Hi Pam. As you know, those Jews that were carried away into Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar remained there until the Persian army, under Cyrus, conquered Babylon. Cyrus was very lenient with the Jews & he gave them permission to return to their homeland. However, only a few did, and others did so over time, under Persian rule. People, like Mordecai & his cousin Hadassah (Esther), were born in captivity & only knew this Babylonian/Persian culture & the Jewish practises that were brought over by their forefathers. So, under Xerxes (Ahasuerus), the story of Mordecai & Esther is given to us. Having mentioned all that, I would think that the Jews living in Persia, who didn't want to return for various reasons (old age, loss of lifestyle/privileges, etc.), continued to perform many of the Jewish practises, as far as they were remembered. Many things would have been forgotten, abandoned, or even inter-mixed with heathen practises, but Israel still maintained their Jewish ancestry and their position before God & sought to follow His regulations.
So, when we read of Esther's call to the Jews of Shushan the palace & her handmaidens to fast ( Esther 4:15-17), I would think that both fasting & prayer were intended (if her helpers were Jews of course). The idea of fasting for the Jew at that time, was linked to deep sense of need & dependence and/or an utter helplessness in the face of calamity (present or anticipated). Also times of mourning, repentance, or a deep spiritual need could prompt fasting & prayer. Of King David we read that he prayed & fasted over his sick child ( 2 Samuel 12:16) coupled with weeping (vv 21,22). And Daniel in Daniel 9:1-19, went a similar way before the Lord with prayer, petition, fasting, in sackcloth & ashes, over the coming destruction of Jerusalem.
Fasting then was a particularly important act of one's seriousness & being cast before the Lord for help. Throughout the fast, this attitude of laying up the matters before God would have occurred.
When it says that Esther told her servant maids and others to fast, did they also pray? What was the custom of the Persian Jews about fasting and prayer?
This is a very interesting section; and I have never heard anything preached on the subject of an edict mandating the respect of wives for husbands that is given here by the King after he is "dissed" so to speak from his wife Queen Vashti. Jut discovered it myself. It is questionable; of course thenecessity of showing her "beauty" to all (v. 11); not to mention the whole show of opulence and feasts showing off the king's glory . The decree in verse 20 basically commanding honor of wives to husbands would be broadcast throughout the entire empire (from Ethiopia to India). It is noteworthy that this is the single largest territorial expanse mentioned in all scripture.
Once again; a transgression that surely would have incurred a death penalty with the likes of characters such as Henry VIII did NOT result in a divorce. Keep in mind; this is a secular King. It seems fairly certain that divorce; if it did occur was quite rare and certainly didn't become widespread until some time at least in the Intertestamental era. It would seem that in a secular society such as Rome; it was vastly promulgated as apparently it wasn't all that unusual from historical accounts. It only was addressed (other than Deut. 24); once we got to the N.T.
There are questions that have been raised as to Esther's morality or lack thereof in the later chapters in the "beauty contest". Nevertheless; she became his wife. As to women with multiple husbands; it doesn't seem to be in the Bible either. It is likely that if the Queen was allowed to live; there were no longer relations; and she would be shut up in her residence as a sort of prisoner. I am not judging the validity of what went down here as to what he did to his wife but the verse in 1 Samuel 15:23 comes to mind. It is truly sad to see today how a desire for superiority has robbed much of a generation or two of women of true inner beauty; and godliness. In turn; men are more wimpy; and children rebellious.
Hi Anthonia. In Esther 9:26 we see the word "Purim". Purim, since those early days, has become a joyful feast day for the Jews, celebrated each year (March 16 & 17, 2022 will be their next celebration). The reason for this celebration is because it commemorates the Divinely orchestrated salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian empire; salvation from wicked Haman's plot to kill and annihilate all the Jews living in those provinces, both young and old, infants and women, in a single day.
Esther, a Jewess, became queen (in Queen Vashti's place), the wife of King Ahaseurus, whom God used to thwart Haman's plan against the Jews. Esther was reluctant at first to approach the king as she wasn't invited to do so, but her cousin Mordecai, urged her to do so, as the life of many were in her hands (Esther chapter 4). Even though God's Name is nowhere mentioned in this Book, the clear direction & Will of God is seen in & through many people. Man may use all of his wisdom & power to try to get his own way, but at the end, God's Will cannot be thwarted & His people were ultimately saved from destruction by His Hand & by using others.
S Spencer on the love of God - In Reply on Esther 1 - 2 years ago
From Dr. McGee:
Part 1
A young fellow who had been attending a conference with me came up to talk. He had on a funny hat that had "love, love, love" written all over it.
I asked, "Why do you have 'love' written all over your hat?"
"Man, God is love," he said.
"Well," I said, "I agree with you. Nothing could be truer than that."
Then he added, "God saves us by His love."
"I don't agree with that," I said. "God doesn't save us by His love. Can you give me a verse that say He does?"
He scratched his head and thought a while and then admitted he couldn't think of one. "Well," he said, "if God doesn't save us by love, then how does He save us?"
"Very frankly, I'm glad you asked me that question because the Bible says, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast'( Ephesians 2:8, 9). God saves us by His grace."
Then the boy wanted to know the difference. This is how I explained it to him:
God does love you. Don't lose sight of that. God loves all of us. But God cannot, on the basis of His love, open the back door of heaven and let us slip in under the cover of darkness. He can't let down the bars of heaven at the front door and bring us in because of His love.
God is also light. God is the moral ruler of this universe. God is righteous. He is holy and He is good.
That adds up to one thing: God cannot do things that are wrong-that is, wrong according to His own standard.
So God couldn't save us by love. Love had God strapped-we could say it put Him in a bind. He could love without being able to save. I thought you would quote John 3:16 to me. Let's look at what that verse says:
S Spencer on the love of God on Esther 1 - 2 years ago
By J Vernon Mcgee.
Part 2
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Does it say God so loved the world that He saved the world? No, that's not what it says.
God so loved this world that He gave His only begotten Son. You see, God couldn't save the world by love, because He goes on to say "that whoever" You and I are going to perish. We're lost sinners and God still loves us, but the love of God can't bring us into heaven. God had to provide a salvation, and He paid the penalty for our sins. Now a God of love can reach out His hands to a lost world and say, "If you will believe in My Son, because He died for you-if you will come on that basis-I can save you."
God doesn't save us by His love. God saves us by His grace, motivated by His love.
We can experience supernatural interactions,
But will still have to except Christ as savior, and the evidence of your Salvation is the fruit being produced in your Life.
It is Honourable for women to show respect to their husbands. This is a law of Christ. The man is the Head of the family as Christ is the Head of the church.
Neither Abraham, Jesus, and especially the Queen of Sheba were Caucasian. In fact the only Whites in the Bible were the native Greeks and Romans. Don't write historically ignorant comments. Especially about the bible. Shame on you.
from chapter one. I greatly learnt on obedience. Obedience gives one the courage to face those hard obstacles. You should obedient to your husband so that you wont be replaced like the queen shebba.
THE BIBLE TELL US TO SUMMIT TO OUR OWN HUSBANDS IN ALL THINGS . Ephesians 5:22-33 King James Version (KJV)
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. WE NEVER CAN DO RIGHT BY DOING WRONG .
am really amazed with the confident of Esther for being foreigner in the land and ended up the prince of the kingdom, One thing have learned in the these story is that Gods grace is always with heart broken people and those who mourn.That reminds me when Jesus also said that blessed are the poor. blessed are those who mourn for they shall lough,And now we esther is loughing, we need to humble
If my husband was partying for a long time with his male friends from 127 provinces an d at the end send for me, I would not go. My life and reputation in such a drunken crowd. Yes wives are to obey their husbands and shouldn't a husband respect his wife? The king was a Godless boozer along with his cohorts. This might have been God's doing to save the Jewish people.
I want to embrace this book of the Bible , I really do I used to think was illegitimate for reasons of not even mentioning ‘God’ Have realized that the Sacred Name may be in acrostic, whether in King James English or the Hebrew manuscripts or both, I know not. Only would love to find His Name ‘hidden’ in the text.
The first time I read Esther, I was inspired beyond words. The obedience of Esther to Modecai, her humility to Hegai, and her strong faith in God. I saw where God used something out of nothing and made something out of it, to the glory of his name. if we trust in him, all things are possible. I am currently writing a short story for children on Esther, so as to inspire them as it has inspired me!!
God always has a plan and a way of escape for His people.This happened in order for Esther to come in .At the same time it's still a lesson in ch. 1 WIVES HONOR YOUR HUSBANDS..God is a God of order..
So, when we read of Esther's call to the Jews of Shushan the palace & her handmaidens to fast ( Esther 4:15-17), I would think that both fasting & prayer were intended (if her helpers were Jews of course). The idea of fasting for the Jew at that time, was linked to deep sense of need & dependence and/or an utter helplessness in the face of calamity (present or anticipated). Also times of mourning, repentance, or a deep spiritual need could prompt fasting & prayer. Of King David we read that he prayed & fasted over his sick child ( 2 Samuel 12:16) coupled with weeping (vv 21,22). And Daniel in Daniel 9:1-19, went a similar way before the Lord with prayer, petition, fasting, in sackcloth & ashes, over the coming destruction of Jerusalem.
Fasting then was a particularly important act of one's seriousness & being cast before the Lord for help. Throughout the fast, this attitude of laying up the matters before God would have occurred.
Once again; a transgression that surely would have incurred a death penalty with the likes of characters such as Henry VIII did NOT result in a divorce. Keep in mind; this is a secular King. It seems fairly certain that divorce; if it did occur was quite rare and certainly didn't become widespread until some time at least in the Intertestamental era. It would seem that in a secular society such as Rome; it was vastly promulgated as apparently it wasn't all that unusual from historical accounts. It only was addressed (other than Deut. 24); once we got to the N.T.
There are questions that have been raised as to Esther's morality or lack thereof in the later chapters in the "beauty contest". Nevertheless; she became his wife. As to women with multiple husbands; it doesn't seem to be in the Bible either. It is likely that if the Queen was allowed to live; there were no longer relations; and she would be shut up in her residence as a sort of prisoner. I am not judging the validity of what went down here as to what he did to his wife but the verse in 1 Samuel 15:23 comes to mind. It is truly sad to see today how a desire for superiority has robbed much of a generation or two of women of true inner beauty; and godliness. In turn; men are more wimpy; and children rebellious.
Esther, a Jewess, became queen (in Queen Vashti's place), the wife of King Ahaseurus, whom God used to thwart Haman's plan against the Jews. Esther was reluctant at first to approach the king as she wasn't invited to do so, but her cousin Mordecai, urged her to do so, as the life of many were in her hands (Esther chapter 4). Even though God's Name is nowhere mentioned in this Book, the clear direction & Will of God is seen in & through many people. Man may use all of his wisdom & power to try to get his own way, but at the end, God's Will cannot be thwarted & His people were ultimately saved from destruction by His Hand & by using others.
Part 1
A young fellow who had been attending a conference with me came up to talk. He had on a funny hat that had "love, love, love" written all over it.
I asked, "Why do you have 'love' written all over your hat?"
"Man, God is love," he said.
"Well," I said, "I agree with you. Nothing could be truer than that."
Then he added, "God saves us by His love."
"I don't agree with that," I said. "God doesn't save us by His love. Can you give me a verse that say He does?"
He scratched his head and thought a while and then admitted he couldn't think of one. "Well," he said, "if God doesn't save us by love, then how does He save us?"
"Very frankly, I'm glad you asked me that question because the Bible says, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast'( Ephesians 2:8, 9). God saves us by His grace."
Then the boy wanted to know the difference. This is how I explained it to him:
God does love you. Don't lose sight of that. God loves all of us. But God cannot, on the basis of His love, open the back door of heaven and let us slip in under the cover of darkness. He can't let down the bars of heaven at the front door and bring us in because of His love.
God is also light. God is the moral ruler of this universe. God is righteous. He is holy and He is good.
That adds up to one thing: God cannot do things that are wrong-that is, wrong according to His own standard.
So God couldn't save us by love. Love had God strapped-we could say it put Him in a bind. He could love without being able to save. I thought you would quote John 3:16 to me. Let's look at what that verse says:
Part 2
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Does it say God so loved the world that He saved the world? No, that's not what it says.
God so loved this world that He gave His only begotten Son. You see, God couldn't save the world by love, because He goes on to say "that whoever" You and I are going to perish. We're lost sinners and God still loves us, but the love of God can't bring us into heaven. God had to provide a salvation, and He paid the penalty for our sins. Now a God of love can reach out His hands to a lost world and say, "If you will believe in My Son, because He died for you-if you will come on that basis-I can save you."
God doesn't save us by His love. God saves us by His grace, motivated by His love.
We can experience supernatural interactions,
But will still have to except Christ as savior, and the evidence of your Salvation is the fruit being produced in your Life.
Thank you.
From Er of The Chaldeans
She is Caucasian then if she is from Abraham's seed
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. WE NEVER CAN DO RIGHT BY DOING WRONG .