Esther

FIRST JEWISH GENTILE QUEEN
BOOK OF ESTHER

IMAGINE: Being a very young Hebrew orphan, placed into the Babylonian royal harem at Susa and from there becoming queen over the massive Persian Empire.

Esther was a Jewish orphan living in Persia, modern day Iran, as the result of the Babylonian exile from Israel’s homeland.  Her Hebrew name was Hadassah meaning “Myrtle”, but she is called by her Persian name, Esther, meaning “star”.
 Seemingly, Esther’s parents died when she was at a very young age. She is taken in and raised by her cousin Mordecai who treats her as his own daughter. Mordecai was among the fourth generation of deported Jews. (Est. 2:5, 6). His Great-Grandfather was in the original Babylonian deportation from Jerusalem.
These Jews, at the time of Esther, were not only exiles but had been born in the pagan land of Persia. Living in this foreign land with no temple at which to worship, observance of festivals such as Passover (2 Kgs. 23:21), Shavuot (Festival of Weeks, Ex. 34:22), and Sukkot (Festival of Booths, Lev. 23:34), were lost.
After seventy years of captivity in Babylon a first group of exiles, along with Zerubbabel, returned to Jerusalem. They were followed by a second group led by Ezra. A third group returning to Jerusalem was led by Nehemiah. It appears Esther’s parents were among the exiles who preferred to remain in Persia and not journey back to Jerusalem. This was the only land many of the Jews in the diaspora were familiar with and possibly considered Persia their home country.
From 486 to 465 BC, Xerxes the Great was Persia’s fifth king, having his winter palace in Susa. Queen Vashti, his wife, had displeased the king and thus was deposed of her queenly duties. This caused the need for a new queen for the king and kingdom. Orders were given to bring beautiful, young women into the royal harem at Susa. These young virgins were taken from their homes and required to live in a separate building near the palace.
According to Josephus, the first century historian, four hundred virgins were selected to compete for queen among twenty-five thousand women who lived in the land. They would undergo beauty treatments for a year before being presented to the king. After their one encounter with the king, they then would join the other concubines and hope to be chosen to be the king’s queen. Esther was one of these young women.
Esther’s beauty pleased the king and in 479 BC the Jewish orphan was crowned queen of the Persian Empire in the place of Vashti. Esther, approximately fourteen years old, now held the most exalted position of any woman in the world at that time.
The Empire was enormous. It covered the area now known as Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel. Sections of modern day Egypt, Sudan, Libya, and Saudi Arabia also belonged to the Persian Empire. Esther did not reveal her true heritage to her new husband at the instruction of her cousin, Mordecai.
According to ancient history, King Xerxes was known to be arrogant, irrational, cruel, and full of rage. His official title was “shahanshah” (pronounced shawnsha), which means “king of kings”.
This young Jewish orphan, a foreigner, is not the only one to advance in the king’s court. A man named Haman is given the highest office in the land. Haman is evil to the core. He is an Amalekite by birth and an enemy of all Jews from back as far as ancient times. Wherever Haman passes officials kneel before him, which being full of self-importance, he expects.
Mordecai, the young queen’s cousin, who himself holds a rather important position at the entrance to the king’s gate, refuses to bow to Haman. His refusal to recognize Haman so enrages him that he executes a plan to eradicate not only Mordecai but all Jews.
Haman explains to the king a “certain people” refuse to obey the king’s rule, but instead hold to their own customs. He fails to mention to the king that these “certain people” are of Jewish descent.
Haman proposes to the king that if a decree is issued to destroy these insolent people he will put ten thousand talents (roughly $153 million in U.S. currency) of silver into the royal treasury. It is doubtful Haman had this personal amount of wealth but, was most likely intending to plunder the wealth of his intended victims.
It appears the Jews who remained in this foreign country, instead of returning to their homeland, had become rather prosperous. This may have been one reason why they remained in and around Babylon.
The king signs the decree to be executed on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, in the month of Adar. According to the decree all Jews were to be annihilated. Men, women, and children and all their belongings were to be plundered. The decree had been sealed with the king’s signet ring and could not be reversed, even by the king. It was part of the “law of the Medes and Persians”.
Mordecai learns of Haman’s plot to kill all Jews and immediately sends word to Esther. She will need to go to the king and plead for her people. Even though she is queen, and has been for approximately five years now, there is no approaching the king without being summoned or else she would be put to death.
She informs Mordecai, if she were to approach the king and he does not extend the golden scepter, she will be killed. The king had not called for her in thirty days. Esther was now approximately nineteen years old and appears apprehensive about approaching the king even if he was her husband.

and who knoweth whether thou
art come to the kingdom
for such a time as this?
Esther 4:14b

Mordecai informs her she and her father’s family will not survive if she does not go before the king, but that God will find deliverance for the Jews from another place. Her response to him is to gather all the Jews in Susa and fast for three days and nights. Even though it is against the law she states she will go before the king at the end of the three days of fasting and declares “If I perish, I perish”. (Est. 4:16).
Not knowing if she would be accepted or rejected she moved forward and approached the king. He extends the golden scepter and King Xerxes asks his queen what her request of him might be. Esther’s request is for the king and Haman to join her that day for a banquet she has prepared for him.
When the king, while at the banquet, once again asks her what her request from him might be, she asks for his and Haman’s presence at yet another feast for the next day. At that time, she will explain her need. The king and Haman leave the queen with Haman filled with his own greatness.
Haman encounters Mordecai who once again will not bow to him. By the time he had reached his home his rage was beyond measure. His wife and friends tell him to build a gallows 75 feet high and hang Mordecai on it.
As Haman has the gallows built, the king has a case of insomnia and requests the books of records be read to him. It is revealed Mordecai had intervened in a plot to kill the king five years earlier, but never received his reward for saving the king’s life.
As Haman arrives with the intent of making the king aware of Mordecai’s disrespect of the king’s official, namely him, the king asks Haman what should be done for the man the king wishes to honor. Haman, assuming the king wants to honor him, suggests the king put a royal robe on the man he wishes to honor and place him on a horse and lead him through the streets proclaiming, “this is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”
The king throws Haman a curve. It is not Haman the king wishes to honor, but Mordecai. To add insult to injury Haman is the appointed one to lead Mordecai through the streets making his own requested declaration. Being mortified, Haman races home after the procession. While Haman is still speaking with his family, he is summoned to the banquet once again to dine with the king and queen.
At the banquet the king again asks Esther her request. Her request is strange. She requests he grant, not only her life but also the life of her people. She informs him they have been set up to be destroyed, killed, and annihilated.  The king is shocked to learn that someone plotted to kill his queen and her people. Enraged, he wants to know who has plotted such evil. Esther informs him the enemy is Haman.
As the king storms out, Haman remains, falling on the queen’s couch begging her for his life. As the king returns, seeing Haman falling upon the queen, he explodes with rage. Haman is arrested and hanged on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai. Haman’s estate is given to queen Esther, who then puts Mordecai in charge of all properties. The king’s signet ring is given to Mordecai, giving him great authority.
The problem arises in that the decree the king had set forth to annihilate the Jews cannot be revoked according to Persian law. Esther pleads with the king for an order to be written over-ruling the decree that would allow the Jews to be killed and plundered.
With the help of Mordecai, a decree is issued allowing the Jewish people to kill and annihilate any that would attack them and their family members. They would also be allowed to plunder their enemies. On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the exact day the Jews were to be destroyed according to the original decree, the Jews strike and kill all those who hated them.
The edict allowed Jews to protect themselves against those who would attack them and their families. The Jews only protected themselves from their enemies, attacking only those who attacked them. They did not plunder any of their enemies, even though they could have legally. This was a war against evil, not a war for financial gain. The anti-Jewish sentiment, throughout the Empire, is demonstrated in that the Jews slayed “a large number” of their enemies.
Mordecai’s elevated position guaranteed the welfare of the Jews while they lived in a foreign land. Because of Esther’s obedience, every year a celebration called “Purim” (Lots) is held to celebrate the Jews being delivered.
It is believed the book of Esther must have been written soon after King Ahasuerus’ death (464 BC) because passages speak of him in the past tense (10:2,3) . What is known, is Esther was elevated to queen for the purpose of saving the Israelite Nation, before the need even arose.

Therefore let us approach the throne
of grace with boldness, so that
we may receive mercy and find grace
to help us at the proper time.
Heb. 4:16

Esther is an example of approaching the throne of grace, with the purpose of finding mercy. She approached her husband, a human king, with reverence and respect, but with absolute boldness. How much more should we approach our heavenly King, in a courteous and respectful manner, yet with boldness, realizing we are the recipient of a great honor, when permitted to go before Him in prayer?
Esther went before a harsh, human king. We go before a loving heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ. Esther petitioned in her time of need. We are to do the same. Esther went before the king with the petition to save her people from Haman’s evil plot. We are to go forth with the Gospel to save people from Satan’s demonic plan. This we can not do unless we petition our great King of Kings.
As Esther approached the throne, the king held out his scepter to accept her into his presence. We have been promised, as we approach the Heavenly throne, God extends His scepter of Grace through Christ. He accepts us into His presence now and eventually, into His Eternal Kingdom to be with Him forever and ever.

Thought for the day:
” If God sends us on strong paths,
 we are provided strong shoes.” 
Corrie ten Boom

Something to consider:
It is good to be blessed.
It’s better to be a Blessing.
Anonymous