Esther
God's providence in saving the Jewish people through Queen Esther
"Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Esther 4:14
Book Segments
3 sections · click any to explore
About the Book
IntroTo demonstrate God's hidden providential protection of his people even in contexts where his name is never mentioned - and to explain the origin of the Jewish festival of Purim.
Esther's Rise and the Threat to God's People
Ch. 1-5Esther becomes queen of Persia; Haman schemes to destroy all the Jews; Mordecai challenges Esther to act, and she prepares to approach the king uninvited at the risk of her life.
The setup of Esther's story frames the central question of the book: will God's people use the position He has given them when the moment demands it?
Esther's Intervention and Israel's Deliverance
Ch. 6-10Ahasuerus's sleepless night leads to Mordecai's public honour; Esther reveals Haman's plot; Haman is hanged on his own gallows; the Jews are given the right to defend themselves and celebrate the Feast of Purim.
The complete reversal of Haman's plot — his own gallows, his own decree turned to Israel's advantage — is one of Scripture's most complete pictures of divine justice and the defeat of pride.