Lesson 13 Outline – Tom Ibach

  1. Introduction to Esther and the Second Exodus
    1. Beginning a new year and a new book in the Second Exodus study: the book of Esther.
    2. Esther as a dramatic story of how God saved His people from genocide through a young Jewish woman named Esther.
    3. Esther as the historical foundation for the Jewish festival of Purim, still celebrated today.
    4. Most exiled Jews had freedom to return to the land, yet many remained in foreign territory; Esther focuses on Jews who stayed in Babylon.
    5. Esther’s timeline: approximately ten years from 483–473 BC.
    6. Placement within Ezra: events occur between Ezra chapters 6 and 7, during the 60-year gap between temple completion and Ezra’s arrival (Ezra 6–7).
    7. Ezra himself is still in Babylon during the events of Esther.
  2. Authorship and Unusual Features of Esther
    1. Unknown human author
      1. The author does not identify himself in the narrative.
      2. Mordecai has been suggested as a possible author, but this is uncertain.
    2. What Esther conspicuously omits
      1. The name of God is never explicitly mentioned.
      2. No mention of Jerusalem or those who returned to the promised land.
      3. No reference to the temple, patriarchs, Jewish kings, or Jewish prophets.
      4. No explicit reference to the Jewish law or the law of Moses.
    3. Moral ambiguity and descriptive narration
      1. The author makes no moral or value judgments about the actions of the characters, even when they appear morally dubious.
      2. Central example: Esther conceals her Jewish identity and joins the king’s harem.
      3. From prior Ezra study, the law of Moses clearly forbids Jewish intermarriage with non‑Jews; Esther sleeping with a pagan king would violate this standard (cf. Deuteronomy 7; Ezra 9–10 context).
      4. The narrative is descriptive, not prescriptive; it records what happened rather than endorsing every action.
    4. Historical discomfort in the church
      1. Martin Luther’s negative assessment: he strongly disliked Esther, viewing it as containing “heathen unnaturalities.”
      2. Moral ambiguity in Esther has historically produced discomfort and questions among believers.
      3. Readers are called to be content with the author’s silence where Scripture does not comment.
    5. Canonical status and theological importance
      1. Despite ambiguities, Esther is part of the canon of Scripture by God’s design.
      2. The unknown author wrote under divine inspiration; thus Esther warrants reverent attention and study (2 Timothy 3:16 principle implied).
    6. God as the unseen central character
      1. Though unnamed, God is the central actor in Esther’s story.
      2. God’s providence moves Persian politics, raises Esther to the throne, and grants her influence with the pagan king to save the Jews.
  3. Providence of God: Review and Definition
    1. Connection to prior lesson on providence
      1. Previous lesson focused on understanding God’s providence as His purposeful sovereignty.
      2. Esther now serves as a narrative case study of providence in action.
    2. Definition of providence and sovereignty
      1. Providence as the purposeful outworking of God’s sovereignty.
      2. God’s sovereignty: His supreme and ultimate control over everything; providence: how His sovereignty works out in purposeful ways.
    3. Heidelberg Catechism on providence
      1. Providence defined as God’s almighty and ever‑present power by which He upholds heaven, earth, and all creatures.
      2. God so rules that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty all come not by chance but by His fatherly hand.
      3. There is no such thing as luck or coincidence; all things are directed by God’s providence, both what seems good and what seems bad.
    4. Reversal plots and providence as a main theme
      1. Familiar cultural pattern: the bad guy seems to win until a sudden reversal gives victory to the good and judgment to the wicked.
      2. Esther is built around a drastic, rapid reversal that showcases God’s providential reversal of fortunes.
      3. While providence often runs quietly in the background in Scripture, in Esther it is a major, foregrounded theme.
      4. One commentator’s summary: “God is omnipotently present, even where God is conspicuously absent.”
    5. Central theological “big idea” of Esther
      1. Question underlying the book: Are God’s covenant promises still valid for Jews who remain in Babylon instead of returning?
      2. Big idea: God fulfills His covenant promises through the good hand of His providence, even for those who remain in exile.
  4. Historical and Political Context: Ahasuerus and Persia (Esther 1)
    1. Identity of Ahasuerus (Xerxes)
      1. Esther 1:1 introduces Ahasuerus, king of Persia; his Hebrew name is Ahasuerus, Greek name Xerxes.
      2. He is the son of Darius the Great and grandson of Cyrus the Great.
      3. Cyrus previously decreed that Jews could return to their land after 70 years of captivity (cf. Ezra 1; 2 Chronicles 36:22–23).
    2. Persia versus Greece and the background of defeat
      1. Persia is the global superpower, but Greece is rising.
      2. Darius fought Greece at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC; though stronger militarily, Persia was defeated.
      3. Legend of Pheidippides running ~26 miles from Marathon to Athens to announce the unlikely Greek victory, inspiring the modern marathon.
      4. In 486 BC Darius dies; Xerxes (Ahasuerus) succeeds him.
    3. Setting of Esther 1
      1. Events occur in the third year of Ahasuerus’ reign in the citadel of Susa (Esther 1:2–3).
      2. His empire spans 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia (Esther 1:1).
    4. The six‑month war council and seven‑day feast
      1. A six‑month gathering of nobles and governors functions as a war council to plan invasion of Greece.
      2. Ahasuerus seeks to avenge his father’s defeat and curb the Greek threat.
      3. He displays the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for 180 days (Esther 1:4).
      4. At the end, he hosts a lavish seven‑day feast for great and small in the citadel (Esther 1:5–8).
      5. Queen Vashti simultaneously hosts a feast for the women (Esther 1:9).
    5. Vashti’s refusal and Ahasuerus’ temper
      1. Heavy drinking marks the celebration; when Ahasuerus is “merry with wine,” he summons Vashti to display her beauty before the men (Esther 1:10–11).
      2. Vashti refuses the king’s command; the text does not specify her motive (Esther 1:12).
      3. Historically, Ahasuerus is known for a violent temper and irrational episodes.
      4. Example: when storms destroy his bridges over the Hellespont, he executes the engineers and orders soldiers to lash, bind, and stab the sea in rage (from Herodotus).
      5. Vashti’s refusal is dangerous but she is not immediately executed.
    6. Counsel of the wise men and empire‑wide decree
      1. Ahasuerus consults wise men versed in Persian law (Esther 1:13–15).
      2. Their interpretation: Vashti’s disobedience is not just against the king, but threatens male authority across the empire (Esther 1:16–18).
      3. They fear her example will inspire wives everywhere to despise their husbands.
      4. Remedy: strip Vashti of her position, forbid her to appear before the king, and choose a new queen better than she (Esther 1:19).
      5. Issue a royal decree that every man be master in his own household and wives give honor to their husbands, sending it to all provinces (Esther 1:20–22).
      6. Irony: attempt to contain bad press spreads knowledge of the queen’s defiance throughout the empire.
    7. Key truth: God’s providence guides the pagan world for His people’s good
      1. Esther 1 focuses entirely on a pagan court, politics, and palace intrigue, seemingly unrelated to God’s people.
      2. Yet this drama sets the stage for Esther’s rise and the later deliverance of the Jews.
      3. Lesson: God providentially works through the decisions of unbelieving rulers—presidents, kings, dictators, legislators—for the ultimate good of His people (Romans 8:28 implied).
      4. Application questions: How should this truth shape our response to current events and news? How should it affect our prayers for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1–2 implied)?
  5. Esther’s Rise and Mordecai’s Loyalty (Esther 2)
    1. Four‑year gap and defeat in Greece
      1. Events of chapter 2 occur about four years after chapter 1.
      2. In that interval, Ahasuerus invades Greece and is defeated, leading to a costly and humiliating war.
      3. The war drains the empire’s resources and diminishes the king’s standing among his subjects.
    2. Empire‑wide beauty search
      1. After the failed campaign, Ahasuerus returns home and turns to replacing the queen (Esther 2:1–2).
      2. Court officials propose gathering the most beautiful young virgins from across the empire into the harem at Susa (Esther 2:2–3).
      3. The women will undergo beautification, and the one who most pleases the king will be made queen (Esther 2:3–4).
      4. Unlike typical political marriages that secure alliances, this process centers on beauty and sensual pleasure.
    3. Historical insight into Ahasuerus’ character
      1. Herodotus reports that after defeat, Ahasuerus lived a life of sensual overindulgence.
      2. He eventually dallies with the wives of generals and is assassinated in his bedroom in 465 BC.
      3. The harem of young virgins fits his character and appetites post‑war.
    4. Providentially unusual royal decisions
      1. Both the public removal of Vashti and the empire‑wide beauty contest are politically unwise and unusual.
      2. Yet these decisions are part of God’s providential ordering, preparing for Esther’s emergence.
    5. Introduction of Mordecai and Esther
      1. Mordecai is introduced as a Benjaminite, from the tribe of Benjamin (Esther 2:5).
      2. He is raising his younger orphan cousin Hadassah, whose Persian name is Esther, meaning “star” (Esther 2:7).
      3. Esther is noted first for having a beautiful figure and being lovely to look at (Esther 2:7).
      4. When the king’s agents search for beautiful young women, Esther is taken into the harem (Esther 2:8).
    6. Esther’s favor in the harem and concealed identity
      1. Esther pleases Hegai, the keeper of the harem, and wins his favor (Esther 2:9).
      2. He gives her special cosmetics, food, and advances her to the best place in the harem with seven chosen maids (Esther 2:9).
      3. Esther does not reveal her people or kindred because Mordecai commands her to conceal her Jewish identity (Esther 2:10).
      4. This approach contrasts with Daniel and his friends, who visibly seek to honor dietary laws and maintain distinctiveness (Daniel 1:8–16).
      5. Motives are unstated: it is unclear whether Esther resists or embraces the opportunity, or how she weighs Mosaic law against cultural pressures.
    7. Mordecai’s concern and Esther’s preparation
      1. Mordecai walks daily in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther is and what is happening to her (Esther 2:11).
      2. The preparation time for each woman is twelve months—six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and cosmetics (Esther 2:12).
      3. Each woman spends a night with the king and is then transferred to a second harem; she does not return unless summoned by name (Esther 2:13–14).
    8. Esther becomes queen
      1. Esther continues to win favor in the eyes of all who see her (Esther 2:15).
      2. When she goes in to Ahasuerus, he loves her more than all the other women (Esther 2:17).
      3. She wins grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; the king sets the royal crown on her head and makes her queen instead of Vashti (Esther 2:17).
      4. Ahasuerus celebrates Queen Esther with a great feast, remission of taxes, and generous gifts, despite a depleted treasury (Esther 2:18).
    9. Mordecai uncovers a plot
      1. While sitting at the king’s gate, Mordecai learns of a plot by two eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, to assassinate Ahasuerus (Esther 2:21–22).
      2. Mordecai tells Esther; she reports it to the king in Mordecai’s name (Esther 2:22).
      3. After investigation, the plot is confirmed and the conspirators are hanged (Esther 2:23).
      4. The incident is recorded in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king, but Mordecai receives no immediate reward (Esther 2:23).
    10. Key truth: God uses life’s messiness in His providence
      1. Esther and Mordecai live as Jews in a foreign land, facing complex pressures and ambiguous choices.
      2. Esther’s assimilation, hidden identity, and participation in the harem appear morally messy when compared with Torah ideals.
      3. The author’s silence on moral evaluation leaves readers uncertain whether decisions stem from wisdom, fear, or compromise.
  6. Messy Lives, Deceitful Hearts, and God’s Good Purposes
    1. Recognizing ambiguity and self‑deception
      1. Our own lives often contain complex mixtures of circumstances and choices, leading to “messy” situations in family, work, finances, and friendships.
      2. Even choices made with apparently good intentions can be tainted by unseen motives.
      3. Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; we cannot fully understand our own hearts.
    2. God using even sinful choices for His purposes
      1. Scripture shows God using outright sin to accomplish His saving purposes.
      2. Classic example: Joseph’s brothers selling him into slavery, which God uses to save many lives during famine.
      3. Joseph’s summary: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20).
      4. If God can incorporate blatant sin into His good plan, He can also use morally ambiguous and unclear situations in our lives.
    3. Call to repentance and confidence in providence
      1. Believers are commanded to repent of known sin to experience forgiveness, restoration, and life (Acts 3:19; 1 John 1:9 implied).
      2. At the same time, God’s good plan will ultimately be accomplished despite the messiness and ambiguity we perceive.
      3. God’s providence assures that even when our motives are mixed and our paths tangled, He is still at work for our ultimate good and His glory (Romans 8:28 implied).
    4. Reflective questions for application
      1. Does God seem silent to you in a present struggle?
      2. How has God providentially used messy circumstances and questionable decisions in your past for your good?
      3. How does remembering God’s quiet work in your past encourage you in a current challenge?
    5. Summary of Esther 1–2 and ongoing encouragement
      1. The opening chapters lay groundwork: seemingly secular events in a pagan court are instruments of God’s covenant‑keeping providence.
      2. Though God may seem silent, He is continuously and invisibly working behind the scenes to fulfill His promises to His people.
      3. Prayerful response: praising God whose thoughts and ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8–9), and asking for growing confidence in His providence in the coming year.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.