- There is no word, God used. Much like in Ruth divine intervention isn’t mentioned explicitly. But nevertheless shows the divine leading and shaping.
- Deliverance of godly people via human action in contrast to Daniel
- Esther sleeps with an uncircumcised, even though he is a king, before marriage. This is sacrilege in Jewish culture. Mordecai doesn’t condemn it either. May be they were powerless. God acts through even the sacrilegious acts.
- Mordecai says, you were given this position ⇒ you didn’t get to be a queen because of your beauty or smartness but God provided it. All of that might be true too, yet it is also true that God provided that position.
- Mordecai gives a warning but also finishes with a positive encouragement.
- If Jews were all killed, those perpetrators will find Esther was a Jew and kill her. If Jews survive (without Esther’s intervention), Jews will abhor the queen. In either of the cases, she wouldn’t be spared.
- The Bible doesn’t condemn or condone sex before marriage. It just records. Story of Esther shows God can work through all of those situations.
- Daniel on the other hand declares he was a Jew and refuses to eat from the king’s table. God uses both.
- Ezra talks about spiritual restoration; Nehemiah talks about physical restoration; Esther talks abt protection. A nation needs all the three.
Chapters