Esther - A Woman of Strength & Dignity

Chuck Swindoll's book "Esther - A Woman of Strength & Dignity" provided some good insights into the Book of Esther that will be useful as supplemental information for my class study.  Following are some of the notable points:

• There are times when we might think that God is absent because of His silence, only to find out later that He's been there all along At Work
• Esther was an orphan - imagine her having lost her parents, a poor little Jewish girl in exile, never imagining that she would become Queen of Persia
• Many amazing days begin very ordinarily, but result in life change (e.g. day of the Flood, day Christ was born, day Christ resurrected, the day when He comes back again, etc)
• Mordecai must have seen the 75 foot gallows that Haman was building to hang him on - What must have gone through his mind? And would he have imagined that very same evening God would lead the King to read about saving his life and instead of being hung,  he would be rewarded!    =>  What "gallows" loom overhead in our lives that we dread?  Trust that God can work things out in ways we may never even imagine
• God's PLANS are not hindered even when the events of this world are carnal or secular and God's PURPOSES are not frustrated by moral failure
• God moves in the mundane as well as in the miraculous
• When things seem to be going well (e.g. Esther is Queen, King is "happy", etc); there may still be evil lurking (pain and evil are a natural part of this fallen sinful world)
• Why does Haman react to Mordecai not bowing down to him by not only wanting to kill him but also the whole race of Jews?  This goes back to a grudge - Haman is an Agagite, a descendent of the Amalekite King that Saul, in disobedience to God, did not kill
• The "for such a time as this" message was a turning point speech - it reminded Esther that 1) she was not exempt from the troubles and urged her not to "do nothing" (i.e. "take action"), 2) that if not her, God would use someone else to accomplish His Plan, and 3) how great it would be if we were to be used as part of His Plan
• The response from Esther "if I perish, I perish" shows the moment of resolve, being willing to take a stand and even die for what she felt was important enough
• After fasting, when Esther approached the King, she seemed to have confidence and had a plan
• She waited on God's Timing before making her petition, until the gallows were built
• Instead of remembering that they were decreed to be annihilated, they started celebrating Purim each year to remember their deliverance instead (we need to have God-honoring memorials, like communion to remember what Christ did on the cross)
• Chp 10 gives some of the reasons for Mordecai's greatness, great among Jews, favor w/kinsmen, sought good, spoke for welfare of nation.  Throughout history, God makes unexpected choices for those He will use:  David, Moses, Gideon, a harlot, Jonah, Paul, and here, a no-name from the gates of the king, Mordecai and an orphaned young lady, Esther (NOTE:  The world often looks at externals for those they consider "great"; but, God looks at the heart.  In this passage, the things that make Mordecai great have nothing to do with externals)

What a great story to remind us that God is at work even when we may not see it; and that HIS Plan will always prevail.