Did God turn to Esther to finish what Joshua and Saul left undone? I love the story of Esther. Mordecai’s exhortation to Esther, “Who knows—perhaps it was for a time like this…” is one of my favorite verses. It reminds me to act even when the outcome is uncertain, as evidenced by his other statement, “Even if you now remain silent, relief and deliverance will come from another source.” I know I can either be a part of God’s plan for another, or God will choose someone else.
As much as I love the story of Esther overcoming all the obstacles in her life to act when destruction is almost assured, it is not the bigger story. Esther is a living illustration of 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient…”
The Start of Esther’s Story
The larger story begins nearly a thousand years earlier, when the Israelites crossed the Jordan River. This marks the beginning of the Conquest of Canaan under Joshua, after 40 years in the wilderness (Joshua 3–4). The Amalekites had attacked the Israelites at Rephidim (Exodus 17:8), so God told Joshua, through Moses, to destroy the Amalekites.
Exodus 17:14-15, “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write this on a scroll as a reminder and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely erase the name of Amalek from under heaven. “
But Joshua didn’t; he allowed a remnant to survive. This remnant was a thorn in the side of the Jews for hundreds of years.
King Saul’s Disobedience
About four hundred years later, King Saul was instructed to carry out that judgment (1 Samuel 15:2–3). However, Saul’s disobedience—sparing King Agag—left the task incomplete. Samuel, the prophet, told Saul: “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:23) This declaration marked the start of the story of David and his struggle with Saul. That act of disobedience also caused ripple effects that lasted for generations.
Along Came Haman
Another six hundred years passed, and Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, an Amalek (Esther 3:1), appears. This isn’t just a minor detail in Esther’s story; it reveals Haman’s deep-seated hatred for Mordecai and everything he stood for. Since Haman was from the tribe of Amalek, this sets the stage for the story’s climax. I have always seen the story of Esther as one of an orphan who rises to become a queen and saves her people. While this is a fantastic story of God working behind the scenes to save His people, it is not the whole story.
The Destruction of Amalek’s
In Esther 8, Esther pleads with the King to undo Haman’s decree to kill the Jews. The King grants her request. This, for most purposes, would be the happy ending we all hoped for, but it is not complete. There is one more chapter. The King also decreed that the Jews could defend themselves against those plotting against them (Esther 8:9). When the day arrived, Esther got the King to extend the decree (Esther 9:9). The Jews killed seventy-five thousand Amalekites.
And Now Us
Many times, we may feel that God has forgotten us. We keep experiencing suffering. God’s timing is always perfect. There are lessons to learn and testimonies to share during dark times. When the right moment arrives, God acts. When He does, good things happen to those who love Him.
“When our days become dreary with low-hovering clouds of despair, and when our nights become darker than a thousand midnights, let us remember that there is a creative force in this universe, working to pull down the gigantic mountains of evil, a power that can make a way out of no way and transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows.”—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.