The book of Esther has always been met with much suspicion regarding whether it was truly inspired by God and if it really belongs in the canon of Scripture. Even Luther and Calvin argued against its place in Holy Scripture. Why would they struggle with such a wonderful story? It was mainly due to the fact that it never mentions the name of God, not even once. In fact, it never even uses a title or pronoun referring to God. It does use the name or a word referring to a heathen king 197 times but never once does it refer to God. Neither does it directly mention anything about prayer, worship, faith, heaven or hell. Could a book missing all of these key topics really be from God?
To make matters even more doubtful, the book of Esther is never quoted in the New Testament nor was any parts of it found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. But yet, even without mentioning the name of God, the theme of the book is the providential care of God. No, His name is never mentioned but you can see His actions, His thoughts, His plans, and even His fingerprints on every single page. It’s like looking at a “Where’s Waldo” book. When you glance at those cluttered and brightly colored pictures you are prone at first impulse to say, “I’ll never find Waldo in this mess.” But if you look close enough, there he is. So it is with Esther. If you just take a glance you may go away saying, “What does this have to do with God?” But look close enough and there He is!
In chapter one, King Xerxes, the Persian leader who saw himself as “the king of this great earth” is throwing a 7 day feast and the main activity taking place for these 7 days is drinking. It is an open bar with no last call. Xerxes is using this time to show off all that belongs to him. He wants everyone to see that he has the best of everything. At the end of the 7 days, Xerxes realizes that there is one thing that he has the best of in the land that he has not displayed as of yet and that was that he had the most beautiful wife. Her name is Vashti. It was most-likely a nickname because it meant “the best”. Without doubt, when it came to physical attractiveness, Xerxes would not be outdone by any other man when it came to a wife. It is safe to say that Vashti was “drop-dead gorgeous” and most likely there was no more beautiful young woman in the entire land.
So Xerxes sends for Vashti to come before him and the room full of men and she refuses. OUCH! She refuses to obey the most powerful man in the world at that time. She had to know that this would have dire consequences. Why would she put herself at such risk by disobeying the king? Well, let’s think about this. What was the state of the king and this room full of men? They were flat drunk. Do drunk men tend to be proper with beautiful women or improper? And according to Esther 1:11, what does Xerxes want Esther to wear? The royal crown. What else does he want her to wear? Actually, nothing else is mentioned in particular. I don’t think I am reading too much into the story when I say there is a very good chance that in order to display to these drunken comrades that his queen was more physically beautiful than any other woman in the land, that he wanted her to appear wearing only her royal crown. So what happens to Vashti? What in the world does this have to do with Esther? Where’s Waldo? Where’s God in this? Find out tomorrow!
To make matters even more doubtful, the book of Esther is never quoted in the New Testament nor was any parts of it found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. But yet, even without mentioning the name of God, the theme of the book is the providential care of God. No, His name is never mentioned but you can see His actions, His thoughts, His plans, and even His fingerprints on every single page. It’s like looking at a “Where’s Waldo” book. When you glance at those cluttered and brightly colored pictures you are prone at first impulse to say, “I’ll never find Waldo in this mess.” But if you look close enough, there he is. So it is with Esther. If you just take a glance you may go away saying, “What does this have to do with God?” But look close enough and there He is!
In chapter one, King Xerxes, the Persian leader who saw himself as “the king of this great earth” is throwing a 7 day feast and the main activity taking place for these 7 days is drinking. It is an open bar with no last call. Xerxes is using this time to show off all that belongs to him. He wants everyone to see that he has the best of everything. At the end of the 7 days, Xerxes realizes that there is one thing that he has the best of in the land that he has not displayed as of yet and that was that he had the most beautiful wife. Her name is Vashti. It was most-likely a nickname because it meant “the best”. Without doubt, when it came to physical attractiveness, Xerxes would not be outdone by any other man when it came to a wife. It is safe to say that Vashti was “drop-dead gorgeous” and most likely there was no more beautiful young woman in the entire land.
So Xerxes sends for Vashti to come before him and the room full of men and she refuses. OUCH! She refuses to obey the most powerful man in the world at that time. She had to know that this would have dire consequences. Why would she put herself at such risk by disobeying the king? Well, let’s think about this. What was the state of the king and this room full of men? They were flat drunk. Do drunk men tend to be proper with beautiful women or improper? And according to Esther 1:11, what does Xerxes want Esther to wear? The royal crown. What else does he want her to wear? Actually, nothing else is mentioned in particular. I don’t think I am reading too much into the story when I say there is a very good chance that in order to display to these drunken comrades that his queen was more physically beautiful than any other woman in the land, that he wanted her to appear wearing only her royal crown. So what happens to Vashti? What in the world does this have to do with Esther? Where’s Waldo? Where’s God in this? Find out tomorrow!
Just above the center of the picture, to the left of the red & white candy-striped beach hut.
ReplyDeleteYou are too good, Mr Spade...just too good!
ReplyDeleteMy tax dollares are at work helping the lawyer find Waldo. Oh well!
ReplyDeleteYes, but Mr Spade, can you find the mischievious boy about to splash water on the bathing beauty (cough)? Hey, that boy looks a little like you.
ReplyDeleteNow, now Pastor Scott this is not something you should be looking for or thinking about.