Queen Esther: Part One

Ever wonder what it takes to become Miss America?  Or for that matter Miss Universe?  Sure these women wear ribbons around themselves exclaiming that "I'm from California" or "I'm from Jorzey". We see it, but who are they really? What was their family life like?  Was their upbringing hard? Were they always the star of their societies??  
        Well, such was the life story of Esther, a common Hebrew girl who would end up becoming queen of the Persian Empire, the largest the world had ever seen!

Arguably, Esther was the most beautiful girl in the world at the time in 479B.C..  King Xerxes of Persia thought so.  Furthermore, her story in how she courageously saved the Hebrew people from annihilation and extermination is one of gorgeous daring.  And also shows how our LORD works in the lives of individuals and people of power for the benefit of his followers.  

         Esther's story begins with her being motherless and fatherless, and thus being raised by Mordecai, her cousin, who was from the Hebrew tribe of Benjamin. Yet, this was not the only thing peculair about Esther's upbringing. For she was not a Hebrew living in the suburbs of Jerusalam when her beauty was noticed. But was living in Susa, the capital city of Persia.  

        For at this time the Hebrews were a broken race.  Absolutely crushed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon years before, the Hebrews were forced to migrate throughout the Babylonian Empire and live in other areas other than Canaan, very much like our own Native Americans' 'Trail of Tears'.  It was humiliating and Esther was very much, living in a strange land.  Thus, she and Mordecai were minorities, dwelling in a city filled with new Persian dominators.  Her upbringing was not an easy one, to say the least, and we can probably say that there was no silver spoon to speak of.

       Yet, being from a people that was beaten and a race that was scattered and small did not stop Esther and Mordecai from obeying and following their God, our LORD. 

       So now I will leave you with the proclamation that brought Esther from obscurity to the center of the universe. It was the decree that went to every corner of Empire.  It was THE casting call to be Miss Universe! More later on the amazing story of Esther, if the Lord is willing. Hope your weekend is going fabulous!

Then the king's personal attendants proposed, "Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful girls into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. Then let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.

Esther 2:2-4