The Book of Esther tells the story of a Jewish girl who becomes Queen of Persia and risks her life to save her people from a genocide plot. Esther and her cousin Mordecai outwit the villainous Haman, turning his plan to destroy the Jews into his own downfall, establishing the festival of Purim, and highlighting God's providence and sovereignty.
In Esther, all of God's unconditional covenant promises to Abraham (Genesis 17:1-8) and to David (2 Samuel 7:8-16) were jeopardized. However, God's love for Israel is nowhere more apparent than in this dramatic rescue of His people from pending elimination. "Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." Psalm 121:4
In Chapter 1, the Book of Esther opens by introducing the reader to King Ahasuerus of Persia and his queen, Vashti. Ahasuerus threw a 6-month celebration in Persia to celebrate the greatness of his kingdom. Towards the end of the feast, the king ordered Vashti to present herself before his friends so they could admire her beauty. Vashti refused! Ahasuerus was so angry that he stripped her of her royal title and banished her from his presence forever. This sets up the storyline of the book, and in Esther 2, we’ll see the King searching for a new queen.