UNSUNG FEMALE HERO

Unless you are a woman, or a man in a fairly progressive Christian group, chances are you haven’t had much study in the book of Esther. I know I haven’t. But I have been studying the book in my morning devotionals for the past couple of weeks, and have emerged with newfound appreciation for the person of Esther and for the significance of the book in the broader message of the Bible.

Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther form a triumvirate of Jewish heroes who brought the people of Israel back to glory after centuries of oppression and siege. Ezra, by providing spiritual leadership, gave moral influence to the cause. Nehemiah, by mobilizing the people, worked on the secular side, rebuilding the city walls. But neither might have had the chance to live, let alone lead, if Esther hadn’t put her own life on the line to beg the king for mercy. Without Esther, the king’s edict – a command to destroy the Jews and a reward for whoever did it – might have stood, dooming the people of God forever.

Esther the person, then, becomes a role model for me: one who understood that she was going to die either way, and was thus able to summon up the courage to do what was right and noble at the risk of great harm to herself. And Esther the book is elevated in my mind, from that quirky book that has no mention of the name of God to an early and precious archetype of One who would come later to save the people of God from eternal damnation.

Whether you are a Christian or not, I encourage you to read the book of Esther. Nestled as it is between Nehemiah and Job, you might miss it. You’d miss out on a high drama, with characters who will warm your heart and others who will stoke your hatred. And you’d miss out on a valuable lesson: someday, we’re all going to die, so if avoiding death is out of the question, the question then becomes how are you going to live?