Chosen by Stefan Haas

Author:Stefan Haas
Language: deu
Format: epub
Publisher: Topos
Published: 2018-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

4.11 A Hidden Message in the Book of Esther?

As we have already mentioned, the Book of Esther tells us about a horrible and, at the same time, wonderful story that occurred during the Persian era. It is the story of the enemy of the Jews, Haman, who wanted to carry out the first known large-scale pogrom against the Jews throughout the entire Persian Empire. But it is also the story of the Jews Mordecai and Esther: Mordecai, who was not willing to bow before Haman and who recognized and reported a palace revolution before it was too late – and who was rewarded by the king at just the right time. Esther, who became queen at the right time, giving her access to the king at just the right time to ask him to save her Jewish people. It is the story of a last-minute supernatural salvation from genocide for the Jewish people.

It is a great story and is celebrated every year at Purim. It is just amazing to see how the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is busy operating behind the scenes, pulling hidden strings He already prepared long ago to save His people! The story is so great and has such a wonderful ending that it is easy to miss the subtle hints in the Book of Esther.

If we look closer, we can see that there are even three problems very clearly indicated in this story. Once you start paying a little more attention, the image of the Book of Esther changes somewhat and you have to ask yourself: Is there possibly a hidden message in the Book of Esther?

The first indication of a problem: If we look back to the year 539 BC for a moment, we see the Babylonian Empire defeated and captured by the Persians and Medes. This change in power brings about an amazing change for the Jewish people. Psalm 126:1 summarizes the hope of Jews living in Babylonian exile.

When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion, we were like those who dream.

The Prophet Jeremiah had prophesied that captivity in Babylon would last 70 years. 64 At the end of these 70 years, the first Persian king, Cyrus, issued an amazing decree in his first year as king. We read about this twice – in 2Chronicles and in the book of Ezra.

2Chronicles 36:22-23

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia—in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah—the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up!’”

Ezra 1:1-4

Now

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