Summary
Esther recounts how a Jewish woman becomes queen of Persia and, with her cousin Mordecai, thwarts a genocidal plot against the Jewish people. Though God is never mentioned by name, his providential hand is evident throughout the narrative, preserving the line through which the Messiah would come.
Outline
- Esther Becomes Queen (1–2)
- Haman's Plot Against the Jews (3–4)
- Esther's Courageous Intervention (5–7)
- The Jews' Deliverance and Purim (8–10)
Key Verses
"And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?"
"In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating."
"As the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration."
Christ in Esther
Esther risking her life for her people as Christ gave his life; Mordecai's exaltation after suffering paralleling Christ's death and resurrection