Reflection
Esther’s life so far has been remarkable. She was the child of Jewish exiles who both died, raised by her cousin in a foreign and often hostile land, taken against her will into the king’s harem, found favor with all she met, and was finally selected to be the queen of the realm.
Esther’s story is complicated, and we don’t have all the details of what she experienced. Yes, she rises to a position of status and influence. But, she is also isolated, and her life is subject to the whims of a king who doesn’t have a great track record of being kind to his wives. What are we to make of the good and the challenging in this story?
It’s important to remember that every turn of the plot is under the umbrella of God’s control. This extraordinary course of events isn’t an accident; it’s not because of luck or Esther’s good looks or sparkling personality that she becomes queen. Nor is Esther being punished by being taken away from her family. God has a plan, and Esther is part of it.
Esther’s journey from an exiled orphan to a queen highlights God’s ability to reverse seemingly impossible situations for his purposes. Esther’s reversal is meant to stand out to us not as some random happenstance, but actually to point us to an all-powerful God who works all things together to showcase his sovereignty and redemptive power.
At the end of week one, the tension starts to build between Esther’s two identities—Esther is a newly crowned queen of the largest empire of the age and also an unidentified Jewish woman. Eventually, Esther will need to choose how she will align herself and where she will find her identity.
- What does this week reveal about humanity?
2. Esther’s story contrasts the seemingly unpredictable nature of the world with an unseen God who is actually in complete control. Is this idea comforting or challenging to you?
3. What is the one major takeaway that you learned from this week?