Coincidence and the Anonymity of God

Key Lessons from the Book of Esther
(See yesterday's summary of the story)

Providence
Some have described the book of Esther as having the "miraculous quality of the ordinary." Miraculous and ordinary are not words we usually put together, but that's just what we have in this book. The name of God is not mentioned. No miracle is described. And yet the people are delivered from persecution, and then commanded to celebrate it with a religious festival.

This ought to encourage us to celebrate the providence of God in the "ordinary" things. We'd do well to call our attention regularly to three elements of God's providence. 1.) Preservation - God preserves the universe and all life within it (Heb 1:3). 2.) Concurrence - God works through every human action (Gen 50:20; Esther 4:12). 3.) Purposeful - God's involvement always moves history toward a planned end (Jer. 29:11).

Purim
Esther 9:20-23 tells of the institution of the religious festival of Purim, where the book of Esther is read (it happens in March). It comes from the Syrian word "pur," which means lot. The lot of God's people is only determined by Yahweh. Purim exists to remind people of God's protection.

Peripety
A fancy word for reversal. Esther 9:1 - "...on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them." This is not just a theme in Esther, but a God-thing in general. Jesus is in the business of building an upside-down kingdom (Mark 10:31).

Real Life

• God is always working in the world. Even in the times when God seems incognito (as in Esther), he is at work. 
• God works through normal events and circumstances. Don't associate God's work too narrowly with miraculous events. There's not one single miracle in Esther. Not one mention of God's name. And yet, the events of the book cause the people to worship God, because they believed his hand was in all of it.
• Purim is described as a "day of celebration...days of feating and joy." Eating, drinking, and celebrating are good and right ways to enjoy God, and praise him for his work in your life.
• The kingdom of God is an upside-down one. Be wary of evaluating things based on the world's value system. Describing Jesus, Mary sings, "He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty" (Luke 1:52-53).
• Esther has a key moment where she decides to go public and identify herself as a Jew. In doing so, she casts her lot with them and their destiny. So it is with us. Where is your identity? Here on earth with something passing (power, money, sex, success)? Or with the King of the Universe who promises eternal life?