It is the only book in the Bible where God is hidden like this, but he is there. Esther is one of two biblical books in which the name of God is not mentioned (the other is Song of Solomon). Two, the last letters of four sequential words in E. 7:7. as Haman descends from the King's … More Resources. Purim … She prays to the G-d Whom she knows is present. First of all, you may have noticed that God himself is hiding in the book of Esther – he is not mentioned at all. The easiest explanation for this would be that the additions were fabricated in later generations to make the book seem more religious, making it acceptable to pious Jews. The additions to Esther differ from the Hebrew version of the book most notably in the fact that God is explicitly mentioned, and the story of Esther is explained as the work of God. Much like the book of Ruth, this book stands as one of the most skillfully written biblical books. Many wonder why the Book of Esther is in the Bible, because the name of God is not mentioned in it. Such is the book of Esther, and it is the reason why this account is so incredibly helpful for us today. I want to know why it does not mention God. No mention of God; No mention of Temple; No mention of Prophet; And some points against Esther & the hero of the entire book, and together with her cousin, the Master mind for all these, who together became the joint heroes who saved the whole nation of Israel. Why? The Law is never mentioned nor are sacrifices or offerings referred to. In Esther, God is never mentioned at all. 1. Nonetheless, in this short book consisting of just 167 verses , the Median King is mentioned 192 times, his kingdom is referred to 26 times, and his name "Ahasuerus" is given 29 times. But, in both Esther and Ruth, God’s hand can be seen moving and working “behind the scenes.” For example, the famine in Israel, mentioned in Ruth 1:1, was a divine judgment of idolatry in the land (Deuteronomy 11:16–17). Here’s the next: Song of Solomon. There is a lesson here: The absence of God’s name may imply that there are times when it is just not obvious that God is with us. The Book of Enoch (also 1 Enoch; Ge'ez: መጽሐፈ ሄኖክ, maṣḥafa hēnok) is an ancient Hebrew apocalyptic religious text, ascribed by tradition to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah. The centrality of the concept of hester panim or “the concealed face of God” to Purim is recognized in the fact thatEsther is the only text in the Hebrew Bible, except for the Song of Songs,that does not mention the name of God explicitly.. Providence may be defined as follows: “It is that continuous agency of … The words “Jew” and … 9:20 explicitly mentions that Mordecai wrote these things. Curiously, God is not mentioned in this volume of Scripture and there is no indication that God was involved in any way in helping Esther and Mordecai save the Jews of Persia from the evil machinations of Haman, who planned to kill them. Instead, it focuses on the courage and ingenuity (and sometimes fallible motives) of Esther and her cousin Mordecai as they effect the rescue of their people. The Book of Esther is one of the twenty-four books of the Hebrew Bible. His presence permeates much of the story, as though He were behind the scenes coordinating “coincidences” and circumstances to make His will happen. The book of Esther is one of only two books in the Hebrew Bible that never mention God (the other is the Song of Songs). Not even once! Other sources ascribe the book … Critics of all stripes, whether Jewish or Gentile, whether ancient rabbis or modern scholars, have asked this question throughout history. The assurance provided by Purim was that no matter how severe the threat to God's people, he would help them. Many of the serious messages of Purim are encoded in word play and irony, and the Book of Esther‘s seemingly absent God is no exception. Author: Rev. As with most of the OT writings the author of the book of Esther (Esther meaning "star") is not mentioned. a. Esther, a Jew, was queen at the right time and the right place – Mordecai believed this (4:14) b. Vashti was removed making room … She does not perceive the honor of becoming queen as real. Why doesn’t the U.S. Constitution contain the word “democracy”? Eric Moerdyk. Ask A Pastor: Is … Prayer Call 2021 February 20, 2021. The Book of Esther is not quoted in the New Testament. Although the book does not mention God by name, it speaks plainly of His overruling in the affairs of men, and his unfailing care for His people. The Jewish historian Josephus names Mordecai as author of the book. The incredible thing is that you can’t get through a section of the book without being hit in the face with God’s goodness and providence. Enoch contains unique material on the origins of demons and Nephilim, why some angels fell from heaven, an explanation of why the Genesis flood was morally necessary, and prophetic exposition of the thousand-year reign of … Maybe because it expresses the sanctity of the shared Jewish identity, not because it represents the sanctity of God. God’s providence. 10. Though God’s name is not mentioned, all of the events - the downfall of Vashti and rise of Esther, Mordecai’s discovery of the assassination plot, the short-lived exaltation of Haman, the insomnia of the king, the book read to the king reminding him of Mordecai’s heroics and the exaltation of the Jewish people - reflect the providential design of God’s handiwork moving history towards his redemptive end. So why is it in the Bible? The Jewish historian Josephus names Mordecai as author of the book. Song of Solomon is a celebration of love, beauty, sex, and marriage. God in the book of Esther from Plants & Pillars on Vimeo. The Book of Esther is rather odd because it is the only book of the Bible in which the name of God appears to be missing (Martin Luther considered excluding it from the Bible for this reason 1). The book of Esther never mentions God. In the face of a decree of extinction hanging over the Jewish people, she calls for a three-day fast, for Esther understands that by temporarily … The idea that Esther and Mordecai may be questionable characters in the book of Esther, is picking the minor and neglecting … Not once! Martin Luther did not think that the Book of Esther should be included in the Bible. But that is not to say that God was absent. With its relatively few references to God, the book of Ruth somewhat resembles the book of Esther. 2. This is far beyond the book being historical fiction, this is the author explicitly challenging the Jewish people … This may seem strange, but many Bible scholars see this as an invitation to the reader to look for God’s hand at work, even if he seems silent. On the other hand chap. Perhaps it was the author’s intention to have us look for God ourselves. For these reasons, there is no compelling reason to … It’s like God is not even in the book. The Book of Esther: A Manifesto for Jewish Peoplehood By SHRAGA BAR-ON The Book of Esther is the most secular book in the Bible. Many ancient Jews around 200 BCE were also dissatisfied with the book because it fails to mention that Esther observed Jewish law and that it was God who brought the salvation. Today, though we can not physically see God or any miracles,we see the results of His hand stretched out in providence. It takes place among the exiles outside of the land of Israel in a capital city of the kingdom of Persia; God is never named as God, Jehovah (LORD), the Almighty, or in any other way; Israel is never mentioned, and the people are never called the Children of Israel; They are called “Jews” instead. Our beautiful Lord … One, the first letters of four sequential words in E. 5:8 as Haman is is on the rise. Chapter 10:2-3 however speaks against this, for the author would hardly have written likewise of himself. As the great Bible scholar Matthew Henry says of this book, “But, though the name of God be not in it, the finger of God is, directing many … The name of God is not mentioned anywhere in the whole book of Esther; and yet, God’s providence is seen throughout the whole book. It’s the history of the Jewish feast of Purim. And there’s no mention of God. This last but definitely not least point is reminiscent of truth #1, and is a special fun-fact not many people notice about the book of Esther: Unlike the many other books in the Bible, throughout whole book of Esther, the word “God” is not mentioned once. She calls on that which is inner, deeper, and hidden. It doesn’t even mention Passover, despite the fact that Esther and her people fasted on Passover! A lot of Christians as … There are no references to worship, heaven or hell. True, the frightened Jews prayed when they heard that Haman received a royal … Because God receives no mention in the story. But the question rests on a flawed assumption: that the words used to describe texts must originate in them. There is no other book in all the Bible in which God is more evident, working behind the scenes, than in this book. In fact, G-d’s Name is not mentioned once throughout the entire megillah. Encouragement from the Book of Esther The book of Esther is unique among the books of the Bible. The Book of Esther was originally written as a novel, and novels do not commonly contain religious references. God’s rescue of his people unfolds in a book in which God is never mentioned. Other sources ascribe the book … Rather, these readers saw the elaborate string of coincidences that leads to the rescue of the Jews and the destruction of their enemies as evidence of On the other hand chap. Last But Not Least: God’s Name Is Not Even Mentioned Once In The Book Of Esther. Furthermore, no copies of the book have been discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls. *Esther is the conclusion of a story line that was precipitated 600 years before she lived by the disobedience of King Saul. If you’re not familiar with the story of Esther, you can get the big picture here. For traditional Jewish commentators, the absence of God’s name did not mean that God was absent from the book. But perhaps this is intentional. It is the only story without God in it. It’s a book of poetry featuring a bride and … So why was it included as a Holy Scripture? Yet Esther makes her choice. In the case of Purim, hester … Tags: Esther Providence. The main people in the book also are symbols for God, God’s Messiah, Israel and the Adversary, aka haSatan. He used, even morally ambiguous characters like King … Why does the book of Esther never mention “God” by name? Categories: Ask a Pastor, Video Blogs By Rev. (The other book which does not is Song of Songs.) There is no prediction of the coming of the Messiah. How does a book get in the Bible without it ever mentioning God? The Book of Esther is different. It doesn’t use religious language or imagery, nor does it offer theological comment on the events it details. So, that’s one down. Yet actually, God is mentioned throughout the account. (Prayer is implied as a complement to fasting, but prayer is not explicitly mentioned). One reason may be to illustrate the hidden but providential care of God in spite of outward appearances. It’s also a story that is unique in all of Scripture, for the Book of Esther never even mentions anything about God. Had Haman’s plot succeeded … Rev. Human responsibility is prominent in Esther but not isolated from God's work; Esther and Mordecai were placed providentially to act in behalf of the people. Using eight feasts to systematically build and … Esther is the only book of the Bible where the name of God is not mentioned. Perhaps we are meant to see from this Book that the work and activity of God is not dependent on our recognition of His work and activity. God is not explicitly mentioned in the Book of Esther, and its Jewish characters do not actually pray. Almost alone among books of The Bible, it does not mention God. 9:20 explicitly mentions that Mordecai wrote these things. Presence of Hashem's Name in Esther Avigdor Bonchek, in "What's Bothering Rashi: Megillas Esther", notes that Rabbi Elazar Ashkenazi' (circa 1500) found encrypted references to the Hebrew word for the Divine Name in two places in Esther. Why is this? Esther is the only book in the Bible not to mention the name of God. Jewishness in the … Those who look for him can find him, lurking between the lines, giving the strange impulse to King Xerxes to suddenly read the archives in the middle of the night, without which, the story would have … Maybe in The Song of Songs it really isn't that important - although even so, I'm still not sure what exactly it's in The Bible either. God was able to annul the good or bad omen to deliver his people. In short, Esther risks her life to prevent an act of genocide against her people. The concept is … This may explain why God is not overtly mentioned in Esther. But there’s another reason Esther often gets the short end of the canonical stick. Not His law, not His covenant, not even His name. Perhaps it’s a subtle reminder to us that the question is not … Yet while we may find the spirit of God in Esther, that still does not explain why God is not specifically mentioned. Chapter 10:2-3 however speaks against this, for the author would hardly have written likewise of himself. Video: Why Is God Not Mentioned In The Book Of Esther? As with most of the OT writings the author of the book of Esther (Esther meaning "star") is not mentioned. A little pre-King Saul history is needed to understand why his disobedience was so incredibly colossal. Oddly, God isn’t mentioned even once in the entire Book of Esther. Eric Moerdyk is the pastor of the FRC church in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. God doesn't appear as a hero, and is not mentioned by anyone. Eric Moerdyk March 5, 2020. 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