Esther & Daniel: The servants of the Kingdom that can never be exiled

Both Esther and Daniel lived during the period of the exile and just like Joseph in Egypt, they thrived and were mightily used by Yahweh for the purpose of fulfilling His covenant promises to the nation of Israel. Despite being in a foreign land and serving under pagan rulers, both Esther and Daniel were instrumental in carrying out Yahweh's sovereign will. God is at work in and through history, He is not only the God of Israel but also the Lord of all nations!

In Esther, we observe the preservation of the Jews which is part of the covenantal promises made by Yahweh to His people that can find their origins as far back as Genesis 3:15, the promise that the seed of the woman would come to crush the head of the Serpent. That seed would come through the line of the Jews.

Daniel on the other hand, served various kings in Babylon through the 70 years of the Jewish captivity and predates Esther by a few generations (she rose to prominence during the post-Babylonian exile under Persian rule). Unlike the narrative genre of Esther, the book of Daniel is complex and challenging - combining historical narrative (Dan 1-6) and apocalyptic vision (Dan 7-12). 

Connecting the dots
Although God is not specifically mentioned in Esther, He is certainly providentially weaving in all the details in such an amazing way that it could hardly be random coincidences! Consider the narrative structure of Esther which hinges on the King's insomnia (6:1), he could not sleep and thinking that listening to historical records may help, he "stumbled" on the fact that Mordecai was not properly recognized for his courage in exposing the plans of would-be assassins! This started to turn the tide in the narrative and from Chapters 6-10, we move from danger to deliverance. It can only be the Hand of Yahweh at work for His own glory and purpose!

The book of Daniel on the other hand, has many miraculous narratives and the fulfillment of prophecies (esp. Chapter 11), that some scholars postulate that Daniel was written much later, after the historical events itself because the fulfillment of the historical prophecies were just "too accurate." This view challenges the presupposition concerning God's ability and willingness to reveal the future to His prophets. The Old Testament, however, is clear about this issue - Yahweh declares the end from the beginning (Isa 46:8-11). Part of the message of Daniel is that the God of Israel is Lord over the nations and their kings. He is working out His sovereign plans and purposes in history despite Israel's experience in exile. 

There are three lessons to observe - God works through individuals, God protects His people, and God rules over the kingdoms of the earth. "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven!"

Activity idea
One of the significant aspect of Esther is that it provides the origin, regulations, and prominence of the Jewish holiday of Purim (celebrated usually in March or April) - one of the most fun holidays celebrated by the Jews. It has a carnival-like atmosphere as the Jews celebrate their deliverance and the divine preservation through the the lives of Esther and Mordecai. Why not dress up as characters represented in Esther, the next time you do your family devotions and read the book of Esther like a drama script? It will be fun! (You can do this for the stories in Daniel as well).

Christ in Scripture
Like Daniel and Esther, we are still living in Exile today. In 1 Peter, the apostle addressed his readers as "elect exiles" He identifies them as "born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you" (1 Pet 1:3-4). This inheritance has not yet been fully received by God's people, but it will be revealed in the final consummation of the ages. We are still pilgrims in this world because we have not yet reached our final destination and we look forward to the coming of Jesus Christ to bring about the full salvation that He has accomplished. Thus we live in a period of redemptive history much like Israel in exile, except that in our case, the fullness of the revelation has come (Heb 1:1) through our Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to God!

May your hearts continue to burn within you as Jesus Christ explain the pages of Scripture to you on your road to Emmaus.

We welcome your comments, feedback and questions - please post them in the comments below.


References
Peter Y. Lee, Richard P. Belcher Jr. (2016). A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the Old Testament. (Miles V. Van Pelt, Ed.) Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

David Pawson, Unlocking the Bible series.

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