God’s care and guidance for his people are manifested through the life of Esther. The life and all the miraculous works that God had done by the life of Esther can be known from the book of Esther.
The story of Esther began in the land of Persia where King Ahasuerus was ruling the kingdom. To understand the life of Esther we need to know the background as well. Esther was a Jew who lost her parents while she was a baby. She was the daughter of Abihail (Esther 2:15).
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon carried the Jews as captives in his reign and from that period of time, a large number of Jews settled in the land of Persia where a small group of Jews had come to their homeland under the leadership of Zerubbabel.
Esther played an important role to save the Jews from the plan of wicked Haman who tried to annihilate the entire Jews who dwelt in Persia. Throughout the book of Esther, the name of God is not mentioned but his redeeming work can be seen through the life of Esther.
Esther Was Raised By Mordecai
Esther was parentless, so Mordecai raised her as her own daughter. It is easy to know that Esther had suffered a lot as she spent her early days without her parents’ love and care. Mordecai worked as a king’s gatekeeper during those days.
Mordecai asked Esther to hide her real identity before the king because she also was a Jew. Mordecai knew that the people of Persia had a different culture from the children of Israel. Since her childhood, Esther trusted the Lord as her savior who can deliver her from all evil.
Esther Became Queen Over Shushan
When King Ahasuerus was on the throne in Shushan, he gave a banquet to celebrate the riches of his glorious kingdom to his people. Queen Vashti also held a feast for the women in the palace.
Due to the drunkenness, King Ahasuerus ordered his people to bring Queen Vashti as he desired to show her beauty before the attended public. But Vashti refused to act according to the intention of the King and this incident made the king furious.
Queen Vashti was deposed from her place due to the refusal of the king’s order. The place of Queen Vashti was vacant, so a young woman was required to be the queen of King Ahasuerus.
Esther was selected as the queen as she found grace and won the heart of the king. Mordecai was behind the scenery who worked hard to reach Esther at the position of the queen (Esther 2:17-18).
Esther Gave Her Effort To Aid Mordecai
Later on, King Ahasuerus Advanced Haman in his position. But he prepared a plan to destroy all the Jews along with Mordecai who refused to bow before him. Because of Mordecai’s refusal to pay him homage Haman made such a plot. He was successful in impressing the king concerning his plan and was able to issue the decree from the king which allowed his plan to be effective.
All these were unknown to Esther but when she saw Mordecai in the midst of the city with sackcloth, and lamented, immediately she sent her servants with some clothes so that Mordecai could wear them but he did not accept those clothes(Esther 4:4-6).
Esther was disappointed and she sent her personal servant Hathach to know the reason behind Mordecai’s behavior. Mordecai told Hathach that Haman planned to kill all the Jews and he also gave a copy of the document of the decree. Esther came to know all the events from her personal servant Hathach. Mordecai also asked her help so that the King could leave all the Jews from his decree (Esther 4:7-9).
Esther’s Three days Prayer For The Deliverance Of Her People
Esther replied that none can enter into the king’s inner court until the king holds out the golden scepter otherwise that person will receive the death sentence. Even the king also did not meet her for the last thirty days. So, it would be impossible for her to stand before the King (Esther 4:10-12).
But Mordecai reminded her that even she would not be able to save her life when everyone would know her real identity. Moreover, she might be placed in the palace because of this reason to save her people from the upcoming annihilation of the Jews (Esther 4:13-14).
At last, Esther agreed with the proposal of Mordecai and she asked Mordecai to gather all the Jews in Shushan to pray with fasting for three days and they were not to take food or drink.
At the same time, she also determined to fast with her maidservants for the three days so that she would be able to stand before the king. Esther had known that it was against the law of the king but she showed her courage to save her own people (Esther 4:15-17).
Appeared Before The King And Invited Haman To Banquet
After the three days of fasting, Esther went to meet the king in his inner court knowing that she might be sentenced to death as it was against the law. But as soon as the king noticed her, he immediately held out the golden scepter. And Esther found grace in the sight of the king and she delayed to tell the reason for her sudden entrance into that court (Esther 5:1-5).
She offered a banquet and also asked Haman to be present at that meal. But she did not expose her petition at that banquet and she requested them to come again the next day where she will reveal her plea at that banquet (Esther 5:4-8).
Esther Revealed Haman’s Plan To The King
The next day Esther had arranged another banquet for the king and Haman where she decided to reveal the petition. When Haman and the king came to the banquet, the king again asked for her petition.
Esther requested the king to save her life from her enemy and when the king got to know that Haman was the one who plotted to kill all the Jews along with her beloved queen, he left the banquet with anger.
Haman knew that he would face a dire consequence so, he asked the help of Esther, and when the king saw him fallen across the couch where Esther was standing the king ordered his servants to hang him on the gallows that he made for Mordecai (Esther 7:1-7).
Received Haman’s House And Implored The King To Change Edict
After the death of Haman Esther was given the house of Haman by the king (Esther 8:1-2). After all, this happened she told the king that Mordecai brought her up while she lost her parents. And the king gave Mordecai the signet ring that he had taken from Haman.
Again Esther came to the king’s inner court to implore him to save his people from the evil plan of Haman. She fell down before the king and cried with tears to save his own people from the decree that was issued by the scheme of Haman.
As the king loved Esther more than anything, he gave an idea to bring another decree where the Jews would withstand their enemies (Esther 8:3-6). Very soon a new decree was issued throughout the provinces of Shushan and all the Jews were glad and they defeated many of their enemies.
Because of Esther the king Ahasuerus and all the officials were on the side of the Jews and they helped them to survive in the land of Shushan.
Esther’s Another Request Was Granted
The Jews had killed five hundred men in Shushan and they also killed ten sons of Haman. The King asked Esther if she had any other petition and it would be granted to her. Esther answered the king to allow the Jews to slay their enemies and in order to do that the decree must be effective. So, the king allowed them and the ten sons of Haman were hanged on gallows (Esther 9:12-13).
Esther Instituted Purim With Mordecai
The feast of Purim began at the victory of Jews by defeating their enemies. Esther and Mordecai instituted this feast so that all the Jews could remember how God delivered them from their enemies while they lived in a foreign land.
God used Esther in a dramatic way to protect his own people from their enemies. Though the name of the Lord is not mentioned in the book still his presence with his people had been revealed (Esther 9:29-32).