ESTHER slowly approached the throne, her heart racing.

Imagine a hush falling over the great royal chamber in the Persian palace of Shushan, a silence so profound that Esther could hear her own soft footsteps and the rustling of her royal garments.

ESTHER tried to calm her heart as she approached the courtyard in the palace at Shushan.

The king knew little or nothing of Esther’s God, Jehovah, or of His Law.

Could Esther, Mordecai and the Jews of their day be certain that Jehovah would not desert his people?

Courageous, unselfish Queen Esther has dressed royally and, unbidden, stands in the inner courtyard of the king’s house.

2, 3. (a) What did persecution allow for in the case of Mordecai and Esther, but why would Mordecai go into mourning? (b) On what course of action did Mordecai determine, and what was Esther’s response?

² This privilege of sharing in the vindication of God’s name through endurance and through reliance on Jehovah’s power of deliverance was demonstrated by both Mordecai and Esther when Haman schemed the annihilation of all the Jews.

When Esther inquired the reason for his deep grief he told her all the things that had happened and laid the command upon her to come in to the king and make request directly before him for her own people.

But through the Bible book of Esther, doubtless written by the devout Hebrew Mordecai, we can “visit” that royal residence during the early fifth century before the Common Era.

Some time ago, Mordecai became the guardian of the Jewish orphan girl Hadassah, whose name means “myrtle.”

Highlights From the Book of Esther

The deliverance is recorded in the Bible book of Esther.

Esther Manifests Divine Wisdom

Such will therefore peruse with interest and profit the record of one Esther, a Jewish maiden who followed this wise course.

3. What are prophetic dramas, and what evidences are there of them in the Bible?

³ God’s dealings with his people and their adversaries in times past are often symbolic or pictorial of his dealings with us today, and one of the Bible’s most dramatic accounts is found in the book of Esther. (1 Cor. 10:11; Gal. 4:24-26; Luke 17:26-30)

This was also pictured in the drama of Esther as it developed.

It is revealed in the dramatic Bible book of Esther.

Esther Becomes Queen

That his fearless course was blessed by Jehovah is shown by the record in the Bible book called “Esther”.

The book of Esther covers approximately 484-474 B.C.

The account in the book of Esther reveals that Haman was the son of Hammedatha, and an Agagite.

Being a prince he was also among the favored guests attending the banquet that the king had made in honor of his new queen, Esther, who replaced the self-willed Vashti.

In 1935 our daughter Esther was born.

This went on until Esther was old enough to come with us in the ministry.

◼ Did the young Jewish woman Esther have immoral sex with the Persian king to win his favor and thus gain advantages?

But, when Esther came to him, he was pleased with her and then, having fallen in love with her, made her his lawful wife and held their wedding.”​—Jewish Antiquities, Book XI, 184-202, translated by Ralph Marcus, (Book 11, chapter 6, paragraphs 1, 2, as translated by William Whiston).

Not long after arriving in Switzerland, I met Esther during a convention, and soon we got engaged.

Esther and I were married, and she joined me in serving at the branch office in Switzerland.