The sermon 'Introduction to Esther' by Jason Dohm explores the rich narrative of the Book of Esther, highlighting its historical context and themes. The sermon notes that Esther is set during the reign of King Ahasuerus, who ruled over a vast empire. Key events include Queen Vashti's banishment, Esther's rise as queen, Mordecai's defiance of Haman, and the subsequent plot to annihilate the Jews. Despite God's name not being mentioned, His providential hand is evident throughout the story, orchestrating events for the preservation of His people. The sermon emphasizes the irony and humor present in the narrative, particularly in the downfall of Haman. It also places Esther within the broader context of redemptive history, noting that Haman's plot aimed to thwart God's promise to bring forth a Redeemer. The speaker encourages readers to see God's unseen hand in the ordinary events of life, much like in the Book of Esther. Furthermore, the sermon reflects on the historical placement of Esther among other Old Testament books and its authorship, which remains unknown but speculated to involve figures like Mordecai. The sermon ends by emphasizing the importance of honoring the text and appreciating the underlying themes of faith and providence.

Esther chapter 1. Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus. This was the Ahasuerus who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. In the days when King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the citadel, that in the third year of his reign he made a feast for all his officials and servants, the powers of Persia and Media the nobles and the princes of the provinces being before him, when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom in the splendor of his excellent majesty for many days, 180 days in all. And when these days were completed the king made a feast lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Shushan the Citadel, from great to small, in the court of the garden of the King's Palace.

There were white and blue linen curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver rods and marble pillars, and the couches were of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of alabaster turquoise and white and black marble and they serve drinks and golden vessels each vessel being different from the other with royal wine and abundance according to the generosity of the king. In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory, for so the king had ordered all the officers of his household that they should do according to each man's pleasure. Queen Vashti also made a feast for the women in the royal palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus. On the seventh day when the king, when the heart of the king was married with wine, he commanded Mehumen, Biztha, Arbona, Bigtha, Abhagtha, Zithar, and Carcus, seven eunuchs who served in the presence of the king of Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command brought by his eunuchs.

Therefore the king was furious, and his anger burned within him. Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times, for this was the king's manner toward all who knew law and justice, those closest to him being Karshina, Sheethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meraz, Marcina and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had access to the king's presence and who ranked highest in the kingdom. What shall we do to Queen Vashti according to according to law because she did not obey the command of a king Hasuerus brought to her by the eunuchs? And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Queen Vashti has not only wronged the king but also all the princes and all the people who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For the queen's behavior will become known to all women so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes when they report King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashtade be brought in before him but she did not come.

This very day the noble ladies of Persia and media will say to all the king's officials that they have heard of the behavior of the queen. Thus there will be excessive contempt and wrath. If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it will not be altered that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she When the king's decree which he shall make is proclaimed throughout all the empire, for it is great, all wives will honor their husbands, both great and small. And the reply pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan. Then he sent letters to all the king's provinces, to each province in its own script, and to every people in their own language, that each man should be master in his own house and speak in the language of his own people.

Chapter 2. After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus subsided, he remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what had been decreed against her. Then the king's servants who attended him said, let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king and let the king appoint officers in all of the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan, the citadel, into the women's quarters under the custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, custodian of the women. And let beauty preparations be given them. Then let the young woman who pleases the king be a queen instead of Vashti.

This thing pleased the king, and he did so. In Shushan the citadel there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, of Benjamite. Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been captured with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had carried away. And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely and beautiful.

When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. So it was when the king's command and decree were heard, and when many young women were gathered at Shushan the Citadel under the custody of Hegai, that Esther also was taken to the king's palace into the care of Hegai, the custodian of the women. Now the young woman pleased him and she obtained his favor so he readily gave her beauty preparations to her besides her allowance. Then seven choice maidservants were provided for her from the king's palace, and he moved her and her maidservants to the best place in the house of the women. Esther had not revealed her people or family, for Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it.

And every day Mordecai paced in front of the court of the women's quarters to learn of Esther's welfare and what was happening to her. Each young woman's turn came to go into King Ashuarius after she had completed twelve months' preparation, according to the regulations for the women. For thus were the days of their preparation apportioned, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women. Thus prepared, each young woman went to the king, And she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the women's quarters to the king's palace. In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to the second house of the women, to the custody of Shehagaz, the king's eunuch who kept the concubines.

She would not go into the king again unless the king delighted in her and called for her by name. Now when the turn came for Esther, the daughter of Abihayel, an uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, to go into the king, she requested nothing but what Hegai, the King's eunuch, custodian of the women, advised. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her. So Esther was taken to King Asuarius into his royal palace in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins.

So he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king made a great feast, the feast of Esther, for all his officials and servants, and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the generosity of a king. When virgins were gathered together a second time, Mordecai sat within the king's gate. Now Esther had not revealed her family and her people just as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai as when she was brought up by him. In those days while Mordecai sat within the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Abigfan and Teresh, doorkeepers, became furious and sought to lay hands on King Assoarius.

So the matter became known to Mordecai, who told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai's name. And when an inquiry was made into the matter it was confirmed and both were hanged on a gallows, and it was written in the book of the Chronicles in the presence of the king. Chapter 3. After these things, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hamadatha, the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. And all the king's servants who were within the king's gate bowed and paid homage to Haman.

For so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage. Then the king's servants who were within the king's gate said to Mordecai, why do you transgress the king's command? Now it happened when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman to see whether Mordecai's words would stand. For Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew.

When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled with wrath. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of the Huahasueres, the people of Mordecai. In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, the Casper, that is the Lot, before Haman to determine the day in the month until it fell on the twelfth month, which is the month of Adair. Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, there is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom.

Their laws are different from all other peoples, and they do not keep the king's laws. Therefore, it is not fitting for the king to let them remain. If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10, 000 talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king's treasuries. So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hamadatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. And the king said to Haman, the money and the people are given to you to do with them as seems good to you.

Then the king scribes were called on the 13th day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded to the king's satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province according to its script and to every people in their language in the name of King Ahasuerus as it was written and sealed with the King's signet ring and the letters were sent by couriers into all the King's provinces to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the 13th day of the 12th month, which is the month of Adair, and to plunder their possessions. A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province being published for all people that they should be ready for that day. The couriers went out hastened by the king's command and the decree was proclaimed in Shushan the citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed. Chapter 4.

When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. He went as far as the front of the king's gate, for no one might enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. And in every province where the king's command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews with fasting, weeping, and wailing, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. So Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her and the queen was deeply distressed.

Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them. Then Esther called Hathak, one of the king's eunuchs, whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai to learn what and why this was. So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king's gate. And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries to destroy the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go into the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people.

So Hathak returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Then Esther spoke to Hathak and gave him a command for Mordecai. All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king who has not been called, he has but one law put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go into the king these thirty days." So they told Mordecai Esther's words, And Mordecai told them to answer Esther, Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king's palace any more than all the other Jews. If you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish.

Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai. Go gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan and fast for me. Neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise, and so I will go to the king, which is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.' So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.

Chapter 5. Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace, across from the king's house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house. So it was when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court that she found favor in his sight. And the king howled out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.

And the king said to her, What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you, up to half the kingdom. So Esther answered, If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him. Then the king said, Bring Haman quickly, that he may do as Esther has said.

So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared. At the banquet of wine, the king said to Esther, What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request? Up to half the kingdom it shall be done.

Then Esther answered and said this, My petition and request is this, If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said. So Haman went out that day, joyful and with a glad heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, and that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zeresh. Then Haman told them of his great riches, the multitude of his children, everything in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and servants of the king.

Moreover, Haman said, besides, Queen Esther invited no one but me to come in with the king to the banquet that she prepared. And tomorrow I am invited by her along with the king. Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai, the Jew, sitting at the king's gate. Then his wife's the resh, and all his friends said to him, Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it, and then go merrily with the king to the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.

Chapter 6. Chapter 6. That night the king could not sleep, so one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king. And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bithana and Turesh, two of the king's eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. Then the king said, What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?

And the king's servants who attended him said, Nothing has been done for him. And so the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king's palace to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. The king's servant said to him, Haman is there, standing in the court. And the king said, let him come in.

So Heyman came in, and the king asked him, what shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor? Now Heyman thought in his heart, whom would the king delight to honor more than me? Haman answered the king, for the man whom the king delights to honor, let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head. Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor and then parade him on horseback through the city square and proclaim before him thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor then the king said to Haman hurry take the robe and the horse as you have suggested and do so for Mordecai the Jew who sits within the king's gate. Leave nothing undone of all that you have spoken.

So Haman took the robe and the horse, arrayed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor. Afterward Mordecai went back to the king's Gate, but Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered. When Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him, his wise men and his wife Suresh said to him, If Mordecai before whom you have begun to fall is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him, but will surely fall before him. While they were still talking with him, the king's eunuchs came and hastened to bring Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared. Chapter 7 So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther.

And on the second day, at the banquet of wine, the king again said to Esther, What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Up to half the kingdom. It shall be done." Then Queen Esther answered and said, if I have found favor in your sight, O King, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition and my people at my request.

For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king's loss. So King Ahasuerus answered and said to Queen Esther, Who is he? And where is he? Who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing?

And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. So Haman was terrified before the king and queen. Then the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden, but Haman stood before the Queen Esther, pleading for his life, for he saw that evil was determined against him by the king. When the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the banquet of wine, Haman had fallen across the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, Will he also assault the queen while I am in the house?

As the word left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. Now Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to the king, look, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good on the king's behalf, is standing at the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him on it. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's wrath subsided.

Chapter 8. Subsided. Chapter 8. On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her.

So the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman. Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews. And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther Arose, stood before the king, and said, If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seems right to the king, and if I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman the son of Hamadatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king's provinces.

For how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen? Then, King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, Indeed I have given Esther the house of Haman, and have hanged him on the gallows, because he tried to lay his hand on the Jews. You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in the King's name, and seal it with the King's signet ring. For whatever is written in the King's name and sealed with the King's signet ring, no one can revoke." So the king's scribes were called at that time in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the 23rd day.

And it was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces, from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven princes in all, to every province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language. And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed it with the King's signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback, riding on royal horses bred from swift steeds. By these letters the King permitted the Jews, who were in every city, to gather together and protect their lives, to destroy, kill, and annihilate the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions. On that day in the province of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province, and published for all people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

The couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed by the king's command, and the decree was issued in Shushan the Citadel. So Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple, and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor, and in every province and city, wherever the king's command and decree came the Jews had joy and gladness a feast and a holiday then many of the people of the land became Jews because fear of the Jews fell upon them. Fell upon them. Chapter 9.

Now in the 12th month, that is the month of Adar, on the 13th day the time came for the king's command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them. The Jews gathered together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm, and no one could withstand them because fear of them fell upon all the people. And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and all those doing the king's work helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. For Mordecai was great in the king's palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces, for this man Mordecai became increasingly prominent.

Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, with slaughter and destruction and did what they pleased with those who hated them. And in Shushan, the citadel, the Jews killed and destroyed 500 men. Also, Parshendatha, Dalfon, Ashpatha, Paratha, Adalia, Eridatha, Parmeshta, Erasi, Eridi, and Vajjzatha, the ten sons of Haman, the son of Hamadatha, the enemy of the Jews, they killed, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. On that day the number of those who were killed in Shushan the Citadel was brought to the king. And the king said to Queen Esther, the Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men in Shushan the Citadel and the 10 sons of Haman.

What have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? Now what is your petition? It shall be granted to you, or what is your further request? It shall be done." Then Esther said, if it pleases the king, let it grant to the Jews who are in Shushan to do again tomorrow according to today's decree, and let Haman's 10 sons be hanged on the gallows." So the king commanded this to be done. The decree was issued in Shushan, and they hanged Haman's 10 sons.

And the Jews who were in Shushan gathered together again on the 14th day of the month of Adar and killed 300 men at Shushan, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. The remainder of the Jews in the King's provinces gathered together and protected their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed 75, 000 of their enemies, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. This was on the 13th day of the month of Adar and on the 14th of the month they rested and made a day of feasting and gladness. But the Jews who were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day as well as on the fourteenth, and on the fifteenth of the month they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness. Therefore, the Jews of the villages who dwelt in the unwalled town celebrated the fourteenth day of the month of Adar with gladness and feasting as a holiday and for sending presents to one another.

And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews near and far who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, to establish among them that they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar, as the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies, as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday, that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor. So the Jews accepted the custom which they had begun as Mordecai had written to them because Haman the son of Hamadatha the Agagite the enemy of all the Jews had plotted against the Jews to annihilate them and had cast Purr that is the lot to consume them and destroy them. But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letter that this wicked plot which Haman had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his son should be hanged on the gallows. So they called these days Purim after the name Pur. Therefore because of all the words of this letter what they had seen concerning this matter and what had happened to them, the Jews established and imposed it upon themselves and their descendants and all who would join them, that without fail they should celebrate these two days every year according to the written instructions and according to the prescribed time, that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation every family every province and every city that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews and that the memory of them should not perish among their descendants.

Then Queen Esther the daughter of Abihal with Mordecai the Jew wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim. And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus with words of peace and truth to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had prescribed for them And as they had decreed for themselves and their descendants concerning matters of their fasting and lamenting. 22 So the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim, and it was written in the book. 23 And King Ahasuerus imposed tribute on the land and on the islands of the sea. Now all the acts of his power and his might, in the account of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Medea and Persia?

For Mordecai the Jew was second to King Ahasuerus and was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen Now to introduce the book. Now to introduce the book. I read, but I'm not a reader. Do you know what I mean by that? I don't live to read.

I know people who live to read. And I like to read as far as it goes, but I'm not a voracious reader like some people that I know. But even I, as a sort of a non-reader, meaning someone who just doesn't love it or live for it, have had the experience of picking up a book and getting started in it. Maybe it starts a little slow, but then the hook is set. You just cannot put it down.

You're sneaking away to read the next few pages because it's so captivating. I think Esther is the book you can't put down. It's compelling reading. There's romance, there's deceit and betrayal, there's threatened annihilation, there's risk your life loyalty, There are last minute reversals, and best of all, every word of it is true. Every word of it really, really happened.

It is an accurate account, a completely true account of what God has done for his people. So we really have a treasure in our hands here. We have a book that you can't sit down that is compelling reading and it's just a delight to study. My guess is it'll take us four months to get through it. Three or four months.

I don't think we can quite do a chapter a day, I mean a chapter a week, but it will come somewhat close to that maybe. So as we come to this time of introduction, let's ask the Lord to help us. Father God, we do thank you for your word and for the book of Esther that is before us now. Thank you for the reading of it today. God, we pray that you would teach us.

Use These inspired, perfect, infallible words to press on our hearts truths that we can't get in quite the same way any other way. God, please use this book of Esther to move us forward, to give us progress in the faith, to give us more joy and more confidence that you always defend and help and save your people. We pray in Jesus' name, Amen. We certainly don't have a full length sermon this morning with about 35 minutes of reading. I'm going to abbreviate it and just give you the introduction.

And then next week we'll start into chapter 1. I'm going to hope to get through the whole chapter of chapter one next week. We'll see. I'd like to give you five thoughts about the book of Esther That gives you something to think about as we work through the book. So I think these are five important things about the book.

Number one, where this fits into what we've already studied. We've actually already studied this time period in detail. We began working through the book of Ezra on April 13, 2014. We finished the book of Nehemiah on August 2, 2015. So it's a little bit less than a year and a half we were in Ezra and Nehemiah.

And that's been a little bit more than a year and a half ago. So a year and a half ago we were back during this time period. Turn to Ezra chapter 4. Esther and Ahasuerus and Haman and all that was happening during this time is just in one verse of Ezra Nehemiah. It's in Ezra chapter 4.

I remember Ezra chapter 4 very well because I think actually the sermon was titled, A Century of Opposition to the Lord's People. Do you remember this? We had in our study of Esther, when you come to chapter 4, they begin to meet resistance in their attempts to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. In chapter 4, you actually get a century of time to show that there's pretty much unbroken opposition to what they're trying to do. And so this fits right within that chapter.

I'd like to read Ezra chapter 4 verses 4 through 7. Follow along. Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even to the death of Darius king of Persia. In the reign of Ahasuerus, In the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

In the days of Artaxerxes, also Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabal, and the rest of their companions wrote to Artaxerxes, king of Persia. I'll just break off there in verse 7. The only where we see the time of Esther and Mordecai is here in verse 6, in the reign of Ahasuerus. That's the only time he's ever mentioned. But even in these few verses in Ezra chapter 4, you have these four kings mentioned, Cyrus king of Persia, Darius king of Persia, Ahasuerus, and then Art-Exerxes.

And then that is really the whole span of Ezra and Nehemiah. The reigns of those kings are 117 years. Now do you remember the people were taken into captivity because of centuries of disobedience to the Lord. It's not a marvel that they were taken into captivity. It's a marvel that it didn't happen sooner.

It's a marvel that God was so patient that it took as long as it did for Him to send them into captivity. But He sends them into captivity. It's been prophesied through Jeremiah that the captivity will last 70 years. Not 69 and not 71. 70 years, and so it is.

And they went into captivity in three waves. In other words, they didn't all get taken to Babylon at once. There were three different times where They were conquered and portions of the population were taken into captivity. And then they came back from captivity in three waves, beginning with Cyrus, king of Persia, in the first year of his reign. Zerubbabel and about 50, 000 came back to Jerusalem and began the reversal of going into captivity, coming back home and rebuilding the temple and Jerusalem.

So I want to give you these four kings and the dates associated with them so you can see where we are in the timeline. The first king is Cyrus. Now by the time of Esther and Mordecai, Cyrus has come and gone. But Cyrus' reign was 539 to 530 BC. So remember, as you get closer to the time of Christ, the numbers get smaller.

In both cases, both before and after Jesus, our time is counting down, either counting down from before Jesus to the time of his life or counting up after Jesus. And so Cyrus' reign was 539 to 530 BC. So he has about a ten year reign. And then the next king that is mentioned is Darius. There's actually two kings that aren't mentioned that are between them, but for the purposes of the Bible and the history of the Lord's people, they're not necessary, so they're not mentioned.

So you have Darius from 522 to 486. The numbers are getting smaller as we approach the time of Christ. So He has an approximately 37 year reign and he is probably the son-in-law of Cyrus. Then you have Ahasuerus. Ahasuerus would be known later as Xerxes and His reign is 486 to about 464 or 465.

Again, if you study different historians, the date ranges might be a year or two off. It's hard to pinpoint so far back. Ahasuerus or Xerxes was 486 to 464. He's actually assassinated. His reign ends with his assassination.

Of course, that's not mentioned in our book, but history tells us that his reign, the end of his almost 23 year reign, was ended when he was assassinated. He was the son of Darius. And then, finally, Artaxerxes is Ahasuerus' son. Xerxes' son is Artaxerxes. And he had a very long reign.

He reigned from 464 to 423 BC. Almost a 42 year reign. So a very long reign. So these four kings, and a couple that weren't mentioned, They have a span of 117 years. And the three returns from Babylon to Jerusalem happens within these 117 years.

So you can see our time is kind of nestled right in the middle of that span, more or less. The time markers in Esther are as follows. In chapter 1 verse 3, it says that Our account is beginning in the third year of the reign of the king Ahasuerus. This is something like 483 BC. In the third year, this feast that he throws and him expelling his queen Vashti happens something like 483 BC.

Then in chapter 2 verse 16 we have another time marker. It's the seventh year of his reign, Ahasuerus' reign or Xerxes reign, something like 479 BC. And then we get our last time marker in chapter 3 verse 7, which is when Haman makes the decree for the annihilation of the Jews. That happened in the twelfth year of Ahasuerus' reign. So it's about right in the middle of Ahasuerus' reign.

He had about a twenty-three year reign. And Haman's decree to annihilate the Jews happens in the twelfth year of his reign, which is something like 474 BC. Esther as a book of the Bible is the last of the Old Testament historical books in your Bible. The Psalms and the wisdom books and the prophets come after that. So this is the last of the history books in the Bible.

And chronologically, only the last four verses of Ezra and then Nehemiah and Malachi are later than Esther. So the book of Esther is practically at the end of the Old Testament history. The little Ezra after that, Then the book of Nehemiah is after that, and Malachi prophesied during the time of Nehemiah. So chronologically those are later, but everything else that you know of that happens in the Old Testament is earlier than the book of Esther. And then of course there's 400 years of silence and then Christ is born.

So that's where it fits chronologically. The author is unknown. There's not even a hint in the book. In terms of speculation about the author, There's more speculation that Mordecai was himself the author. And at least in chapter 9 verse 20, you see Mordecai acting as a scribe and writing about Purim, this feast, to celebrate God's providential care for His people being sent out to the Jews.

And really a lot of this history is wrapped up in that. So that's why a lot of the speculation circles around Mordecai. There's also speculation that Ezra wrote Esther. There's also speculation that Nehemiah wrote Esther. And then there are many others as well.

The truth is the text doesn't say. And so we don't know for sure who wrote the book. It must have been written after the time of Ahasuerus because it's written in the past tense and the book ends by saying as for All the things that happened during his reign isn't in the chronicles of the Medians and the Persians. So it has to be after the time of Ahasuerus. And really linguistically, when you look at the words that are used by 300 BC, Greek words are being liberally used within the language of all the countries of the earth.

You do not see this in this book, so assuredly it was written before 300 BC. So this gives you sort of 150 years where it could have been written. Had it been written 300 BC or earlier than that, Ahasuerus would have been called the Xerxes. Esther is never quoted in the New Testament, Not one time. Esther is never referred to in the New Testament.

Not one time. Purim is never mentioned in the New Testament. Not one time. But Esther was definitely part of the Old Testament Scriptures that Jesus quoted and treated as authoritative in the New Testament. In other words, Esther was part of the Bible that Jesus held.

It was an acknowledged, inspired, infallible part of what Jesus treated to be that way in the New Testament. 107 apocryphal verses have been added to it. We don't have these in our Bibles, But a Catholic Bible would have 107 more verses than we have that's been added. And the Jews have that in their scriptures as well. But what we have is what is directly inspired by the Holy Spirit.

That's number one, where this fits into what we've already studied. It's nestled right into Ezra and Nehemiah. Number two, I couldn't believe this when I read it. The name of God is not found in this book. God's name is not spoken.

God's name is not part of the narrative. There's a lot about God in the book, but every bit of it is indirect. There's a lot, I think, of evidence of saving faith in the book, but it's indirect as well. One of the commentaries that I purchased to study as we go through is the Reformed Expository Commentary and it's written by Ian Dugwood. I have no idea if I'm saying that name right.

Anyway, here's what this commentator says. The book of Esther shows us that God is often at work in this world in an entirely different mode from say the events of Exodus. The book of Exodus, God's work is all thunder and lightning, full of dramatic interventions that expose the emptiness of the Egyptian gods. In the book of Esther, however, we see God working invisibly and behind the scenes. Just apparently ordinary providence, moving flawed and otherwise undistinguished people into exactly the right place at the right time to bring the empire into line and to establish God's purposes for his people.

The commentator here, Ian Duguid, is setting Exodus and Esther side by side. He says, look at Exodus. It's all thunder and lightning. God is everywhere. God is on the lips of every character and He is intervening miraculously.

But there are no miracles over here in Esther. There is not one miracle. There are only a series of events that God is orchestrating behind the scenes and never out front in an overturning, what you would expect to happen way, but just putting the right person in exactly the right time to bring the kingdom to its knees in Esther. And in this sense, the lives that we're living, I don't know about you, but my life is more Esther than Exodus. I have a lot less thunder and lightning in my life than I see in the book of Exodus.

I think I can relate more with Esther in saying, look, in looking back, God did this and this, He brought this person here and this person here, and He used that to change these events. And now we can see that it was God establishing His purposes and helping His people. We see in Esther the fulfillment of Proverbs 21 verse 1, the King's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water. He turns it wherever he wishes. So the King's heart is in the hand of the Lord, and so is everybody else's heart in the book of Esther.

God though not named is the central character. So don't be disturbed for one single second that God's name is not mentioned in the book of Esther. He's there. If you can't see God in the book of Esther, heaven help you. You really don't have eyes to see if you can't see Him there on every page.

He's working all things together for the good of his people. Romans 8.28. God works all things together for the good of those who love him. To those who are called, are the called according to his purpose. Number three.

Our task will be to honor the text. If you're taking notes on the handout and filling in blanks, honor text. Our task will be to honor the text. That's always our task, isn't it? But it seems with the book of Esther that it's especially easy to read things into the text that aren't actually in the text.

So when you read the commentators, you find some of them making Esther and Mordecai flawless heroes While other commentators make them into compromising villains This is a really interesting thing about my studies so far is some of them take them over to be better than the text says they are. While other commentators look and I think they make them worse than the text says that they are. Here's what this tells me. We're going to have to work extra hard to just let the text say what the text says and not read other things into it. The truth is, they're neither.

Esther and Mordecai are not flawless heroes. We see them engaging in things that they should not be engaging in, both of them. We'll hit that pretty quickly in the book. But nor are they compromising villains. They're more like us, that have our warts and our beauty marks.

And they are sinners that God is working in and through in order to be a blessing to His people. We don't even know that they do any of the events of the book of Esther prayerfully. It doesn't even say that they pray one time. Does that mean that they don't pray here? This is one of these times where we're going to have to say, we're not reading things into the text, but we will just have to acknowledge.

It does say that they fast, so maybe implied in that, in the weekly email I said that they prayed. Well, it's implied, they are fasting, but it does not say that they prayed. We have to be careful not to read things into silence that might not be there at all. Here is what we know. Men at their best are at best only men.

J.C. Rowell says that all the time. Men at their best are only at best men. And God still uses them. The testimony of Scripture is that God never once waited for a perfect vessel.

That He works in sinners. And He is faithful in spite of our faithlessness. So we have a job to do and it's to honor the text. Number four. This is my favorite one.

Number five is the most important one, but number four is my favorite one. We are invited to laugh along. We are invited to laugh along. This is a book about God laughing at his enemies. Is there any doubt about that?

We just read the ten chapters. Is there any doubt that God is laughing at his enemies in the book of Esther. There is more humorous irony in Esther than in any other book of the Bible that I know. I think the pinnacle is when Haman thinks Ahasuerus wants to honor him. So man, he heaps it up.

Oh, oh, who would the king want to honor more than me? Oh, you should have a robe that the king has worn and a horse that the king has ridden on and then you should pop that guy up on the top of the horse and have one of your princes lead him through the city, seeing, thus let it be done for the one that the king desires to honor. And then up goes Mordecai on the horse. And Haman is made to lead him through the city. This is God laughing at His enemies.

And we're invited to laugh along. Turn to Psalm 2. Psalm 2. Psalm chapter 2, I'll just read verses 1 through 4. Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?

The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed saying, let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us. He who sits in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall hold them in derision. It is true that the devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, so we should be sober and vigilant. That is true.

But God doesn't need to take his enemies seriously. God doesn't need to. We might need to take his enemies seriously, but God doesn't need to. God just laughs at his enemies. God has no need to feel threatened by his enemies.

Do you understand that? God's enemies are not a threat to Him. They hate Him. And they hate His plans. And He just weaves them into His plans.

And he laughs. The more they rage, the more he laughs. He laughs at them and uses them to accomplish his own purposes. Here's my hope for us. Here's my hope for me.

And you can have the overflow. How about that? That as we work through the book of Esther, that our confidence in God will soar. That our confidence in God will soar. That we will see God laughing at his enemies, and see that God has no need to be threatened by his enemies.

And we have no reason at all to think that we will be overthrown by his enemies. Number five. I do think this is the most important point. The book of Esther is about redemptive history. That means about Jesus, the Redeemer, and God's plan to bring him at just the right time to save mankind.

How can I say that? Jesus is not mentioned, certainly. There is no messianic prophecy in the book of Esther. In fact, there are not even any really obvious types. If you are going to look in Esther for a type of the Redeemer, you would have to say Esther is it.

So there are not any overly obvious types. But consider Genesis 3 verse 15. Genesis 3 verse 15. And I will put enmity between you, you serpent, and the woman. And between your seed and her seed he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel in the same way that Herod killing all the infants in Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus, is really just a demonic action taken to stamp out the promise of a Redeemer, to Keep a redeemer from arising to save the Lord's people in the same way that that's what the death of those babies represents.

Haman's attempt to annihilate the Jewish people is all about stamping out the Lord's people and to make null and void God's promises to send a Redeemer. I listened to a sermon on the book of Esther from Joe Moorcraft this week. Here's one of the things he said. He said, if Haman succeeds, we would all go into eternity without a Savior. So God is laughing at his enemies, but It's no laughing matter what's being contemplated here.

There is an order for the total annihilation of the Jewish people that is about to be enacted. And were that to be accomplished, you and I would go into eternity without a Savior. God's promise would be uncapped. We have in the book of Esther the establishment of Purim. It's a festival to celebrate God's deliverance and preservation of His people.

So Purim is given as a remembrance that God saves His people. Does that sound like anything else? Yeah, in a few minutes we're going to take the Lord's Supper. It's really sort of a foreshadowing in a way. It also is a remembrance of God's goodness to save His people.

So those are the five thoughts. This fits into what we studied a year and a half ago. The name of God is not found in the book, but He's on every page of the book. Our task will be to honor the text and to be careful that we not read things into the text that aren't really there. And we're invited to laugh along.

God is laughing at his enemies and we get to participate. And then finally, this is about redemptive history. The devil is trying as hard as he can to wipe out the Lord's people, but no, God will not let it happen. He didn't then, and He won't now. Let's pray.

Father, we thank You for Christ. Thank you for Christ. Thank you for your promises, your unfailing promises to send a Redeemer to set your people free once and for all through the blood of your son Jesus. And how perfectly you fulfilled it. You thwarted every plan of your enemies to make that promise null and void.

We thank you for it now. In Jesus' name, Amen.