The book of Esther is seldom quoted from our platforms. It is read following the course of the Bible Companion once each year, and quite possibly it soon slips from our minds, should it be the subject of a Bible Class study. So often is it thought of as a book of the past that it may well be enquired as to why it has found a place in the canon of Scripture; but it is undoubtedly a part of the Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto salvation. Would it not be as well, therefore, to take a close look at it again? Doubtless we shall find much to strengthen faith, and guidance in our own walk to the Kingdom of God in these days of evil.
This book has not escaped the eye and pen of the critic, it often being pointed out that the Name of God is not once mentioned; but is this not for a very good reason? In the early 1930’s brethren often alluded to it, showing that, although Hitler and the German nation were making great efforts to settle for all time the Jewish question by their extermination, yet the Jew would survive, and their enemies perish. Some six million of their race died under this cruel and heartless regime, yet we have seen the hand of God working through them in a most obvious and remarkable way; today they are a nation in their own right, while Hitler, together with the Nazi regime, has disappeared. The fact that even today the Jews observe the feast of Purim confirms the historic reality of the account of Esther.
There are four main characters in the record: Ahasuerus, Haman, Esther and Mordecai. We have the background of three of them clearly shown to us in the Scripture. And as regards the national scene God through Malachi declares,
“Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste (1:2,3).
Haman the Agagite
Back then to Gen.36:12: “And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau’s son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek.” Here we see the commencement of the nation known as the Amalekites. The meaning of ‘Amalek’ according to Dr. Young is ‘Fierce or warlike’. Alexander Cruden gives us ‘A people that licks up’, or ‘a people that takes away all’. Pursuing the history of this people, we glance at Ex.17:8: “Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim”; and v.14: “I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven “, because (v.16) “the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
Here are plain declarations from God, and He acted through His people Israel. Later Saul was directed by God to “utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass”- and the reason? “I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt” (1 Sam 15:2-3). How true to his name, ‘Warlike’! We are familiar with what happened. Not only did the Amalekites escape, but quite possibly some of the seed of Agag could have been left also, for it was but a short time after this that we read of them again: “The Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag” (1 Sam. 30:1), so they were still a nation, and warlike at that Other than a passing reference to them in 1 Chron.4:43 the Word is silent in relation to them; nevertheless, Haman being an Agagite shows that not only were they still in existence, but so was their royal line. The name Agag was most possibly a title only, and not a ruler’s actual name.
Mordecai and Esther
Turning now to Mordecai and Esther, we need not go into their background, since the history of Israel is so well known to us; but we are told in Esth.2:5 that they were Benjamites. It would appear that they were both born in exile, for if Mordecai had been carried away from Judah with king Jechoniah he would by now be well over 80 years old. The record does not present them as being particularly God-fearing people; rather does it imply an intensely nationalistic spirit – hence the bitter antagonism between Mordecai and Haman.
This is reflected in the attitude of Haman in Esth.3:6: “He thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had chewed him the people of Mordecai.” Here we have the reason for this intense hatred, not one-sided, but in both of these characters; not entirely personal, but national feeling and pride entered into it. We might pause a moment here to gather a very valuable lesson for ourselves. Saul ignored the direct command of God, and after these long years its repercussions were felt. In the same way we, too, can ignore God’s commands, can gloss over our responsibilities, personal or ecclesial; but the reaction is sure to come sooner ox’ later. Let us in these difficult days be warned.
We would now like to turn our attention to Ps.83. This has been for some years regarded by us as a prophetic Psalm, and in it Amalek is again brought before us (together with other nations) ; so if these other peoples are to be taken as proper descendants of the ancient nations, on what grounds do we exclude Amalek? Does this not indicate that the book of Esther also has a prophetic meaning?
In many ways this record is a parallel of our own times. The Jews in the time of Esther and Mordecai had had a long captivity, but under the rule of Persia they were now able to return to their own homeland. This is the case today, on a much wider scale. This captivity has been of far longer duration, and has taken them into all nations; but in the last 40 or 50 years the way has been opened for their return, and in 1948 they established themselves as a nation. This is the most outstanding sign since the ascension of Jesus to the heavens.
Further, Esther and Mordecai had certainly not observed the law of God through Moses, in sharp contrast to the attitude of both Ezra and Nehemiah, in contracting marriage with an alien. It was not a case of Esther being commanded to undertake this by the heathen monarch; it was by the express desire of Mordecai. This could be the reason why the Name of God is omitted, and indicates the Jewish way of thinking in the time of the regathering. Many years ago Dr. Thomas placed it on record that “the Jew would return in unbelief, to establish their own commonwealth.” This we have seen to be completely vindicated; they have gone back largely in this frame of mind; the hand of God is still not recognized by them. But like our two characters they have displayed tremendous courage and an intense nationalistic spirit, while at the same time leaving God out of account.
Ahasuerus
Now to King Ahasuerus. Here we are presented with a ruler who is extremely fickle, with very little guiding principles, following solely his own lusts and desires, having little concern either for nation or individual, freely bestowing favours and just as quickly removing them. Does this not give a portrait of our own modern world? Has it not been the case over the past few decades that principles (both among governments and individuals) have been declining, until now they appear to be almost at vanishing point?
As Esther and Mordecai tried to win the king’s favour, so the Jewish people of our time have endeavoured to court the world in order to take an honourable place among the nations and to attain their desired ends.
God’s Work with Israel
Haman the Agagite, the Amalekite, is still taking his place in the Arab nations, and with them is still active, with the same warlike intentions. They still show the same proud and haughty spirit; they, indeed, are just as resolute as Israel. We have only to think of the oil crisis – their aims are obvious, and at the present time an attempt is being made to hold a balance between them and Israel; but it will not last; the end must come, just as the book of Esther shows.
Esther and Mordecai considered the future secure – had Esther not received the crown? But although this had been achieved, it still did not bring security, and the time came when both went in fear of their lives. How like Israel today! But God had a purpose with them, and although they apparently had disregarded God, He had not turned from them, and His purpose was continued through them – the salvation of His people.
Do we not see in our day the hand of the Almighty working in and through the nation of Israel, and His purpose was effected through Esther and Mordecai in that far off day? The prophetic aspect is surely plain for us to see, as in Esther 8:17: “And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.” Then will the words of Balaam find their complete fulfillment: “Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter shall be that he perish forever” (Num.24:20). Haman’s extinction, with that of his family, surely foreshadows this.
Would it not appear that we still have a lot to learn from this book of Esther, and can it not be numbered in the catalogue of the prophetic books of the Scriptures?
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One