Scripture Reading: Esther 4:1-14, Esther 8:1-8, Genesis 50:20, Nehemiah 9:27, Galatians 4:4-7
This Is the Old Testament is part of a twelve-week thematic overview of the entire Bible. Each day we’ll read a thematic selection from a different book or two of the Bible, along with supplemental passages that show how the theme of that day’s main reading is found throughout Scripture. We’ll also read a brief summary of each book and a reflection on how the book fits into the larger story of Scripture. This week, we’ll finish the Historical Books and move into the genre of Wisdom Literature.
The Book of Esther: The book of Esther tells the story of how Esther, a Jewish girl, became queen of Persia. After her cousin Mordecai uncovered a plot to annihilate the Jewish people, he encouraged Esther to use her position to save her people from destruction.
How Esther Fits into the Story: Without ever mentioning Him by name, the book of Esther speaks of the Lord’s presence and sovereignty in the lives of His people. God’s promise to give the Jewish people an eternal ruler remained, even in the face of threatened annihilation. Before man sought to devise their destruction, God’s invisible hand was always at work in the story of Esther and her people, securing their deliverance.
Reflection Questions:
1. How does God’s unnamed provision in Esther 4:1–14 change your understanding of how He works in your own life?
2. How does today’s reading shape your understanding of the story of redemption?
Take time to reflect on your responses and share what you are learning with others in the community in the comments.
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27 thoughts on "Esther"
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place… Esther 4:14 .
How many times have I dithered on whether or not to listen to the Holy Spirit only to have the opportunity pass to another to complete His purpose…
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Praying for an open and obedient heart to pursue God’s opportunities to serve.
Q.1. Sometimes God works with the circumstances around me. Esther prayed and fasted and I’m sure she asked God for wisdom to know what to do. She then used the resources she had to bring about the change she desired. I think too many times I’m waiting for God to do something outside of the ordinary, everyday circumstances of my life and He is telling me to use the resources I have, the position I have, the wisdom I’ve received from Him to bring about the change that is needed.
Right now, thru these verses, God is telling me to keep doing what I do – teach high school art, play the piano at church, teach Sunday School…keep being who He has called me to be. And trust that He is working all the time.
Q2. Even though God’s name isn’t mentioned in the book of Esther His hand is all over this story. “…for such a time as this” leads me to “you planned evil, God planned it for good…”
He rescued the Jews by using Joseph, but they kept messing up and ended up in exile. He rescued them from Haman using Esther and Mordecai, but they continued to mess up, to sin. God “gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the power of their enemies.” Then, “when the time came to completion, God sent his Son…”
It is done. It is finished. Praise God!!!
I love Esther. I’ll have to do the reading later today. Myu surgery that was scheduled for 11:30 was rescheduled to 8:20. But no one told me. They called 20 minutes ago to see where I was! We’re now speeding (literally) down the road, I haven’t had a shower and we won’t get there until 8:15. I’m shaking like a leaf! When I told them I haven’t taken a shower yet, they said they’d wipe me down with sterile wipes!
Please pray for God’s peace to envelopes me, for no one at the hospital to get in a big hurry and make mistakes, and for the surgery to go well. I wasn’t even nervous about it last night, but now I’m truly scared.
Thank you for praying!
Praying :) If I’ve learned anything in my life so far, doctors are in a hurry for nothing lol :) :) :) Praying for this to all go as smoothly as possible, you to remember that God knew it was first thing this morning even if you didn’t, and he’s already there with you :) ❤️❤️❤️
Amen. And amen. God knew the entire time. It’s his perfect plan. Rest in it
The podcast with Lisa Harper- “Back Porch Theology” is doing a full run through the whole Bible this year- a book each episode. Obviously they have to do what SRT is doing and truncate a lot! :) April 20 was their episode on Esther and I REALLY RECOMMEND LISTENING!! :) This book is such a monumental work in our Bible and sadly it (like Ruth) often gets diluted down to little more than a “Christian Fairytale” (not at ALL implying SRT has done this— just meaning in general Christian reference with this story, a lot is ignored or misunderstood). The episode is called “Between a Rock and a Hard Place”, released April 20 :) I think you’ll enjoy it :)
Thank you for that recommendation
The book of Esther is one of my favorites in the OT.
for such a time as this…we should redeem the time. ..
The fingerprints of God’s provision are all over my life in every way. Its His ever present, yet not visible hand, moving and working in ways beyond my knowledge or understanding. There are things that I can see, can pinpoint and say with certainty it was His provision but how many more things has there been that I truly have no knowledge? Countless, I’m sure. Because I know the faithfulness and goodness of God, who He is, that I know His Word to be truth, I trust and know He will provide, that He fulfills His promises and deliverance and redemption are part of His plan. What a mighty God we serve.
Thank you for your prayers sisters. You are such a great support and blessing to me.❤️
Q1 How can we ‘hear’ God if we don’t have a listening, willing and obedient heart? By hearing, I’m thinking of how a passage of Scripture may stir a memory or idea as I read, how something that honors God pops up multiple times in different ways in a short period of time, feeling a compulsion to act on something that honors God and won’t leave my thinking – could be straight Scripture from the Bible or shared/paraphrased in a song, devotion, conversation, a seemingly ‘random’ thought or from a source I wouldn’t have ordinarily sought out.
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Q2 The story of redemption is one listening, willing, obedient heart at a time. At each critical juncture in the history of mankind and the genealogy of Christ, one or more hearts were listening, willing and obedient. Even after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, the gospel was spread by these same type hearts, and still is today.
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Side note – every time these letters were written and sent, it seems to have been to 127 provinces. The letters written by Haman and by Mordecai related to destruction & protection of the Jewish people, by my count this would have been 500+ letters.
This got me thinking, how long has it been since I have written a letter by hand, a nearly lost art these days? At least 2-3 years :/
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WENDY B ❣️ woohoo! Praising for today appt, praying for the needed answers
MERCY ❤️ “We cannot rebuild what we pretend isn’t broken” ❤️❤️❤️
DONNA WOLCOTT ❤️
KIMBERLY Z ❤️
CHERYL BLOW ❤️
CEE GEE ❤️
TERESA COOPER DONLEY ❤️
HEIDI ❤️
B ❤️
RHONDA J ❤️
❤️
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Even when we don’t see Him or hear Him or “feel” Him, He is always moving, doing more than we could ever know. Jesus is the deliverance that would eventually rise from another place..that Mordecai spoke of! I never tied that together, but wow!
✨ Hallelujah
God works in my life through my trust and obedience of Him. He works redemption in me by saving me just like He did for the Jews- He sent a rescuer❤️❤️❤️
Amen
1- This is the invisible handed God. I very rarely know real time what God is setting up, the chess pieces He is moving, the ways He is working in certain suppositions. It is often with hindsight that I am able to look back and see clearly what he is doing. The few times I knew that God was ordering my steps real time were so powerful, and those are the times I hang onto it when fear and doubt about present circumstances arise.
2 – God’s name doesn’t even need to be mentioned to know that His hand was all over this. Like the master chess player, he orchestrated every meeting, every move, every upward movement in order to keep His promise of saving the Jews. Esther is a foreshadow of Christ, she interceded for the Jews, just a Christ interceded for us!
Excellent answers Tami!
We were talking about this exact thing at jail yesterday! That when we think nothing is happening, and questioning why God doesn’t seem to be there…He is working things for good for all that love him and called for his purposes. We zeroed in on the part of Joseph’s story where he was in jail, forgotten it seemed. But God!
Esther 4:14a “deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place”
God’s provision for His people would happen because the Messiah was promised to come through them.
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His provision for my own life is just as sure because the Messiah DID come, just as promised, and will come again as promised to fulfill God’s plan of redemption.
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WENDY B – praying for your appt today to provide answers.
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TERESA COOPER DONLEY – praying for your knee surgery to go well today
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Look for Go’s provision for you today! :-)
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God works through providence to accomplish His plans for His people. Esther’s story reminds us of God’s saving power in the face of what appeared to be certain Annihilation. It also highlights the fact that God chooses to use ordinary people to accomplish His will, we need only to be ready and obedient. Praise God for his salvation work!!
I love Queen Esther so much! In my twenties I would re read her story again and again! Now in my forties I hear “for such a time as this” and am reminded of this incredible heroine! ❤️
I love the book of Esther!
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There is no mention of God, and yet, He is all over this story, this book of hope and deliverance.
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Through Esther’s story as i read, and my own, as I look back, I can see Gods hand always covering, always present, always there with His provision, even when not seen..
Absolutely.. even when..
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The verse in Esther 4:14b “Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position, (your hardship, your brokenness, your heartache, your status, your…… (fill in the blank), for such a time as this..’ always had my heart and attention.
Whatever the situation, whatever the goings on in our lives, God is present, and if God is present, then, He is going to move in that situation to bring about truth, hope and provision for a better outcome.,
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For such a time as this.. it is well, it is well, with my soul..
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He is here!
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Amen..
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Happy Thursday my dears, covered in much, much love and forever hugs and prayers..❤️
❤️ “Whatever the situation, whatever the goings on in our lives, God is present, and if God is present, then, He is going to move in that situation to bring about truth, hope and provision for a better outcome.”
Yes this is so true Tina. And so well said!
Yes. Thank you Tina