Ruth & Esther

ESTHER

HOLMAN’S BIBLE DICTIONARY: ESTHER Persian personal name meaning, “Ishtar.” Heroine of biblical Book of Esther whose Jewish name was Hadassah. Esther is the story of a Jewish orphan girl raised by her uncle, Mordecai, in Persia. She became queen when Queen Vashti refused to appear at a banquet hosted by her husband, King Ahasuerus. Esther did not reveal that she was Jewish.

Mordecai heard about a plot against the king’s life which he reported through Esther. Haman was made prime minister and began to plot against Mordecai and the Jews because they would not pay homage to him. The king issued a decree that all who would not bow down would be killed. Esther learned of the plot and sent for Mordecai. He challenged her with the idea, “Who knoweth whether those art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). She asked Mordecai and the Jews to fast with her while she decided. She entered the king’s presence unsummoned which could have meant her death. The king granted her request.

Haman was tricked into honoring Mordecai, his enemy. At a banquet, Esther revealed Haman’s plot to destroy her and her people, the Jews. Haman was hanged on the gallows prepared for Mordecai. Mordecai was promoted, and Esther got the king to revoke Haman’s decree to destroy the Jews. The Jews killed and destroyed their enemies. The book closes with the institution of the festival of Purim.

ESTHER 4: 8Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and charge her to go to the king to make supplication to him and entreat him for her people. 9Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him a message for Mordecai, saying, 11“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—all alike are to be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden scepter to someone, may that person live. I myself have not been called to come in to the king for thirty days.” 12When they told Mordecai what Esther had said, 13Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.” 15Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai, 16“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.” 17Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

HAVE YOU EVER FELT THAT GOD PUT YOU SOMEPLACE FOR A SPECIFIC REASON? DID YOU EVER FEEL CALLED BY GOD TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS DIFFICULT OR PERILOUS?

HOLMAN BIBLE DICTIONARY:RUTH
The woman, an ancestor of David and Jesus, and the biblical book which tells the story of the reversal of fortunes for Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi.

Ruth is a self-contained story and is not dependent on other Old Testament narratives for continuity. The story’s time is set in the period of Israel’s judges. Story place is given as the agrarian world of Moab and the environs of Bethlehem. It can be divided into a series of scenes or episodes with different narrator’s comments. The story begins by telling why Naomi is in Moab and her plight following the deaths of her husband and sons.

* Episode A (1:6-22) narrates her return to and reception in Bethlehem, and how Ruth came to be with her. Episode B (2:1-16) finds Ruth and Boaz meeting while she gleans grain during harvest.
* Episode C (2:17-23) shows Naomi and Ruth discussing Ruth’s day in the field and identifies Boaz as a kinsman with a certain role to fulfill.
* Episode D (3:1-5) finds Naomi pressing Boaz’s role as kinsman.
* Episode E (3:6-13) follows a transition in which Ruth and Boaz encounter each other, and Boaz is confronted by his responsibility as kinsman.
* Episode F (3:14-18) delays the plot’s resolution while Naomi assures Ruth that the matter will be settled.
* Episode G (4:1-6) tells of Boaz at the gate settling the matters of Elimelech’s property and Ruth, with another kinsman. A narrative aside (4:7-8) explains the custom of the sandal. Boaz’s actions are witnessed, and he is blessed by the people and the elders for his role as kinsman in Episode H (4:9-12).
* Episode I (4:13-17a) reverses the fortunes of Naomi and Ruth with Obed’s birth, who is declared a child of Naomi. This declaration ensures a name and a future for Naomi’s family. A coda (4:18-22) ties up the story with a family genealogy.

In a social context, Ruth speaks against postexilic particularism by accepting Ruth (a native of Moab) into Israel’s genealogical mainstream and the book into the Hebrew canon. Ruth is concerned with Israelite family and marriage patterns and obligations. Religiously, the book tells the story of the faith of Naomi and Ruth and shows the ways of God in one unique family situation. A framework of devotion is deployed in the story and is variously applied to Ruth, Naomi, Boaz, and Yahweh. The text’s final form speaks to political concerns by a genealogy which details David’s family background and serves to legitimate him as king on Saul’s throne.

Ruth 1:15 - 19 (NRSVA) 15So she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16But Ruth said, “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die, I will die— there will I be buried. May the LORD do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!” 18When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her. 19So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them; and the women said, “Is this Naomi?”

IN YOUR LIFE WHO ARE THE PEOPLE AND THINGS THAT HAVE CAPTURED YOUR LOYALTY?
HOW HAVE YOU ENCOURAGED OTHER PEOPLE TO DO THE RIGHT THING?