Esther
The way people think and talk about the Old Testament book of Esther is a curious amalgamation of celebrated, controversial, dismissed, and exalted. As such, we are excited that for the eight weeks of February and March 2024, we get to dive deeply into the book and story of God in Esther.
When asked what the main thing is in Esther, the best answer is that this book shows how God always provides for and protects His people even when it is not evident that He is present. Esther is one of only two books in the Bible that never mentions the name of God (Song of Solomon is the other one), yet it is impossible to deny His activity in the storied history of Esther. As the story unfolds, we will see how God’s hidden presence plays the central role in preserving His people from an attempted genocide in the early 5th century BC. It is Esther’s story that prompted our founding pastor, Tom Shrader, to say that the book of Esther “makes the invisible God visible,” clearing the path for the Messiah and Savior, Jesus, to be born some 460 years later.
Esther is a story that is well told. It is filled with twists and turns, reversals and ironies, and misconception and veracity. One commentator noted that many people have a “Veggie Tales understanding of Esther even though it is a bit closer to a Game of Thrones narrative.” Others would put Esther in the integrity category of the Bible hero Daniel, though until chapter 4 “she more closely resembles Kim Kardashian.” These insights make God’s activity in this story all the more provocative and providential.
This series will be great encouragement for the many Christians who struggle with knowing God is with you when you can’t see Him, don’t feel Him, and wonder if He’s really there. It would be fair to summarize the book of Esther this way: God never abandons His people or His promises, even as His people willfully abandon their promises and God.
