By Scott Johnson
The book of Esther is fascinating! The placement of Esther in our bibles is rather misleading for starters. Placed right in front of Job, the date of Esther--about 450 B.C. or even 375 B.C.--should make this book the last event recorded for the OT and actually follows the book of Malachi in timeline. The dating is verified by the reign of King Xerxes in the Persian Empire.
Hadassah does not know her country as she was born during the 70 years of captivity of her Jewish nation. Her cousin, Mordecai, is somewhat familiar as he, very young, was one of the captives who was taken to Babylon. Persia takes over Babylon and now, Mordecai finds himself in Susa caring for Hadassah as her parents are deceased. To help keep her safe, which ultimately provides for her disguise, he gives the young girl the name Esther, a Persian name which happens to mean "Star".
Esther is beautiful even at a young age, perhaps 14! She is selected as a young virgin to fill the harem of the king for his own pleasure. Being so beautiful delighted the king to choose the maiden to be his Queen and also the Queen of the Persian Empire. Mordecai remains near the king's courtyard daily so he can encourage his "daughter" to remain "incognito" before the king and among the harem at all times. God does have a plan. His purposes are absolute and without fault. A Divine plan has been in store---even as the prophecy stated in Numbers--"A star will come out of Jacob".
When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. But he went only as far as the king's gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes. When Esther's eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king's eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why. So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's gate. Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king's presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people. Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. (Est 4:1-9 NIV)
Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, "All the king's officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king." When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: "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. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther's instructions. (Est 4:10-17 NIV)
Scott and Jane Johnson minister with East Faulkner Church of Christ and BRG Bible. Bible questions can be sent to [email protected]