Queen Esther

“And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” — Esther 4:14

Many of God’s people were living far from home, in the great kingdom of Persia. The king of Persia was called Xerxes, and he ruled over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India all the way to Africa.

There was a Jewish girl called Esther. Her mother and father had died, and her older cousin Mordecai had brought her up as his own daughter. Esther was beautiful, and when King Xerxes was looking for a new queen, he chose Esther. He placed the royal crown on her head. But Mordecai told Esther not to tell anyone that she was Jewish.

The king had an important official called Haman. Everyone had to bow down to Haman. But Mordecai wouldn’t bow down to him. Haman was furious. And when he found out that Mordecai was Jewish, he decided to destroy not just Mordecai, but all the Jews in the whole kingdom!

Haman went to the king and said, “There is a certain people scattered all through your kingdom who don’t obey your laws. Let a law be written to destroy them.” The king didn’t ask who these people were. He gave Haman his ring to seal the law. So letters went out to every province: on a certain day, all the Jews were to be killed.

When Mordecai heard, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and cried loudly in the streets. He sent a message to Esther, begging her to go to the king and plead for her people.

But Esther sent a message back. “There is a law that anyone who goes to the king without being called will be put to death, unless the king holds out his gold sceptre to them. And the king hasn’t called for me for thirty days.”

Mordecai sent this answer: “Don’t think that because you live in the palace you will escape. If you stay silent, help will come from somewhere else, but you and your family will die. And who knows? Perhaps you have become queen for such a time as this.”

Then Esther made her choice. “Gather all the Jews in the city,” she said, “and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days. My maids and I will fast too. Then I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I die, I die.”

On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the courtyard of the palace. When the king saw her, he was pleased, and he held out the gold sceptre. Esther came forward and touched the tip of it. She was safe!

“What is it, Queen Esther?” asked the king. “What do you want? I’ll give you anything, even half my kingdom.”

Esther was wise. She invited the king and Haman to a special dinner. And at the dinner, she invited them to come to another dinner the next day.

That night, the king couldn’t sleep. So he had the history books of his kingdom read to him. And he heard how Mordecai had once discovered a plot to kill the king, and saved his life. “What honour has Mordecai been given for this?” the king asked. “Nothing,” said his servants. So the next morning, the king made Haman lead Mordecai through the city on the king’s own horse, dressed in the king’s own robe, shouting, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honour!” Haman was furious and ashamed.

At the second dinner, the king asked Esther again, “What do you want, Queen Esther?”

“Please, O king,” said Esther, “spare my life and the lives of my people. For we have been sold to be destroyed!”

“Who would dare to do such a thing?” said the king.

“Our enemy,” said Esther, “is this wicked man, Haman!”

The king was furious. Haman was put to death on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai. Then the king made Mordecai his chief official, and gave the Jews the right to defend themselves. God’s people were saved!

The Jews still celebrate this every year, with a happy festival called Purim. The book of Esther never once mentions God’s name. But God was there all along, working behind the scenes, putting Esther in the right place at the right time.

Read it in your Bible: Esther 2–8

Dear God, thank you that you are always at work, even when we can’t see you. Please make me brave enough to speak up for people who need help. Amen.