Hi all. My grandmother passed away a couple of weeks ago, and my grandfather passed a couple of hours after her service. It has been a week, I tell you. I have been enjoying time with my siblings and mom as we grieve, laugh, and drink bourbon and diet coke (their favorite evening cocktail). So I do not have as extensive thoughts about Esther, but I will share what I have, including some really cool links.
Also, check out this Advent and Christmas Devotional that I co-wrote which has been published on ‘Our Bible App’ (a protestant devotional site/app)
The Text
Last Time on ‘The Story’
So we have skipped a lot over the last week, specifically the entirety of the Babylonian Exile. Not long after Habakkuk, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonian army in 587 BCE, and a second deportation of the people occurred in 582.
During this time the Jewish people were largely separated from the land in which they were living, and in the mindset of the day, the God that they (sometimes) served. However, when they got there, they discovered something amazing, that YHWH had gone with them into exile. During this time, the Jewish people began to truly hold onto the unique identity that they had been given, existing as a diasporic people in a foreign land.
In 539, the Persian Empire overtook the Babylonian Empire. Cyrus, the Persian Emperor made a decree in 538 that all of the Jewish people could return to their homeland, and allowed and even paid for the rebuilding of the temple and wall around Jerusalem. Light would continue to be hard for those who returned, and prophets would continue to guide the people as they were more concerned with their own wood paneling than the rebuilding of the temple. However not all of the Jewish people returned to Jerusalem, many of them continued to live throughout the empire where they had followed Jeremiah’s advice to build houses and live in them. The story of Esther is a tale set in this time.
Overview of the Book of Esther
The book of Esther has an interesting history. There are two different cuts of the book, the canonical Hebrew version, and the extended cut Greek version, which is considered deuterocanonical. There is much debate where these additional one-hundred and seven extra verses came from, and if they are (to put it in today’s terms) cut scenes or fanfic. Regardless, they do provide some interesting context and filler to the story.
Today’s Story
The Rest of the Story
Pop Culture References
Our Jewish Siblings celebrate the story of Esther with the festival of Purim, which usually includes dressing up in costume, eating a lot of meat and drinking a lot of adult beverages. There is also a creative retelling of the Esther Story. One exceptionally creative one that I have seen is this Hamilton Parody, it is truly worth a watch.
Hymn Suggestions
Links
Bible Project: Esther Secular or Sacred?
The Bible Binge Podcast Season 8 on Esther Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4
Advent Music Playlist on Spotify
Advent Devotional on “Our Bible App”
Candle Lighting for the Second Sunday of Advent
ONE: There was a Jewish man who lived in the palace complex in Susa. His name was Mordicai.
MANY: His ancestors had been taken from Jerusalem with the exiles to Babylon.
ONE: Mordecai had raised his cousin, Esther, since she had no father or mother.
MANY: After her parents died, Mordecai had adopted her.
ONE: The king of Susa fell in love with Esther.
MANY: He placed a royal crown on her head and made her queen.
(Light the first and second candle)
Let us pray: Living God, you have given us ancestors and histories. You have given us relationships within families, friends, and communities. You have given us gifts, abilities, and positions of power and privilege. You have brought us together for such a time as this to be your hands and feet in this place. Amen.
Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah (Glory to God # 85, Verse 2)
Light two candles to watch for Messiah: Let the light banish darkness.
He shall feed the flock like a shepherd, gently leading them forward.
ONE: Mordicai sent Esther this message: “Don’t think that just because you live in privilege that you will get out of this.
MANY: If we persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive from someplace else.
ALL: Who knows? Maybe you were born for such a time as this.”