Esther

I just finished writing my lesson for Sunday, September 18th, and I'll be discussing Esther. Much of what I'll state today will likely be repeated then, but that way, I can get the message out beyond the six readers of this blog.

My NIV Study Bible has a most interesting quote in its introduction to Esther:

"An outstanding feature of this book--one that has given rise to considerable discussion--is the complete absense of any explicit reference to God, worship, prayer or sacrifice. This 'secularity' has produced many detractors who have judged the book to be of little religious value."

One of those commentators was Martin Luther, and what little research I did questions the accuracy of the translations of Luther's objections. While talking with my younger daughter today, she mentioned this aspect without prompt on my part, and I suspect it's been some time since she's read the book.

I'm no theologian, so I don't concern myself about technical issues such as this. However, today's reading contains one of the central points that I will make on Sunday. The first half of Esther 4:14 states:

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish.

The speaker of this verse was Mordecai, a cousin of Esther who raised her after her mother and father died. Without getting into the circumstances of this story (it's pretty easy to discern from the reading), Mordecai was telling Esther that the Jews would be delivered from destruction. He then further stated in the rest of verse 14:

And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?

The fact that God isn't mentioned doesn't necessarily mean that God wasn't there. Mordecai is clearly indicating that salvation will occur (they are God's chosen people, after all), and further implies God's ability to use whomever he wished in order to achieve his plans. He was reminding Esther of the power of God, and encouraging her to place her trust in the Lord. As David wrote in his post earlier today, in Esther 4:16, she agreed to do what Mordecai suggested, at the risk of her own life. We'll see how that worked out in the next couple of days.

Mordecai was describing spiritual gifts over 500 years prior to Paul's description in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, and we need to be constantly asking ourselves the same question Mordecai asked Esther. We're told over and over that God, through the Holy Spirit, will equip us with what we need for when we need it. There would be no reason to don the armor of God as described in Ephesians 6 unless it is expected that we'll need it.

AND WE WILL.

Scott