Happy Sunday, friend!

It's time to dive into this week's Come Follow Me reading: Esther!

And you may notice something surprising as you read this week… God is nowhere to be found.

At least in the text.

If you look closely, the name of God isn’t mentioned throughout the entire book of Esther. Why is that??? Make sure to check out this week’s FAQ to find out!

​Watch this week's video here!​

5 Key Events A NEW PERSIAN QUEEN: When the Persian queen Vashti refuses the king’s command, she is removed from her position, and a search begins for a new queen. Esther (a Jewish woman living in the Persian Empire and raised by her cousin Mordecai) is chosen (Esther 1–2). FOILED CONSPIRACY: Mordecai uncovers a plot to assassinate the king and reports it, saving the king’s life, but his bravery goes unrecognized for the time being (Esther 2). HAMAN’S PLOT: Haman, a powerful official, becomes enraged when Mordecai refuses to bow to him and convinces the king to issue a decree ordering the death of all Jews in the Persian Empire (Esther 3). ESTHER’S COURAGE: After learning of the decree, Esther bravely risks her life by approaching the king to plead for her people (Esther 4–7). ORIGINS OF PURIM: The king discovers Haman’s plot, Haman is executed, and the Jews are allowed to defend themselves. Their deliverance becomes the annual celebration of Purim (Esther 8–10).

3 Key Scriptures ​Esther 4:14​ ​Esther 4:16​ ​Esther 9:22​ Dive into one or more of these verses all week long with my Verse Mapping Study Guide!

Questions your kids (or church class) might ask: Why is God never mentioned in the book of Esther? ​ ​

One of the most unusual things about Esther is that God’s name is never mentioned in the entire book.

Why is that? Here are two possible reasons:

1. LITERARY EMPHASIS: To emphasize that God is at work behind the scenes even when we don’t see or hear Him. (Esther’s marriage, Mordecai’s previously-unheralded bravery, the king’s sleepless night, etc are all signs of God hard at work though He is never named.)
2. POLITICAL SAFETY: According to Jewish tradition, the book of Esther was written by her cousin Mordecai, who lived in Persia and served the king. It may have been physically and politically safer for Mordecai (had the book been discovered by the Persians), not to mention the God of Israel as the source of the Jews' deliverance.

Sources

​https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-Esther-God.html​

​https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/old-testament-seminary-teacher-manual/introduction-to-the-book-of-esther?lang=eng

​https://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/4319284/jewish/Who-Wrote-the-Book-of-Esther.htm

This week's conversation starter:

Esther’s cousin Mordecai inspired her to do something hard by reminding her that God had guided her life so she could help during this specific moment. Read Esther 4:14 and discuss: What is a tiny moment when you felt God had put you in a specific place to help one of His children?

Want to go deeper in your personal study this week? My Verse Mapping for Beginners PDF walks you through exactly how. Get it here!​

Missed previous weeks? You can check out past Weekly Scripture Starter emails here!

You are awesome!

P.S. Get on the waitlist! My first children’s book, Simon Spots the Spirit, is available next month, and there are bonuses for anyone who buys in the first 3 days! Get on the waitlist so you know when it goes live. ​