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Is God mentioned in the Book of Esther?
Why is God's name not mentioned in Esther?
What makes the Book of Esther unique?
Was god absent in Esther?
Jan 4, 2022 · Answer. The book of Esther is unique in several ways. One distinguishing characteristic is that it’s the only biblical book that does not mention God by name. This fact has caused some to question its place in the biblical canon, but, in reality, the absence of God’s name fits perfectly with the theme of the book.
Nov 5, 2020 · Nathan W. Bingham & Benjamin Shaw. 00:00. /. 00:00. As you read through the book of Esther, you may notice something surprising: God is never directly mentioned in this book of the Bible. Today, Benjamin Shaw offers insights on what we can learn from this unexpected reality.
Oct 13, 2016 · God Reveals Himself to All. The book of Esther serves as a reminder that we do not need to see God or read His name to know that He is there for He is “not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27). God is near to all people, even when they do not acknowledge Him.
- Proposed Explanations For The Book of Esther
- Examples of Providence in The Book of Esther
- The Application of The Book of Esther
- Final Thoughts
“Esther Is a Profane Book”
Some view the book of Esther as morally bankrupt. According to Old Testament commentator Lewis Bayles Paton, the book is too profane for God to be in it. According to Paton’s view, the king in the book, Xerxes, was a sensual oppressor and Esther is a manipulator who used her beauty to advance herself, Mordecai was insolent in refusing to bow to Haman, and the whole book was merely about vengeance. Paton writes, “There is not one noble character in this book . . . Morally Est. falls far below...
“Esther Is a Book of Propaganda”
Some view the scroll of Esther as merely nationalistic propaganda. One author, Arthur Waskow, dates the book in the Hellenistic period (in between the Old and New Testaments), long after the alleged events of the book. According to Waskow, Esther was intended as a fictional explanation of the Jewish holiday of Purim. He interprets the book as an illustrative tale of national defense and struggle against Hellenism. In his view, “God forbid that God should appear in such a story!” But no eviden...
“Esther Is a Book of Parables”
Still others view the book of Esther as a parable, or rather typology, in which God is hidden in the book through the various characters. Bible expositor Ray Stedman takes this approach. Although he accepts the historicity of the book, he sees it as a parable or allegory of the spiritual life. In this view, Mordecai represents the Holy Spirit, the king represents the believer’s flesh, Esther represents the redeemed believer, and Haman represents Satan. While it may be intriguing, this allegor...
God’s providence is evident throughout the book of Esther. I’ll give you a few examples, but I would encourage you to read it for yourself and you’ll find many more: 1. Esther “just happens” to find favor with the royal official in charge of the beauty contest (2:9). 2. Mordechai “just happens” to overhear the plot against the king (2:21–22). 3. Th...
God’s Providential Care for the Jewish People
What does Esther’s story have to do with today? First of all, we can be assured that God is providentially active in preserving and protecting the Jewish people. God promised in the book of Jeremiah: This is what the Lord says: he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the Lord Almighty is his name: “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the Lord, “will Israel ever cease being a nation...
God’s Providential Care for Followers of Jesus
We can also be certain that God is providentially caring for every individual follower of the Lord Jesus. God is not just concerned with nations—He cares for individual people. If God’s eye is on every sparrow that may fall, He will also care for us (Matt. 10:29). The Bible states that He numbers the hairs on our heads and nothing takes Him by surprise (Matt. 10:30–31). When bad things happen to us, we may mistakenly assume that God has somehow overlooked or ignored us. Nothing could be furth...
God’s Providential Plan in Sending the Messiah Jesus
Finally, God was acting with providence when He sent the Messiah Jesus. God promised to bless the whole world through the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Gen. 12:1–3; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14). Had Haman succeeded in destroying the Jewish people, the Messiah Jesus would not have been born. But God preserved His chosen people so the Messiah Jesus could come as promised. Not only was God active in physically delivering His people, but He also sent the Lord Jesus to die and be raised again and to d...
God is not excluded from the scroll of Esther because He was too embarrassed to be there. Nor was the book a piece of unhistorical propaganda. God is not hidden as an allegory in the book of Esther. Rather, His seeming absence was a deliberate literary strategy to remind us that even when we do not acknowledge or remember God, He is active in carin...
Mar 13, 2024 · Borrowed Light. Published March 13, 2024. I believe that every passage in Scripture ultimately points to Christ. There are some places where a connection to the gospel is obvious. Others are more difficult. Esther is a book where the name of God isn’t even mentioned. It’s set about 100 years after the Babylonian exile in the land of Persia.
Esther is the only book in the Bible not to mention the name of God. But that is not to say that God was absent. His presence permeates much of the story, as though He were behind the scenes coordinating “coincidences” and circumstances to make His will happen.
Mar 6, 2024 · The book of Esther doesn’t directly mention God’s name. In fact, the story is rather void of religion and piety altogether. The main characters don’t seem to be devout and faithful Jews that are overly concerned with keeping God’s covenant. What can we learn about God and His ways in such a book?