The Bible OverBrew - Bible in a Yearنموونە

Week 34. Day 4. Esther 1-4.

Esther is set after the exile, and so is the latest book of the OT. It is set in Persia, which had become the dominant power, having taken over from Babylon. Esther is a Jew, and there are still Jews scattered through the region, even though the return from exile happened years earlier. So, Esther’s situation is very much that of an exile, like Daniel 100 years earlier. Though the subject matter is serious, I’m persuaded there is humour in how the book is narrated (to make important theological points) – keep an eye out for this. Some questions are given below to guide your reading, but as it is such a great story, you may prefer just to enjoy the narrative (read in one sitting!) and then come back to the reflection questions.

God is famously not mentioned by the narrator of Esther. As you read, ask yourself why you think this is. Is God present in the book?

Ch 1-2 In the court of an abusive king

What do you make of Xerxes (also known as Ahasuerus)?

How does Xerxes function as a complete opposite model of kingship to that of Jesus?

Ch 3-4 The plot against the Jews

In 3:6 Haman seeks to destroy all the Jews. This should be seen as fulfilment of Gen 3:15, where God promised that the offspring of the serpent (Satan and all who follow him) would attack the offspring of the woman (God’s people).

NOTE: Days 1-5 of each week contain the scripture reading for that week. Day 6 has just the 'key chapters'. If you want a briefer version of this plan that still takes you through the whole Bible, you could just read the key chapters featured on day 6. Day 7 has the podcast video where we discuss the week's reading.