Why is God's name absent in the story of Esther?

Esther is the only book in the Bible that does not mention God's name; so what is the reason for this peculiar anomaly?

God allowed rebellious Israel to be taken captive into Babylon for 70 years because they were whoring after false gods, which caused the Lord to hide his face from his people (Deu 31:16-18). Then after the Jews were set free from their captivity by King Cyrus so they could return to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, the majority of Israel chose to stay in Babylon and Persia.

And Mordecai, who commanded Esther to keep her Jewish identity hidden (Est 2:10, 19-20), reveals that the Jews in Persia were being persecuted, and scorned if they mentioned the name of the Lord, which is implied in this story by the absence of God's name (Amos 6:8-10).


Israel was divinely called to worship the LORD and was given the responsibility to reveal God's perfect law to sinful mankind, but instead they turned away from the LORD and served false gods made of wood and stone. Therefore, God cast his rebellious people out of their land and into the nations where they would be ridiculed and persecuted so they would return to the LORD with all their heart and soul (Deu 4:23-31).

This Word of God's discipline for Israel is being fulfilled in this present day by the scattered Jews throughout the world who are experiencing an alarming increase of persecution, which is a witness and a warning for the ungodly nations to repent and seek the Lord's forgiveness of their sins through faith in Jesus, before God's tribulation wrath begins for unbelieving mankind (Jer 30:11).



I find it interesting that the number one enemy and persecutor of Israel today is Persia, which changed its name to Iran in 1935 that was an ally of Hitler and participated in the murdering of Jews in the Mideast and Eastern Europe during World War 2, predicated on the support for a Pan-Arab state and Arab rule over Palestine, which is now called Israel.

And in the near future, Gog, Persia (known as Iran), and several other nations will again attempt to eliminate the nation of Israel in the tribulation (Ezekiel 38:1-5, 16, 21-22).



Although God's name appears to be non-existent in the story of Esther, it is hidden within 4 acrostics, which reveals the Lord was working behind the scenes through Esther and the heart of the king to save Israel from Haman's evil plan to kill all the Jews.

For example:


In Proverbs 21:1, the scriptures declare that God is able to cause the decisions that a king makes in his heart. And this is what the Lord did to the heart of King Ahasuerus through Queen Esther and her request to save her people.


I believe the absence of God's name in this account of Haman's plot to kill all the Jews is divinely intended to be a prophetic picture for the Antichrist's plan to kill all Israel in the tribulation, when he will exalt himself against every so-called god or object of worship and demand to be worshiped as God, or else you will be put to death for worshiping the Lord or mentioning God's name.


Because of Israel's great fear of persecution and death by the Antichrist when he proclaims to be God, the Jews will be afraid to mention God's name. While the tribulation saints who dare to confess Jesus is Lord will be put to death for their faith in Christ (Dan 7:23-25, Rev 20:4).

In the following testimony by Ken Peters, he speaks about a prophetic dream of the tribulation that he had in 1980. Ken said that he was standing in a long line of people when persecutors began to grill the people by telling them to renounce their faith. They would never use the name Jesus, they would never use the name Jesus Christ, they would never use the name God, but they would say you should renounce your faith in him while you can still live and your faith is empty. It was a blasphemous kind of challenging against the people standing in line, and every so often somebody would crack.


Ken's prophetic dream is revealing that the absence of God's name in the book of Esther is prophetic for the Antichrist's censoring of the name of Jesus, the God of Israel, or any other false god during the tribulation (2 Th 2:4).

However, when Israel is surrounded by the nations and at the point of death, a faithful remnant will humble themselves and say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” when Jesus who is the face of God will return to save his persecuted people from their enemies (Zec 12:9-10, John 14:9).


Jesus was quoting from Psalm 118, which is describing Israel's salvation and victory over all their surrounding enemies at the end of the tribulation, because they called on the name of the Lord by faith (Zec 13:8-9).




Queen Vashti who was lovely to look at but refused to obey the king's command, is a type for Satan, who was proud of his beauty and rebelled that was cast out of God's Kingdom (Eze 28:14-18, Isa 14:12-15). And just as Queen Vashti was replaced by another who is better (Est 1:19), that is Esther and the virgins, Satan and the demons will be replaced by a faithful remnant of Israel and the church.

Mordecai, who was second in rank to King Ahasuerus and spoke peace to all his people, is symbolic for Jesus, who will rule under the authority of his heavenly Father, bringing peace to all Israel. While King Ahasuerus represents the Father in Heaven.

• Esther 8:15 Then Mordecai (a type for Jesus) went out from the presence of the king (the Father)
  in royal robes of blue (which represents Jesus came from heaven above, Ex 24:10, John 6:51)
• and white (which represents righteousness, Isa 1:18),
• with a great golden crown (Jesus was crowned with thorns--our sins—when he became our Savior and King)
• and a robe of fine linen and purple (purple, which is the combination of blue and red, represents Jesus who came from the blue heavens above to shed his red blood on the cross for our sins so he could be clothed in purple, which is the garment of Kings, see Mark 15:17-18) and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.
• The high priest's colorful garment of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, which is symbolic for Jesus sacrifice on the cross when he became our Savior, King, and High Priest, is mentioned in Exodus 39:1-31.
• Exodus 39:1 From the blue and purple and scarlet yarns they made finely woven garments, for ministering in the Holy Place. They made the holy garments for Aaron (the high priest), as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Hegai, who was in charge of beautifying the virgins with six months of oil of myrrh and six months of spices and ointments so they could go in to the presence of the king (Est 2:3, 12-15), is a type for the Holy Spirit who progressively sanctifies the saints (Rom 6:19, 2Th 2:13) so they may become the beautiful bride of Christ (Rev 19:7-8).
Haman, who had 10 sons and plotted to kill all the Jews (Est 9:12), represents the Antichrist and 10 kings who will serve with him for one hour in the tribulation (Rev 17:12).

Mordecai and Esther were cousins. And when Esther's father and mother died, Mordecai took Esther as his own daughter.

At first glance, Mordecai, who was a cousin of Esther and took her as his own daughter, seems to be an insignificant detail in this story. However, in scripture, the natural at times is meant to be a picture of the spiritual (1Cor 15:46).
Now this is difficult to explain but spiritually important to understand.

• Cousins are related through their parents who are also related. ​
• For example:​
• Mary the mother of Jesus was a relative of Elizabeth (Luke 1:36), who was the mother of John the baptist. Therefore, Jesus and John the Baptist may have been cousins. ​
• John the Baptist was born in sinful flesh as a descendant of the Aaronic priesthood (Luke 1:5), so John was qualified to be a high priest of the Old Covenant Law. And the high priest was considered to be the greatest in Israel since he interceded to God for the sins of the nation.​
• Jesus implied that John was in the symbolic role of Israel's high priest when he said, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist (as Israel's high priest). Yet the one who is (born-again in righteousness and) least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (since the Old Covenant high priest like John the Baptist is guilty of sin and unrighteous before God, Matthew 11:11)
• Now Jesus who is eternal, was born as the righteous Son of God through the Holy Spirit and by the will of his heavenly Father as the High Priest of an everlasting New Covenant in the order of Melchizedek (Heb 7:1-3, 11-17). And Jesus came to die for the sins of mankind to redeem his cousin sinful Israel, represented by John the Baptist, the last unrighteous high priest of the Old Covenant law that reveals all mankind is guilty of sin.
• Therefore, Mordecai, who took his cousin Esther to be his own daughter after her father and mother died, spiritually represents Jesus who receives sinful mankind as his born-again sons and daughters when we have died to our old sinful life by believing Jesus bore God's wrath for our sins on the cross. Which is symbolically represented by the death of Esther's father and mother (the death of Esther's old life of sin) when Mordecai took his cousin as his own daughter. (see Mat 10:37)
• Matthew 10:37 (Jesus said) Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
• I believe that Mordecai, who received his cousin Esther as his own daughter and instructed her to ask the king to save Israel from Haman's evil plot to kill all the Jews,
• is prophetic for Jesus, who will receive the 144,000 Jews as his born-again sons who will faithfully follow him wherever he goes, as they share the gospel and ask their Father in heaven to save unrighteous Israel from their debt of sin and the Antichrist's satanic plan to kill all the Jews in the tribulation (Rev 7:2-4, 14:2-4).
• Another important example of a cousin's redemption is when Jeremiah was in prison, his cousin asked him to redeem his land that was in debt (Jer 32:6-15). So Jeremiah paid 17 shekels of silver and redeemed his cousin's land. (Silver represents atonement for our lives, Ex 30:11-16)
• Jeremiah, who was in prison when he was asked to redeem his cousin's land for 17 shekels of silver, is symbolic for Jesus, who became a prisoner of the cross and died for our sins and was raised 3 days later on the 17th of Nisan, to redeem his unrighteous cousin Israel and mankind from their debt of sin.

The Feast of Trumpets, which begins in the 7th month, 1st day for Israel, is prophetic for the spiritual darkness of the tribulation when the day of the LORD will begin (Amos 5:18, Joel 2:1-2) in the 7th millennium, 1st day from Adam (Lev 23:24, Num 29:1).

While the 7th month, 10th Day of Atonement (Lev 23:26-29) when the national sins of Israel are forgiven, represents the end of the tribulation when a remnant of the Jews will be forgiven and set free from sin, death, and the Antichrist, when Jesus returns to save Israel after Daniel's 490 years of judgment have been completed (Lev 25:8-10, Dan 9:24).

Now what's interesting is the scriptures in Genesis 7:1 and 7:10 and Esther 7:1 and 7:10 seem to be referring to the 7th month, 1st day of the Feast of Trumpets and the 7th month, 10th day of Atonement, which are symbolic for the beginning and end of the tribulation.
For example:

• In Genesis 7:1, Noah, who was righteous and entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood, represents the rapture at beginning of the tribulation in the 7th millennium, 1st day when the Feast of Trumpets begins.
• While Genesis 7:10 says, “And after 7 days (7 years of tribulation) the waters of the flood came upon the earth” (that destroyed wicked mankind), which represents the end of the tribulation in the 7th month, 10th Day of Atonement, when everyone's fate is eternally sealed as they are written in the book of the wicked or the book of the righteous (Rev 20:11-15).

• And in Esther 7:1 it says, “So the king and Haman went in to the feast with Queen Esther.” Which represents the beginning of the tribulation in the 7th millennium, 1st day that's known as the Feast of Trumpets.
• And in Esther 7:10, Haman, who plotted to kill all the Jews and was hanged on the gallows, is prophetic for the Antichrist who will be defeated and cast into hell at the end of the tribulation that's represented by the 7th month, 10th Day of Atonement.

In several previous studies I discussed the scriptures that appear to be pointing to the years of 2031 to 2038 for the tribulation. And there are two important verses in the book of Esther that may be pointing to these years, Esther 2:9 and 2:16.


The seven young virgins who were advanced to the best place in the kings harem could be referring the rapture of the saints to the best place in heaven when the seven year tribulation begins. And Esther 2:9 is the 31st verse from Esther 1:1, which could be a clue for the year of 2031 when these rapture events will take place.

And Esther 2:16 is the 38th verse from Esther 1:1, when Esther went into the royal palace in the 7th year, 10th month to be crowned as queen, which is a clue for the 7th month, 10th Day of Atonement when a faithful remnant of Israel will receive their heavenly crowns at the end of the tribulation in 2038 (Isa 62:1-5).

And consider this last verse in the first chapter of Genesis, which is 1:31, And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

The end of the 6th day in Genesis 1:31, may be a clue for the end of the 6th millennial day in 2031 that will be followed by the 7th millennium, 1st day when the tribulation begins. Then 7 verses later in Genesis 2:7, which is the 38th verse from Gen 1:1, God breathed his Spirit into man, which may be symbolic for when a faithful remnant of Israel will receive the Holy Spirit at the end of the tribulation in 2038.
I believe the beginning of the tribulation in 2031 is revealed in John 20:30 and 20:31, when Jesus did many signs so people may believe that he is the Son of God and that by believing may have (eternal) life in his name. Then 7 verses later (or 7 years later in 2038) in John 21:7, Peter was fishing and did not recognize his risen Savior until he was told that it was Jesus. And when Peter knew it was the Lord, he jumped into the water to be with Jesus on shore (John 21:14).

This story of Jesus appearing after his resurrection to 7 of his disciples who failed to recognize him (John 21:1-14), is prophetic for a remnant of Israel who will not recognize Jesus until they are given a spirit of grace so they may know their their risen Savior who was crucified for their sins, when he returns to save Israel at the end of the 7-year tribulation in 2038 (Zec 12:9-10).




It also appears that the years of the tribulation from 2031 to 2038 are hidden in Ezekiel 20:31 to 20:38.


And finally, I believe this last verse in Proverbs, which is 31:31, is speaking of the rapture of the faithful saints in 2031 just before the tribulation begins (Isa 26:19-21, 1Th 5:2-4), when their works for the Lord will be praised as they enter the gates of heaven.

In the following articles I examine the scriptures that appear to be pointing to the years of 2031 to 2038 for the tribulation.
Part 1, Are the years of the tribulation hidden in scripture?
Part 2, 2 days, 7th hour, 38
Part 3, 2-38
Part 4, Gen 14:14, 17:17, Ex 7:7, John 5:5
Part 5, Psalms 83 & 90
Part 6, Isaac's birth from Sarah at 90
Part 7, Isaac's birth from Sarah at 90

The Ominous Sign of Four Blood Moons in 2032 and 2033
Four Blood Moons in 2032 and 2033 Part 2, 85 Priests are put to death

Israel's Second Passover will be fulfilled in the last year of the Tribulation
Is the woman bent over by a disabling spirit an end-time prophecy for Israel?

Is Jonah's warning for Nineveh prophetic for today's wicked generation?
Is Jonah's warning for Nineveh prophetic for today's wicked generation? Part 2

Will brutal Taskmasters oppress mankind before the Tribulation begins?
A 7 year end-time harvest of saints will precede God's wrath

Joseph in prison "two whole years" is prophetic for a 2,000 year gospel age
21 possible examples for a 2,000 year gospel age

Rachel after 7 years of barrenness gave birth to Joseph when Jacob was 90
The 12 sons of Jacob, symbolic for Old and New Covenant Israel

4 Prophetic stories reveal a 2,000 year gospel age followed by the tribulation
The Tabernacle reveals the age of the Law, the age of Grace and the Millennium

Why did God want to kill Moses when he lodged on his way to set Israel free from slavery to Pharaoh?
Why did the blind man see men like trees walking when Jesus touched him?

Why was Jacob called Israel when he struggled with God?
When will unrighteous Jacob be called Israel?

Why is the Feast of Trumpets in the 7th month 1st day to the 10th day?
What does the disciples catch of 153 fish represent?

Netflix cartoon encourages people to get the Smart Mark
Where did Noah's dove rest when it was sent out for a third time after the flood?

Why has God revealed Israel's past, present and future in the Bible?
Why is God's name absent in the story of Esther?

In these articles I discuss the mystery of the soon coming rapture of the saints.
Do the scriptures reveal there will be two different raptures for the saints?
Will you be raptured in the first watch of the night?
Who are the sons of the kingdom cast into outer darkness?
Why will the first be last, and the last first?
Why are many called to the wedding banquet but few are chosen?
Will you be raptured to the feast of Abraham or left behind in Sodom?

Anonymous9090 said:

1)


Esther vow to fast, and her request for Mordecai and Susa's Jews to fast must seem to suggest that they must have believed in some kind of Divine God. It would Not make sense for them to fast if they had a No intimate relationship or even a weak intimate relationship with God.

2.


Mordecai tells Esther that even she remains silent during this crisis, there will be some kind of relief and deliverance that will arise for the Jews from another place which must suggests/hints/implies that Mordecai believed in some kind of Divine Power that will rescue the Jews.

3.


As the bible verses above attest to Mordecai refusal to bow to Haman because Mordecai stated that Mordecai was a Jew, and therefore would Not bow down to Haman. However, I suppose you could just say that Mordecai was emphasizing his own Jewish ancestry out of sense of some kind of quasi-Nonreligious patriotism/ethnocentrism pertaining to his own Jewish religious/ethnic background, but then again that also does suggest/hint at some kind of loyalty to the Jewish God.

In short, the absence of God's name is a red herring. Their faith was implicit.

Click to expand...

I agree Anonymous9090,

Esther fasting for 3 days reveals that her faith and hope was in the Lord's deliverance for her persecuted people, who dare not publicly mention the Lord's name because it would reveal their Jewish identity. And this is implied by the absence of God's name in in this story.

But more importantly, what is the end-time picture that's hidden within the book of Esther? What is God prophetically revealing to us?

To me the book of Esther loudly speaks of the persecution of the Jews in the tribulation when the Antichrist will claim to be God and persecute anyone who mentions the Lord's name.

And Mordecai who would not give honor to Haman, represents Jesus who will not bow down to Satan or his Antichrist.

While Haman who said, the Jews do not obey the king's laws and should be put to death, represents Satan who accuses Israel of their sins and are guilty of death since they do not obey God's laws.

But what does it mean when King Ahasuerus said the Jews are allowed defend themselves from Haman's plan to destroy them? What could this prophetically represent?

To me this speaks of how the Jews will defend themselves from Satan the accuser and his Antichrist, when a remnant will humble themselves and call on the name of the Lord by faith and be forgiven of their sins at the end of the tribulation.

Zechariah 13:9 And I will put this third into the fire (of tribulation), and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are my people'; and they will say, 'The LORD is my God.'"

Psalms 118:9-27 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. (10) All nations surrounded me (in the tribulation); in the name of the LORD I cut them off! (11) They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the LORD I cut them off! (12) They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!.......(14) The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation..........(18) The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death..........(21) I thank you that you have answered me (Jesus) and have become my salvation.

Jeremiah 30:11 For I am with you (Israel) to save you, declares the LORD. Though I will completely destroy all the (ungodly) nations (in the tribulation) to which I have scattered you, I will not completely destroy you. Yet I will discipline you justly (Israel), and will by no means leave you unpunished.”