Monday, 30 June 2008 00:00  |  Written by Kathryn Kerridge [a] and posted in Esther

As a result of king Xerxes’ decree, Esther, along with many other young women, was brought to the king’s harem at the fortress of Susa and placed in Hegai’s care. Esther 2:8

Esther had been orphaned during Judah’s exile and is now (at perhaps 13 or 14 years old) kidnapped from the home of her guardian, Mordecai, by armed soldiers. The Persian King Xerxes had ordered these kidnappings in order to choose a new bride from the most beautiful young virgins of the land.

God doesn’t always prevent bad things happening to us – he sometimes has a much bigger plan.

Tuesday, 01 July 2008 00:00  |  Written by Kathryn Kerridge [a] and posted in Esther

Hegai was very impressed with Esther and treated her kindly. He quickly ordered a special menu for her and provided her with beauty treatments... and he moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem. Esther 2:9

How might Esther have felt in the harem? Scared, lonely, sad? Perhaps angry that she would never be allowed to go back home, even if she wasn’t chosen as queen? Her worth was also being placed entirely upon her beauty, so perhaps she felt like an object too?

Regardless, Esther’s behaviour through this trial must have been gracious and godly – Hegai was immediately impressed with her character.

Wednesday, 02 July 2008 00:00  |  Written by Kathryn Kerridge [a] and posted in Esther

When the turn came for Esther to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s enuch suggested. And Esther won the favour of everyone who saw her. Esther 2:15

12 months Esther had spent in the harem completing a prescribed beauty treatment before she could be sent before the king! A whole year of face packs, cosmetics and perfumes where the world revolved around her! Yet she remained humble in her circumstances and followed the advice Hegai gave her. Consequently, Esther won the favour of the King and became Queen.

Thursday, 03 July 2008 00:00  |  Written by Kathryn Kerridge [a] and posted in Esther

If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. What’s more, who can say but that you have been elevated to the palace for just such a time as this? Esther 4:14

Evil Haman, the King’s second-in-command, hated the Jews because they would not bow down to him. Therefore, Haman convinced the king to approve a decree for their annihilation.

Queen Esther, who hadn’t yet told anyone in the palace of her nationality, now had a choice – would she speak up or keep quiet about her faith in God?

Friday, 04 July 2008 00:00  |  Written by Kathryn Kerridge [a] and posted in Esther

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for 3 days…and then, though it is against the law, I will go in and see the king. If I must die, I am willing to die. Esther 4:15-16

No one was allowed to just walk in and see the king without an invitation, not even his queen. The law stated that anyone who walked in on the king uninvited was to be put to death…

Esther was willing to die trying to save her people. But she also had faith that God could do the impossible and so she gathered all the prayer support she could.

Saturday, 05 July 2008 00:00  |  Written by Kathryn Kerridge [a] and posted in Esther

Esther replied, “If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet I have prepared for the king.” Esther 5:3

What a strange request. What’s even stranger is that when the king asks Esther, “What’s up?” at this banquet, Esther asks him and Haman to come to another banquet the next day…

At first read it sounds like she’s putting off the inevitable, but as the story progresses we find a lot happens in-between these two banquets. Though the story doesn’t credit him, God is at work behind the scenes.

Sunday, 06 July 2008 00:00  |  Written by Kathryn Kerridge [a] and posted in Esther

The king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet. On this second occasion, while they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther, “Tell me what you want, Queen Esther. What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!” Esther 7:1-2

This time Esther pleads for her life and the life of her people. The king is enraged, orders Haman’s execution and issues a second decree that foils Haman’s plan to wipe out the Jews.

God could have saved his people without Esther’s help, after all he had promised several times that his people would never be completely annihilated. However, God loves to work through his people!