I could never understand why Esther was held up as a paragon of virtue. If you read her story, Esther unfolds as hesitant, as hiding her faith and her cultural identity for fear of personal backlash, and then as a self-centred coward.
Esther pretended not to have a Jewish faith-culture because she would be disadvantaged in Babylon. She would probably never have become queen if her true identity were known. By keeping quiet about her faith she had a chance of being queen to one of history’s most powerful kings, King Ahaseurus.
She is everything your Sunday School teacher never painted her as being – except for one thing; her sweetness of nature. Everyone who comes into contact with Esther is charmed.
But having got the coveted invitation to come to the palace, she displays her ignorance of occasion by relying on a servant to choose even the clothes she should wear. Esther had nothing of her own to boast about and relied on what she was given by the King.
The Babylon of Esther’s day is a picture of today’s society. It tells us to hide the Bible and ridicules our belief and the culture based on it. But the Bible represents the King’s wardrobe and Esther represents the church. The church, like Esther, must wear the wardrobe provided by her King.
The servant who advised Esther about her clothing is the Minister of the church. As servant, he does not go shopping to search the racks of fashion. He trusts the King and chooses from the wardrobe provided by the King.
The King is our Father in Heaven and He has provided clothing for us.
Then Esther, Shining Star, is clothed for the Royal Visit. And I begin to understand the Gospel of salvation in the Book of Esther.
Elizabeth Price