For those who grew up in the Church, the story of Esther is one of those very memorable stories from the Old Testament that became a part of your childhood education. However, many who came into the Church later in life may have missed the opportunity to become acquainted with this moving story of a woman named Esther who, according to the Bible, “had come to the kingdom for such a time as this.” When you read this story in the Bible, when you get to chapter 7, you discover this is the turning point of the story. It is here that Esther reveals why she had boldly approached the king without being called.

The setting of the story is Persia during the time of King Xerxes, who reigned from 486 to 465 B.C. The king had thrown a great banquet for all the people. After seven days, everyone was intoxicated and the king ordered Queen Vashti to appear so he could show off her beauty. She refused to come. The king was furious and met later with his advisors to determine what he should do. They were concerned because the queen’s actions could undermine the authority of every husband in the land. It was decided that Vashti should never again appear before the king and a decree was sent out to find a new bride from the virgins in the land.

In the capital city of Susa lived a man by the name of Mordecai. He had raised his cousin Esther because she had no father or mother. She was beautiful, and it was decided that she would be sent to the king. After a year’s beauty treatments in the king’s harem, she was brought before Xerxes, and in the end, she became queen. But Mordecai told her not to reveal to the king that she was a Jew.

As the story progresses, Mordecai discovers a plot by two of the king’s officers to kill the king. He tells Esther and she warns the king and in doing so gives Mordecai credit for foiling the plot.

Another character in the story is Haman. He had been given a position above all the other nobles by the king. As he passed through the city gates, everyone bowed to him. Haman enjoyed his power and flaunted it wherever he could. It was no wonder that he was upset when Mordecai refused to bow to him when he passed by. He was so angry that he went to the king and persuaded him to make a decree for all the Jews in the kingdom to be destroyed on a certain day. The king at first refused but was persuaded by Haman that these Jews were enemies of the throne. The king’s decree went out, and it became the law of the Medes and the Persians. In other words, this law could not be changed.

Mordecai was upset, tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes. He sent a copy of the edict to Esther and urged her to go to the king to get him to reverse his decree. After all, Esther was a Jew, and she too was in danger. Now, this presented quite a dilemma. It was the law that no one was to approach the king without being summoned. To do so meant death. The only reprieve was for the king to put forth his gold sceptre to the person to spare his or her life. It had been over thirty days since the king had summoned Esther, so she did not know how he would respond if she entered on her own.

After asking the Jews in Susa to pray and fast for three days, Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. When the king saw Esther, he was pleased and extended his golden sceptre to her. The king smiled and asked, “What is it Queen Esther? What is your request? I will give even up to half of the kingdom to you if you ask for it.” Esther’s reply is not what we expected. “If it pleases the king,” she replied, “let the king together with Haman come today to a banquet I have prepared for them.”

So that night the king and Haman enjoyed themselves at the little feast Esther had prepared. And when the king asked again what Esther wanted, she replied, “This is such a little celebration, would you and Haman come back tomorrow night and I will prepare something much more elaborate.” Now Haman was feeling pretty happy. He thought that he was not only in the favour of the king but he was being honoured by the queen. Things just don’t get any better than this.

Then it happened. He went through the city gates, and there was Mordecai, again refusing to bow down. This was more than he could take. He went home to his wife and shared with her his disgust with Mordecai. She tells him to build gallows seventy-five feet high and go ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai hung on it.” So, Haman, had the gallows built and looked forward to the next day when he would see the demise of his enemy.

That night the king couldn’t sleep, so he had the history book of his reign read to him. When the reader recounted the incident where Mordecai uncovered the plot to assassinate the king, the king stopped him and asked, “What honour and recognition was given to this man.” “Nothing,” was the reply. The king called for Haman and asked him, “What should be done for the man the king wishes to honour?” Thinking that the king was referring to him, he replied, “Give him one of the royal robes and put him on one of the king’s horses and parade him through the streets saying, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights in honouring.’” “Good,” replied the king. “Go get Mordecai and put the robe on him and put him on the king’s horse and you parade him throughout the city.”

Imagine Haman’s horror. When it was all over, he rushed home to share his grief with his wife. But while she was giving him a piece of her mind, he was called to join the king and the queen for the banquet. Again, at the banquet, the king asked Queen Esther what was her request. “If I have found favour with you, O king, and it pleases your majesty, grant me my life and spare my people,” was her reply. “For I and my people have been sentenced to death.” Furious, the king asked, “Who is the man who has dared such a thing?” Esther tells the king, Haman is the one.

The next day Haman is hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. The king then sends out a decree throughout the land that the Jews were to defend themselves against their enemies, and they were saved. End of the story. We see how Esther was put in place in the kingdom for “such a time as this.”

Of course, anyone who reads the book of Esther discovers that it is about the establishment of the Feast of Purim, the second most important feast on the Jewish calendar. But much has been said about the secular nature of the story. There is no mention of God throughout the story. The Torah is not even alluded to, nor do we find a great deal of emphasis on prayer. Why should such a seemingly piece of literature be included in the Bible?

I think there are many reasons, but let me mention a few. First, the book is infused with moral principles. There is the triumph of good over evil. The role of women is emphasized. Remember that the story began with the men proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his household. Yet Esther becomes the hero of our story. It is she who saves her people. She is even awarded Haman’s property after his death.

Second, in many ways, God’s absence is the most important part of the story because it is quite clear that God is very present in every detail of the story. Even in what seems at first to be just random chance, God is directing the drama: Esther is chosen queen, the plot to kill the king, the king’s inability to sleep. All this together shows the hand of God at work. Not when we are just “being religious” is God present.

God is always and everywhere present. Was this not the Jews’ central theme in life? God calls us to see Him present in everything we do.