Ester 1
John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
Ester 1
MacArthur explains that "What you have in Esther is not a whole lot of miracles. There is nothing like the Red Sea opening up and them walking across, or the walls of Jericho fall down, you don t have any of that. You just have all kinds of interwoven circumstances as God works His will. He can do it through miracle or through providence. I do believe in miracles, but I believe in miracles in terms of Scripture. Today, I believe in the providence of God. I believe we are living in the day when God is doing things through His providence. I don't see great, sweeping, supernatural invasions, but I see God's providence accomplishing His will. Sidlow Baxter adds that "if the story had specifically explained, in so many words, that it was God who was bringing about all those happenings which are recorded, the dramatic force and moral impact of the story would have been reduced; for above all, we are meant to see, in the natural outworking of events, how without violating human free will, and without interrupting the ordinary ongoing of human affairs, a hidden Power unsuspectedly but infallibly controls all things. Esther and the God of Providence In the courts of Persia, a queen did rise, With courage veiled beneath gentle guise. Her name was Esther, chosen by grace, To stand in the gap for her people’s place. The God of Providence, silent yet near, Worked unseen, through each doubt and fear. Behind the throne, His hand did weave, A story of rescue for those who believe. Haman’s schemes, though dark and dire, Kindled no match for Heaven’s fire. For Mordecai’s wisdom and Esther’s plea Would turn the tide, set captives free. "Who knows?" she said, with a trembling heart, "If I was called to this royal part?" In fasting and prayer, she sought the King, Trusting the Lord in everything. The banquet she laid, with truth revealed, Brought justice swift, the plot unsealed. The gallows raised for the innocent man Became the downfall of Haman’s plan. Oh, Esther, queen of quiet might, You walked by faith, not by sight. Through you, God’s love was clearly shown, A covenant kept, His people His own. The God of Providence, faithful still, Leads His children through each hill. In times of silence, His plans remain, Turning trials to triumph, loss to gain. So let us remember, in darkened hour, God’s unseen hand, His guiding power. For like Esther, called to stand and prove, We too are held by His love’s great move. Michael G. Wechsler - wrote an interesting article Shadow and Fulfillment in the Book of Esther (Bibliotheca Sacra - 154:615, July 1997) and has the following chart in The Moody Bible Commentary. SHADOW SUBSTANCE Esther was prepared as the mediator of deliverance before the need for it (i.e., before Haman’s promotion and ensuing decree) had arisen (Est 2:17-18). Jesus was prepared as the mediator of salvation before the need for it (i.e., before man’s creation and ensuing sin) had arisen (Rev 13:8). Esther’s three-day period of fasting began during the daylight hours of Nisan 14, the first day of Passover (Est 3:12). Jesus’ three-day period of physical death, initiated on the cross, is identified in Scripture as the period of His “humiliation” or “affliction” (Php 2:8). Fasting in general—and thus Esther’s fast—is identified in Scripture with “humiliation” or “affliction,” and since mourning was involved, the fast may also be viewed as representing a temporary “state of death” (Lv 23:27-29). Jesus’ three-day period of physical death, initiated on the cross, is identified in Scripture as the period of His “humiliation” or “affliction” (Php 2:8). Esther’s period of “affliction” ended on the third day, Nisan 16 (Est 5:1). Jesus’ period of “affliction” ended on the third day, Nisan 16 (Ac 10:40; 1Co 15:4). At the end of her fast (i.e., after “arising” from her symbolic state of death), but before presenting herself before the king, Esther was clothed in royalty (Est 5:1; LXX: “glory”). At the end of His three-day period of death, but before presenting Himself before God the Father in heaven, Jesus was resurrected in royal “glory” (1Co 15:20, 43). On the basis of her fast, Esther entered the king’s presence in “the inner court of the king’s palace” and was accepted into his presence with favor (Est 4:16; 5:2). On the basis of His atoning self-sacrifice, Jesus entered the Father’s presence in the true holy of holies in heaven and was accepted into His presence to sit “at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 2:9-10, 14; 9:12, 24; 10:12; 12:2). The result of Esther’s acceptance by the king was the salvation of her people Israel, with the further result that many among the Gentiles turned in faith to the true God and became one with the people of God (Est 8:17). The result of Jesus’ acceptance by the Father was the salvation of His people Israel (“the lost sheep of the house of Israel”; Mt 15:24), with the further result that many among the Gentiles turned (and are turning) in faith to the true God to become one with the people of God (Rom 2:28-29; Eph 2:14-15; Col 2:11; Ac 2:10-11; 11:18; Gal 3:8). God is able to use ordinary events to produce extraordinary results! Now it took place in the days of - Barry Davis notes that "The Hebrew begins with wayhî bîmê (and it came to pass in the days of) (The other four occurrences are in Ge 14:1; Ruth 1:1; Isa. 7:1; and Jer. 1:3)—words which, without exception, in all five occurrences in Scripture, introduce impending catastrophe or doom. Yet, on all five occasions the ending to each story is happy, but before that happy ending is realized, much grief occurs. The grief of the Book of Esther is not only that the people of Israel are in captivity but also that they are at the brink of extinction at the hands of their captors (Esther 3:1–15). (Ruth & Esther: God Behind the Seen) Comment: I love Davis' title "God Behind the Seen!" The Ahasuerus who reigned - NET says "I am referring to that Ahasuerus who used to rule over… ". The NIV substitutes Xerxes for Ahasuerus. He is one of 5 main characters in the book of Esther through which God (always the "main Character") works invisibly to carry out His will - King Ahasuerus, Queen Vashti, Mordecai, Esther and Haman. Ahasuerus - He appears either by name or in a reference in every chapter of Esther except chapter four. The name Ahasuerus is the Hebrew form (Hebrew transliteration) of the Persian name "Khshayarsha," also thought by most scholars to be Xerxes I, his Greek name. He reigned as king over Persia 486-464 BC. Ahaseurus' father was Darius the Great, or his grandfather, Cyrus the Great. Davis adds that "This was the king who, because a storm destroyed a bridge that he had commanded be built across the Hellespont (Dardanelles), ordered that three hundred lashes be given to the Hellespont and that the heads of the bridge-building engineers be cut off." (Ibid) Reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces - King Ahasuerus was clearly a potent potentate, the most powerful ruler of his day! Just as the prophetic interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar had predicted, the mighty Kingdom of Babylon would be followed by the Kingdom of Medo-Persia and the Persians would be the dominant member. Indeed, Ahasuerus' kingdom was considerably larger than that of Nebuchadnezzar. This king clearly had everything the world had to offer but he did not have God, the greatest prize any human can obtain. Indeed, when one has God, he is far richer than all the kings of all the nations combined! How often we forget how rich we really are when we as believers have Christ "in Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Col 2:3). India - Literally "Cush" which was the name of a son of Ham and then of a nation situated south of Egypt with differing boundaries at different periods of history. The Hebrew word Cush has been traditionally translated Ethiopia, following the Septuagint, or earliest Greek translation, but Cush was not identical with Ethiopia as presently known. Matthew
Ester 1
MacArthur notes that…After Babylon fell to Medo-Persia (ca. 539 b.c.), Jews were moved to other parts of the new kingdom. (MacArthur Study Bible) Comment: As discussed below Mordecai's presence in Susa was not an accident. Mordecai - One of the leading characters of this drama.