The Message Of Esther

The book of Esther tells the dramatic story of how the destruction of the Jews was averted through the bravery of Esther, the wisdom of Mordecai, and the unity of the Jewish people. Yet Esther is a rather strange book to find in the Bible. Not only is it set entirely outside of the Promised Land, it also shows no interest in that land. More than that, Esther is the only book in the Bible that definitely does not mention God, and it avoids any obviously religious language. Nevertheless, Esther does have a developed theology. In this BST volume, David Firth explores this paradoxically important book and its implications for our own context, where the reality of God's presence is experienced against a backdrop of God's relative anonymity and seeming absence. Using brilliant satire and subtle scriptural allusions, the book of Esther offers us a model for dealing with a world where Christians are frequently a minority voice. It calls us to courageously engage society and be at the forefront of standing for justice, all while trusting in the God who is always at work. Part of the beloved Bible Speaks Today series, The Message of Esther offers an insightful, readable exposition of the biblical text and thought-provoking discussion of how its meaning relates to contemporary life. Used by students and teachers around the world, The Bible Speaks Today commentaries are ideal for those studying or preaching the Bible and anyone who wants to delve deeper into the text. This edition features lightly updated language and a new interior design.

Everyone loves a transformation story. Rags to riches. Plain to beautiful. Weak to strong. Esther's story is that, but it is much more. It is a thought-provoking study of God's invisible hand writing silently and unseen across the pages of human history. Perhaps most of all, Esther's story is the account of godly attributes like courage, dignity, wisdom, and strength?attributes that blocked an evil plot, overthrew an arrogant killer, and replaced terror with joy in thousands of Jewish homes. Author Chuck Swindoll interweaves the ancient, real-life story with insight not only into the virtues of Queen Esther, but also into how the qualities that formed and empowered her can be ours. Esther is the second volume of Charles Swindoll's best-selling series, which examines great lives from God's Word and reveals the strengths and weaknesses that make God's men and women both great . . . and human. Many of the most beloved biblical heroes were ordinary folks. Shepherds. Fishermen. Servants. Widows. Even harlots and petty thieves. One by one, they changed the course of history. Swindoll explains that these men and women did not become great in their own strength but were empowered by God when they surrendered their lives to Him. To live such a life that God considers great is within the reach of everyone who submits to Him.

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.

Widely praised as a seminal contribution to the study of the Old Testament when it first appeared, Michael V. Fox's Character and Ideology in the Book of Esther is now available in a second edition, complete with an up-to-date critical review of recent Esther scholarship. Fox's commentary, based on his own translation of the Hebrew text, captures the meaning and artistry of Esther's inspiring story. After laying out the background information essential for properly reading Esther, Fox offers commentary on the text that clearly unpacks its message and relevance. Fox also looks in depth at each character in the story of Esther, showing how they were carefully shaped by the book's author to teach readers a new view of how to live as Jews in foreign lands.

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.

Charles Swindoll's practical study of the books of Matthew through 1 Thessalonians is part of God's Masterwork, a five-volume overview of the Bible that lays a foundation for a lifetime of personal Bible study and application.

The Esther Anointing gives you the keys to Esther's success, including the qualities that make women great, the power of influence, and the key to finding God's favor for your assignment.