The Remarkable Story of A Brave Queen And Champion For The Jews . Featuring, Spurgeon, Mary Elizabeth Baxter, and James Smith. Compiled by Debra Maffett

When King Xerxes banished his wife, Queen Vashti, for refusing to obey him, he called all the young women of the Persian kingdom to come and audition to be his new queen. Among them was Esther, a Jewess, whose cousin Mordecai instructed her to hide her ethnic identity from the royal leaders. Little did either of them know that she had been raised up by God for such a time to save His people from certain destruction.

The Jewish holiday of Purim is celebrated every year on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar (late winter/early spring). Purim 2021 begins on Thursday night, February 25 and continues through Friday, February 26, (extending through Sunday in Jerusalem). It commemorates the (Divinely orchestrated) salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian empire from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day.” Literally “lots” in ancient Persian, Purim was thus named since Haman had thrown lots to determine when he would carry out his diabolical scheme, as recorded in the book of Esther.

The Lord intended by the narrative of Esther’s history to set before us a wonderful instance of his providence, that when we had viewed it with interest and pleasure, we might praise his name, and then go on to acquire the habit of observing his hand in other histories, and especially in our own lives. Well does Flavel say, that he who observes providence will never be long without a providence to observe. The man who can walk through the world and see no God, is said upon inspired authority to be a fool; but the wise man’s eyes are in his head, he sees with an inner sight, and discovers God everywhere at work. It is his joy to perceive that the Lord is working according to his will in heaven, and earth, and in all deep places.

Esther Defeats Her Enemy:

https://www.gracegems.org/Spurgeon/esther_defeats_her_enemies.htm

The book of Esther belongs to the times of Ezra and Nehemiah, and was probably written by Mordecai (chapter 9:20). As has been often noted, the Name of God does not occur, and is never referred to in it. But although His Name is not found, His hand is everywhere visible. It may be fitly called, "The book of the providence of God."

https://www.gracegems.org/Smith%20Handfuls%20on%20Purpose/16_esther.htm