“Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.” —William Cowper
Meanwhile, back at the palace… The Book of Esther gives some of the historic events unfolding with the Jews in Persia, who hadn’t returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel, Ezra, or Nehemiah. The term “Ahasuerus” was a title, like Pharaoh or Caesar. The king called Ahasuerus (Est 1:1) was more than likely Xerxes (c 486-465 BC). We’re given three dates in the book: The first banquet took place in the third year of his reign, 483 BC (Est 1:3); Esther became queen in the seventh year of his reign, 478 BC (Est 2:16); and Haman hatched his plot to destroy the Jews in the twelfth year of his reign, probably early in 474 BC (Est 3:7). There are five major characters: the monarch, Ahasuerus; his Gentile wife, Vashti, who is rejected; Haman, the villain, an Agagite, and right-hand man to the king; Mordecai, the Jew, who rescues the king in more ways than one; and Esther, Mordecai’s uncle’s daughter whom he raised as his own. She is the young beauty, who became the king’s new wife. One character, however, seems to be missing. God! He’s not mentioned anywhere. Some suggest His name is there in code, but certainly nothing the average reader would find. But here is God giving His own reason to keep Himself shrouded, although very active behind the scenes: “The Gentiles shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity; because they were unfaithful to Me, therefore I hid My face from them. I gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I have dealt with them, and hidden My face from them” (Ezek 39:23-24). But if we have eyes to see it, we’ll often notice the curtains rustling, and we’ll know Who is there.