Blair Parke
He was Esther's adoptive father, mentor, confidante, cheerleader, and fellow leader to stand for the rights of their Jewish community. The life of Mordecai might seem secondary in the extraordinary st...
Esther is the best “textbook" of the Scriptures about the providence of God, and how He works in the perfect way and the perfect timing to accomplish His purposes....
Lisa Loraine Baker
We have implicit and explicit information about Xerxes from the book of Esther, but the extra-biblical archives aid our understanding about this man and how God used him. ...
Valerie Fentress
Purim doesn't rank high on lists of famous Jewish holidays, but it's an important holiday that commemorates one of the most dramatic stories in the Old Testament: Esther saving her people from genocid...
Lisa Ross
This dramatic unfolding of events moves like a novel and played like a great chess game with several life lessons....
Lisa Loraine Baker
Verse length gives the reader an indication of the theme which is being laid out by the author. And, just as in common literature, long verses seek to develop an idea or truth. Our key passage’s lengt...
Hope Bolinger
We can learn a great deal from Esther without diving into the historical context. For instance, the book has quite a few lessons on God’s provision, his timing, and his protection. But learning ...
Annette Griffin
King Xerxes approved the decree and Queen Vashti was thereby stripped of her title and banished from the king’s presence forever, to make way for someone more “worthy” of the title of Queen....
Mike Leake
Yes, the absence of God’s name is striking in a book of the Bible. But that absence is an invitation to see His work even when it seems that He is silent or absent. In the midst of what appears to be ...
Ben Reichert
Maybe you've heard about the deuterocanonical books. Are these "extra books of the Bible" that people have forgotten, or something else?...
Kirstyn Mayden
We hear a lot about the male heroes in the Bible, but there are also plenty of stories of courageous women. Their bravery, leadership and faith in God can encourage both men and women today as they fa...
Rachel Lehner
These women of the Bible knew the greatness of their God and had a boldness of speech to match....
Laura Lee Leathers
What does it take for us to come boldly before the throne of grace? Actually, it's not as hard as we may think....
Jenna Brooke Carlson
The meaning of hesed is special and different than the type of love we see portrayed in the culture. Hesed demonstrates true commitment without strings attached....
Ruth Clemence
Life has a funny habit of continually moving forward whether we like it or not. Christian author and speaker Elisabeth Elliot once said, “the secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circu...
Heather Riggleman
Sackcloth and ashes were an outward sign of mourning, repentance, or abasement. It was a type of cloth made of black goat’s hair that was thick, rough, and coarse material. ...
Emma Danzey
As believers in Christ, the Bible is always a popular place to go to find inspiration for a child’s name. However, maybe you or a loved one is looking for something a little more outside of the box....
Barbara Latta
Chaos, strife, and mayhem permeate the world. And all because of a piece of fruit.Well, it does go a little deeper than that, but the tree’s enticement was the catalyst that began the downfall of mank...
Blair Parke
When we read these stories of amazing women that are at the same level of faith and resilience as men, we can see that the Bible is the opposite of sexist, but celebrates the capabilities that God has...
Heather Adams
By spending time studying God’s Word, lifting up prayers, and giving Him worship, we’ll grow in our knowledge and awe of Him. Our faith will increase, which will help us to stand more firmly when chal...