GOD’S ECONOMY
SERIES THIRTEEN
GOD’S ECONOMY IN ALL THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
God’s Economy as Revealed in the Old Testament
Message Fifteen
God’s Economy as Revealed in Esther
Scripture Reading: Esth. 1:10-19, 2:1-18, 3:12-15, 4:3, 16, 6:1-2, 8:3-14, 9:25-28, 10:3, Isa. 45:15
I. The intrinsic revelation of the history according to the record from Joshua to Esther is to unveil to us how the eternal economy of God was carried out by His elect on the earth—Josh. 1:1-3; Ruth 1:16; 1 Sam. 16:13; Esth. 2:17: (Life-study of Kings, msg. 1)
A. The crucial point of Esther is that the very God who chose Israel, the descendants of Abraham, as His elect, after He gave them into captivity to the Gentile nations, became a hidden God to them to take care of them secretly and save them openly in secrecy—2:17, 8:6-7: (Life-study of Esther, msg. 1)
1. The book of Esther supplies a vivid record of how the hiding God of Israel secretly took care of His oppressed elect in their dispersion and openly saved His persecuted elect in their captivity—2:1-18; 8:3-14; 9:25: (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Esth. 1:1, footnote 1)
a. On the one hand, God used the Gentile nations as tools to discipline His people—Prov. 3:12. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 1)
b. On the other hand, the hiding God was with the people of Israel, caring for them—1 Chron. 22:18. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 1)
c. Eventually, God used the Medo-Persian Empire to overthrow the Babylonian Empire; Cyrus, the king of Persia, was even called God’s shepherd, one who would fulfill His desire; and His anointed, one who would serve God’s purpose—Isa. 44:28, 45:1-4. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 1)
2. While the people of Israel were in dispersion and captivity, God was taking care of them in a hidden way, and at the right time He came in openly to save them; even when the captives of Israel were in the lowest situation, at the bottom, Christ was among them, suffering with them—Zech. 1:7-17, Esth. 1:1-2, 4:14. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 1)
B. Because of Israel’s failure and God’s judgment, the line of the genealogy of Christ became very thin, but in God’s sovereignty that line was never broken—Esth. 3:13, 8:3-7. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, 2 Kings, 25:21, footnote 1)
C. Apparently God would not do anything for His people, for He is a God who hides Himself; this is why in the book of Esther God is not referred to by any of His divine titles—Isa. 45:15, Esth. 4:3, 16. (Life-study of Ezra, msg. 1)
D. We need to realize that God is living and real, but He is hiding; He is a God who hides Himself—Isa. 45:15, 2 Sam. 22:47. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 1)
II. The secret care of the hiding God for His oppressed elect in their dispersion as seen in Esther—Esth. 1:10-19, 2:4, 15-17: (Life-study of Esther, msg. 1)
A. The hiding God established a top king in the Gentile world in prosperity, power, and glory over a great empire extending from India to Ethiopia (Africa)—1:1-2. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 1)
B. The hiding God caused the top king to depose his queen because of her disobedience to his word at his great banquet with his high officials—vv. 3-22. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 1)
C. in His secret care the hiding God raised up Esther, a Jewish orphan virgin, to be crowned by the top king as his queen—2:1-18, 4:14. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 1)
III. The open salvation of the hiding God in secrecy to His persecuted elect in their captivity as seen in Mordecai—v. 17, 3:12-15, 4:3, 16, 6:1-2, 8:3-5, 10-11, 9:25-28, 10:3: (Life-study of Esther, msg. 2)
A. Hamon’s plot to destroy all the Jews in Medo-Persia—3:1-15: (Life-study of Esther, msg. 2)
1. An Agagite by the name of Haman was promoted to the highest seat above all the princes who were with the king—v. 1-4, 3:1 footnote 2. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 2)
2. Haman was filled with rage and plotted not only to kill Mordecai, but also to destroy all the Jews throughout the empire—v. 5-15. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 2)
B. Mordecai’s confrontation of Haman’s plot through Esther’s close and intimate contact with the king—2:17, 7:1-8:2: (Life-study of Esther, msg. 2)
1. When all the Jews and Esther heard of what Haman intended to do and learned that the king had even issued a decree to carry out Haman’s intention, they fasted—4:3, 16. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 2)
2. The king being unable to sleep and finding the report of how Mordecai had saved him—6:1. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 2)
3. Esther pointing out to the king that Haman was the wicked adversary and enemy who conspired to kill all the Jews—7:1-8:2. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 2)
C. In 8:3 through 10:3 we see the open, triumphant victory of the Jews over their enemies—the open salvation of their hiding God to rescue them from their persecutors:
1. The king issuing a decree through Mordecai—8:3-14. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 2)
2. The Jews having light, gladness, joy and honor—v. 15-17. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 2)
3. The Jews destroying all their enemies throughout the empire—9:1-16. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 2)
4. The triumphant Jews appointing and establishing the days of Purim—v. 17-32. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 2)
5. Mordecai becoming second to King Ahasuerus and great among the Jews—10:1-3. (Life-study of Esther, msg. 2)
IV. The account in the book of Esther is crucial in relation to the following matters—Gen. 12:1-3, 22:17-18, 1 Kings 8:46-53: (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Esth. 1:1, footnote 1)
A. For the fulfillment of God’s calling of Abraham for a land, a seed (a people), and a blessing to all the nations—Gen. 12:1-3, 22:17-18. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Esth. 1:1, footnote 1)
B. For the fulfillment of the promise of God given through Moses that after God gave Israel into captivity, He would still take care of them—Deut. 4:27-31, Psa. 107:10-20. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Esth. 1:1, footnote 1)
C. For the fulfillment of the prayer of Solomon on the day of the dedication of the temple that God would take care of His elect in their captivity—1 Kings 8:46-53. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Esth. 1:1, footnote 1)
D. For the keeping of the line of the genealogy of Christ through the survival of Israel in their captivity that Christ might be brought into the human race—Esth. 8:11, Matt. 1:23. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Esth. 1:1, footnote 1)
E. To keep a people for the possessing of the Holy Land as a base for Christ to come back to establish His kingdom on earth—2 Kings 25:21, footnote 1. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Esth. 1:1, footnote 1)