Building Bridges to God and Helping People Across
"It's urgent that you listen carefully to this: Anyone here who believes what I am saying right now and aligns himself with the Father, who has in fact put me in charge, has at this very moment the real, lasting life and is no longer condemned to be an outsider. This person has taken a giant step from the world of the dead to the world of the living. -- John 5:24 (The Message)
Esther Sermon Series
The Book of Esther
The Book of Esther is the only book that doesn't mention God. It is a story that takes place with the Jews in Persian exile. The Persians are living a life of extreme excess. The country is able to throw a 6 month party without any problem!
The story soon revolves around young Esther and the odd way she came to be in a position to save thousands of people from death. But she had to take a life threatening risk.
The Book of Esther is the only book that doesn't mention God. It is a story that takes place with the Jews in Persian exile. The Persians are living a life of extreme excess. The country is able to throw a 6 month party without any problem!
The story soon revolves around young Esther and the odd way she came to be in a position to save thousands of people from death. But she had to take a life threatening risk.
While I firmly believe Esther is historical, the key to Esther is how the story is written. Therefore debates about it being historical do not matter.
Esther -- Interpretation -- By Carol Bechtel - This is a good commentary for getting the major themes and basic elements for each chapter.
Esther -- By Charles Swindoll -- Swindoll is one of the most respected preachers of our time, but when he refers to the gathering of the beautiful virgins for the King to pick a new queen as a beauty pageant, I quit reading. The gathering of virgins for the King to try out one by one is nothing like a beauty pageant, and to say so is to weaken the message of Esther tremendously.
