Esther is a fascinating book, and really stands alone in the bible as one of a kind. It does so because it is more a work of literature than "book" of the bible. It has all the makings of a wonderful story, misguided king, beautiful heroine, a true villain and enough plot twists to keep you reading. Yet within the story, the question is, why is this in the bible?
Within the book itself, there are no references to God, no allusions to God's activities. Furthermore, we cannot even read Esther and Mordecai as truly devout Jews because they aren't. Neither seems to demonstrate any kind of concerns about food restrictions and seem more than willing to act like one of the "locals" as opposed to being faithful to God.
It is likely that if the story of Esther had not become linked to the Festival of Purim the Book of Esther would not have made the canon. Of course even this connection is tenuous at best, since dates for Purim in Esther do not coincide with dates in books like Maccabees. So perhaps even the authors of the canon just liked a good story in which the heroes turn the tables on the bad guys.
The Book of Esther begins in the courts of the Emperor Ahasuerus, Xerxes, who rules the Persian Empire. The story is set after the exile, as a group of Jews have made their home in the Persian Empire in the diaspora. The emperor is throwing lavish celebrations, which seems to be a theme throughout the story, and during these celebrations Queen Vashti refuses to heed the command of the emperor. After taking council, he determines that this disobedience could lead to all sorts of chaos in the kingdom if women refuse to listen to their husbands.
Now it might be appropriate to think about how the refusal of one women to respond to a drunk husbands wishes will lead to the downfall of an empire, but then again this is just a story.
Vashti is cast out and now a new queen is needed. Enter Esther, a young lady, or girl, who is under the protection of her cousin/uncle Mordecai in Esther 2. We are told that their families were part of the exile under the Babylonians and she is fair and beautiful.
The servants of the emperor gather all the virgins in the kingdom, to find someone who the emperor can marry and Esther is rounded up with other women. It is clear that Esther becomes very popular in her training for a lady in the court, so perhaps it is not surprising that she finds favor with emperor. She will be the new queen. Along with Esther, it would seem the emperor gets a huge help from Mordecai, who uncovers a plot to overthrow the emperor, and who passes along this info to Esther so she can inform the emperor.
So we have our beautiful heroine, loyal family and the clueless emperor, all we need is our villain. Esther 3 introduces us to Haman, who is a servant to the emperor who rises to the highest level. Obviously he is bit of an egomaniac and demands all in his presence to bow down before him, which all do, except for Mordecai. The Haman hears that Mordecai will not bow to him, and that Mordecai is a Jew, Haman convinces the emperor to fund a genocide. No sugar coating it, that is exactly what Haman wants, the extinction of the Jews residing in the Persian Empire. The emperor agrees.
Psalm 79
The events described in the Psalm most closely resembles the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC when the Babylonians entered and destroyed the city and the temple. The psalmist describes utter devastation and death as they scan the city, how could the City of David fall? Clearly God will respond to this calamity and lead God's people?
Perhaps this sentiment is why the destruction occurred? Throughout the Psalm "you" and "your" are prevalent, speaking about how Jerusalem was God's city, the temple was God's and the people were God's. Yes, this is true, but how did the city live up to being God's city and God's people?
Maybe midway through the lamentation, Israel comes to understand that their sins and the sins of their ancestors have caused this calamity, so they ask God to turn back, to show compassion once again. God is sought as a savior so that the people will not be mocked. However, it would seem that Israel has much to learn, for God will not act just for his name's sake. The people must come back to God and God's ways.
Backlogged Posts
2 Kings 10-12
Well if nothing else, Jehu is thorough, very thorough. Jehu single-handedly wipes out the line of Ahab both in Israel and in Judah and then wipes out worshipers of Baal. Not bad, well, I guess that depends on your perspective.
2 Kings 10 demonstrates the clinical process that Jehu used to wipe out traces of Ahab from Israel and Judah. I suppose it is hard for us to read this bloodshed and be okay with it and even harder for us to believe that God was behind it, but it is pretty clear from scripture that the deaths were all part of God's plan. Believe it or not, this was the means to re-establish shalom, or peace.
This peace, or relationship between God and Israel, had been broken by Ahab and Jezebel. They had become a cancer in God's family, they had perverted the people and their taint had to be removed for the sake of the people and their future. Jehu was the instrument to make this happen. Perhaps with this taint removed, Israel, the northern kingdom, can now live properly with God. (We can hope anyway.)
As far as Jehu goes, he was a decent king, but he did not remove the calves that Jeroboam set up in Israel, so he gets graded down by the authors. The reign of his dynasty will only be four generations.
While Jehu establishes a very bloody reform movement in Israel, a different reform movement begins in Judah in 2 Kings 11. Following the death of King Ahaziah, the king's mother, Athaliah, attempts to step into the vacuum and seize power for herself. The son of Ahaziah, Jehoash, is secreted away until an appropriate time as Athaliah begins her own purge.
Jehoiada, the chief priest, then gathers the captains of the special guard units, the Carites, who are mercenaries, and instructs them to protect Jehoash. In a public ceremony, Jehoash is appointed king and given the trappings of David. For her own treachery, Athaliah is put to death as is the high priest of Baal.
The people join in the reform movements and destroy the house of Baal. The reform of Judah has begun.
Jehoash now begins to rebuild the temple in 2 Kings 12. Note that Joash's name seems to be changed to Jehoash, yet they are the same name and are interchanged throughout the story. However, do not get confused about the fact that there will be a King Jehoash of Israel as well.
Anyway, as the temple falls into a state of disrepair, Jehoash calls the priest together and asks why they are collecting offerings if the money will not be used for the repair of the temple. It is pretty clear that the priests would rather use those funds for themselves, for while they agree to no longer take offerings from people, they also do not do any work on the temple. It is left to Jehoash and Jehoiada to create a system to rebuild, which they do.
Of course many of the treasures of the temple have to be sold off and given to Hazael of Aram for he now threatens Jerusalem. Hazael accepts the offering and leaves the city in peace.
Perhaps these reforms are too much for Jehoash's servants, for two conspire to kill him and his reign comes to an end.
2 Corinthians 5
Just as Paul references clay jars to demonstrate our humanity, so too in the 5th chapter he references tents showing how fleeting our lives are, but he contrasts this with the heavenly building which awaits us. Yet it is what is within us that is treasured, for that is where Christ's resides. So we should not fear death but instead live to serve, knowing that this permanent dwelling in heaven awaits us.
Knowing what Paul knows, he fears the Lord, he fears that the dwelling in heaven might not be there if he fails to be faithful, so he lives this way as an example for others, that they may boast in him. Yet, more so than fear of the Lord, Paul is motivated by the love of Christ. It is a love that binds us all together in Christ's death and life. It is a love that joins us as one with each and Christ, therefore it is the love of reconciliation.
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