The book of Esther is counted as one of the five “scrolls” of Jewish literature.  This book is still read during the feast of Purim, which is also mentioned in the book.  Since this is the last of the five major Jewish feasts, Esther is considered the last of the five “scrolls.”  This book is never referred to or mentioned in the New Testament, and it never mentions God specifically.  Besides Ruth, it is the only other book in the Bible that is named after a woman.  It deals specifically with persecution of the Jewish people, and offers a glimpse of God’s divine intervention in their deliverance.  There are only two feasts that were originated after the exile.  One was Purim, that is described in Esther and the other is Hanukkah, which began during the Maccabean period.

 

The date and authorship are speculative.  It is believed to be written sometime before King Xerxes died – 465 B.C.  We will assume a 460 B.C. time frame.  The author is unknown.  There are beliefs that Mordecai should be considered the author, while some believe it to be the work of Ezra or Nehemiah due to the writing style.  “This book is a profound statement about the heroic resistance necessary for survival in the face of violent anti-Semitism that continues to the present day” (Zondervan NIV O.T. Commentary, The Zondervan Corporation).  The text of Esther does not mention the author or give a date for the book.  The most that can be said is that the author remains unknown, and because of this, an exact date is also unknown.  “The author’s knowledge of Persian customs, the setting of the story in the city of Susa and the absence of any reference to the land of Judah or to Jerusalem suggest that he was a resident of a Persian city” (NIV Study Bible, p. 709 – The Zondervan Corporation). 

 

There is some difference of opinion regarding the purpose of this writing.  Some feel it is simply to describe the origin of Purim and to regulate its manner of observance.  Some go a little deeper and suggest the purpose is to show the remarkable deliverance of the Jewish people during this critical time and to keep this memory alive through the celebration of the feast of Purim.  “The author’s central purpose was to record the institution of the annual festival of Purim and to keep alive for later generations the memory of the great deliverance of the Jewish people during the reign of Xerxes” (NIV Study Bible, p. 709 – The Zondervan Corporation).  Still others believe the true purpose of this book is to show the divine providence of God, which it does in a subtle way.  I believe all of these to be the purpose of the book and will proceed that way.

 

The Amalekites were an aggressive enemy of Israel since the Exodus (Ex. 17:8-16; Deut. 25:17-19), and continued through Israel’s history (1Sam. 15; 1 Chron. 4:43).  The author is well aware of the Amalekite’s relation to Israel and views them as the major source of threat and power against God’s people.  The antagonist, Haman, is the final major effort in the Old Testament period to destroy Israel, but God is faithful to His promises (Deut. 25:19) and Haman is defeated, and Israel enjoys rest from their enemies (9:16,22).

 

Esther falls into the narrative genre, and as such focuses on the story rather than listing facts.  Some say there are historical inaccuracies in this book, but a narrative may neglect some historical facts in order to tell the story.  The absence of specific mention of God is another problem, however, there is little doubt where the great deliverance comes from or that Mordecai and Esther show faith by their actions throughout the narrative.  This book is also thought to have several moral and ethical shortcomings.  We will discuss some of the actions of Mordecai and Esther as we proceed through the book.  Some things they did appear to be shady, dishonest, underhanded and cruel, however, the resulting deliverance and blessing seems to show God’s hand in it.  This reveals a ruthlessness that we may not expect from a loving God and His people.  The Israelites are now finally free from the oppression of their captors and this may help our view of their attitude and approach.  God’s people also sometimes fail to consult Him before taking action.  God’s silence in this book may even be His way of showing that their conduct was not pleasing to Him, but the result was still the deliverance of His people.  Some examples of people of God committing immoral acts can be seen in Scripture (Gen. 12:10-20; 19:18,30-38; 2 Sam. 11).  These examples also show God’s silence as His statement against them rather than severe rebuke.  There was no period of blessing following the events in Esther.  Mordecai received a human reward for his human actions, rather than a mention of spiritual reward (Matt. 6:5).  The book of Esther could be showing that even God’s people choose the same methods as the ungodly when under pressure and persecution. 

 

God’s providence for His people is evidenced by the many things that “work out” in their favor.  The deposition of Vashti and choosing of Esther as successor are examples of God’s provision without it being stated.  While Esther and Mordecai are not blameless, God works for His people in spite of human error.  While the events of this book move quickly and seem to be under human control, we recognize God’s divine hand directing the events and lives of both those who honor and those who dishonor Him. God will accomplish His purposes one way or another.

 

Themes:          God’s sovereignty       -           Loyalty to Judaism     -           Reward for faithfulness

                        God’s providence for Israel (the remnant)     -           The value of standing for one’s

convictions even in the midst of a dangerous situation.

 

Summary of Content – from: The Holy Bible, New Living Translation 

Personal Gift & Reference Edition – Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

 

With drama, intrigue, romance, and murder, the book of Esther tells of the near destruction of the Jewish people. It tells how a Jewish woman named Esther risked her life to save her people.  Esther and her cousin lived in the land of Persia, where the Jews were in exile.  After Vashti, queen of Persia, insulted her husband, the king, she was deposed, and the king began looking for a new queen.  Esther was selected for her beauty, but she kept her Jewish nationality a secret.  Meanwhile, a wicked man named Haman became the king’s adviser and began plotting the extermination of all Jews in the empire.  Esther’s cousin learned of the plot and begged Esther to intervene, asking, “Who can say but that you have been elevated to the palace for just such a time as this?” (4:14).  So Esther risked her life and approached the king about the matter.  The king heard her plea and the Jews were saved, while Haman was hanged on a pole he had prepared especially for Esther’s cousin.  This remarkable deliverance of the Jews is celebrated by the Jewish feast of Purim.

 

 

Xerxes – Ahasuerus  same person – one is the Persian variant.