God Not mentioned in Book of Esther

[JoeMo]

I have always wondered why God is not explicitly mentioned in the Book of Esther.  In a devotional  by Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, he mentions that - although the word "God" or "LORD" is not spoken in the book, His works are all over it.  Like how Esther was appointed for "such a time as this". Like how at just the right time, "circumstances" worked out that the Jewish people were rescued at just the right time.

Isn't that how it is in real life?  When we feel oppressed, depressed, and persecuted; when life seems unfair, we frequently wonder where God is; and why He doesn't hear or answer our prayers (at least in the way we expect).  Then, suddenly "circumstance" and "coincidence" make problems go away or give is the strength to endure - even though God never blatantly manifests Himself.  I found this thought very comforting - that even though we can't always "see" His hand, He is always working to make all things work for the good of those who love Him.

[james423]

Why is God specifically not mentioned in Esther?  Possibly because the book deals with a situation in which very high government officials were involved. Even back then there were all sorts of different religions in various regions of the empire, and even the principal wife of the king had to be careful how much the specifics of her religion were mentioned. She was eventually revealed to be a Jew and would, therefore, be possibly worshiping according to the Jewish religion. Also some of the empire's citizens became "Jews" because the fear of the Jews fell upon them.

Apparently she didn't practice her religion in all its details because "that wicked Haman" apparently had no suspicion that she was a Jew until she revealed that she was at that famous last meal.

[pierrepaul]

Esther is a strange book. Here are a few of the points I find puzzling. These are random thoughts, not a deeply considered or studied analysis of the text.

Like Job, it introduces characters that have no direct relation to the rest of the characters in the Old Testament.

Esther, the heroïne, agrees to participate in what appears to be an ancient version of “The Bachelor”; a beauty contest for the affections of a philandering divorcé.

Esther’s desire to be Queen would appear to violate the Bible’s teaching on marriage and divorce, unless one ascribes to the view that in the OT men could have multiple wives and adultery was only when a man (married or unmarried) to the wife of another. But even if one accepts that polygamy was not adultery in the OT, this union certainly constituted an “unequal yoking” against Paul’s counsel.  Pragmatism over principle?

In Esther 2:12-17, the beauty contest procedure is described. It included the young virgins each visiting the King in turn, and then returning in the morning. Nothing is said explicitly regarding the activities of the night with the King, other than that “he king loved Esther more than all the other women” (Note: contrast this with 1 Kings 1, when Abishag, a beautiful young virgin, was found to care for the ailing and aging King David, it is specifically mentioned that the King did not “know” her).

One may also contrast Esther’s behaviour with that of other characters during the captivity, namely Daniel and his friends, who wouldn’t even give the appearance of compromising principles.

As it was noted by JoeMo, God is not expressly present in the story and nothing in the book explicitly states that God either commends or condemns Esther’s choices and actions, only that it all worked out in the end. Unlike Abraham, Moses, David and others who were told by God to take actions, the Bible doesn’t say that Esther was told to take on this mission. 

[phkrause]

5 Biblical Lessons from the Book of Esther

Take these lessons and apply them to your spiritual journey.
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/galleries/5-biblical-lessons-from-the-book-of-esther.aspx