I recently started a bible study session with a friend. Not exclusive, anyone is welcome, but so far there are just us, and it has been a very good experience.
Many of us are familiar with the ‘such a time as this’ phrase, but did you know it’s actually in the Bible, referring to Esther at the height of her challenge to stand up and be counted.
My studies have led me to find out that many people condemn the Book of Esther as being misplaced in the Bible (Calvin, Martin Luther) as it doesn’t actually mention God in so many words.
I learned that there are two versions – one Hebrew and one Greek – the latter includes quite a lot about God which didn’t make it into the Hebrew!
I have also learned that God infuses the whole story and we can learn much from it about how God moves in time, place and history ‘his wonders to perform’, that he keeps his promises and that we are to seek his will through prayer and fasting.
And was this piece of history also predicted in Isaiah 55 v13?
“Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the LORD’s name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.” NLT
It was posited during my peregrinations around the internet in search of information about Esther that Haman is the thorn, Mordecai the Cypress, Vashti the nettle and Esther (whose Hebrew name Hadassah means myrtle) the myrtle.
Food for thought……
From Tundra to Tropic 