Title: Providence
Text: Esther 1:1-22

Notes:

Esther:
     -Author: Unknown.
     -Date: 4th century?

King Ahasuerus= Xerxes

Royal Decree:
1) Banishment of Queen Vashti.
2) Men must be masters of their own household.
    -When a man imposes respect on a woman- perhaps he isn’t getting respect because he’s not respectable.

What’s missing in Esther?
    -God

God works throughout Esther not through the visible hand of miracles- but through the invisible hand of providence.

Providence is best read backwards.

God’s hand of providence is at work in the details of your life.

Xerxes:                                                              Jesus:
Invited us to come celebrate him.                    Got off His throne- dwelt among us.
Thought he was a man who became God.         Is God who became a man.
Spent his entire life being served.                    Spends His entire life serving others.
Used his power to abuse women.                     Uses His power to honor women.
Legislated respect he didn’t deserve.                Gave himself as greatest example of love.
Killed enemies with armies of millions.              Died for his enemies, saving billions.
Died and stayed dead.                                     Died and rose from the grave.
Talked about in history books.                          Worshipped by billions.