Book 17 The Book Of Esther
Who wrote the Book of Esther: The author is unknown, but most definitely a Jewish person living during the time of the Persian Empire.
When was it written: 460 BC to 331 B.C.
Why was it written: The purpose of this book is to record the history surrounding the institution of the Jewish Feast of Purim and the account of the Jewish race being saved from massacre and total annihilation by an unassuming Jewish girl who rose to a position of power and prestige because it was her God-given purpose in life.
Read and Learn More Bible Study For Beginners
Who Was Esther
Esther was a Jewish orphan being raised by her cousin, Mordecai, and his family. We learn early on that Esther was a very beautiful young lady, but that her physical beauty was only a compliment to her inner beauty.
Through a course of events that were completely beyond her control, Esther was chosen as the winner of a ‘beauty contest’ with the grand prize being made the Queen of the Persian Empire—the wife of King Xerxes.
Events Leading To The Near-Massacre Of The Entire Jewish Race
During the course of events that led to Esther becoming Queen of the Persian Empire, she had no idea why everything was happening the way it was. What possible reason could there be for her—a Jewish girl —to become the wife of the most influential and powerful man in the world?
God, however, knew exactly why and we see his plan unfolding in the second chapter of Esther. Esther’s cousin/adopted father Mordecai loved Esther as a daughter. His love for her caused him to go to the palace courtyard each day to check on her and often times he was able to visit with her.
It was during one of these visits that Mordecai overheard two of the king’s officers planning to assassinate the king.
Mordecai naturally told Esther, who promptly told the king—giving credit to Mordecai for saving the king’s life. Mordecai’s regular presence around the palace, however, became a source of contention for King Xerxes’ number-one man, Haman.
So when Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman, Haman went to the king and tricked him into signing a declaration that all Jews would be killed on a certain day because of their insubordination and disrespect for the king (a total lie).
When Mordecai heard about the law that Haman had tricked the king into making, he went to Esther and convinced her that she was the only one who could save their people from annihilation.
Esther’s Brave Actions Saved An Entire Race
Esther’s Immediate Response Was One Of Hesitancy For The Following- Reasons:
- Her husband, the king, did not know she was Jewish
- Approaching the king when not invited to do so could result in being sentenced to death
Mordecai, however, wasn’t going to let Esther get off that easy. Being the Godly man he was, he convinced Esther that this time was quite possibly the reason she had become queen in the first place.
Mordecai’s words to his adopted daughter when she initially refused his request to go to the king on behalf of the Jewish people are among the most quoted in the Old Testament:
“…Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish.
Esther musters the courage to go to her husband uninvited and after a series of events, Haman’s deception and prejudices are uncovered, he is put to death for his actions, and Mordecai becomes the king’s right-hand man.
But more importantly, King Xerxes gave the Jews permission to defend themselves against anyone who attacked them —even to the death. This was to counteract the previous decree allowing the Jews to be killed.
The Jews were victorious over all who attacked them and in order to celebrate their victories, the Feast of Purim was instituted and is still being celebrated today.
The Value And Validity Of Esther
The book of Esther has been the subject of much discussion and even controversy by some in the theological community. There are several reasons behind these discussions.
The Most Prevalent Are:
- The fact that God is not mentioned once in the entire book
- The name Esther is not mentioned in history books as being one of Xerxes’ wives, therefore making the account fictional
Both arguments can easily be put to rest, though.
- While God’s name is not mentioned in the Book of Esther, his presence in the hearts and minds of the people is definitely not missing.
- Additionally, his protection and influence over the Jewish people in giving them victory over their enemies is obvious considering the fact that they were militarily inferior to just about anyone and everyone at that time in history. Also worth noting is the fact that the book of Song of Songs does not mention God’s name, either.
- The dates, archeological references, cultural references, and other historical data found outside the Bible are consistent with the account given to us in the Book of Esther. While the name Esther is not listed as one of Xerxes’ wives, this is not proof that she did not exist. Why?
Not everything is recorded in the ancient records we have available to us. An incident that painted an unfavorable picture of the king’s ability to select sound leadership would definitely be something secular history would not record.
Kings had multiple wives. Not to mention that some of them are completely normal. The mother of the heir to the throne is usually the only one mentioned.
“The significance of the account of Esther is spiritual and pertinent to the Jewish race. It was not relevant to the success or failure of the Persian Empire.
“As more research has been done and documents unearthed, more tangible evidence of Esther’s existence and role in history. The book of Esther is historical, yes, but it is also a reminder that:
- God’s plans and purposes for each of us might not be blatantly obvious to us or even what we think they should be, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. It simply means we need to ask God to reveal them to us and then be ready to listen and act.
- We have nothing to fear when God is with us.
- God’s heart is always ready and his arms are always open and waiting to welcome us back to him.
ALL scripture is God-breathed…
In other words, if Esther was not real and if the events did not take place as they are recorded, it would not be part of God’s Holy Word.