Reading Esther

29 May 99

So why should someone read this book? Well this book is one that shows how God is involved in our life circumstances. Why is life such struggle? The book of Esther, like a lot of the Bible, tells how God is invovled with his people the Jews. Unlike most of the Bible, Esther shows how God indirectly effects things. As a matter of fact God's name is not really mentioned once throughout this entire book. Esther shows how God is working in the lives of his people past and present.

The author of this book is unknown, but it is obvious from the tone and details the author is a devout Jew. As a history, this book was written to keep an account of the events leading to the establishment of the Jewish observance of Purim (9:24-32), and as a way to show God's protection over the Jews. In Persia, sometime between four hundred sixty and three hundred fifty B.C. Esther became the Queen in four hundred seventy-nine B.C. There are a few key things to look for in Esther. A revealing of God's character is the first thing. The second thing to look for is His faithfulness and how He provides for those who trust him, even through events most of us would see as tragic like the Holocaust, slave trades, World Wars, family deaths, bad weather, civil wars, and through depressions. One could notice the direct allusions to God's involvement in the life of his people (4:14,16).

I shall do a chapter by chapter report writing a paragrapgh on each chapter. Therefore in chapter one Xerves ruled a persian kingdom of one hundred tweenty-seven provinces stretching from India to Cush. Later on in the chapter Queen Vashti was ordered to be dressed up and brought before the king so that her beauty would be seen by all. The Queen refused... So Xerves had the queen deposed.

In chapter two Esther was found and made into the queen. Mordecai then uncovers a conspiracy. Mordecai had then immeadiately told Queen Esther. Afterwards Queen Esther reported it to the king giving credit to Mordecai.

By chapter three Haman came up with a plot to destroy the Jews. Haman figured the this was the perfect time to start at work being that he was given a seat of honor. Quickly after his plot the king's satraps and goveners were sent the orders to kill off the Jews and started to carry them out.

During chapter four Mordecai had found out what was happening. Mordecai tries to get Esther to help out. But at first Esther refuses. The Mordecai reminds Esther of her Jewish family and how she would be destroyed when the Jews were delivered by another means, Esther was persuaded to help.

In chapter five Esther gives the situation to the king. She explains everything that has happened and she makes a request to the king. Haman is raged against Mordecai. However, it doesn't do much good for Haman to be upset because his plot is exposed.

Within chapter 6 the due credit is given to Mordecai. Mordecai is given gifts and he is then rewarded. Mordecai has been honored and the jewish people were safe thanks to the fear of God. Of course wether they feared God or not God's will would have been done.

During chapter seven Haman is caught. The king orders for Haman to be hung and punished. Haman is then hanged and Xerves tells Queen Esther of the punishment he had bestowed upon Haman for his evil plot.

In chapter eight Queen Esther was given the estate of Haman. Mordecai was then given a place of honor and postion, while the other Jews are safe from the horror that Haman had tried to wreck. So basically the king gives an edict on behalf of the Jews.

By chapter nine the Jews were very very happy. They had started to grow stronger and as they grew stronger they were led to rid most of their enemies. In this chpater the king gives the Jewish people help allowing them to takeover and overwhelm all their enemies.

Finally in chapter ten, King Xerves imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores, and all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai to which the king had raised him are written in the book of annals of the kings of Media and Persia. Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerves, preeminent among the Jews, and 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.