Martin, Hadassah and Jello Feet

"I am so great an enemy to the second book of Maccabees, and to Esther, that I wish they had not come to us at all, for they have too many heathen unnaturalities. The Jews much more esteemed the book of Esther than any of the prophets; though they were forbidden to read it before they had attained the age of thirty, by reason of the mystic matters it contains." - Martin Luther "God's Word and God's Work"


Ooops! Brother Martin didn't have much use for James, as we all know, but it seems he wasn't too fond of Esther, either. It just shows to go you that even the greatest of saints had feet of clay. And if they did, then of what are my feet made? Jello?

Any ways, I just finished up five months in Hebrews and am about to return to the book of Esther for the first really close look in 8 years. Eight years ago I read the book in a state of grace - by which I mean that I was so overcome by the power of the Spirit through the Word that I had to keep on putting it down in order to prevent overload. I wish Luther had experienced Esther in the same way. For a book that nowhere contains the word "God" it is rife with soteriological imagery. And it is a book so clearly all about the providence of God that it seems hard to miss.

I still have a summary of impressions from my old visit to Esther. I don't think it will speak to me in quite the same way this time around but, for what its worth, I'm posting the summary below, purely for interest's sake.

God in Esther (2000)

I once heard or read that the word "God" does not appear in this book. I have just read the book and, to be quite honest, I can’t remember whether the word appears or not. But the book itself is so filled with the images of God and salvation that it amazes me to read it.

The symbols of God’s wisdom in the plan of salvation are so clearly represented in the storyline that they make for a clearer understanding of reality of Christ. There is the king, Artaxerxes, or Ahaseurus, a Medo-Persian emperor of absolute power. His word is law. If it is declared and written by the king it must be done. It is the law of the Medes and the Persians. He symbolizes the Almighty God who dwells in unapproachable light and whom no one dares to disobey on pain of severe punishment. The King is bound by the nature of His office to follow certain rules in the dispensation of justice, as evidenced by his dealings with Queen Vashti who, though a member of the royal household, is banished for her disobedience.

There is Haman, an Agagite (Agag was a descendant of Amalek), who is the mortal and sworn enemy of Mordecai and all his people. I think he represents the evil one, appointed by God, restrained by His power, but under God’s economy, one who may accuse and destroy if given leave. He seeks and plots the demise of both Mordecai and all his people. He exults in the apparent success of his schemes which, up until the very last moment seem to have been successful.

Mordecai is a symbol of Christ the Son of Man, and Esther a symbol of Christ the Son of God. In Mordecai we see the one who refuses to bow to the "ruler" Haman who has, it seems, virtually unlimited power in the kingdom. His refusal leads to great enmity and Haman’s desire to see Mordecai dead. In much the same way, Jesus stood up to Satan when all others bowed before him and Satan purposed to kill Christ out of an absolute hatred for Him. Plans are laid, not only to kill Mordecai/Christ - but in killing him to also kill all the chosen people by declaring them enemies of the state. If Christ had been defeated (an impossibility - but that's for another time) then so should the chosen ones have perished.

Esther is one with the King, for she is married to him, just as Christ is one with the Father. She alone is ready to approach the judgement seat of the King and plead for the lives of her people. She is prepared to be killed in the process. The king’s great love for her, despite her breaking his law, results in him holding out the golden sceptre of acceptance to grant her pleas on behalf of all her people. Christ was numbered among the transgressors for our sake. Yet the Father, who loved Him, held out the golden sceptre of acceptance for His sake and granted Him a peculiar people for His own.

Mordecai, exonerated and honoured by the king, is led in triumphal procession and in kingly robes through the streets by the very devil who plotted to kill him. As Christ was glorified by the Father and put to shame the evil one. And Mordecai was given all of Haman’s possessions and estates by Esther who had received them from the king himself. Thus the whole of Satan’s dominion was given to Christ in heaven by the Father and the governance of them is now in the hands of Christ on earth.

And the chosen people were given power by the king at Esther’s request, to avenge themselves upon their enemies and so to live in peace - yet they did not take the loot - preferring not to pollute themselves but to rejoice only in their deliverance. This power is akin to the power the elect receive to triumph over their enemies so that they may be victors in this life over the enemies of their souls - only in the power of the King.

The rich symbolism of this book, despite its lack of direct reference to God, is so stunning as to almost challenge credulity. For it seems that it could have been written as a morality play based on the gospel after the advent instead of hundreds of years before.