5 Facts about Esther

 Esther was an orphan. Esther was a Jew, and when her parents died, she was
raised by her cousin Mordecai, who was also a Jew (see Esther 2:7).
 Esther lived in Persia. ...
 Esther had to keep her Jewish identity a secret. ...
 Esther risked her life to save her people. ...
 Esther had faith in God.

The Book of Esther is unique, because it is a story where the main character is never named,
never speaks, but is present and active. Consider it. It is easy to assume that Esther is the main
character, but she is not. She is, however, an important and pivotal character in the story.
The book purports to explain how the feast of Purim came to be celebrated by the Jews. Esther,
the beautiful Jewish wife of the Persian king Ahasuerus (Xerxes I), and her cousin Mordecai
persuade the king to retract an order for the general annihilation of Jews throughout the empire
Esther hid a secret, she was the cousin of Mordechai, the Jew. When the wicked Haman
develops a plot to kill all the Persian Jews, Esther reveals it to the king who kills Haman and
rescinds the decree. The shy orphan girl becomes the heroine of her people.

Tradition has it that the core of the book was written by Mordechai, its main character
and the cousin of Esther, and that the text was later redacted by the Great Assembly (a
Jewish council of sages in antiquity).

She she fasts for three days, she goes to the king, enduring many obstacles while traveling
through the palace but protected by angels. Her bravery earns her a spot among the seven
women prophets, and she is remembered as the one responsible for the deliverance of Israel.

How do I apply this?

Life can be hard. Difficult times happen, and pain cannot be avoided. When life doesn’t make
sense, do you turn to God or away from Him? Let the book of Esther encourage you that God is
always present. Jesus called us “friends” ( John 15:15), and the Spirit is our “Helper” (14:26). Trust
and obey, as Esther did. And watch God silently weave all events for His glory . . . and for our
good.