We have come to the end of our Esther study and are left with many life lessons. What will you take with you? Will it be Esther’s courageous response in the face of peril, her fasting then donning the royal robes to appeal to the king, or her poise and wisdom in allowing the events to unfold over two banquets?
Or will it be Mordecai, not Esther, who will dwell in your memory? Without Mordecai’s guidance, Esther likely would not have made it to the throne. His influence moved beyond his own walls as he became a religious symbol for the Jewish nation, clothed in sackcloth and ashes and then later draped in the royal robes and wearing the king’s ring.
Or perhaps you will remember the king. His weakness, abdication of power, and his relying on the rules more than the relationship were often frustrating from our vantage point. He held the power of an empire but, in most cases, didn’t use his position for good. As in many biblical stories, though, we learned that God’s purposes are not limited to situations nor people. In the Book of Esther, the king’s weakness actually opened the door for Queen Esther and Mordecai to become the ones holding the dominion over the kingdom.
For me, many lessons will remain, but the incredible story of God’s redemption, not only of a person but of a chosen nation, stands out. Though the name of God is silent throughout the Book of Esther, His work is ever-present. The unlikely characters, perfect timing, and ultimate victory could only be orchestrated by God. What I found most interesting was that God chose not to remove the conflict but instead empowered His people through it. That is true redemption. It is the story not only of Esther but our redeemer, Jesus Christ.
God was there all along just as He is with you right now. May God and Esther be with you today and every step of your journey ahead.
“Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur—that is “the lot”—to crush and destroy them; but when Esther came before the king, he gave orders in writing that the wicked plot that he had devised against the Jews should come upon his own head….These days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every family, province, and city; and these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.” (Esther 9:24-28)