ESTHER: The Queen and the God Behind the Scene

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The Book of Esther does not mention God—not even once.

This is why some questioned whether it should even be part of the Bible. The Jewish Council of Jamnia in A.D. 90 debated its inspiration for this very reason. Later writers even added 107 extra verses filled with references to God (now part of the Apocrypha) in an attempt to “fix” this issue. But if Esther truly belongs in the Word of God, why is the name of God not acknowledged anywhere in the book?

INTENTIONALLY NOT MENTIONED

It was highly unusual for ancient writings not to mention God—or at least some god or goddess—because Ancient Near Eastern literature, especially Jewish writings, almost always carried religious references. This silence seems deliberate. The author likely intended irony: even without God’s name on the page, His presence and power are evident in every twist of the story.

The Jews living in exile might have thought that God had abandoned them—that His silence meant His absence. But the book of Esther proves otherwise: God was still at work, moving quietly behind the scenes, whether they noticed it or not. The unexpected turns of events throughout the story made God’s name almost unnecessary. The original readers would have recognized His hand immediately, even without a single explicit reference.

HIDDEN MENTIONS OF GOD

Some scholars suggest that while God’s name is never mentioned outright, the author “hid” it using acrostics. Certain phrases, when read by their first letters (sometimes forward, sometimes backward), spell out God’s covenant name, YHWH.

For example, in 1:20 the phrase “all women will give” in Hebrew is hi’ wekal hannashim yittenu—its first letters form “HWHY,” God’s name written backward. In 5:4, the phrase “let the king, together with Haman, come today” (yabo’ hammelek wehaman hayyom) produces “YHWH” from its first letters. Similar acrostics are found in 5:13 and 7:7. Whether these codes were intentional or just coincidental, the point remains: direct or hidden, God’s name is almost unnecessary, because the entire narrative itself proclaims His providence.

THE REVERSALS AND GOD'S PROVIDENCE

The story is full of incredible reversals:

  • Queen Vashti was removed; Esther became queen. The mighty were brought low; the lowly were lifted high.

  • Xerxes gave his signet ring to Haman to destroy the Jews (3:10), but later gave the same ring to Mordecai to save them (8:2).

  • Haman built a gallows for Mordecai (5:14), but ended up hanged on it himself (7:9).

  • Haman planned to kill Mordecai the next morning (5:14), but that very day, Mordecai was honored publicly with Haman’s own suggestions (6:10).

  • Vashti lost her crown by refusing to appear when summoned (1:12), but Esther risked her life by appearing before the king unsummoned (5:1).

  • Mordecai once sat in sackcloth because of Haman’s decree (4:2), but later wore the royal robe of the king—again, by Haman’s idea (6:11).

And the list goes on. It is impossible to miss God’s hand, quietly reversing circumstances. He does not need to override human choices or invade natural events to accomplish His purposes. That unseen, guiding hand is what we call providence.

PURIM: God Doesn't Play Dice

One of the book’s central purposes is to explain the origin of the Feast of Purim (9:20–32). Though the story may sound almost like a fairytale, its historical accuracy is strongly affirmed. It is unthinkable that the Jews would invent a fictional story to justify one of their annual festivals.

Purim was the first Jewish festival established that was not part of the Law of Moses (the second was Hanukkah, commemorating victory over Antiochus Epiphanes in 164 B.C.). Its name comes from the word pur (“lot,” like a dice). Haman cast lots to determine the date for the Jews’ destruction (3:7). In pagan belief, casting lots revealed the will of the gods. But God overturned Haman’s plan, and the very day chosen for destruction became the day of deliverance (9:24–26).

Some scholars suggest that Purim drew influence from the Persian/Babylonian New Year Festival, in which pagans believed their gods cast lots to decide the fate of humanity. If so, the book of Esther demonstrates that the God of Israel is not bound by chance or fate. He is sovereign. He doesn’t “play dice.” He knows exactly what He is doing.

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Even when we cannot see Him working, God is still at work. Even when we cannot hear His voice, He is still present. We may not always understand what is happening in our world, but we can trust the God who works behind the scenes.

And the God of Esther is still our God today. Stay Curious.

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