The book of Esther is a great place to see that the Lord is in the “small details of our lives,”[i] and coincidence is often part of divine design. Otherwise, the story of an orphaned Jewish girl becoming the queen of Persia at just the precise time necessary to save her people from being slaughtered is difficult to explain. Albert Einstein said, “Coincidences are God’s way of remaining anonymous.” For example, what are the “chances” of Esther’s cousin Mordecai just happening to overhear a plot to assassinate the king? What are the chances of Queen Vashti picking just that moment to refuse to heed her royal husband’s beck and call, humiliating him before his friends, and losing her place? How does Esther just ”happen” to be in the right place at the right time to replace her? We might not always recognize the Lord’s influence in the “tender mercies” in our lives, but when we do, we have increased confidence that he is indeed guiding our lives. He is preparing us “for such a time” that he can use us to bless others in order to fulfill his purposes.
Esther was a “star,” a true heroine
Esther’s Hebrew name was Hadassah, meaning “star,” and when we talk about her role in saving her people, we seldom mention all the things she went through before she attained “star” status. Her story is not as pretty as her face, and often rocky.[ii] Perhaps others who have undergone similar ordeals can relate to Esther’s plight.
She lived in exile. After the Babylonian exile, Esther and many other Jewish people lived scattered throughout Persia. Although Cyrus had granted them freedom to return to Jerusalem, many of them stayed in exile rather than return to their war-torn homeland.
She was an orphan. Esther had lost both her parents and was raised by her uncle Mordecai, who took her “for his own daughter.” (Esther 2:7)
She was taken captive. When King Ahasuerus became displeased with his queen and sought her replacement, he issued a decree to gather all suitable virgins in the area. “When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, and many young women were gathered to Susa, . . . Esther was also taken to the king’s palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women.” (Esther 2:8) We learn from the previous verse that she was “fair and beautiful,” and as the king’s servants were gathering exceptionally beautiful young maidens of the land, we can surmise that Esther didn’t have much say in the way things played out. She most likely did not raise her hand excitedly to volunteer for the king’s harem. She was taken.
She was sexually violated. Years ago, my friend and I were reading Esther together, and when we studied Esther 2:12-14, we started to unpack what those verses really meant. We had never heard this taught in Sunday School, but these scriptures are pretty clear about what happened. “Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women – when the young woman went in to the king in this way, she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.”
After undergoing a year of beauty treatments in the custody of the keeper of the harem, these young virgins were taken one by one to the king for him to sleep with. At the time, he was approximately 40 years of age and they were all quite young. After he slept with them, they didn’t return to the other virgins, but instead were added to the number of the king’s concubines. No other man could ever be their husband, and they never saw the king again unless he was pleased with them. In other words the king got to try out the merchandise before making his “purchase.” I don’t think I will teach this to my Primary class. Esther must have pleased the king, for he chose her to replace his former headstrong queen. “And the king loved Esther above all the … virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head.” (Esther 2:18)
She risked execution. When Esther’s cousin Mordecai learned of Haman’s scheme to annihilate the entire Jewish population, he sent the new queen a message. He begged her to throw herself before the king and beg for mercy on behalf of her people. However, Esther had not yet revealed her Jewish heritage to the king, and she had no idea how he would respond. She had seen how his chief advisor, Haman, had responded, and it was a frightening prospect. This was not as simple as it may have sounded. Esther knew that anyone who approached the king without first being summoned would be killed—unless he extended his scepter and spared her life. She had no idea what mood the king would be in. This very well could have been the last thing she ever did.
But Mordecai said to her: “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”(Esther 4:13-14)
She takes initiative. Mordecai does not tell her how to go about this. It was Esther who devised the plan of how to actually carry out Mordecai’s request. She gathered all the Jews in Shushan and requested of them to fast for three days, and plead with God to avert the potential tragedy. Esther also took initiative to hold two feasts before making her request from the king. Had she not carefully crafted this strategic plan and seen it through, this story would have had a very different outcome.
She has faith. Ester’s faith in God strengthens her to ask the Jewish people to support her in her potentially dangerous venture, initiating a talk with the king without being summoned. She needed to have the courage of faith spurring her on to attempt this hazardous mission. She had to believe that God would enable her to be successful in her endeavor. She needed to take a leap of faith, trusting that the Lord can do impossible things.
She has courage. Queen Esther exhibits courage when she makes the decision to approach the king. In Chinese, there are two phrases for courage. One (you yong wú móu) refers to someone who is brave but has no plan, while (zhì yong shuang quàn) is used to describe someone who is both wise and courageous. Esther is both wise and courageous as she plans her feasts and curries the favor of the king. She is wise in timing her requests, first to hold feasts, and then in begging King Ahasuerus to save her people after Haman is exposed and hung on the very gallows he built for Mordecai. Her courage breeds additional courage. As she steps out of her comfort zone and takes a leap of faith, her courage grows. Courage is something that gets stronger as we use it, like a muscle. It seems that she knows that in the strength of God she can do all things.
She lets her values drive her actions. Queen Esther’s actions were completely driven by her love and respect for her uncle, as well as her love of her people. Although her mission is dangerous, Mordecai reminds her of the implications she will face if she refuses. Ultimately, the final choice is hers, and she chooses to let her values and her love of God and of her people drive her actions. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually prepared, Esther stood in the inner court of the king’s house. When the king saw her, he held out his golden scepter, telling her that he would grant whatever request she had. She invited the king to a feast she had arranged, and during the feast she revealed that she was a Jew. She also exposed Haman’s underhanded plot to exterminate all of the Jews in the kingdom. Esther’s plea to save herself and her people was granted. God used both Mordecai and Esther in saving his people from what would have been genocide.
By focusing on the horrible things that Esther endured, we can better appreciate the largeness of her soul. God chose a woman who had had so much taken from her—her parents, her freedom, her virginity, and he gave her the opportunity to make a difference in a crisis situation. John F. Kennedy once said, “The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word ‘crisis.’ One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger—but recognize the opportunity.” [iii] God used someone who, due to her culture, gender, and circumstances was powerless, and gave her enabling power to be an instrument in his hands to accomplish a seemingly impossible feat.
Learning Lessons from the book of Esther
Just as Esther lived up to her name and became a “star” in saving her people from destruction, each of us has the opportunity to do likewise. We can each become an “instrument in the hand of the Lord” as we are sensitive to the Spirit and learn to recognize how God is guiding us to be a blessing in the lives of others. Studying and pondering your patriarchal blessing can help you learn more about what the Lord has in store for you to do.
When Mordecai and Esther stood up for their beliefs, they put their lives at stake. Our choices have consequences that might be less severe, but doing the right thing can still require courage. What did Esther mean when she said, “If I perish, I perish” before she went into the king? (Esther 4:15-17) She had considered her situation and decided that standing up for her people was a hill worth dying on. How can this apply to us today? We probably won’t have to risk our very lives in standing up for what we believe, but we might “die” socially, or politically by standing up for what we believe. I like what the Come Follow Me lesson on Esther says about this. “The next time you consider the consequences of doing what is right, you might apply Esther’s courageous words in Esther 4:16 to your own situation. For instance, you might say to yourself, “When I choose the right, if I [lose friends], I [lose friends].”
We might consider what Esther did to give her the courage to do what she needed to do. I’m sure that fasting together with her people gave her strength and courage, and fortified her to be able to approach the king unbidden. I feel the power of united fasting every month with my friends and neighbors, and it builds my faith and gives me the courage to press on. Also, we know what kind of a God we have, and that should inspire us to do the right thing regardless of the consequences.
President Thomas S. Monson spoke of the kind of courage we would need in our day in three aspects of our lives:[iv]
First, the courage to refrain from judging others; Oh, you may ask, “Does this really take courage?” And I would reply that I believe there are many times when refraining from judgment—or gossip or criticism, which are certainly akin to judgment—takes an act of courage. Unfortunately, there are those who feel it necessary to criticize and to belittle others. It will take real courage when you are surrounded by your peers and feeling the pressure to participate in such criticisms and judgment. Mother Teresa, a Catholic nun who worked among the poor in India most of her life, spoke this truth: “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” True love can alter human lives and change human nature.
Second, the courage to be chaste and virtuous. You live in a world where moral values have, in great measure, been tossed aside, where sin is flagrantly on display, and where temptations to stray from the strait and narrow path surround you. Many are the voices telling you that you are far too provincial or that there is something wrong with you if you still believe there is such a thing as immoral behavior. Great courage will be required as you remain chaste and virtuous amid the accepted thinking of the times. In the world’s view today there is little thought that young men and young women will remain morally clean and pure before marriage. Does this make immoral behavior acceptable? Absolutely not! The commandments of our Heavenly Father are not negotiable! Maintain an eternal perspective. Be alert to anything that would rob you of the blessings of eternity.
Third, the courage to stand firm for truth and righteousness. Because the trend in society today is away from the values and principles the Lord has given us, you will almost certainly be called upon to defend that which you believe. Unless the roots of your testimony are firmly planted, it will be difficult for you to withstand the ridicule of those who challenge your faith. When firmly planted, your testimony of the gospel, of the Savior, and of our Heavenly Father will influence all that you do throughout your life. The adversary would like nothing better than for you to allow derisive comments and criticism of the Church to cause you to question and doubt. Your testimony, when constantly nourished, will keep you safe. You will probably not be called upon to put your life on the line, as did Esther, for that which you believe. You will, however, most likely find yourself in situations where great courage will be required as you stand firm for truth and righteousness. As you do so, you will be “an example of the believers,” and your life will be filled with love and peace and joy.
Haman, a good “bad example”
We can also learn much from the good “bad example” of Haman, the king’s chief counselor.[v] He is a descendant of Agag, the king of the Amalekites, who had been Israel’s enemy for generations. (See Exodus 17:14-16) Haman is the perfect literary foil for the faithfulness of Esther and Mordecai. He lets his pride and anger take over and become the motivation for his actions.
Haman had been promoted to high position by king Ahasuerus and had set his seat above all the princes. All the king’s servants bowed and reverenced Haman, in accordance with the commandment of the king. However Mordecai did not bow down to him or do him reverence. This was noticed by Haman’s aides, and when asked why he did not bow down, he told them he was a Jew. In fact, Mordecai’s refusal to bow down before Haman was not based on the laws of God, but on the principle of personal integrity. He knew what kind of a man Haman was.
When his aides told him about Mordecai’s continual refusal to bow down, Haman was filled with wrath. He could only consider himself a success if everyone else thought he was a success. Because of this, Haman’s pride led him to hatred of the Jews, and his anger led him to take out his wrath upon all the Jews. He told the king a half-truth, that there were “certain people” in his kingdom whose laws were different from other people’s laws, and they did not keep the king’s laws, therefore it was not fitting for the king to let them remain. (see Esther 3:8) He neglected to tell the king how many of these “certain people” were in his kingdom, and Ahasuerus probably considered this a relatively small threat. The Jews did have their own laws, but they did not prevent them from keeping the king’s laws as loyal subjects.
Haman sought to bribe the king into issuing an edict that would allow his lieutenants in all the provinces to slay all the Jews and take their property as spoil. He promised to pay the king 10,000 talents of silver, which would come from the property obtained from the slaughter Jews, not out of Haman’s own pocket. (Esther 3:9) In order to determine the date when this would happen, they cast Pur, or lots, used to leave a decision up to chance, or in this case up to God. Since they are doing this in the first month and the lot fell on the twelfth month, the Jews would not be massacred for at least eleven months. (Esther 3:7) This period of time allowed Esther to work out her plan.
The king and Haman sat down to have a drink, and Haman must have been patting himself on the back, thinking he had done well. Of course the king had no idea what he had done, and the people of Shushan were perplexed. They must have known Jewish people who were good citizens, and they been confused that such a decree would be issued declaring these people as dangerous enemies. This had all come to pass because of the insecurity and wounded pride of one very wicked man. Although he had been honored by both the king, who had given him his royal ring, and the queen who had invited him to her special banquets, the disapproval of Mordecai made him feel worthless. These deep-seated insecurities and jealousy caused him to take rash actions. He is spurred on to further treachery by his friends and his wife. They suggest building a giant gallows on which to hang Mordecai in a humiliating public execution. This height is totally exaggerated—no gallows would be 75 feet high. Haman, like so many insecure people, is easily swayed by his peers.
We should never underestimate the vicious and irrational power of hatred. We are experiencing this today in our political differences. At least some people are taking it to an extreme and destructive level. Ironically, the wicked often fall into the very pit they have digged for their enemies. “That great pit which hath been digged for the destruction of men shall be filled by those who digged it, unto their destruction.” (see 1 Nephi 14:3)
This is exactly what happens to Haman. When the king has a sleepless night, and reads the records, he just “happens” to turn to the exact page telling the story of how Mordecai save the king from assassination. Another coincidence by divine design. The king wonders what honor had been bestowed on Mordecai for this valiant act. How interesting that Haman entered the king’s court at that very moment to ask for the execution of Mordecai. Hollywood screenwriters couldn’t come up with anything this good. Is it not pure dramatic irony that King Ahasuerus wanted to honor Mordecai at the very moment that Haman wanted to hang him? If the book of Esther shows us anything, it shows us that God knows what he is doing and there are no coincidences or surprises.
The king asked Haman, “What shall be done for the man who the king delights to honor. Haman, in his pride and arrogance, thought, “Who would the king want to delight and honor more than me?” Haman answered that this man should be given a royal robe which the king has worn, and a horse which the king has ridden, and he should be paraded on horseback throughout the city square. These things matter very little, except to one puffed up with pride. I would love to have seen the face of Haman at the moment when he realized that the king took his advice completely, but gave the honor to his sworn enemy—the ultimate humiliation! He had set himself up for a big fall.
Esther’s plan had worked perfectly. At the second banquet, the king asked her what her petition was, and said that he would be happy to grant her request, up to half of his kingdom. She humbly asked for her life and the life of her people. She showed great tact in not immediately identifying herself as a Jew, targeted for massacre. She also showed wisdom in how she framed her request, appealing to the king on a personal basis, knowing that she had never done anything but please the king. The king was incensed and asked, “Who is this wicked man who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing? Ironically, he himself was the one who gave authorization to Haman to carry out this wicked plot, although he did it in ignorance. Esther identified Haman as the adversary, and the king arose in wrath and went into the palace garden. He called for Haman to be executed on the very gallows he prepared for Mordecai. All that he had was given to Esther and Mordecai. Although the decree of a king could not be reversed, the Jewish people were allowed to defend them themselves against those who sought to slaughter them.
Concluding Thoughts
The Jewish feast of Purim was established to remember the story of Esther. How an orphaned Jewish girl just “happened” to be in the right place at the right time to save her people. We can see God’s fingerprints all over the story of Esther. He arranged the noble queen Vashti to lose her place. He arranged a competition to replace her. He arranged for Esther to enter the competition. He arranged for Mordecai to have access to both Esther and the affairs of the kingdom. He arranged that the lot was cast to give eleven months warning before the Jews would meet their fate, enabling Esther time to enact her plan. God arranged that the decree that the Jews be killed by private hands instead of by the army of Persia, which would have made it much more difficult to stop. He arranged for Esther to delay her request, first asking for a banquet with the king and then a second banquet. He arranged for Haman’s anger to come to a peak on a particular day when it would mean his total downfall. God arranged for Ahasuerus to have a sleepless night and to pick up a certain book where he would “just happen” read the passage about Mordecai.
The Lord’s hand is indeed in the details of our lives. Although we each have our moral agency, God works out his eternal plans and righteous purposes according to his own wisdom. His ways are not our ways, and we must use the eyes of faith to see clearly that he has our best interests in mind at all times. We are his children, and he wants the best for us. Sometimes it is difficult to see that the things that try us are actually for our own good because they make us strong. The Lord needs each of us to fulfill our unique part in building his kingdom in this final dispensation. We can be instruments in his hands to fulfill his purposes in “such a time as this.”
[i] Ronald A, Rasband, “By Divine Design,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov ember 2017, 56
[ii] These ideas come from an article by Rachel Friedlander called “Five Things About Esther That Nobody Talks About, February 19, 2019, available online. Also from an article “Five things Queen Esther Taught Me About Being a Successful Woman,” March 1, 2018, available online.
[iii] This is not exactly true, but I love the sentiment.
[iv] Thomas S. Monson, “May You Have Courage,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2009, 123–27.
[v] Many of these insights into Haman’s downfall were gained from Enduring Word Bible Commentary, available online.
