Queen Esther

If we were to "cast" a movie about Queen Esther, what sort of actress would we get to play the part? If you think like I do, the idea of someone being a queen brings up an image of someone like Elizabeth Taylor in her role as Cleopatra in the movie by that name. I picture an elegant, mature-but-youthful actress, say 30 years old or so. There is only one problem with that picture - it doesn't fit historical reality. The reality is that, at the beginning of the Book of Esther, Esther is a young virgin. In those days, this quite likely meant not much more than 14 years old! And given the chronology of the story, she was likely less than age 20 even by the end of the story. This sheltered young woman, barely out of girlhood, was thrust into a setting where she ultimately had influence with one of the most powerful men in the world, King Xerxes of Persia. All of this was at an age when most modern young women are still concerned with such things as school proms and studying for geometry exams. What incredible qualities God must have seen in such a young woman to entrust the rescue of His People to her courage, wisdom, resourcefulness, self-control and faith.

If you have not read this exciting story recently, let's recap just the highlights of the plot:

The Jews had been in exile for many years in the land of Babylon. When power changed to the hands of the Persians, they were still there. At the beginning of the story of Esther, the King of Persia is displeased with his queen, and removes her from her royal position. Advisors suggest that all the fairest young maidens in the land be brought to the King over a period of time that he might choose a new queen from among them. (Yes, this may well be the original source of such elements in folk tales like Cinderella.)

The young Jewess Hadassah, whose Persian name is Esther, is among the young maidens brought to the palace. At the insistence of her guardian, Uncle Mordecai, she conceals her national identity. After winning the favor of the King, she becomes Queen.

Meanwhile, Uncle Mordecai runs afoul of the evil courtier Haman, who decides in revenge to trick the King into declaring a sentence of death on all Jews in the kingdom, to be carried out at a future date to be decided by lot. (The word "purim" in Hebrew means "lots", thus the name of the festival of Purim.)

Mordecai learns of the plot, and alerts Esther. She, at great personal risk, decides to accept the role of confronting the King about the plot and begging for mercy for her people. She is successful in this matter. Through a series of fortuitous events (no doubt orchestrated by God) and her wise handling of the circumstances, Haman is shown before the King to be the villain that he really is. In the end, Haman is hung on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. And the Jews of the kingdom are saved from extinction.

The Lessons

There are many ways to focus on the contents of the Book of Esther. In spite of the fact that most pastors and teachers seem to ignore the book and the character, there have been a few books written specifically about Esther. The purpose of this article is to encourage readers to go back and read through the Book of Esther with a new perspective. Below are five specific general principles/lessons which I have gleaned from the book. It is left to the reader to contemplate how these principles might apply to us as Christians!

1. God has sometimes used armies and sometimes flashy miracles in order to rescue His People. But He is not limited to those strategies. He can just as easily use one obscure person - male, such as Joseph, or female, such as Esther - and manipulate the circumstances around them to allow them to be the agent of His salvation.

2. In our western nations, we appreciate living in basically democratic societies. And rightly so. Christians can thereby be unusually free to worship according to their consciences, and free to obey God without much fear that such obedience will run afoul of the government in most circumstances. But God never in the Bible destroys kingdoms specifically because the form of government is a dictatorship so his servants could have the kind of freedoms we enjoy. Instead He enabled His people to function right within whatever system they found themselves in. Even Paul notes this:

" Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you - although if you can gain your freedom, do so "(1Cor 7:20-21).

Paul is not thereby telling us to give up the freedom we have. He is indicating that God can use us, just as He used Esther, wherever we find ourselves, no matter the nature of the government.

3. Serving God and fulfilling the role He called you to is possible even in an environment where almost everyone around you is a heathen. And it can be done without attempting to change everyone around you. Joseph, Esther and Daniel all served totally pagan kings and won favor with them by their exemplary conduct and example. And they were thereby able to accomplish great deeds.

4. God can use young women, like Esther, just as easily as young warriors, like David, to accomplish His plans for His people.

5. It is comforting to know that God can redeem people with unpleasant pasts and use them to advance His plans for His people - witness Rahab the harlot and Paul, the persecutor of Christians. But in some cases His plans particularly call for those who have kept themselves undefiled physically and/or spiritually. Certainly in the case of Esther, it would have been impossible for her to fulfill God's plan if she had not been a chaste young woman. This brings to mind another chaste young woman, no doubt as young as Esther when she began her role in an even greater plan of salvation - Mary, the mother of Jesus. Just as noted above about Esther, what incredible qualities Mary must have exhibited even as a young woman barely out of girlhood, to be considered mature enough for the responsibility of raising the Messiah!

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Source: http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/esther.html