Bible Study for Today

Why do Esther and Mordecai appear so secular in their lifestyles?

In contrast to their near contemporaries Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel, the central people in Esther seem worldly. The lack of references to God is most obvious in Esther and Mordecai’s conversations. Are these all subtle indications that Esther and Mordecai were people whose faith had little or no effect on their daily lives?

The Book of Esther does not settle this question. There are several important factors, however, that might hold us back from jumping to conclusions about Esther and Mordecai. Primary among these is the fact that the book has a limited scope. Only a few key events are recorded. Few if any details of the inner life of either main character are revealed. Yet the integrity of their actions ought to incline us toward giving them the benefit of the doubt when it comes to faith (4:13–16).

Here are a few other considerations regarding this question: 1) While Mordecai’s caution about announcing his and Esther’s heritage publicly might be questioned, it must also be pointed out that others were also cautious about this same matter (Neh. 2:1–8 makes no mention of God in Nehemiah’s conversation with Artaxerxes); 2) Public events such as Passover had fallen out of practice during the captivity, meaning that there were fewer occasions in which faith was practiced in the open (this doesn’t mean however that the Jews were not a marked people, since they could be identified for the purpose of Haman’s law); 3) When it was appropriate, Esther did openly identify her Jewish heritage (7:3,4). These considerations do not remove the charge that Esther and Mordecai seem less devoted to God than, for example, Daniel. But the fact that God did work out His purposes in their lives comes through clearly in the book

Reading for Today:

Esther 5:1–6:14Psalm 90:1-6Proverbs 22:9Romans 4:1-25

Notes:

Esther 6:1 the book. Five years had intervened since Mordecai’s loyal but as yet unrewarded act (2:23). At exactly the proper moment, God providentially intervened so that the king suffered insomnia, called for the book of records, read of Mordecai’s unrewarded deeds 5 years past, and then desired to reward him (Dan. 6:18).

Esther 6:13 you have begun to fall.Neither divine prophecy (Ex. 17:14) nor biblical history (1 Sam. 15:8, 9) stood in Haman’s favor. Haman’s entourage seemed to have some knowledge of this biblical history.

Psalm 90:Title. Moses the man of God. Moses the prophet (Deut. 18:15–22) was unique in that the Lord knew him “face to face” (Deut. 34:10–12). “Man of God” (Deut. 33:1) is a technical term used over 70 times in the Old Testament, always referring to one who spoke for God. It is used of Timothy in the New Testament (1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 3:17).

Psalm 90:3 You turn man to destruction. The unusual word for destruction has the idea of crushed matter. Though different from the “dust” of Genesis 3:19, this phrase is no doubt a reference to that passage. Humanity lives under a sovereign decree of death and cannot escape it.

Romans 4:3 A quotation of Genesis 15:6, one of the clearest statements in all Scripture about justification.believed. Abraham was a man of faith (1:16; 4:18–21; Gal. 3:6, 7, 9; Heb. 11:8–10). But faith is not a meritorious work. It is never the ground of justification—it is simply the channel through which it is received and it, too, is a gift.accounted. vv. 5, 9, 10, 22. Also translated “imputed” (vv. 6, 8, 11, 23, 24). Used in both financial and legal settings, this Greek word means to take something that belongs to someone and credit to another’s account. It is a one-sided transaction—Abraham did nothing to accumulate it; God simply credited it to him. God took His own righteousness and credited it to Abraham as if it were actually his. This God did because Abraham believed in Him.

Romans 4:11,12 the father of all those who believe. Racially, Abraham is the father of all Jews (circumcised); spiritually, he is the father of both believing Jews (v. 12) and believing Gentiles (uncircumcised; v. 11).