This is left for you to work on! Lessons (from Themes) There are also links with the Exodus story from the land of Egypt. If we remember that it was a sleepless night for Pharaoh, as well as for Xerxes, that brought Joseph from the dungeon and Mordecai to honor, the parallels become even more striking. It bears resemblance to the story of Joseph in that we have a Jewish person elevated to a Gentile court for the purpose of preserving the nation. While the absence of reference to God may suggest that Esther is an “orphan” book with no links with other OT books, that is not the case. But it is also possible that with many of the children of God still in bondage, the writer did not wish to antagonize the Persian government by showing the hand of God in the affairs of that nation.Īnother unique feature of Esther is that there are no references in the NT to the book. Among the possibilities is that God did not link His name with a people who did not respond to the call to return. There have been many suggestions as to the reason for this. LackĮveryone reading the book of Esther is immediately aware that there is no mention of God, no mention of prayer, and no appeal to God for deliverance. Yet the failure of men is never an occasion for abandonment by God. We are reminded that not all those in captivity rose to meet the moral challenge issued by Cyrus. As such, its place chronologically is near the end of the OT. LocationĮsther finds its place among the post-captivity books, shedding its spotlight on those Jews who did not return from the land of Persia. She is God’s instrument for preserving the remnant nation and preserving the Messianic line. He emerges in chapter 10 as the benefactor of the nation, “seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.”Įsther – The Jewish orphan who becomes queen placed by the sovereign hand of God in a strategic location for a critical time in Israel’s history. Mordecai – In many ways, Mordecai is the hero of the book and is seen advancing in character and strength from chapter to chapter. Here, another Benjamite, refuses to reverence this Amalekite. It is significant that Israel’s first king, a Benjamite, failed to deal with Amalek as instructed. His arrogance and pride, his rapid rise and equally rapid fall all play into the themes of irony which dot the book in various places. Haman – He is referred to as the Agagite, an Amalekite, an inveterate enemy of the Jews. Her refusal led to her being deposed as Queen. Vashti – She was ordered to come before the king and his guests and immodestly display herself for their amusement. He was ruthless in murdering when his anger was aroused. Historians portray him as a cruel despot, ill-tempered, immoral and impatient. Livesįive individuals hold center stage throughout the book: We who have become so accustomed to the story are perhaps dulled to the sheer excitement that builds as the plot unfolds. It employs all this plus irony, satire, drama, and the emergence of a true heroine and hero. In this regard, the little book of Esther receives high marks. Among them is a plot, character development, tension, crisis, climax and resolution. Good literature is comprised of several elements.
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