Times of Favour

The book of Esther is unusual. It may not be the only OT book which is not quoted by Jesus and the apostles, but it is unique in our modern Bibles in that it does not name God once. A fuller picture can be found in the Greek OT as used by Jesus and the NT writers. A longer book of Esther, it mentions the Lord and gives other useful insights. Still, if we restrict ourselves to the OT as contained in our modern Bibles, we still still the Lord all over their pages. The co-incidences and surprises in the text shout out the providence of Israel's God. We learn from the first two chapters how God took a Jewish woman and propelled her to the Persian royal family almost overnight. Not only are we struck by the power wielded by the Lord in granting his people favour in the eyes of others so as to place them where he wants them, but Esther as intercessor at the right hand of the king provides us with a picture of Christ interceding at the right hand of God himself.