April 29, 2024 - Esther 1-4

The story of Esther is familiar to us.  “King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants” (1:2-3).  A feast!  A party!  Who’s not down for that?!  Well, Queen Vashti was not down for it.  The king, wishing to show off his beautiful wife, summoned Vashti to his side but she refused.  Ahasuerus, being king, would have his way, though.  Vashti was removed and the Jewish beauty Esther was chosen as queen in her place.  A dastardly plot by Haman to destroy the Jews, which was discovered by Mordecai, begins to unfold.  Lest anyone imagine, though he is never mentioned by name, that God was disinterested and uninvolved, well . . . think again! Of course, there’s much of the story yet to be told but let no one suppose that God has forgotten his people.  Haman has his plans – “Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews” (4:7) – and God has his.

1t is God who hold the nations in the hollow of his hand;

It is God whose light is shining in the darkness of the land;

It is God who builds his City on the Rock and not on sand:

May the living God be praised!   --Fred Pratt Green (1976)