Grace Institute: The Writings : Esther Part 3

Esther Survey of the Old Testament: The Writings Fall 2006

The Challenge of Esther

Esther presents a challenge for the reader. It is, at first glance, a secular book, with no references to God or spirituality. This has troubled both Jews and Christians through the centuries, leading to apocryphal manuscripts of Esther where prayers and spiritual explanations have been added to the text. Other scholars have found the name of God (YHWH) hidden in as acrostics in four related verses. However, these acrostics do not seem intentional and were discovered only as people searched in vain for some mention of God within the book.

Furthermore, the main characters are not even of high moral character.

Esther becomes a concubine and wins her position as queen due to her ability to please the king sexually. Esther hid her Jewish heritage in order to become a queen. She married a foreigner, as is against the Torah. When Haman pleads for mercy, Esther demands not only his life but the life of his family.

Mordecai encourages Esther to hide her identity. He arrogantly refuses to show honor to the Prime Minister. He promotes the slaughter of thousands at the hand of the Jews.

We must remember that just because people are in the bible, that does not mean they are intended to be heroes. Samson, Jehu, Gideon and others are other recorded in the bible not as people to emulate but as negative examples. Furthermore, just because both Esther and Mordecai end up in positions of power and are thus able to deliver their people does not justify their behavior or demonstrate that their actions were within God’s will.

F.B. Huey asks the question this way:

"Should Esther have refused to marry a pagan Gentile? If she had, could not God have found another way to deliver his people? If Esther and Mordecai had forgiven their enemies instead of demanding vengeance, would God have been pleased and protected his people?"

Huey continues by proposing the real message behind the book of Esther:

"Its real message may prove to be that God’s people are prone to use the same means as ungodly people for achieving their goals rather than taking a bold step of faith that God will work out his purposes without human initiative, least of all resorting to immoral acts in a crisis situation."

Conclusion

Throughout the book of Ruth, Naomi, Ruth and Boaz refer to the providence of Yahweh. Ruth doesn’t just, perchance, happen upon Boaz’s field, but is directed there by divine providence. Naomi declares this when Ruth tells her that she came upon Boaz’s field, for Naomi says, “Yahweh ahs not withdrawn his kindness to the living” (Ruth 2:20). Boaz acknowledges Yahweh’s providence, for he declares, “…Yahweh, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.”

But was it not really Boaz’s wings under which Ruth sought refuge? Was it really God who directed Ruth to Boaz’s field? After all, Naomi and Ruth returned to Bethlehem, the home town of her husband. Furthermore this was actually a very small village. Of course they would find a relative there. It would be more of a surprise if they hadn’t found a relative in their small home town.

And yet, this minor coincidence is seen in Ruth to be a great miracle of divine providence and as an event orchestrated by the God of Israel as part of his master plan to deliver all of Israel.

Meanwhile, in the book of Esther, we see the orchestration of God and miraculous divine appointments throughout. God raises a young Jewish girl to the position of queen. God places this girl at just the right spot and the right time to save His people. The king miraculously can’t sleep and happens upon the chronicle telling of Mordecai’s loyalty to the King. We see the hand of God behind the scenes all through Esther. And yet, there is no acknowledgment or even hint of awareness of this fact by any of the characters in Esther.

The contrast between these two books is stark. In Ruth, God is seen as the author of events which seem common place, local,  and not that unlikely. But in Esther, where the circumstances are far more fantastic, global, and miraculous, no one is even aware that it is God behind the events.

How do we perceive the providence of God? Do we see God directing even the mundane events of our lives? Do we thank him for the small ways in which he directs, provides and protects? Or, do we ignore his divine providence even when circumstances are clearly caused by Him and obviously no mere coincidence.

With God, there is no such thing as coincidence and chance. All things are ordained and directed by Him. God is amidst both the tragedy (“the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.” Ruth 2:20), and the blessing (“Blessed be Yahweh who has not left you without a redeemer today…” Ruth 4:14). But amidst it all we have confidence that

(Romans 8:28)  And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

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