Queen Esther S Book Of Ancient Secrets

Nita and Suzanne were women on a mission. Already in their fifties, with one ended marriage and perhaps another hanging in the balance, they realized something needed to change—and soon. Relying upon their mothers' examples, they had brought the gifts to their marriages they thought would be cherished, gifts that honored family, security, trust, and loyalty. But these simply weren't enough to make a marriage strong, warm a lover's heart, or bring the fulfillment both partners desired. Something was still missing. But what? In their search for wisdom, they turned to the well-known story of Queen Esther, a woman who not only charmed a king, but, through her marriage, saved an entire nation. Join authors Annetta Kelley Franks and Suzanne Grooms Spears as they share seven ancient secrets Queen Esther, the queen of all Persia, employed in order to become a woman of strength, faith, and power. InQueen Esther's Book of Ancient Secrets: A Modern Woman's Field Guide to Discovery, unwrap the mystery and claim the gifts all women possess.

This rite-of-passage program for mothers to do with their daughters uses the Book of Esther as a springboard for topics like respect, self-worth, and confidence.

The Purim holiday celebrates the miraculous story of the Jews of Persia during the reign of Achashverosh (Xerxes I), over 2400 years ago. The Book of Esther, which is read on Purim, commemorates the events of the days during which Haman's plot to eliminate the Jews of Persia was met by the heroic deeds of Queen Esther.

This book situates the book of Esther in the intellectual history of Ancient Judaism and provides a new understanding of its purpose.

What if the way the book of Esther has been taught to us in church and retold to us in films, cartoons, and romance novels has missed the original point of the story? Far from being models of piety and devotion, Esther and Mordecai seem indifferent to the faith of their ancestors. How then did this story become part of the Bible and gain the broad acceptance that it has? If the church should not neglect the story, how should it be read? Esther and Her Elusive God calls Christians to avoid the common attempts to make Esther more palatable and theological, and to reclaim this secular story as Scripture. Readers will be encouraged to see in Esther a profound message of God's grace and faithfulness to his wayward people.

The book of Esther is a small gem embedded within the vast Old Testament Scriptures. It's easy to overlook because it doesn't present lofty doctrine or mysterious prophecies; in fact, it doesn't even mention God. It simply follows the experiences of two Jewish cousins, Esther and Mordecai, who lived during the time of Israel's exile following the Babylonian conquest of Judah and Jerusalem. In one sense, Esther's story was the story of all the Jewish exiles living under Persian rule. But in another sense, her story was unique and remarkable. Unforeseen events and circumstances saw her emerge from obscurity as a young Hebrew woman to become the queen of the mightiest empire the world had ever known. But behind Esther's good fortune stood the eternal purpose of Esther's God. In a way that is both mysterious and thrilling, the story reveals an ever-faithful God who accomplishes his unchanging will for the world, not in the whirlwind but the still, small voice; not with spectacular displays of power but with an unremarkable, and often undetected, hand. Adding its own unique voice to the scriptural chorus, the book of Esther reveals and exalts the unseen, silent, and seemingly absent God whose loving designs are enduring and undaunted; the God who, in every circumstance, is worthy of complete trust and devotion.

I'm called Esther-a Persian name, and yet I'm a Hebrew. Had I been able to do so, one of the questions I would have asked my mother and father when I grew older was, "Why did you give me this name?" But now, of course, I know why. The story of the orphaned Jewish girl who saves the Jewish nation from extinction is the stuff of fantasy and legend. Did such a person exist? Could an anonymous girl have been selected to be wife of the ancient Persian king of kings? "Esther, soldiers will soon be combing the cities and countryside to look for the most beautiful young virgins. They will take hundreds of young girls for the king's harem. Then the king's eunuchs and servants will spend many months preparing the women for their night with him." His words came faster and faster, wanting to get through this." The author of the award-winning I, Claudia and My Name is Saul ancient novels returns with the story of Esther. Wilder's skills at blending historical fact with vividly imagined, well-founded characters have become her trademark. The Reluctant Queen is guaranteed to captivate both her loyal fans and eager newcomers, right down to its last riveting page.

Although the book of Esther contains no direct references to God, his fingerprints can be found all over it. In God Behind the Scenes, Wayne K. Barkhuizen helps us trace the unseen hand of God throughout the Esther narrative, while pointing out how the book is still relevant today. As we walk through the book, we’ll see how God was indeed active in preserving the people through whom the Messiah, Jesus Christ, would one day come.