Esther: The Shadows of Providence
The Book of Esther Session 3
Esther Becomes Queen Part 1
(Esther 2:1-11)
“Esther, as compared to the rest of the Old Testament, is like falling from heaven to earth.” – Heinrich
Ewald

Introduction
Esther is an obscure book to many. It is a story of human love, palace intrigue, and the glory days of the
Persian Empire. A Jewish maiden, elevated to the Throne of Persia as queen, is used by God to preserve
His people against a Hitler-like annihilation… The Book of Esther commemorates the deliverance
celebrated, to this day—the Feast of Purim. It is, in the end, an account of God’s providence in the people
of Israel.
Puzzles
• No mention of the name of God;
• No reference to worship or faith;
• No prediction of the Messiah;
• No mention of heaven or hell…nothing “religious” about it.
• It is a gripping tale, but why is it here in the Bible? Is it a revelation of God’s providence? Martin Luther
believed it should not be part of the Canon!
• Esther = means “Something Hidden”(!)
• [The name of YHWH is hidden inside the text in several ways…]
Paul reveals that the historic incidents that happened to Israel are intended as types for us:
Romans 15:4 (NKJV), “For whatever things were written before were written
for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures
might have hope.”
Examples include:
– Feasts of Israel = prophetic implications (Passover, Firstfruits, etc.);
– Days of Noah;
– Abraham’s Offering of Isaac;
– Jonah, three days…
The story behind the story: Ourselves.
Bible = To know God; to know ourselves!
Time Period
Chronologically, it antedates the Book of Nehemiah by about 30 years. Esther makes possible Nehemiah.
It was Esther’s marriage to the King of Persia that ultimately leads to the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

These are historical events: not just a story to highlight a moral imperative. It deals with an escape from
annihilation after their return from Babylonian captivity and enables the chain of events that led to the
Messiah five centuries later.
The book takes place in the Persian period (539-331 b.c.), after many Israelites had returned from the
Exile to the land of Palestine to rebuild the temple. Most Israelite captives, however, chose not to return to
their homeland. They should have done so for Isaiah and Jeremiah had urged the yet-to-be-exiled nation
to come out of Babylon after 70 years (Isa 48:20; Jer 29:10 50:8; 51:6) and return to the place where the
Lord could bless them under the promises (Deut 28).

The events in the Book of Esther extend over a decade:
- From 483 b.c., Xerxes’ 3 rd year; Esther 1:3
- to 473 b.c., the end of Xerxes’ 12th year; Esther 3:7
The events in this book occurred between those recorded in Ezra 6 & 7.

Festival of Purim
We are going to learn about the origins of the festival of Purim. Purim is a celebration of deliverance. In
contrast to Hanukkah, another festival of deliverance in which the achievement of religious liberty is
celebrated, and the preservation of Israel is remembered. Purim commemorates the preservation of the
Jewish people.
Outline
I. Affairs in the court and the Dethronement of Vashti - Chapter 1
II. The search for the new Queen - Chapter 2
III. The feud between Haman and Mordecai - Chapter 3
IV. Mordecai’s plan - Chapter 4
V. Pride goes before the fall - Chapter 5
VI. Haman’s humiliation - Chapter 6
VII. Haman’s downfall - Chapter 7
VIII. Esther’s petition - Chapter 8
IX. The day of vengeance - Chapter 9
X. The observance of Purim - Chapter 10

READ (All) Esther 2:1-11

ESTHER IS CHOSEN QUEEN
1) (Esther 2:1-4) A search is made for a replacement for Queen Vashti.

[1] After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus subsided, he
remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what had been decreed against
her.

a) After these things: This is a major marker that there is a significant change coming (John 3 & 7;
Revelation 4). Esther 1:3 & 2:16 indicates that there has been four years that have transpired. In
that time King Ahasuerus made the 2.6 million army march to Greece where he was defeated.
Perhaps for distraction he turned his attention to sensual diversions.
i) What is the problem with distracting ourselves with unhealthy behaviors?
(Sensual, Addictive Agents, etc.)
b) There is an element of political intrigue here where the men involved with removing Vashti as
queen would not want her reinstated as queen because she may choose to extract some kind of
ultimate vengeance for their part in her disgrace.

[2-3] Then the king’s servants who attended him said: “Let beautiful young
virgins be sought for the king; and let the king appoint officers in all the
provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to
Shushan the citadel, into the women’s quarters, under the custody of Hegai the
king’s eunuch, custodian of the women. And let beauty preparations be given
them.

c) Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king: This was a sort of “Miss Persian Empire”
contest where the winner would become the queen in the place of Vashti. Can you see how
Hollywood has stolen some of there princess stories from this 2,500-year-old account.
i) Are there any problems with people today thinking that the “prince charming” and
“beautiful princess” story is something to aspire to be part of their relationship
search?

[4] Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of
Vashti.” This thing pleased the king, and he did so.

d) Then let the young woman who please the king be queen instead of Vashti: They don’t
want her reinstated because they feared that she would turn against them.
i) What kind of response can Christians have when we are betrayed or cheated or
treated unfairly?
e) This thing pleased the king, and he did so: Josephus, a Jewish historian, recorded that there
was a total of 400 women selected.

2) (Esther 2:5-7) Esther and her family.
[5] In Shushan the citadel there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai
the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite.

a) There was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai: Mordecai means “little man.” But he
would gain giant stature in the history of God’s people. He is the older cousin of Esther. He came
to Persia in one of the waves of relocation that the Babylonians imposed on Judah when they
conquered the land.
i) Is it important to you to be famous? Why or why not?

[6-7] Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had
been captured with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of
Babylon had carried away. And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is,
Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young
woman was lovely and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai
took her as his own daughter.

b) And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: Esther
(whose Jewish name Hadassah means “Myrtle”; the Persian name Esther means “star” associated
with Ishtar) was raised by her cousin Mordecai since the death of her father and mother.
i) They were part of the large Jewish community that was forced to relocate out of Judah and
didn’t decide to return with Ezra. In the day of Mordecai and Esther, the land of Judah was
regarded as a wild and backward place.

c) The young woman was lovely and beautiful: The Hebrew for lovely and beautiful is literally,
“beautiful in form and lovely to look at.” This is not an exaggeration.
Proverbs 31:30 (NKJV), “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman
who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.”

i) Why is the “fear of the LORD” the first quality we should look for in another
person?

3) (Esther 2:8) Esther is taken into the king’s harem.

[8] So it was, when the king’s command and decree were heard, and when
many young women were gathered at Shushan the citadel, under the custody of
Hegai, that Esther also was taken to the king’s palace, into the care of Hegai the
custodian of the women.
a) That Esther also was taken to the king’s palace: According to Josephus and tradition,
Mordecai was determined to hide Esther, but this was impossible because her beauty was so well
known.
i) It seems that Esther didn’t really have a choice about this.

Esther in the courts of the king.
4) (Esther 2:9) Esther’s favored treatment in the palace.

[9] Now the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor; so he
readily gave beauty preparations to her, besides her allowance. Then seven
choice maidservants were provided for her from the king’s palace, and he
moved her and her maidservants to the best place in the house of the women.

a) Now the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor: Hegai, the man of
authority over her, favored her. We begin to see God working behind the scenes as He controls the
situation.
Proverbs 3:3-4 (NKJV), “Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around
your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high
esteem in the sight of God and man.”
i) How can we learn to trust that God is working even when we can see Him doing
so?

b) He readily gave beauty preparations to her, besides her allowance: Because of this favor,
Hegai gave Esther special beauty preparations, beyond her allowance.

5) (Esther 2:10-11) Esther conceals her Jewish identity.

[10] Esther had not revealed her people or family, for Mordecai had charged her
not to reveal it.

a) Esther had not revealed her people or family: Per Mordecai’s instructions, Esther didn’t reveal
that she was a Jew.
i) In general, it is not good to hide the fact that you are a Christian. Too many “secret agent”
Christians conceal who they are in the Lord.
ii) We have a warning from Jesus.
Matthew 10:32-33 (NKJV), “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I
will confess before My Father in who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me
before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”
iii) Don’t live a life of denial and then expect God to recognize you.
iv) Why do Christians hide their faith from people?

b) For Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it: This was a situation that called for
concealment for the sake of Esther’s wellbeing. Apparently, this is what Mordecai sensed was right
to do in this circumstance, and Esther agreed.
[11] And every day Mordecai paced in front of the court of the women’s
quarters, to learn of Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her.

c) Every day Mordecai paced in front of the court of the women’s quarters, to learn of
Esther’s welfare: Mordecai loves Esther, and he is concerned for her. So, he tracks her progress
day by day, but more importantly, so did the Lord.
Matthew 10:27-31 (NKJV), “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light;
and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those
who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to
destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?
And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the
very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more
value than many sparrows.”

i)
ii) How do you feel about God
keeping His loving eye on you as
you go through your day?