Queen Esther

INTRODUCTION

“Hurry Barak, it’s getting late. The sun is setting. I want to go home see my dad before he leaves for night” said Eli. “What’s the rush Eli”? said Barak as he was trying catch up with him. “Look at the moon,describe it for me. What do you see? Said Eli. “Ah….I see the MOON, nothing special, nothing great.

We see this sky every night”. Said Barak. “Here, stand still and look with me. Whispered Eli. “The moon seems dark tonight but I can see a peck of light trying to shine through… Barak, I think something’s about to go wrong tonight”. “Like what?” said Barak to Eli as he placed his arm around Eli’s shoulder. “To be truthful, I don’t exactly know but I feel it”. Said Eli. “I really do”…. Hurry, let’s go my dad is leaving”.

As we got closer to the house I saw my dad leaving and naturally I stopped him and said… “Abba , take me with you”. “Oh, Ben I can’t”. He replied softly. “Your Em and I are coming back in a couple of hours and I promised I’ll tell you all about party”. “But Abba I want to see the people dressed up as they sing and dance just like we do”. I explained to Dad. He bend down on one knee and said… “Eli, I promise that one day you’ll get to go to a banquet, but for now your Em and I are honored that we are able to even attend such a party. King Xerxes is letting the officials and ministers come this time. I believe it’s going to be a great night”. “What you think my love?”….said my Dad to my mom as he got up and gave me a kiss on the forehand. I stayed with my Achot that night. After a couple of hours of playing with Barak, I could hear my parents walking in. I hurried up and acted like I was in bed just like kids do. As my dad approached my bed I could hear his hesitation in his voice. I asked him… “Abba, what is wrong?”

My dad came and sat beside me. He began explaining to me that something did go wrong that night but that it was for the good of the people that it happened. He told me that during the party everything was going well until King Xerxes requested his Queen Vashti to present herself to the guest and she refused. The guests along with the King were shocked that she would do such a thing but she did. King Xerxes had her permanently banned from the palace and her throne. I asked my dad what will become of the kingdom now knowing that she’s gone. The reason why this was so important is because she was loved by many and if the King wasn’t happy than the entire empire wasn’t happy either. As my dad got up from the bed and gave me a kiss he told me it was going to be fine, that the King would find another woman to take her place. He hoped that the King would find one and find her quickly, if not the whole kingdom would live in misery with him.

ESTHER

Luckily the King did find his new wife but according to the Jewish beliefs it was far from luck in how the new Queen came into the royal position. The story of Esther all began because of this incident that night. No one expected it to happen but it did, just like it was described earlier, it happened for the good and not for the bad. The King requested that virgins would be assembled for his pick to become Queen and this is where the story unfolds.

When the Queen was banned it made the way for Esther to become Queen. Esther was born with the name “Hadassah” later to be changed as “Esther”. Esther was raised by her cousin Mordecai and when he heard about the news he quickly planned for Esther to be one of the many women that the King saw. When she was presented to the King, he loved her from that very moment. It was a great time for the Jews, because Esther was Jewish. This finally meant that the Jews would prosper and have their right place in the kingdom once she came into the picture. But soon after that, opposition arose. There was her husband’s favorite right hand man the mad man named Haman. This man was an modern day Hitler, he hated the Jews. And as soon as Esther became Queen, he got worst. Haman was an evil man but there was hope and that hope was in God. Soon after Haman started displaying his hatred for the Jews, Mordecai quickly confronts Esther and gives her his famous speech.

The famous words are found in chapter 4 of the book. He tells her … “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” She responses with such courage and the Bible makes it so clear. She says to Mordecai… “So I will go in unto my king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish”. After this statement they assemble a 3-day fast calling all the Jews to fast and pray. The Lord hears the prayers of His people and Haman is caught.

To so many people this story seems so unreal, like a fairy- tale but the reality is that it happened. After Haman was hanged, the Jews, then in Persia celebrated their deliverance from that crazy mad man and that celebration was called the day Purim . It’s called Purim because of Pur meaning “lot”, Haman had cast a lot to ascertain a favorable day for carrying out his plot to destroy the Jews . To this day this Festival is held annually and so much so that it is written in the book in chapter 9 for all to see and read of this woman’s great courage.

Now me on the other hand, my wish came true. That night when Haman was caught I got to see all the action. I saw it first hand and bad guy lost. Fair and square! I finally got to see the people dancing and eventually I played with some of the other kids outside. I had so much fun that night. The Jews were saved and I was going to sleep like a baby. One thing is for sure I will never forget where I was when

Esther took her place in the King’s palace.

CONCLUSION

I chose to begin this paper with the view of a Jewish child back when it all began. The reason why is because I love children and children just make stories and life seem so real. These people were real and the story of Esther really did happen. Esther did live and she’s an example to so many of us. Esther will always be respected and known as the woman that decided that if she’s perishes, she’s perishes. She was going on with God.

Throughout the years many people have tried to get rid of the Jewish people and some have suceeded and some have failed. I think about how these people can actually believe that by killing God’s people they can get rid of God himself. This story is one of the MANY stories that surely declare that God is still alive and present. He is the Immanuel God is with us. He is faithful to deliver and saved those who are lost and when He does save them…He gives them their place in the King’s palace. AMEN.

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Copyright by Celeste Polanco 2009