Queen Esther

by Micky Galloway

It is exciting to see the little ones coming from their Bible classes, having learned about this Old Testament queen who risked her own life to save the nation of the Jews. Every parent (and grandparent) should tell the story to their children and emphasize that, though God is not mentioned in the book, His power is seen on every page as He preserves His people through Esther.

King Ahasuerus, known as Xerxes the Great, was the king of Persia from 486 BC - 465 BC. His empire was made up of 127 provinces, over which the Jews had been scattered as a result of the Babylonian captivity (2:5-6). Haman was the kings’ right-hand man (Prime Minister), so favored by the king that he decreed that all bow in obeisance when Haman passed by (3:1-2). Mordecai, was a Jew who would not bow before Haman (3:2). When this was brought to Haman’s attention, he devised a plot to kill all the Jews because of the insult of Mordecai (3:6-9). King Ahasuerus consented to Haman’s plot and decreed the death of all the Jews (3:10-15). Mordecai, because of his faith in God, knew there would NOT be an annihilation of the Jews (4:14). Nonetheless, the king’s decree would mean disaster to the Jews if something was not done. Esther, a young Jewess, had been personally chosen to be queen. Upon the insistence of Mordecai, Esther risked her life to go before the king to make request for the people of God. Mordecai asked, “Who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14)? The significance of this question is remarkable. Perhaps God in His providence had brought Esther to be queen of the Persian empire for the purpose of sparing His people. However, if she appeared before the king without having been sent for, perhaps she would lose her life. Her noble response to Mordecai was, “and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16).

Esther invited the king and Haman to a banquet (5:4). The king knew that she had not risked her life to approach him just to invite him to a banquet. At the banquet, when the king asked what her request was, she again could not bring herself to tell him. She invited both Haman and the king to another banquet the next day. Haman’s pride exploded as he considered the honor that he alone had been invited with the king (5:9-12). Haman encountered Mordecai on his way home. He was obsessed to deal with Mordecai. His wife and friends suggested he build a gallows and hang Mordecai (5:13-14). The king could not sleep and asked that the chronicles of his kingdom be given him and then learned, for the first time, of how Mordecai revealed a plot to murder him, ultimately saving the king’s life (6:1-3; cf. 2:21-23). Eventually, Haman came before the king to request Mordecai be hanged. The king asked him what should be done for a man the king wants to honor (6:4ff). Thinking the king referred to him, Haman gave his thoughts on the matter. “For the man whom the king delighteth to honor, let royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and on the head of which a crown royal is set: and let the apparel and the horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man therewith whom the king delighteth to honor, and cause him to ride on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor (6:7-9). Haman was forced to so honor Mordecai (6:10-14). Haman’s wife told him, “If Mordecai, before whom thou hast begun to fall, be of the seed of the Jews, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him” (6:13)

At Esther’s second banquet, she finally revealed her request and Haman’s wicked plan to destroy the Jews (7:3-6). The king was angry and Haman was hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai (7:9-10). Mordecai was exalted to Haman’s position, but what could he do to save his people? The king’s former decree could not be canceled (8:8).

Esther, at the risk of her life, again appealed to the king (8:4-6). The king instructed that a decree be written giving the Jews the right to fight and destroy their enemies on the same specified day of Haman’s decree to have the Jews killed (8:11-12). In the 12th month, on the 13th day, all those who sought to kill Jews, were killed.

Can we see the providence of God in all of this?

How did it happen that Mordecai sent out the command (9:9), that averted the effects of Haman’s decree? Because the king extended the scepter to Esther the second time (cf. 4:11; 8:3-4). If he had not, the decree to defend themselves would never have been given.

How did Mordecai happen to be the man of wisdom and intelligence involved in this plan? Because he had saved the king’s life revealing that two chamberlains had a secret plan to kill the king, therefore he had been highly honored by the king and put in Haman’s high position after he had been hanged.

How did Mordecai happen to even be alive at the time to be appointed to Prime Minister? Because Haman approached the king at the time he did, AFTER the chronicles had been read. A few minutes earlier and the king may have sentenced Mordecai to hang.

How did the king happen to hear that night about Mordecai saving his life? Because he was restless, couldn’t sleep, and read the chronicles. How did it happen that Mordecai’s good deed had been overlooked until now?

How did it happen that a young Jewish orphan became queen over a world empire? Because of the unwillingness of Vashti, the former queen (1:9-12), to parade her beauty before the peoples and princes.

Many Jews eventually returned to their homeland and much was done to reestablish their place of dignity and righteousness during the life of Esther. Strangely enough, though never named in the book, God is there. His providence is in every chapter and every verse; in every event we have looked at. When the crisis came to the Jews, Mordecai asked Esther, “Who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Perhaps her elevation to queen might have been for this very purpose. God preserved His people.