If there were biblical stories written for this era, the ones we could turn to for guidance right now, when prophecies of the last days are happening in quick succession, the Book of Esther should definitely be one of those stories topping the list. You must have read the story of Esther and God’s saving work during the Jews’ exile in Persia, now known as Iran.
Here’s a refresher, in case some bits of the story are unclear or forgotten.
The Story of Esther
In the Book of Esther, the Jews were in exile and under pagan rule, and as such, they were expected to live like pagans, pressured into adopting the pagan way of life and religious rituals. Coming from a distinct culture, a people who worship one God, and having religious practices that stand in sharp contrast with the natives, made them a target of extermination efforts.
And Esther was the Jewish woman whom God used to preempt Haman’s plan to annihilate the Jews in the kingdom. It’s for this divine purpose that Esther was catapulted from complete obscurity to being close to the King of Persia. It was her close relationship to the King that helped her sidestep what could have been a total disaster: Haman’s devious plan to decimate the Jews, crushing them out of the land.
It’s a story about total obedience to God’s will despite the risk. Esther rose to the occasion. She submitted her will to the Lord, even though it could cost her her life to save the Jews from being wiped out.
God’s Hidden Plan in the Last Days
Note: Invisible to skeptics, evident to the faithful
God’s silence is not God's absence.
In the triumphant journey of the Jews in the land of Egypt, it is made clear to us that God’s presence was visibly at work from the time Moses was called until those forty years of wandering through that sun-drenched desert, when the Jews were tested to the core before entering that long-sought land their hearts had pined for years. God’s redemptive Hand was also visible in the time of Noah, the rescue of Lot and his family during the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Nineveh’s narrow escape from destruction, and so on.
But the story of the Jews' redemption in the time of Esther isn't quite the usual one. God’s Hand isn’t as visible in the events that led to their rescue from Haman’s scheming plan of annihilation. Yet, despite being “seemingly” out of the picture, God is actually very much into the details, working behind the scenes.
From being behind the shadows to being known, Esther’s journey could only be orchestrated by God Himself: The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti – Esther 2:17 NKJV.
The question is: How could we know for sure that God played a role in averting the decimation of His people when He wasn’t even mentioned in the story?
If we’re devoted readers of the Scripture, we know God by heart. We have insight into His character, His ways, and how they steer His behavior in various circumstances. It’s never mentioned that God was responsible for catapulting Esther into the limelight, a woman who was once unknown but suddenly gained fame when God tipped the scales in her favor with the king.
But we know that it was God who did so because, time and again, He has shown that He uses ordinary people to carry out His plans and would sway the hearts of those in power to show favor to His anointed or whoever He chose to execute His vision, ensuring whatever plan He sets His heart on will come to fruition.
Let’s take a closer look at these verses from the Scripture:
"Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel." Daniel 1:9 NIV
“Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.” Ezra 7:27 NKJV
“And because the gracious Hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.” Nehemiah 2:8 NIV
The Book of Esther Gives Us the Reason to Hope
Trying to make sense of the real danger, the heavy problems we face today can trigger fear and anxious thoughts, just like what the exiled Jews of Persia must have felt. The onslaught of troubling events taking place worldwide, such as concerns over AI risks, moral degradation, violence, infectious diseases, and growing persecution against Christians even in democratic countries, can stir fear, making the future feel a bit wobbly for us all.
And unlike in the time of Moses or in Biblical stories, when people were rescued by God, with His reassuring Hand visibly present, some of us in the modern era may find it hard to trace His Hand amid the chaos swirling around us. We don’t have Moses, Abraham, the prophets, and all the ancient biblical heroes that guided God’s people in turbulent times.
God, Our Very Present Help in Trouble
But the Book of Esther gives us hope. Looking back, our situation has some similarities with Esther’s time: Immorality was pervasive, believers in God were under intense persecution, and there were no biblical heroes like Noah, Moses, Abraham, Samuel, or the prophets (with direct communication with God) to turn to. God’s Name wasn’t even brought up or cited in the redemptive story of the exiles in Persia.
But an unknown woman named Esther came into the scene, and the rest is history.
Not only did they survive the extermination attempts plotted by Haman, but they also thrived and prospered in the kingdom after God averted the catastrophe against His people.
And like the exiled Jews in Esther’s time, we are not left clueless or unsupported about what’s coming. Whether God’s Hand in our present circumstances is visible or not, we are assured that we are never abandoned to fend for ourselves.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 KJV
We have a God who, for generations of believers, is faithful. I, myself, have been a recipient of His grace and unfaltering faithfulness multiple times, through all the twists and turns of my life.
And if there’s another tool to help us face the adversities during these difficult seasons of the last days, it’s the end-time prophecies that God inspired the ancient prophets, like Daniel, and later the apostles, to write, to serve as our guide. It’s a compass to help us get through the darker days ahead. God also brought us trustworthy pastors who would help us make sense of these challenging days, like Mordecai of our days, to remind us that we need to rise above our fears and serve the Lord in accordance with the skills and talents He gave us to spread the good news of salvation to every person we come across. Even when doing so is frowned upon, as hostility toward conservative Christian beliefs grows.
Modern Day Servants of Our Time
Today, not many pastors are preaching about end-time prophecies when God’s people need them most. Nonetheless, God set aside reliable, principled, and conservative Christian pastors to guide us through these dark seasons of the last days, such as Pastor David Jeremiah, Pastor Jack Hibbs, Pastor Amir Tsarfati, Pastor J.D. Farag, among others. There are also TV networks and YouTube channels you can follow espousing traditional Christian beliefs and unapologetically and fearlessly sharing end-time prophecies, such as Salem Web Network, 700 Club, Olive Tree Ministries, and Generation2434, among others.
Do Not Fear and Be Still
To wrap things up, the lessons found in the Book of Esther about God’s faithfulness are something you can actually use, not just in weathering the challenges of the last days, but in your personal life as well. When you feel as if God seems absent or indifferent to your struggles, be reminded that God’s work isn’t always visible right away. He’s moving things along behind the curtain.
Remember what the exiles in Persia once felt, thinking God had abandoned them, only to discover in the end that the Lord had been laboring behind the scenes, pulling all the pieces together to save them from being destroyed by their enemies.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 NKJV
“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Luke 21:28 NKJV
We have a God who is faithful, and therefore we live without fear, knowing that our blessed hope, the return of our Messiah, is not a matter of "if" but a matter of “when”.
“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” Rev 1:3 NKJV
Related Resource: Finding Peace in Anxiety
“As a people of God, we are called to bold and courageous action. But when our lives get smaller and smaller because of the fear of what we think might happen, we actually are out of accord with God’s purpose and design for our lives.” Fear is real, and it’s because we do have real things to be afraid of. But sometimes, our survival instincts, like fear, can begin to work overtime and unnecessarily become anxiety. In today’s episode, Nicole unpacks what to do when our fears become anxieties that begin to impact how we make decisions. If you struggle with anxiety, this is a must-listen episode. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
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