquered the Babylonians. and Cyrus the great (seen as a Messiah of YHWH) allowed the people to return home. This is where Ezra and Nehemiah come in. But not all Jews leave many who had formed lives and had families and got well paying jobs did not leave they stayed behind and thus when Ahasuerus who’s name is Xerxes came to power there were Jews living there.

Ahasuerus is a title means chief of rulers. Xerxes is known as one of the greatest Persian kings. He wrote of himself: I am Xerxes, the great king, tho only king, the king of this entire earth, far and near.” Herodotus, a greek historian wrote that Xerxes was the tallest and most handsome of the Persian kings, and he was ambitious, ruthless, and Jealous.

One record event says that he tried to seduce his sister-in-law. She refused his advances and as a result he later had her and her husband (his own brother) tortured to death.

Why

Why Study Esther

On the surface this book appears to be very similar to Ezra and Nehemiah, which if you were reading your Bible straight through you would have read right before this book. All three tell a story of Jewish Life under Persian rule.. They include Persian kings in starring roles, they depict Jewish prominence in the royal court, and they portray anti-Jewish efforts that were defeated through Jewish ingenuity.

But they are very different books. Esther is so different in fact that many scholars have argued for centuries over its value in the Bible.

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 11: Ezra / Nehemiah / Esther Why Study Esther?

The great medieval rabbi Maimonides ranked Esther second in value only to the Mosaic Law.2 Nevertheless, the modern Jewish scholar Samuel Sandmel admits that he would “not be grieved if the book of Esther were somehow dropped out of scripture.”3

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 11: Ezra / Nehemiah / Esther Why Study Esther?

I dislike the Book of Esther and that of II Maccabees, for they Judaize too much and contain pagan naughtiness. Yet by this time the horrible thing has happened that the Book of Esther has a greater reputation among the Jews than Isaiah or Daniel…

Martin Luther in his table talk perplexed by the character of Esther.

But Esther does talk about how we should live in and communicate God’s truth in an alien and secular world.

Esther’s Secularism

It is the Secularism that really sets this book apart. Some would argue that the main character being a woman is the dividing feature, but I would argue against that point, because there are other strong and powerful women in the Bible. such as Debra and Ruth and Rehab.

No what stands out to me is the secularism. The book lacks religious elements almost entirely. God is never mentioned, although the Persian king appears 190 times in 167 verses. Although Esther and her people fast before her audience with the King (4:16), the text never mentions prayer. In Fact, all of the basic characteristics of Judaism fail to appear in Esther including the temple, the priesthood, Jewish history, the Law, the prophets, the covenant, Moses, and the land of Israel.

At most we find a vague reference to God’s providence in Mordecai’s appeal to Esther in 4:14

Esther 4:14 LEB

For if indeed you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and the family of your father will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to a royal position for a time such as this.”

If you read the Apocryphal book entitled “Additions to Esther”, you will see 107 added verses to the original text because ancient scribes were so concerned about eh absence of God and other religious elements.

This secularism is appealing to many of us. It isn’t about a priest, or a scholar but a normal young woman who through following God’s plan is able to do something amazing. It speaks to Jews and Gentiles alike. Normal everyday people in God are able to do amazing things if they just listen and Obey. and that is part of what we are going to See as we Go through Esther.

God does not just call the seminary educated. Nor does he call everyone in to church service. He calls us to do his will and follow his plan in all aspects of our lives. If you are a teacher, if you are a construction worker, if you are a stay at home mom, if you are a cashier, or a Janitor, if you are retired millionaire , or a struggling pauper God calls us to listen and obey.

Next Steps

Take time to prepare to go through Esther.

Am I listening to Obeying in my situation.

Am I relying on the educated