The second of our three themes can also be summed up in one word: mess. Esther is a messy book with messy characters who find themselves in a messy situation. This shouldn't surprise us, because God isn't telling us a fairy tale; he's describing real life. Esther's story involves kidnap (2:8), sexual exploitation (2:14), and neglect (4:11). Meanwhile her fellow Jews

We've finished the story, but there are still lessons to be learned. Rather than reading one particular passage today, let's look back at what we've already seen. For the rest of this week, I'd like us to chew over this story of God's salvation for his people. There are three important themes I'd like us to consider over the next three

It's the end of our journey. We've had ups and downs and twists and turns. We've seen tears of despair and tears of joy. Life will never be the same again. Take Mordecai for example. He began the story as a fairly anonymous character, became an unsung hero, spent much of the book in Haman's crosshairs, and finished as the second

Every year many countries pause to reflect on the horrors of war and the sacrifices of the fallen. In the UK, this annual event is known as Remembrance Day - an apt name for a day that's all about looking back. Given our culture's tendency to fixate on the here and now, this is seen as an increasingly important event. The

Our world is marred by the destructive cycle of sectarian violence. One side attacks, the other strikes back. One killing is met by another, one atrocity breeds many in response. No-one wins. If you were to cut these verses out of your Bible and read them in isolation, you might be rather unimpressed. Yes, the Jews had been wronged, but this

I'll admit it: this isn't an easy passage to stomach. It seems nasty, vindictive, and bloody. We'll think more about the violence next time, but for now, try not to let it bother you. If you fixate on the bloodshed, you'll miss an absolute gem. Notice the second half of v1: "On the very day when the enemies of the Jews

As you read through today's passage perhaps you thought, "I've heard this before." You're not wrong. Chapter 8 sounds suspiciously like chapter 3. Many of the sentences are reproduced almost word for word (compare 3:12-15 with 8:9-14). This isn't a case of lazy writing though: the similarities make a serious point. By repeating himself, the writer is demonstrating that Esther's decree

It worked! The plot has been exposed, the baddie is dead, Esther has saved the day! But don't celebrate too soon: the sword is still hanging over God's people. Haman's body may be broken but his legacy is very much intact. His holocaust remains the law of the land. Esther's job is only half done. Somehow she and Mordecai must deal deal

Building bombs is not an advisable endeavour. Just in case you need convincing, consider the Wisconsin man who recently plotted a terrorist attack. He had everything an aspiring bomb maker could possibly need: chemicals, timers, and instructions on how to prepare deadly explosives. Sadly for him, but thankfully for the general public, he never completed his murderous project; a premature

"At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10-11) Let's be honest: there are some parts of Scripture that can seem rather far-fetched. The very notion of every knee bowing before Jesus Christ is