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The book of Esther – Holy Scripture or a Popular Myth

Monday, November 2, 2015 20:49
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The book of Esther Holy Scripture or a Popular Myth

 

This character Esther is found nowhere else in the Bible.

The word Purim is found nowhere in scripture only in this popular myth.

The word Adar is found nowhere else in the Bible.

There is not one reference to God, nor one act of worship towards Him.

Mordecai is found nowhere else in the Bible.

 

Note the word jew does not appear anywhere in the Bible, the meaning of jew (H 3064) is in reference to a people who lived in Judea, or who claimed to be of the tribe of Judah.

 

Here is a link to an article explaining the real meaning of the word jew- click here or access it at the beforeits news archives by destinedtoberevealed

Esth 9:2-5 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people. And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater. Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.

 

If Mordecai’s fame went out throughout all the provinces, why is it that he is not referred to anywhere else in the entire Bible, like in the book of Daniel?

 

Haman is also not referred to anywhere else in the entire Bible.

 

Esth 8:5-8 And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king’s provinces: For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?  Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse.

 

Wait a minute here! Esther apparently asks the King to reverse the decree devised by Haman, even though no decree can be reversed according to the laws of the Persians and the Medes. But he does agree not to reverse the decree that she wrote,  (Esth 1:19, Est 5:8; Dan 6:8; Dan 6:15).

 

Esth 3:10-15 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.  And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee. Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.  And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.  The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.  The posts went out, being hastened by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

 

Whyis it that this decree was not carried out, yet the decree against Daniel whom the king was very fond of was?

 

Esth 1:19-20 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.  And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.

Dan 5:29-30 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

 

Why is there no reference of Esther in the book of Daniel?  While Christ refers to Daniel in Math 24:15.

 

Dan 5:30-31 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Dan 6:1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

Dan 6:2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.

Dan 6:8-9 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

Dan 6:11-12 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?

 

Apparently there is a similar vengeful decree given because of this evil Haman character, but it is never carried out (Esth 3:10-15).

 

Dan 6:15-16 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions.

Dan 6:19-20Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

 

There is not one reference to God, or one act of worship towards Him in the book of Esther, but here in Daniel, even the King recognizes the hand of God.

 

Dan 6:25-28 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.  I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.  He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

 

Look at the similarities between Daniels visions and the words from the mouth of king Darius.

 

Dan 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Dan 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

 

Daniel a true prophet has a vision of the return of Christ Jesus!

 

Dan 7:13-14 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Mark 13:26-27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

 

 

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Total 4 comments
  • You are a sad sad person. I truly feel sorrow for people like you.

    Every single one of your articles does nothing but create confusion and cause people to doubt the Word of God.

  • http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Winter_Holidays/Purim/purim.html

    Adar :
    The Jewish calendar is primarily lunar, with each month beginning on the new moon, when the first sliver of moon becomes visible after the dark of the moon. In ancient times, the new months used to be determined by observation. When people observed the new moon, they would notify the Sanhedrin. When the Sanhedrin heard testimony from two independent, reliable eyewitnesses that the new moon occurred on a certain date, they would declare the rosh chodesh (first of the month) and send out messengers to tell people when the month began.

    The problem with strictly lunar calendars is that there are approximately 12.4 lunar months in every solar year, so a 12-month lunar calendar loses about 11 days every year and a 13-month lunar gains about 19 days every year. The months on such a calendar “drift” relative to the solar year. On a 12 month calendar, the month of Nissan, which is supposed to occur in the Spring, occurs 11 days earlier each year, eventually occurring in the Winter, the Fall, the Summer, and then the Spring again. To compensate for this drift, an extra month was occasionally added: a second month of Adar. The month of Nissan would occur 11 days earlier for two or three years, and then would jump forward 29 or 30 days, balancing out the drift.

    https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/calendar.html

  • Origin of the word “jew”:
    The term “Jew” is derived from the name of Jacob’s fourth son, Judah–Yehudah, in the Hebrew–and may have originally applied only to Judah’s descendents, who comprised one of the twelve tribes of Israel. On his deathbed, Jacob assigned Judah the role of leader and king–a prophesy that was fulfilled in 869 BCE when all twelve tribes submitted to the reign of King David of the tribe of Judah.

    After the death of David’s son, King Solomon, a civil dispute split the twelve tribes of Israel into two kingdoms: the Kingdom of Judah in the south, which included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (and some Levites and priests) and was centered around the capital Jerusalem and the Holy Temple; and the northern Kingdom of Israel, which included the other ten tribes.

    In the 5th century BCE, the Kingdom of Israel was conquered by Assyrian King Sennaherib, and the ten tribes were exiled and lost. The only remaining Israelites were the residents of the Kingdom of Judah, and the term “Yehudi” or “Jew” came to refer to all the Israelites, regardless of their tribal ancestry.

    But there is also a deeper meaning to the name “Jew. The first individual to be called a Jew (Yehudi) in the Scriptures was Mordecai, of Purim fame. “There was a man, a Yehudi, in Shushan the capital, whose name was Mordecai . . . a Yemini” (Esther 2:5). The Talmud (Tractate Megillah 12b) asks on this: “He is called a Yehudi, implying that he descended from Judah; he then is called Yemini, implying that he is a Benjaminite!” Rabbi Jochanan responds: “He was a Benjaminite. Yet he was called a Yehudi because he rejected idolatry–and anyone who rejects idolatry is called a Yehudi.”

    The commentaries explain that the name Yehudah shares the same root as the Hebrew word hoda’ah, which means acknowledgement or submission. One who acknowledges G‑d’s existence and submits to His authority–to the extent that he is willing to sacrifice his life for the sanctification of His name–he is called a Yehudi.

    Hence Abraham is commonly referred to as “The First Jew.” As the first person to use his own cognitive abilities to discover and recognize the one G‑d, reject the idolatrous ways of his ancestors and contemporaries, actively publicized the truth of G‑d and was prepared to give his very life for these goals–Abraham epitomized “Jewishness” many centuries before the term came into common use.
    http://m.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/640221/jewish/What-is-the-Meaning-of-the-Name-Jew.htm

  • Authenticity and Canonicity. Canonical authority for the book of Esther is doubted by some because it is not quoted or alluded to in the Christian Greek Scriptures. But this is no conclusive objection, for the same circumstance exists with other books of well-established canonicity, such as Ezra and Ecclesiastes. Melito of Sardis, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Athanasius are among those who omitted it from their lists of canonical books. However, Jerome, Augustine, and Origen refer to the book by name. It is in the Chester Beatty collection, the books of Ezekiel, Daniel, and Esther being found in one codex, which was likely compiled in the first half of the third century C.E. It does not appear that its authority was ever doubted by the Jews or by early Christians as a whole. In their Bibles the Jews most often place it among the Hagiographa (the Writings) between Ecclesiastes and Daniel.

    Apocryphal additions were later inserted into the book. Some scholars date their origin at approximately 100 B.C.E., about 300 years after the canon of the Hebrew Scriptures was fixed, according to the traditional view.

    The book of Esther is accused of exaggeration in its mention of a banquet lasting 180 days in the third year of the reign of Ahasuerus. (Es 1:3, 4) However, it has been expressed that such a long feast may have been held to accommodate the numerous officials from the many provinces who could not, because of their duties, have been there for all of it and all at the same time. Actually, the text does not say the banquet lasted that long, but that the king showed them the riches and glory of his kingdom for 180 days. A banquet is mentioned at 1:3 and 1:5. It may be that two banquets are not meant, but that the seven-day banquet for all in the castle at the end of the great assembly is the one referred to in verse 3.—Commentary on the Old Testament, by C. Keil and F. Delitzsch, 1973, Vol. III, Esther, pp. 322-324.

    In view of the absence of any direct mention of God in the book, some charge that the book is irreligious. Nevertheless, it tells of fasting and a “cry for aid” on the part of the Jews, implying prayer. (Es 4:3, 16; 9:31) Also, there is indication of God’s maneuvering of events in the sleeplessness of the king at the opportune time (6:1) and possible allusion to divine purpose in Esther’s attaining to the queenship. (4:14) Furthermore, the fact that Mordecai strictly refused to bow before God’s enemy Haman, who as an Agagite may have been a royal Amalekite, is evidence that Jehovah was worshiped by Mordecai.—3:1-6; Ex 17:14.

    Evidence of history and archaeology. Historical and archaeological findings have added their voice in confirming the authenticity of the book of Esther. A few examples will suffice. The way Persians honored a man is described authentically. (Es 6:8) White and blue (or violet) were the royal Persian colors. At Esther 8:15 we read that Mordecai wore “royal apparel of blue and linen” and a cloak of reddish purple.

    Esther “took her stand in the inner courtyard of the king’s house opposite the king’s house, while the king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal house opposite the entrance of the house. And it came about that, as soon as the king saw Esther the queen standing in the courtyard, she gained favor in his eyes.” (Es 5:1, 2) Excavations have revealed that the detail of the description is exact. A corridor led from the House of the Women to the inner court, and at the side of the court opposite the corridor was the hall, or throne room, of the palace. The throne was placed in the center of the farther wall, and from this vantage point the king could look over the screen that intervened and could see the queen waiting for an audience. Further details in the book show an intimate knowledge on the part of the writer with the palace. It is evident that objections to the book on the grounds of its being unhistorical and inaccurate as to Persian manners and customs are unfounded.

    Very strong evidence for the book’s authenticity is the Festival of Purim, or Lots, commemorated by the Jews down to this day; on this anniversary the entire book is read in their synagogues. A cuneiform inscription evidently from Borsippa is said to refer to a Persian official by the name of Mardukâ (Mordecai?) who was at Susa (Shushan) at the end of the reign of Darius I or the beginning of the reign of Xerxes I.—Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, 1940/41, Vol. 58, pp. 243, 244; 1942/43, Vol. 59, p. 219.

    The book of Esther is in complete accord with the rest of the Scriptures and complements the accounts of Ezra and Nehemiah by telling what took place with the exiled people of God in Persia. As with all Scripture, it was written to provide encouragement, comfort, and instruction for us.
    http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1200001431#h=3

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