An Ancient Story (The Setting of Esther)

An ancient story...

Esther is a book which has a most unusual setting. It is the last of the "historical" books of the Old Testament. Meaning that while there are other books which were written after Esther (Such as many of the Minor Prophets), the events of Esther detail the most recent day to day events in the Old Testament. The events of Esther begin roughly 483 BC and continue through 473 BC (Remember that BC counts down, whereas AD counts up). You can view a detailed timeline with verses supporting the given dates by clicking here.  

Some notable parts of history that may float in your mind either from history classes or popular culture are as follows:

• Julius Caesar (Lived from 100-44 BC) - the one whom the title Caesar is named after. 
• The "Iron Age" lasted from roughly 1200-500 BC in the Ancient Near East.
• The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem was most likely between 2 BC to 4 AD. 
• The Roman Colosseum was built 70-80 AD. 
• The Romance of the Three Kingdoms (A masterpiece of Chinese History and Myth) recounts events from 169-280 AD.

Julius Caesar lived more than 300 years after Esther, Mordecai, Haman, King Xerxes and Vashti. The Iron Age was just coming to a close with the emergence of the Persia and the downfall of Babylon. The gap between Esther's life and the birth of Jesus was longer than the entire life of the United States. The Roman Colosseum's construction began 500 years after the final feast recorded in the book of Esther. Warriors of magnificent legend in China would battle along the Yellow River and at the battle of Red Cliffs more than 600 years after the events of Esther.  I hope this gives you a bit of a picture of just how OLD this story is. 

Why were the Israelites not in Israel?

Due to the sin of God's people for multiple generations, God allowed external empires to conquer his people and carry them into a period of captivity. Everything that the Old Testament people of God had thought made them great was stripped away. The Palace of Solomon was destroyed, the Temple of Solomon and the walls which the people had thought kept Jerusalem safe (It was truly the Lord all along who kept his people safe) were demolished. The false gods whom had crept in and become a part of the worship of the people were caught in the destruction as well. The high places (Often times places of higher elevation were used for pagan worship, I recommend you read this short piece by Adam Couturier for more details on the significance of these places of worship) had been established by God's people to worship foreign gods rather than destroyed per God's commands (Deuteronomy 12:2-5). God's people had repeatedly, for generations, disregarded, ignored, and utterly rejected God's Ways and God's Word. 

The quick summary is as follows: 

• God rescued his people from Egypt after a period of their enslavement (Exodus 1-2 & 12-13)
• God instructed his people on how to live in relationship with one another, and with God himself (See Exodus 14-40 and the entire books of Deuteronomy, Leviticus and Numbers)
• God's people rejected God's ways and God's Word so many times, that he allowed them to live in the wilderness for 40 years before entering into the land God had promised to their forefathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• God's people rejected God's strategy and tactics for conquering the promised land. The people live in a precarious state as victims of remaining enemies due to their rejection of God's strategy and tactics (See Joshua 7-24 and the entire book of Judges). 
• God established leaders for his people (Judges, Prophets, and Kings) while the people, time and time, again rejected God's Ways and God's Word (See 1 & 2 Samuel along with 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles) 
• Through a period known as the "exile" God removed some of his protection for his people and allowed them to suffer a military conquest which led to many captives taken to live in Babylon (2 Kings 25). 
• After a 70 years in exile, God uses foreign kings such as Cyrus, Artaxerxes, and Darius, to allow God's people to return to their homeland, govern themselves, rebuild their cities, and defenses. Perhaps the most tangible way we know God was at work in this, is that Cyrus, Artaxerxes, and Darius ALL FUNDED this return! When have 3 different political administrations ever seen fit to agree on anything, let alone fund something! 
• A little over 100 years after the first conquest of ancient Israel by Babylon the events of Esther take places.  

That's roughly 1,000 years of history and relationship between God, and his people in a few bullet points. This brings us to Esther. What does all this setting and history mean for our study of God's Word in Esther? A couple points are to be taken as we begin our study in the book:

1. Esther and Mordecai were Jews living in the capital city of Persia (Esther 2:5). They had not returned to the promised land, but were there in that foreign land. The God of the Bible is not geographically limited. It is not outside God's power to work his ways in far away places from the city gates of Jerusalem. God was at work using people who had returned to the land (See the books of Ezra and Nehemiah), and God was at work using people who remained in their new foreign residences. God uses his people wherever God delights to send his people. 

2. There is nothing noteworthy, special, or powerful about the people group to whom Esther and Mordecai belonged except that they were God's people. The challenges that arise in the book are not overcome through the political importance of the people. There is no human military might that provides a "Here comes the cavalry" moment to ride in and rescue Esther, Mordecai, and their people. There was no wealth that was available to Esther or Mordecai which could buy their way out of the challenges that arose. Everything about the deliverance of Esther, Mordecai, and their people would have to be something besides their political sway, their military might, and their financial means. 

3. The divine God delights to give gifts to people and have them use those gifts for the benefit of God's people. Esther is given a gift to win favor among everyone she is near. She wins favor in the house of the virgins (Esther 2:5-8), the attendants of the king, and later with the king himself (Esther 2:9-18). Cinderella wishes she had this kind of "rags to riches" sort of story. Esther was an orphan who came from a conquered people, and rose to be queen of the most mighty power on earth at the time. Yet without money or might, we see God has given people with an abundant fountain of gifts to be used in a great many ways. 

4. God does not forget his people. No matter how wealthy, or how poor, powerful or destitute, the Lord remembers his people. God does not leave his people, forsake his promises, or allow his people to suffer without great purpose. God is longsuffering, patient, gracious, generous, and kind. The God who could have simply ignored the cries of slaves in Egypt, instead turned his ear to listen. God's ancient promises are not mitigated by time, history, power, money, or politics. God's Word is powerful and God works his Ways through his people throughout all generations. 

I'm stoked for more of what God will teach me from Esther!