ODJ: behind the scenes
June 22, 2011
Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this? (v.14).
READ: Esther 4:1-16
One of the things I appreciate about the Old Testament book of Esther is that God’s name isn’t mentioned in it—not even once. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not losing my belief in God! For me, the book’s omission of God’s name is a great reminder that even though He might appear to be absent, God is still present, quietly working behind the scenes.
The book of Esther reads like a novel. It centers on the dramatic story of a beautiful young Jewish girl who rises from obscurity to become queen of the Persian Empire (Esther 2). Esther, who concealed her family ancestry, ends up using her royal position to turn the tables on a plot to annihilate her people.
Haman, one of King Xerxes’ top royal officials, had a strong dislike for the Jewish people. He was furious because Mordecai, another royal official who happened to be Jewish, refused to pay him honor (3:1-6). Appealing to Xerxes’ pride, Haman tricked the king into signing an order that called for the execution of all Jews (vv.8-13). But his plan backfired. Esther’s gutsy intervention (ch.4-5) and the king’s sleeplessness (ch.6), led to Haman having to lead a royal parade to honor Mordecai. A short time later, a humiliated Haman was hanged on the very gallows he had built for the execution of Mordecai (ch.6-7).
These weren’t random events. King Xerxes didn’t just happen to have a bout of insomnia. He didn’t just happen to discover that Mordecai was never rewarded for exposing an assassination plot (2:21-23, 6:1-3). Events like these came about because God was working through them.
God doesn’t always work through obvious means like the 10 plagues or the parting of the Red Sea. But whether we see or feel it, He’s always involved and at work in our lives. —Jeff Olson
How has God worked “behind the scenes” in your life recently? How are you inspired by the story of Esther?
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