A Report on Esther

Introduction

Throughout time, people have attempted to destroy the nation of Israel, the “apple of God’s eye.” It was because from the Jews, came the covenants, promises, the law, and the messiah—the savior of the world. God’s chosen people are the enemy of Satan, the prince of this world, and the conflict started back in Genesis 3:15.

While a remnant from Judah returned to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, other Jews remained in the cities of their captivity. Some were welcomed as valued members of their communities, but others were despised and hated. Some were even targeted for extermination. The book of Esther tells a story of an attempted extermination. It records a ten-year span during the 58-60 year interlude in the book of Ezra (ch.6-7) between the first return headed by Zerubbabel and the second return headed by Ezra. It also tells of the inauguration of a feast (Purim), which has endured over 2,000 years because of one woman, whose name the book is titled, said, “If I perish… I perish.” Moreover, Esther is a story of courage and communication displayed in the life of two people: Esther and Mordecai.

Author and Date

The author of this book remains unknown. However, the author was probably a Jew, both from the purpose of the book in accounting for the origin of the Jewish festival Purim and from the Jewish nationalism, that permeates the story. Also, the author was acquainted with Persian culture. This is indicated by the extensive descriptions of the palace complex in Susa filtered throughout the book and the domestic reign of King Ahasuerus. Based on these observations, some have ascribed the author to Mordecai. However, modern scholars reject this idea because Mordecai is referred to in...

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...ther realization of the sovereignty and providential care of our almighty God. What stood out to me above all in this study was the relationship of Mordecai and Esther. The communication and courage that these two had throughout the book was, in my opinion, phenomenal. These two cousins recognized their positions in relation to each other during the different dispensations of their lives, and thus submitted to one another; and because of this, they triumphed (2:10, 20; 4:17). What I gleamed from them was an example of how Christians ought to relate to each other (Eph 5:21).

A Brief Outline of the Book of Esther

I. The Fall of Queen Vasthi and the Rise of Queen Esther (Ch. 1-2)

II. Haman’s Plot to Exterminate the Jews: His Rise and His Fall (Ch. 3-8)

III. Mordecai’s Rise and the Deliverance of the Jews (Ch. 9-10)