Notes on Esther

2Ch Ezr Neh Est Job Psa Prv

Esther

Est 1:11 Now
[ par. 1 2 ]
Est 1:11 [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. The crucial point of this book 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 while acting in secrecy (Isa. 45:15). This is the reason this book does not mention the name of God even in places when the name of God should be mentioned (4:3, 16).
Est 1:11 [2] The account in the book of Esther is crucial in relation to the following matters: (1) 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); (2) 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); (3) 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); (4) 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; and (5) 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.

Est 1:12 Ahasuerus
The establishing of Ahasuerus as king over a vast Gentile empire (vv. 1-2), the deposing of Queen Vashti by Ahasuerus (vv. 3-22), the raising up of Esther, a Jewish orphan virgin, to be crowned as queen by Ahasuerus (2:1-18), and Esther’s saving the king from being assassinated by telling him in Mordecai’s name of those who planned to assassinate him (2:19-23) all portray the secret care of the hiding God for His oppressed elect in their dispersion.

Est 1:1a Ahasuerus Ezra 4:6; cf. Dan. 9:1

Est 1:3a banquet Gen. 40:20; 1 Kings 3:15; Esth. 2:18; Mark 6:21

Est 2:6a carried 2 Kings 24:14-15; 2 Chron. 36:20; Jer. 24:1; 29:1-2

Est 2:71 Hadassah
Her Jewish name, meaning myrtle.

Est 2:72 Esther
Her Persian name, meaning star.

Est 2:10a people Esth. 2:20; cf. Esth. 7:3-4

Est 2:12a myrrh S.S. 3:6

Est 2:17a crown Esth. 1:11; cf. Esth. 6:8

Est 2:18a banquet Esth. 1:3

Est 2:20a kindred Esth. 2:10

Est 2:21a Bigthan Esth. 6:2

Est 2:22a told Esth. 6:2; cf. Esth. 7:9

Est 3:11a Agagite Num. 24:7; 1 Sam. 15:8, 33
The Agagites were enemies of God. God had charged Saul to slay all the Agagites, but he failed to do this and thereby offended God (1 Sam. 15).

Est 3:12 advanced
Haman’s being advanced by the king was no doubt at the instigation of Satan, the adversary of God.

Est 3:2a did cf. Esth. 5:9; Dan. 3:6; Matt. 4:9; Rev. 13:15-17

Est 3:6a destroy Psa. 83:4

Est 3:7a Pur Esth. 9:24, 26

Est 3:7b twelfth Esth. 9:1

Est 3:8a differ cf. Acts 16:20-21

Est 3:10a Agagite Esth. 3:1

Est 3:10b enemy Esth. 7:6; 8:1; 9:24

Est 3:13a annihilate Esth. 7:4; 8:11; Psa. 83:4

Est 3:13b thirteenth Esth. 8:12; 9:1

Est 4:31a fasting Esth. 4:16; 9:31; cf. Dan. 9:3
Although they fasted in their supplication to God (vv. 3, 16), in this verse there is no mention of the name of God, contrary to what would be expected. See note 11 in ch. 1.