Discussion Questions
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How would you respond to someone who says that the book of Esther shouldn’t be included in the Bible since it never mentions the name of God?
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Even though the Jews in this book did not return to Jerusalem, God shows His love for His people by allowing them to be protected against annihilation by those in Xerxes group who hated and wanted to destroy them.
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Even though the book of Esther never mentions the name of God, God’s hand can be seen throughout the book. During that period, the Jews still living in Persia were mainly secular. It is most likely because of this secular living that God’s name is not formally mentioned in the book of Esther. Despite this, God still loves the Jewish individuals still in Persia and is still protecting them. God’s hand guides Esther and allows her to become queen so that she can save the remnant of Jews still in Persia. God’s hand also guides the many little events in the book of Esther like allowing Mordecai to overhear the plot to kill king Xerxes, the ability to get this information to king Xerxes through Esther, king Xerxes having the book of the chronicles to be read to him because he couldn’t sleep and so he hears of Mordecai’s involvement in saving the king’s life and that Mordecai hadn’t been rewarded for this assistance, Haman falling on the couch where Esther was reclining when king Xerxes returned, and the elevation of the Esther, Mordecai, and the Jews at the end of the narrative.
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I would respond by saying the early biblical scholars obviously thought that this book was important and inspired by God, so we should think of it and respect it as such.
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There are many important characteristics of the story that reveal the nature of God and how He interacts with His people. And, like many OT accounts, it prefigures salvation through Christ.
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Esther is an excellent example of the fact that God works through a myriad of means, even secular ones, to accomplish His will. It is quite apparent that God’s will to spare His people from local genocide was accomplished through the account of Esther. It perhaps makes for an even more powerful story in that it does not seem as though it was specifically written to tell the story of how God saves his people, but gives the reader a way to go back and see His hand in the events that occurred.
Given that this is one of the last books written before the 400 year silence, it could also have been a great comfort for those who look back over the story to see the ways that God works, even when the works aren’t directly attributed to Him.
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What positive character traits does Esther exhibit and how does she demonstrate those qualities?
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Esther exhibited courage from the time she is introduced in the story. She was a very young woman when her story begins. She is taken from the home of her guardian to the great palace in Susa along with many other young women. She had to have courage to endure and make the best of this experience.
Esther was obedient to those put in authority over her. This began with her guardian Mordecai. He was the one who raised her and cared for her after the death of her parents. She listened to him and did as he told her to do. This happened even after she was queen. She was obedient to the eunuch who was in charge of the king’s concubines. She was obedient to the king. Even though she was queen, she still had to obey his rules. She obeyed protocol in her approach to the king and did not burst into his presence uninvited.Esther was faithful to her religion and her culture. We don’t know how much of her upbringing was based upon Jewish culture and how much was devoted to God, but she was faithful to the values she’d been taught and she was faithful to her family and people.
Esther was wise. She was wise to recognize those who had her best interest in mind and those who meant her and her people harm. Her plan with dealing with Haaman showed wisdom. If she had just confronted him, there was the possibility that things could go very wrong. The way she dealt with this arrogant, evil man just lets him destroy himself.
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She showed courage…using what she had available to her to help others. She showed that she was obedient and did what she was told (ch 2). Everytime she approached the king, she also seemed to be humble. Sbe knew he was in charge and so respected that…whether out of fear or love, we are not told. I imagine that is the way it was for women in that society.
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A person whom one could rely on – Esther. Faith in her God, although not mentioned, but true to her home nation.
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She had quiet courage, devoted to her people, and endangered her own life by going to the king when Haman was going after the Jews in Persia.
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She demonstrates love for her people and courage in going before Xerxes when she had not been summoned. She put her people and faith in God before her own safety.