BibleProject creates free resources to help you experience the Bible. Everything we make is funded by generous supporters around the world. You can see our entire video library, check out our other resources, and give at bibleproject.com. Video edit: Esther and Mordecai were cousins, not niece and uncle as was mentioned in this video.
Mahershalalhashbaz Thank you The Lord Of Host The God of Israel your forgiveness Your thanks be to Christ the Lion of Judah is going to take his thrown The high places to the lowest into the deposits of places The wicked flee where no man pursueth but the righteous are bold As Lion's. Love is all my soul is to God.
It’s so crazy because for months I’ve been complaining about how I felt like God hasn’t been listening to me and not moving In my life, and I would cry for days and days and Esther’s name kept popping up on my phone and people at my church would keep talking about Esther’s story. Then one day I decided to finally learn about her and it honestly gives me so much hope for the future in my lowest of times, i don’t know what the future looks like but I know if I live for God I will eventually understand all the pain I went through.
"God's absence" is also best in light of the historical context. The book of Esther is the last historical narrative in the Old Testament. The Jews are about to enter the 400 Silent Years. God wants his people to know that just because he's not speaking does not mean he's not active. The book of Esther shows just that. While God is not speaking or spoken, God is still moving. It prepares the Jews to look out for how God is moving in the next 400 years without hearing the words of the prophet.
So Esther is the last historical narrative of the Old Testament and 400 years of "silence" afterward? I wonder if there is any visual resource of a timeline to map out the events and stories? Also, Job?
Esther is proof that God works in our lives in amazing ways, without us even knowing about it at first. Praise God for what your going through, no matter what it is, because he is using that to lead you to something amazing!
kiaaan420 there's actually evidence besides the Bible that the story happened , if you want to know you can visit the tomb of Mordechai and eshter in iran
Its a fake religious story ,Just like Moses parting the sea. Tomb in Hamedan Maybe Yazgards1 wife Shushan dokht. why would Ester and Mordecai be buried in the same place? Mordecai was much older uncle. But its true Iranians in Iran Mostly Muslims, live side by side with Iranian Jews In peace. Purim as fake as it is. Its celebrating/(Drinking the Blood ) Killing of 70000 Iranians ,Kind of sick.
kiaaan420 yeah I'm not that religious either , I grew up in a Muslim household so I'm kinda curious about Jewish culture and other middle eastern culture that exist before Islam is created such as pre Islamic Persia, Assyrians , Canaanite etc
Haman being impaled with the spike he intended to use on mordecai reminds me of psalms. When it says that the enemy will fall into the traps they set for us.
Say this prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen welcome to the family God loves you Peace and love thank u
This is where it's a little off for me. The Bible said it was a gallows that was made for Mordecai to be hung on, not impailed. Where did they get the spike from?
@@sabbyjb7565 in Persian history, hanging on gallows was not a method of torture. It was impalement. Hanging the body on a pole. Why would Haman build a 75ft noose hanging gallows? That would take too long. But not too long for a 75 ft pole. In the work of the Greek historian Herodotus, impalement is regularly presented as a Persian punishment (see The Histories, 1.128, 3,132, 3.159, 6.30 as examples). Given the setting of Esther, it thus seems likely that the manner of punishment for Haman was in fact impalement. In other words, the fifty-cubit "tree" built by Haman was intended to display Mordecai's body impaled in such a way that no one could avoid seeing it. As it turned out, however, it was Haman, whose death (and the folly leading to it) was put on display for the entire population. This view is also confirmed by both recent commentaries (by Jon Levenson, for example) and by older commentaries (Keil and Delitzsch). In this case, I think the TNIV and the NLT to be more correct in their translation than the ESV or the NASB.
As the song Way Maker goes, "Even when I don't see it you're working. Even when I don't feel it you're working...You never stop working" God is so good to us!!
When I read this comment, my jaw nearly dropped open. I’ve been going through the most stressful time of my life and that song has been going through my head. I’ve been standing on the verse of the song that you just mentioned. Anyway, oddly enough, I just left a massage appointment to try to relax and when I got up, God spoke “Esther” to me. So on my drive home I’ve decided to look up Esther and your comment tied together God’s purpose. It drove home what God wanted me to know. I can’t help but smile because God will get his message to you. He will calm his child. Even when I don’t see it, God is working. Even when God has been ignored and shoved out of a situation, he is still all up in it. Praise my God!
Yes God knows how to get his message to His own. He has infinite options. The problem is that we are not always listening. Our focus on our problems and goals makes listening to Him difficult.
Ruth and Esther are probably my favourite books because they show God working without being openly acknowledged. Like a hidden friend who wants the best for you without being seen. The best bit about God working this way is how you can look back and see all the little things he does to help which make a big difference.
The running theme of the books in scripture really is about redemption I don't know why it took me this long to see something so obvious that God planned through Genesis - even the world, which was once desolate & formless - was revamped & made beautiful by God's redeeming hand. As a Christian this gives me hope for this world & the next.
I can’t even put into words how much these videos are changing my mindset, increasing my relationship with God. I was born and raised Christian (baptized super young - 10 or so). This is really the first time things are starting to make sense. This is a beautiful project. If you take donations, I’d like to contribute. Blessings,
❤ Psalm 34:8 Dear sister, read scriptures and pray and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you the deeper meaning and understanding of Holy Word. ❤ John 14:26
It’s krazy I was feeling like God hasn’t been moving as much in my life and how I been feeling so stagnant and he’s been leading me to read Esther! I just finished it tonight and it’s a beautiful story sharing lessons of hope and faith when God feels absent…. He also led me to psalm 60 with David and the Israelites going from defeat to victory! So I see what God is telling me! Through the silence or even through the times it feels like he’s not there, to still trust in him and continue to seek him through everything!
please tell im not the only one in my pj's watching this series as marathon :) you guys did a wonderful job! Thank you and may God bless you and your family for keeping God's word!
Okay so three small thing... 1. I dont know where the stake thing came from but i remember seeing gallows in reading this 2. Esther was Mordecai's cousin, not niece. 3. Esther fasted and prayed for 3 days before she saw the king...this probably was something worth mentioning. Seeking God before he "moves behind the scenes".
Thanks for the clarification @Elijah Talbot; I just asked the same question. @kennedy thedford us also correct. Esther was adopted by Mordecai; so, though he was her cousin, he then became a father figure, and could easily have gone by the familial title Uncle. Western culture tends to be much more compartmental with titles like this. I've heard Koreans refer to each other as sister-cousin and the like. And remember, we who submit to the King are all Brothers and Sisters in Christ (Song of Songs, "my sister, my bride"), and even Jesus Himself said, "Whom do you say are My brothers and sisters and my mother?" Familial titles for Hebrews or more about role fulfillment than genetics kinship.
Not quite. You’re going by faulty English translations. The issues you raised are all explained by translation issues that lacked understandings of Semitic terminology and contexts. This is why Biblical scholarship is so important and why these people are doing this ongoing project-to make thousands of years of deeper understanding of the Bible available for people who find the scholarship inaccessible.
Okay so them totally fasting for 3 days (no food or drink) was definitely worth mentioning. They humbled themselves completely before God in private AS A UNIT and prayed for 3 whole days for God’s attention. THAT (in my opinion) was the action that saw them through. Fasting, Prayer and God worked this amazing turn around. Much love
“God is not mentioned in the book of Esther.” This is true only of the original Hebrew version of the book of Esther. The Hebrew story was translated by Jewish scholars into ancient Greek sometime around the 2nd-3rd centuries B.C. And in this Greek version, many references to God were added to the story. The Greek translation of Esther was widely used in later Christian circles, and it became the standard version used in the Roman Catholic tradition. In contrast, the Protestant tradition used the Hebrew version which does not mention God.
Actually, the New American Bible Revised Edition (which the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approves), has a forward explaining exactly what you wrote in your comment above. That the Hebrew texts omits direct mention of God, but that Greek additions were made in the following centuries. THEN, here's the cool part, they include the whole text, but highlight the Greek text to set it apart. And by highlight, I mean that those additional chapters are called Chapter A, or Chapter B, following the order that they emerge. That way you can read it both ways: as the original hebrew, or as the widely circulated greek.
@@justgamin5549 it is a little confusing. What I gathered is that, in the original version of the book of Esther - the first time the text was ever written - God was not mentioned. Later, as it was translated from Hebrew to Greek, mentions of God were added by those who translated the text. This version (the 2nd version with mentions of God) is what has been used by many Christians, and has been adopted by Roman Catholics as their standard version. Protestants however make use of the original version. :) God bless!
God did the same in my life that He did in Esther's life. He changed my life around. Thank You God for Who You are and for all that You are doing in our lives O'Lord Amen Jesus Christ alone Amen!!!!!! 💛🙌🏻😃💗❤🙏🏻
FORGOT THE FASTING AND NOBODY IS SAVED BY EATING IMPURE PORK. AND HADASSAH (WORNGLY KNOWN "ESTHER" ) NITHER MORDEKAI ATE PORK BECASUE THEY WERE UNDER TORAH COVENANT. NO-BODY CAN BE SAVED IF THEY EAT IMPURE, KOWING THEY SHOULD NOT, NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER, AND THEY NEVER WERE INVOLVED IN ACTS OF FORNICATION, NOR KILLED FOR PLEASURE. NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER. TORAH URGE. SHALOM.
I had just prayed "Lord, it seems what I believed was promised, isn't going that way." And He had me watch this shortly after, and the POINT of the story felt like everything else around me drownded out and He spoke right to me. And uses this real point for so many of us. Thank you BP, thank you Lord 🙏
Esther reminds me a lot of real life. There's pain and suffering and hate and broken relationships everywhere that is seemingly inescapable, from the entire countryside to within state boundaries. It sometimes seems endless, like there's no one to pull humanity out of the burning dumpster. And yet, there is. God is with us, using the faithfulness of even morally compromised people to bring glory and peace, and for us to remember that one day, God WILL save us. Praise the Lord!
Erica Bourland oh man oh man just think about it. teacher writes a word on the board and starts writing/drawing stuff around the place then 15 mins later there you go an entire lesson in one frame. i just think its sooo cool. plus it glorifies God too, talking about this video, most importantly ;)
The fact that God is not mentioned, actually never occurred to me until you said it. The beautiful irony of this is, as you said, God is still present even when He seems to be absent. And although the story is true, it can still serve as an allegory about trust and hope in God. Thanks again!!!
“Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” “So Mordecai carries out all of Esther’s instructions” Esther 4:15-17 NIV
This is an amazing illustration!!! The entire channel. Not only does it help me understand the books in the Bible, but it is also great to show the kids for them to have perfect understanding of what’s going on, the point and be able to discern Gods glory. Thank you so much for this channel and all the hard work you put into it behind the scenes. I’m so grateful for God for everyone that is behind this channel.
The Bible Project is absolutely wonderful. It clarifies so much of the scriptures I read and brings forth deeper perspectives that I never considered before. What a great tool for teaching.
What a great story for me to hear, on a morning when I feel like my own sins and attitudes are preventing me from being an effective witness for Christ to all the lost people I love.
Wow, that was really good, when I read Esther, I kinda read it and was like, "eh, it's a pretty good story" But this showed me it's message, and how powerful it is. Thank you, and God bless.
Say this prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen welcome to the family God loves you Peace and love thanks
I’ve been studying Ester to teach a 2 and 3yr old Sunday school class! The curriculum we use gives us brief history but I love these summary videos! As someone with adhd it helps me read and understand the text better, especially for teaching purposes!
I had always wondered why for my years plan I haven't read the book of Esther...so today I finally get to the book....in this my season of waiting and a walk to destiny, the story of Esther rings in my heart that...no matter the current situation I'm meant for more, I will be in a position where I'd be able to come through for my family, community and nation at large.
In late Chapter 4, Esther and Mordecai agree to "fast" for 3 days with no food no water. This is sometimes called an "Esther Fast". It's powerful, and reverses bad times. I did a bunch and got a great job after 3 years of not working, and already have my wife back from Esther fasting. Glory to Jesus!
Thank you so much for making this channel! I am a very visual person so these videos help me understand the stories of the Bible so much better than just reading. Thank you for your obedience to God and for making this possible
@@blueorchid5971 true, I realized that after watching some of their videos. We can't always get answers, Sometimes we have to go to find it by ourselves.
I so appreciate the Bible Project and use it to teach my own kids. Your summaries are accurate and you make it easy to understand. So it is in the spirit of "iron sharpening iron," that I offer this observation. The turning point is not when Xerxes cannot sleep and Haman ends up escorting Mordecai-it is when Esther decides to risk going before the king and asks all her people to FAST AND PRAY. To God. They do, and THAT is when things turn around. God by name is not mentioned, but He is absolutely in the center of it as the One who heard their prayers. And the reason Mordecai did not bow to Haman was not because he had it in for Haman, it is because, like Daniel, he could not bow to anyone but God. It is a dangerous interpretation to assume we can live like wreckless party animals and still expect God to bless that. That is exactly what got the Jews INTO these problems in the first place. Again, thank you for using your gifts and talents to draw people to God :) and I pray you keep on keeping on!
I was at work today and I heard the name Esther for the first time. It caught my attention. I have been feeling down lately because I have been praying and I have felt like God doesn't hear my prayers and isn't working in my life. Reading the book Esther in the Bible Gave me so much hope.
You think? I'd say being banashed to the isle of perpetual tickling is a lot more family friendly than being hanged from the gallows. Thanks Phil Vischer for not scarring me for life with that detail.
What is called ‘Ironic Reversal’ in this video actually occurs frequently in the Bible and is better known as ‘Chiasmus’. It is a literary device used by ancient authors primarily to promote an antithesis or series of related ideas. It was used in the ancient world often as a teaching device, with repetition reinforcing the central theme or set of ideas an author intended to communicate. I had not previously given much thought to the story of Esther and Chiasmus before it was pointed out in this video. Glad it was covered.
Congrats on hitting the half-way point on the Read Scripture series, +The Bible Project! So blessed by these videos. Praying that God uses them to introduce His story to a whole new generation.
Say this prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen welcome to the family God loves you Peace and love THANKS
I wish this was the kind of stuff I learned at church. I "learn" a lot about how a christian should live, but not a lot about the Bible. (I put learn in quotes because I feel like it's just a repeat of the same message over and over again.)
Erica Bourland I don't know what baptist churches preach exactly, since many baptist churches don't focus on the same things. BUT you said that they seem to repeat the same message on and on. I've been to one like that for a couple of months. If you don't feel like you are growing spiritually, then maybe you should tell your pastor?
I'm actually thinking about trying new churches. I feel uncomfortable with a few things that have been going on in my church in this tense, political season. I don't want to be a church hopper, but I also don't want to stay somewhere I feel unwelcome.
I’m a Messianic Jewish Pastor in Atlanta and have found this to be one of the best Scripture breakdown/summary book-by-book I’ve seen yet! Thank you again for this blessing!
I’m not sure why but the story of Esther reminds me both of the story of Moses & of the story of Joseph. Because Esther became elevated to a high position, where she had a powerful influence that helped save her people from being wiped out or continually subjugated.
Say this prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen welcome to the family God loves you Peace and love thank u
The courage of Esther and her trust that God's will would be done is inspiring and strengthening. She was willing to act in Faith even to the point of death. May we live out these lessons in our daily living. Thank you for this animated movie. Enjoy Purim today and tomorrow, and for the years to come!🙏🏻 May the God of Peace be with you and be your permanent dwelling-place. PEACE✌️
Just had my prayer time before watching this and prayed, no matter how hard life gets that I'll always know God's here and loving me and carrying me..even when He feels absent. Then you closed the video with that same message. GOD LOVES US YALLLLLLLL. AMEN. 🙌
Say this prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen welcome to the family God loves you Peace and love thank u
I do love this channel but sometimes I find that some things aren't worded well which inadvertently change the point of a part of the story. In this one, for example, yes Ahasuerus (Xerxes) liked his parties and drink but he was not a giddy drunkard all the time and just thought "Oo Esther's cool". No. The point was that Esther found favour in all she met. People loved her nature. The king loved her nature and so she was elevated from a mere concubine to the queen. Furthermore, that is why he acted so lenient about her meeting with him without his request. She had a godly gift that was seen by all the people she met, especially the king, which enabled her to go beyond what anyone was able to do. Despite this, everything else was brilliant! Keep up the great work!
Yes, she was a concubine. All the maidens were sexed by the king becoming his harem. After He slept with Esther she found favor in his eyes and was promoted from concubine to queen.
FORGOT THE FASTING AND NOBODY IS SAVED BY EATING IMPURE PORK. AND HADASSAH (WORNGLY KNOWN "ESTHER" ) NITHER MORDEKAI ATE PORK BECASUE THEY WERE UNDER TORAH COVENANT. NO-BODY CAN BE SAVED IF THEY EAT IMPURE, KOWING THEY SHOULD NOT, NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER, AND THEY NEVER WERE INVOLVED IN ACTS OF FORNICATION, NOR KILLED FOR PLEASURE. NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER. TORAH URGE. SHALOM.
I agree with Kat. The King was not indulgent on the wine --banquets do not mean drunkenness is your way of life, anymore than if you go out and always order a drink, it means you are indulgent. And yes to the point Esther was a person whose nature was attractive. as well as her looks. Haman is held to be an Amalekite and it was they who God wanted to be utterly destroyed after they harassed Israel back in 1 Samuel 15:3. The one thing I find hard is after killing 75,000 people by getting up close and personal, there were celebrations the next day. Thanksgiving for salvation from annihilation would have been understandable, but to celebrate after so much killing is hard to understand; especially as you are the good guys (you'd expect the bad guys would show little sense of killing other people, but the good guys you would expect to be more relieved, rather than enjoying the deaths of their enemies ). There must be a way to explain this, but it isn't obvious.
Xerxes was said to be a mad king. Not a “party lover” He ordered the sea to be whipped for his ships sinking . That’s not something normal minds do. And continuously drinking for half a year with an entire kingdom isn’t just liking parties. He just wasn’t a great guy. Granted God used him through Esther to set the people free. But he was an extreme person generally
I'M NOT SURE BUT DID U MENTION THE "FAST AND PRAYER" THAT MOVED GOD'S HEART TOWARDS THE JEWS. THAT WAS THEE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE BOOK OF EASTER!!! I REALLY APPRECIATE YALL'S WORK. I'VE BEEN WATCHING SINCE 2016 I BELIEVE, BUT ANYWAY GOOD STUFF GUYS!!!!!!!!
What a beautiful description and explanation of this book! I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate the Bible Reading plan you have and the supporting video's you produce. I'm doing your reading plan and reading the Bible for the 1st time!! I am so blessed by you all! May GOD Almighty bless you ABUNDANTLY and REWARD you for your bring others to Christ!!! Thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart!! Praise The Lord!!! Amen to you all!
Thankyou so much for briefing the Book of Esther. The way you explained the whole book in short period is awesome. Really enjoyed listening and watching. May our dear God continue to bless you and this ministry.
How odd that you skipped the highlight when after 3 days of fasting and praying she dresses her prettiest and goes uninvited before the king who is so enthralled by her beauty that he offers her anything she wants "up to half the kingdom".
FORGOT THE FASTING AND NOBODY IS SAVED BY EATING IMPURE PORK. AND HADASSAH (WORNGLY KNOWN "ESTHER" ) NITHER MORDEKAI ATE PORK BECASUE THEY WERE UNDER TORAH COVENANT. NO-BODY CAN BE SAVED IF THEY EAT IMPURE, KOWING THEY SHOULD NOT, NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER, AND THEY NEVER WERE INVOLVED IN ACTS OF FORNICATION, NOR KILLED FOR PLEASURE. NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER. TORAH URGE. SHALOM.
@@eloishashalom1458You shouldn’t be a trying to convert people to Judaism. Yeshua is Yahweh (God) and he made a New Contract with people who wish to know and follow the Father. The old covenant was made to prepare us for the Messiah but it is not a valid way to reach God anymore because it has expired. As a Jew of the tribe of Levi of the clan of the Kohenim (the priesthood) I can assure you that the scriptures are clear that there remains no sacrifice for sins after the Messiah laid down his life and raised it up again. Even before this most intentional sins couldn’t be forgiven under the temple law. There is also no legitimate way to fulfill the orders of the Torah today without a temple or dedicated priests. All of that was lost 70 years after Yeshua. This is an importantent number as 70 or 72 is often a reference for the table of nations. I can also say that the old testament clearly teaches the trinity, the old testament clearly teaches a Devine Messiah coming before the destruction of a second temple. When it comes to Esther yes they did eat impure food, they lived in the capital and many of the foods were sacrificed to pagan gods making them unclean. There was also blood still in the food. Not to mention many forbidden animals were used to eat there. This is Why Daniel and his companions refused to eat the meat and drink the wine because of its ritual contamination. Not only this but each of them were given pagan names. Mordichai is named after the patron god of Babylon and Esther is named after the goddess of fertility. They did many things that were improper and impure within the story. Yet God helped them. The answer of Holiness which God loves and demands does not come from without a man. You and I sin even in our hearts and can never be fully clean. Abraham did not yet know about eating kosher or ritual cleansing laws but he paid homage to a higher priesthood; the order of “ Malik ha Zedek” he is the king of righteousness of the city of peace and he has no beginning of days or end of life. He is the Messiah who came before. Abraham trusted in God not of his own earnings but out of simple dependence and this is what made him righteous. Do the same and you will be made righteous. Look to Yeshua for healing from your sins as the Israelites looked to the symbol of their sin on a cross (a snake) to heal them. In the same way look to him and you will overcome the of Satan on your soul and be healed. Holiness is possible but not through yourself, it comes from Gods Ruach as all things do. It is his power that can make you Holy. You must be first cleansed by the blood from the son and then anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit before you can approach the Holy of Hokies where the Father is. The priest did a shadow of this in the past. The were anointed with blood on their body from the lamb, anointed with oil special and Holy for the occasion and clothed in priestly clothes only then could they approach Yahweh. God has elevated all men to the level of my clan and now all people to turn to the Lord may be his priests, cleansed, commissioned and washed for service. Shalom alechem.
To see all these comments about what part of was "left out," fasting and praying does not change what has already been written by God, who is in control of all things. Stay planted.
THANK YOU for making this available for all of us to watch and learn from. Your videos give me a new sense of curiosity to read the Bible for myself. In the process, I am loving the Bible more and more because I get to discover things that are not emphasized in your videos but are there in the Scriptures. This sense of discovery for myself is what makes the learning enjoyable and exciting. Thank you, The Bible Project for making these materials available. May God continue to bless you, prosper you, and use you to make Him known. -Love from the Philippines
I love this! Your videos are so clear and to the point! It makes the Bible so easy to understand later when you read the Scripture! Thank You Bible Project Team!
Yes i emailed them about this too, but they dont seem to care about making corrections. I love the content and the videos. I even asked if i was wrong somehow to plz let me know and they directed me here to youtube comments or their blog or podcast, although their stuff is impressive, their responses are not.
Would anyone believe that the book of Esther "helped" me & my husband's love story before? My husband used to be an agnostic/atheist when we first met, then God "pushed" me (I'm just His instrument, everything is for His glory) to bring him back to His embrace. Then God led me to read Esther. Then I went through fasting & prayer, much prayer. Just like king Ahasuerus, Mordecai (Christ) reminded him of all His workings in his life in the past up until now until he realized that God is just waiting for him. Now, he's back in faith, though there's still a lot he should learn & practice to keep the faith. But all praises to our Lord Jesus Christ! By the way, we met through a dating app, much like the "pageant" in Esther's time (except I'm not as stunningly beautiful as Esther teehee!).
I'd have never related Haman being an Agagite, with the king Agag who King Saul spared when he has been told by God to kill all the Amalekites had you guys not mentioned it. Thats why i love these videos. They make me see parts in the Bible i would have never noticed. God bless you guys for this amazing work
Tanya Perkins all the young unmarried women were taken. It wasn't a beauty contest but the king was looking for a new wife because his wife would not do her duty as a queen
lucecita19 Making it funny takes away from the significance of what happened though. All those young women (many in the age range that we still consider to be children) were ripped away from their families, forced to spend a night with the king, and then they would live in the harem for the rest of their lives. The story of Esther is one full of really terrible circuits that God allowed but later used for the good of His people and for His glory. It would be unfortunate for us to miss that.
Say it louder for the people in the back! Calling it a "beauty pageant" is a gross approximation. The Bible says they were "taken", and all historical accounts say that most families hid their daughters in the hopes of keeping them from being abducted, raped, and kept for life by Xerxes.
Mitchell C John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” Luke 22:70-71 And they all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “Yes, I am.” Then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.” Jesus absolutely claimed to be God and the religious leaders killed him because they didn’t believe that he was. Jesus was fully God and fully man. God cannot die, man can.
I have know about the stories of the Bible since childhood. The complexity and beautifull arrangement of the texts amazes me even more today. I think the ways God is working follow this pattern more often than we realize
What is "silly" about the decree acknowledging that men should be the masters of their own home? Beware of bowing to PC BS denying that men should be the heads, leaders, or masters of their own households.
Excellent. But did not Haman erect a "gallows" to "hang" Mordecai ? Fifty cubits high is pretty high (18"X50=900') for an impaling spike. (Esther 5:14) "Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a GALLOWS be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be HANGED thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the GALLOWS to be made." (KJV)
Say this prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen welcome to the family God loves you Peace and love thanksssss sss
FORGOT THE FASTING AND NOBODY IS SAVED BY EATING IMPURE PORK. AND HADASSAH (WORNGLY KNOWN "ESTHER" ) NITHER MORDEKAI ATE PORK BECASUE THEY WERE UNDER TORAH COVENANT. NO-BODY CAN BE SAVED IF THEY EAT IMPURE, KOWING THEY SHOULD NOT, NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER, AND THEY NEVER WERE INVOLVED IN ACTS OF FORNICATION, NOR KILLED FOR PLEASURE. NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER. TORAH URGE. SHALOM.
Say this prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen welcome to the family God loves you Peace and love thank u
I like the conclusions you pulled out in this story that I had not exactly tied together as you did at the end. You always have videos worth watching. I appreciate your hard work!
I LOVE these videos. However, there are a few major point that have been misrepresented that were missed. First, in the beginning of the book when the King decreed that a new Queen be found, it was for another reason. His advisors told the King that because his Queen (Vashti) had refused to be obedient to him that it would cause ALL of the other women in the Kingdom to also treat their husbands with contempt and disdain. Kind of an uprising of RADICAL feminism. So he didnt make this declaration for a new Queen out of a drunken stupor. It was to ensure that there wasnt an uprising of domestic problems in the Kingdom due to women disrespecting their husbands. Also, when the King ordered Haman's execution, the Bible does not say he was in a drunken rage. Nowhere does it indicate that he wasnt in his right mind. Then Haman was not impaled but hanged.
Scripture says "the heart of the king was merry with wine," aka, drunk :) and when she refused he became enraged. I don't think the general impression we are given of the king is that he is a prudent ruler, rather we have a rash and fickle man who is constantly making bad decisions and then regretting them in the morning.TBH I doubt the advisors were so worried about the women of the kingdom uprising, as they were worried about their own wives at home (who were most likely guests at the queens party and would have been witnesses!)!! Don't you think that if the king were seriously worried about news of this event getting out, the last thing he'd want to do would be to write an edict about it and publish it throughout the kingdom for everyone to read? It's laughably silly! When the king orders his execution, it says several times they had been drinking. 7v7 "and the king arose in his wrath from the wine-drinking." We may interpret that however we want, but it does seem to imply they'd been drinking a good bit. The word "gallows" can alternatively be interpreted as "stake." generally hanging was not the method of Persian execution, but bodies were hanged afterwards for everyone to see, as a warning of sorts.
You are partly right, was hanged, and he was impaled, but not on just any pole, but a cross, he hanged impaled on a cross. The Persians invented the crucifixion, but was popularised by the Romans.
Scott Williams thank you. I just finished reading the book of Esther so the story is still fresh in my head. And also Mordecai and Esther were cousins, it wasn’t his niece.
Some believe the king’s request was to have Vasti come to the banquet naked, only with her royal crown on her head. He was drunk and she wasn’t having it. Not feminism, but an issue of abuse and shame she wasn’t going to put up with. This is why he repented afterwards and missed her, but his counselors made sure Vasti be gone for good.
Ugh god is so good! Watched a reel talking about not having your spiritual ears open and saw myself in that. All of a sudden I “thought” of ester, I have listened to ester before but definitely didn’t realize the ending theme was about god being there regardless of hearing him & him working through people’s moral failings. HE IS ALWAYS LISTENING❤️❤️
First off: I love your videos!! Thank you so much for the diligence your team puts into these amazing shorts! They have really helped me in my studies. However, at 0:29 you say that Esther is Mordecai's niece, but in Esther 2:7 it says she is his cousin. Am I missing a piece of your puzzle?
In my Bible it it says "the daughter of his uncle." and in v15 it says "Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai." So, it is very clear what their relation is. I'm not sure why the Bible Project says otherwise...perhaps just an oversight.
Well, there's a nuance on that which I quite get very well. For one, my aunt has given birth to three kids, which technically makes me their cousin, but they somehow see me as an uncle because I am far older than them (enough to give birth to them if I am to marry extremely young😂😂). It seems that was what was at play in the book of Esther. That's my view though
Esther was one of the underrated book,why? It is not used for its word,nor gospel. Notice how Esther wasn't mention in many times,but it has the longest verse and the fulfillment of God even though He isn't mentioned
In regard to the "unknown author", after having just recently re-read Esther, it occurred to me that this book reminded me of a Shakespearean comedy. Shakespeare, as does God, loves holding up a mirror to the audience, showing us our true nature.
Whew...I needed this this morning. "No matter how bad things get, God is committed to redeeming His world." ❤️Praise God from Whom all blessings flow...💛
I could not focus while reading this book, this is my first time reading a book in the Bible all the way through it was so hard for me to concentrate. I tried reading in silence, reading aloud, this video really helped me understand this book & connect so many dots for me! Thanks for this!🙌🏼😊
I really appreciated the way you described this book (it is one of my absolute favorites). I've never heard it be pointed out of all the corruption and/or acts against God's laws were still being used in the bigger plan of his. It was well stated 🥰
Esther fasted and prayed to God for three days before going before the king uninvited which at the time if anyone did ran the risk of losing their life. Esther also had all her people fast and pray during those 3 days
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Video edit: Esther and Mordecai were cousins, not niece and uncle as was mentioned in this video.
Haman was also hung on a gallows instead of impaled. (Esther 7:10 KJV)
The Bible Project you guys should do a 📖 just like this breaking it down
Mahershalalhashbaz
Thank you The Lord Of Host The God of Israel your forgiveness
Your thanks be to Christ the Lion of Judah is going to take his thrown The high places to the lowest into the deposits of places
The wicked flee where no man pursueth but the righteous are bold
As Lion's. Love is all my soul is to God.
glittergutz: Ancient Persian hangings were accomplished by impaling. The modern Western world thinks of hanging by a rope.
Cheers
It’s so crazy because for months I’ve been complaining about how I felt like God hasn’t been listening to me and not moving In my life, and I would cry for days and days and Esther’s name kept popping up on my phone and people at my church would keep talking about Esther’s story. Then one day I decided to finally learn about her and it honestly gives me so much hope for the future in my lowest of times, i don’t know what the future looks like but I know if I live for God I will eventually understand all the pain I went through.
that's right keep on keeping on in the name of the Lord Amen!
God got you covered
I agree with you
Well if the name of Esther came to you and you are crying etc it means pray and fast . Esther fast
praying your current days are brighter👑💓
"God's absence" is also best in light of the historical context. The book of Esther is the last historical narrative in the Old Testament. The Jews are about to enter the 400 Silent Years. God wants his people to know that just because he's not speaking does not mean he's not active. The book of Esther shows just that. While God is not speaking or spoken, God is still moving. It prepares the Jews to look out for how God is moving in the next 400 years without hearing the words of the prophet.
So Esther is the last historical narrative of the Old Testament and 400 years of "silence" afterward? I wonder if there is any visual resource of a timeline to map out the events and stories? Also, Job?
@@milomiller8204 if you find that link, please share it. I'd really want to read about it too
@@templarscreed1091 Yes I have actually, let me check to see where the link is. It's primarily focusing on the old testament.
I'm crying right now...someone prophesied to me a long time ago to read and understand this book of Esther. Your message hit a nerve. Ty
I was reading accquizer's comment...
Esther is proof that God works in our lives in amazing ways, without us even knowing about it at first.
Praise God for what your going through, no matter what it is, because he is using that to lead you to something amazing!
Amen
Bible Munch Amen
kiaaan420 there's actually evidence besides the Bible that the story happened , if you want to know you can visit the tomb of Mordechai and eshter in iran
Its a fake religious story ,Just like Moses parting the sea.
Tomb in Hamedan Maybe Yazgards1 wife Shushan dokht.
why would Ester and Mordecai be buried in the same place?
Mordecai was much older uncle.
But its true Iranians in Iran Mostly Muslims, live side by side with Iranian Jews In peace. Purim as fake as it is. Its celebrating/(Drinking the Blood ) Killing of 70000 Iranians ,Kind of sick.
kiaaan420 yeah I'm not that religious either , I grew up in a Muslim household so I'm kinda curious about Jewish culture and other middle eastern culture that exist before Islam is created such as pre Islamic Persia, Assyrians , Canaanite etc
Haman being impaled with the spike he intended to use on mordecai reminds me of psalms. When it says that the enemy will fall into the traps they set for us.
Same, and it also reminds me of Proverbs
Say this prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen welcome to the family God loves you Peace and love thank u
This is where it's a little off for me. The Bible said it was a gallows that was made for Mordecai to be hung on, not impailed. Where did they get the spike from?
@@sabbyjb7565 probably made it from some tree since it's a wooden pole
@@sabbyjb7565 in Persian history, hanging on gallows was not a method of torture. It was impalement. Hanging the body on a pole.
Why would Haman build a 75ft noose hanging gallows? That would take too long. But not too long for a 75 ft pole.
In the work of the Greek historian Herodotus, impalement is regularly presented as a Persian punishment (see The Histories, 1.128, 3,132, 3.159, 6.30 as examples). Given the setting of Esther, it thus seems likely that the manner of punishment for Haman was in fact impalement. In other words, the fifty-cubit "tree" built by Haman was intended to display Mordecai's body impaled in such a way that no one could avoid seeing it. As it turned out, however, it was Haman, whose death (and the folly leading to it) was put on display for the entire population. This view is also confirmed by both recent commentaries (by Jon Levenson, for example) and by older commentaries (Keil and Delitzsch). In this case, I think the TNIV and the NLT to be more correct in their translation than the ESV or the NASB.
Anyone here in 2024?❤
July 5th 2024 now.
July 7th.
July 9th 2024. Preparing to fast. Didn't understand when I read the bible came for clarification.
@@michellesmith4674 July 11th 2024 now.
meeee
As the song Way Maker goes, "Even when I don't see it you're working. Even when I don't feel it you're working...You never stop working" God is so good to us!!
When I read this comment, my jaw nearly dropped open. I’ve been going through the most stressful time of my life and that song has been going through my head. I’ve been standing on the verse of the song that you just mentioned. Anyway, oddly enough, I just left a massage appointment to try to relax and when I got up, God spoke “Esther” to me. So on my drive home I’ve decided to look up Esther and your comment tied together God’s purpose. It drove home what God wanted me to know. I can’t help but smile because God will get his message to you. He will calm his child.
Even when I don’t see it, God is working. Even when God has been ignored and shoved out of a situation, he is still all up in it. Praise my God!
Yes God knows how to get his message to His own. He has infinite options. The problem is that we are not always listening. Our focus on our problems and goals makes listening to Him difficult.
🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽❤️❤️❤️
Ruth and Esther are probably my favourite books because they show God working without being openly acknowledged.
Like a hidden friend who wants the best for you without being seen.
The best bit about God working this way is how you can look back and see all the little things he does to help which make a big difference.
So true. I absolutely agree
So true ❤😊
they're the most narratively focused books too.
I agree. But I haven't read past Esther yet
Same!
The running theme of the books in scripture really is about redemption I don't know why it took me this long to see something so obvious that God planned through Genesis - even the world, which was once desolate & formless - was revamped & made beautiful by God's redeeming hand. As a Christian this gives me hope for this world & the next.
Masculine Theology : )
Yes very true :)
God just showing off, most of the time/All the time :). All Glory to Him. Praise the Lord my God.
Awesome!
So good ☺
I can’t even put into words how much these videos are changing my mindset, increasing my relationship with God.
I was born and raised Christian (baptized super young - 10 or so). This is really the first time things are starting to make sense.
This is a beautiful project. If you take donations, I’d like to contribute.
Blessings,
❤ Psalm 34:8
Dear sister, read scriptures and pray and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you the deeper meaning and understanding of Holy Word.
❤ John 14:26
It’s krazy I was feeling like God hasn’t been moving as much in my life and how I been feeling so stagnant and he’s been leading me to read Esther! I just finished it tonight and it’s a beautiful story sharing lessons of hope and faith when God feels absent…. He also led me to psalm 60 with David and the Israelites going from defeat to victory! So I see what God is telling me! Through the silence or even through the times it feels like he’s not there, to still trust in him and continue to seek him through everything!
please tell im not the only one in my pj's watching this series as marathon :) you guys did a wonderful job! Thank you and may God bless you and your family for keeping God's word!
Okay so three small thing...
1. I dont know where the stake thing came from but i remember seeing gallows in reading this
2. Esther was Mordecai's cousin, not niece.
3. Esther fasted and prayed for 3 days before she saw the king...this probably was something worth mentioning. Seeking God before he "moves behind the scenes".
Gallows is a bad translation. Hanging in the original context means impaled. It's weird I know.
I was told that Esther was adopted. I think it depends on the translation.
Thanks for the clarification @Elijah Talbot; I just asked the same question.
@kennedy thedford us also correct. Esther was adopted by Mordecai; so, though he was her cousin, he then became a father figure, and could easily have gone by the familial title Uncle.
Western culture tends to be much more compartmental with titles like this. I've heard Koreans refer to each other as sister-cousin and the like. And remember, we who submit to the King are all Brothers and Sisters in Christ (Song of Songs, "my sister, my bride"), and even Jesus Himself said, "Whom do you say are My brothers and sisters and my mother?" Familial titles for Hebrews or more about role fulfillment than genetics kinship.
Not quite. You’re going by faulty English translations. The issues you raised are all explained by translation issues that lacked understandings of Semitic terminology and contexts. This is why Biblical scholarship is so important and why these people are doing this ongoing project-to make thousands of years of deeper understanding of the Bible available for people who find the scholarship inaccessible.
kennedy thedford yeah Esther was adopted.
Okay so them totally fasting for 3 days (no food or drink) was definitely worth mentioning. They humbled themselves completely before God in private AS A UNIT and prayed for 3 whole days for God’s attention. THAT (in my opinion) was the action that saw them through. Fasting, Prayer and God worked this amazing turn around. Much love
Exactly!
Came looking for this comment
Thank youuuuu!!! I was like why didn't he mention the dry fast for 3 days??
@@sarahhcesarrI hope they see this and add a revision
Yeah! Thank you for mentioning that!
“God is not mentioned in the book of Esther.” This is true only of the original Hebrew version of the book of Esther. The Hebrew story was translated by Jewish scholars into ancient Greek sometime around the 2nd-3rd centuries B.C. And in this Greek version, many references to God were added to the story. The Greek translation of Esther was widely used in later Christian circles, and it became the standard version used in the Roman Catholic tradition. In contrast, the Protestant tradition used the Hebrew version which does not mention God.
lol
Actually, the New American Bible Revised Edition (which the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approves), has a forward explaining exactly what you wrote in your comment above. That the Hebrew texts omits direct mention of God, but that Greek additions were made in the following centuries. THEN, here's the cool part, they include the whole text, but highlight the Greek text to set it apart. And by highlight, I mean that those additional chapters are called Chapter A, or Chapter B, following the order that they emerge. That way you can read it both ways: as the original hebrew, or as the widely circulated greek.
Im a little slow can you explain that in english real quick
@@justgamin5549 it is a little confusing. What I gathered is that, in the original version of the book of Esther - the first time the text was ever written - God was not mentioned. Later, as it was translated from Hebrew to Greek, mentions of God were added by those who translated the text. This version (the 2nd version with mentions of God) is what has been used by many Christians, and has been adopted by Roman Catholics as their standard version. Protestants however make use of the original version. :) God bless!
@@emmafriends1077 Why is that funny?
"Trust God's providence even when you don't see it at work." Amen
I love the Bible Project
God did the same in my life that He did in Esther's life. He changed my life around. Thank You God for Who You are and for all that You are doing in our lives O'Lord Amen Jesus Christ alone Amen!!!!!! 💛🙌🏻😃💗❤🙏🏻
Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen! God is good all the time. 🙏🏽🕊
FORGOT THE FASTING AND NOBODY IS SAVED BY EATING IMPURE PORK. AND HADASSAH (WORNGLY KNOWN "ESTHER" ) NITHER MORDEKAI ATE PORK BECASUE THEY WERE UNDER TORAH COVENANT. NO-BODY CAN BE SAVED IF THEY EAT IMPURE, KOWING THEY SHOULD NOT, NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER, AND THEY NEVER WERE INVOLVED IN ACTS OF FORNICATION, NOR KILLED FOR PLEASURE. NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER. TORAH URGE. SHALOM.
I had just prayed "Lord, it seems what I believed was promised, isn't going that way." And He had me watch this shortly after, and the POINT of the story felt like everything else around me drownded out and He spoke right to me. And uses this real point for so many of us. Thank you BP, thank you Lord 🙏
Esther reminds me a lot of real life.
There's pain and suffering and hate and broken relationships everywhere that is seemingly inescapable, from the entire countryside to within state boundaries. It sometimes seems endless, like there's no one to pull humanity out of the burning dumpster. And yet, there is. God is with us, using the faithfulness of even morally compromised people to bring glory and peace, and for us to remember that one day, God WILL save us.
Praise the Lord!
He who humbles himself will be exalted
@@repentofyoursinsandbelieve629 thanks lol
@@repentofyoursinsandbelieve629 we know that's why we're here 😂😂😂
if my teachers at school taught like this id never miss school lol
religion teachers or just teachers in general?
Erica Bourland either
I'm going to be a teacher. What is engaging about this video to you?
Erica Bourland oh man oh man just think about it. teacher writes a word on the board and starts writing/drawing stuff around the place then 15 mins later there you go an entire lesson in one frame. i just think its sooo cool. plus it glorifies God too, talking about this video, most importantly ;)
If I was still in school
The fact that God is not mentioned, actually never occurred to me until you said it. The beautiful irony of this is, as you said, God is still present even when He seems to be absent. And although the story is true, it can still serve as an allegory about trust and hope in God. Thanks again!!!
“Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
“So Mordecai carries out all of Esther’s instructions”
Esther 4:15-17 NIV
An awesome passage from the book!
I’ve fasted for 3 days. Didn’t get that result!
This is an amazing illustration!!! The entire channel. Not only does it help me understand the books in the Bible, but it is also great to show the kids for them to have perfect understanding of what’s going on, the point and be able to discern Gods glory. Thank you so much for this channel and all the hard work you put into it behind the scenes. I’m so grateful for God for everyone that is behind this channel.
The story of Esther is amazing, you see the hand of God everywhere. Thank you for this great video ❤️
The Bible Project is absolutely wonderful. It clarifies so much of the scriptures I read and brings forth deeper perspectives that I never considered before. What a great tool for teaching.
What a great story for me to hear, on a morning when I feel like my own sins and attitudes are preventing me from being an effective witness for Christ to all the lost people I love.
Wow, that was really good, when I read Esther, I kinda read it and was like, "eh, it's a pretty good story" But this showed me it's message, and how powerful it is. Thank you, and God bless.
Say this prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen welcome to the family God loves you Peace and love thanks
I’ve been studying Ester to teach a 2 and 3yr old Sunday school class! The curriculum we use gives us brief history but I love these summary videos! As someone with adhd it helps me read and understand the text better, especially for teaching purposes!
I had always wondered why for my years plan I haven't read the book of Esther...so today I finally get to the book....in this my season of waiting and a walk to destiny, the story of Esther rings in my heart that...no matter the current situation I'm meant for more, I will be in a position where I'd be able to come through for my family, community and nation at large.
In late Chapter 4, Esther and Mordecai agree to "fast" for 3 days with no food no water. This is sometimes called an "Esther Fast". It's powerful, and reverses bad times. I did a bunch and got a great job after 3 years of not working, and already have my wife back from Esther fasting. Glory to Jesus!
Thank you so much for making this channel! I am a very visual person so these videos help me understand the stories of the Bible so much better than just reading. Thank you for your obedience to God and for making this possible
why didn't you include the prayer and fasting? that is a very important part of the story.
Those parts were added later to the book
Prayer and God aren’t mentioned. Maybe because of concern about how it would be read by the Persians?
Prayer isn't mentioned. They only fast.
@@blueorchid5971 true, I realized that after watching some of their videos. We can't always get answers, Sometimes we have to go to find it by ourselves.
@@blueorchid5971 oh, thank you
I so appreciate the Bible Project and use it to teach my own kids. Your summaries are accurate and you make it easy to understand. So it is in the spirit of "iron sharpening iron," that I offer this observation. The turning point is not when Xerxes cannot sleep and Haman ends up escorting Mordecai-it is when Esther decides to risk going before the king and asks all her people to FAST AND PRAY. To God. They do, and THAT is when things turn around. God by name is not mentioned, but He is absolutely in the center of it as the One who heard their prayers. And the reason Mordecai did not bow to Haman was not because he had it in for Haman, it is because, like Daniel, he could not bow to anyone but God. It is a dangerous interpretation to assume we can live like wreckless party animals and still expect God to bless that. That is exactly what got the Jews INTO these problems in the first place. Again, thank you for using your gifts and talents to draw people to God :) and I pray you keep on keeping on!
I was at work today and I heard the name Esther for the first time. It caught my attention. I have been feeling down lately because I have been praying and I have felt like God doesn't hear my prayers and isn't working in my life. Reading the book Esther in the Bible Gave me so much hope.
Well that’s definitely different from the Veggie Tales version
Zealot Feathers I was thinking the same thing ahah
my thoughts exactly
is it just me or is Haman a lot like Hitler?
(0_0) oh my god
Lmaooooo
You think? I'd say being banashed to the isle of perpetual tickling is a lot more family friendly than being hanged from the gallows. Thanks Phil Vischer for not scarring me for life with that detail.
This couldn't have come out at a better time for me right now. Truly showing how great God is.
Yeeessss
Walk by faith not by sight right?
Yes
Amen 🙏🏽
Sounds like a song 🎵
@@glorybe7500 its a song in a musical, actually :)
Wdym?
One of my favorite Old Testament books I’ve read so far. Been reading the books then watching your videos for understanding after. Enjoying them!
What is called ‘Ironic Reversal’ in this video actually occurs frequently in the Bible and is better known as ‘Chiasmus’. It is a literary device used by ancient authors primarily to promote an antithesis or series of related ideas. It was used in the ancient world often as a teaching device, with repetition reinforcing the central theme or set of ideas an author intended to communicate.
I had not previously given much thought to the story of Esther and Chiasmus before it was pointed out in this video. Glad it was covered.
Congrats on hitting the half-way point on the Read Scripture series, +The Bible Project! So blessed by these videos. Praying that God uses them to introduce His story to a whole new generation.
Give my props to the artist who basically turned this into a comic book.. Well done
Say this prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen welcome to the family God loves you Peace and love THANKS
COOKING recipes
Yesir
I wish this was the kind of stuff I learned at church. I "learn" a lot about how a christian should live, but not a lot about the Bible. (I put learn in quotes because I feel like it's just a repeat of the same message over and over again.)
You need a church that has its focus on the word of God.
Look for churches which do a lot of exegesis. I know the Calvary Chapel churches do those a lot.
I go to a baptist church.
Erica Bourland I don't know what baptist churches preach exactly, since many baptist churches don't focus on the same things. BUT you said that they seem to repeat the same message on and on. I've been to one like that for a couple of months.
If you don't feel like you are growing spiritually, then maybe you should tell your pastor?
I'm actually thinking about trying new churches. I feel uncomfortable with a few things that have been going on in my church in this tense, political season. I don't want to be a church hopper, but I also don't want to stay somewhere I feel unwelcome.
I’m a Messianic Jewish Pastor in Atlanta and have found this to be one of the best Scripture breakdown/summary book-by-book I’ve seen yet! Thank you again for this blessing!
I’m not sure why but the story of Esther reminds me both of the story of Moses & of the story of Joseph.
Because Esther became elevated to a high position, where she had a powerful influence that helped save her people from being wiped out or continually subjugated.
Seems every book in the bible has a unique lesson.
Say this prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen welcome to the family God loves you Peace and love thank u
I am in love with these teachings.. Thank you Lord for leading me to it..
The courage of Esther and her trust that God's will would be done is inspiring and strengthening. She was willing to act in Faith even to the point of death. May we live out these lessons in our daily living. Thank you for this animated movie. Enjoy Purim today and tomorrow, and for the years to come!🙏🏻 May the God of Peace be with you and be your permanent dwelling-place. PEACE✌️
Just had my prayer time before watching this and prayed, no matter how hard life gets that I'll always know God's here and loving me and carrying me..even when He feels absent. Then you closed the video with that same message. GOD LOVES US YALLLLLLLL. AMEN. 🙌
This is a very helpful resource as I am on my faith journey wanting to understand the Bible more. Thank you
I must trust in God's providence over my life.
Say this prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen welcome to the family God loves you Peace and love thank u
I do love this channel but sometimes I find that some things aren't worded well which inadvertently change the point of a part of the story. In this one, for example, yes Ahasuerus (Xerxes) liked his parties and drink but he was not a giddy drunkard all the time and just thought "Oo Esther's cool". No. The point was that Esther found favour in all she met. People loved her nature. The king loved her nature and so she was elevated from a mere concubine to the queen. Furthermore, that is why he acted so lenient about her meeting with him without his request. She had a godly gift that was seen by all the people she met, especially the king, which enabled her to go beyond what anyone was able to do.
Despite this, everything else was brilliant! Keep up the great work!
She was not a concubine. She was being prepared with beauty treatments BEFORE being presented to the King to see if he liked her.
Yes, she was a concubine. All the maidens were sexed by the king becoming his harem. After He slept with Esther she found favor in his eyes and was promoted from concubine to queen.
FORGOT THE FASTING AND NOBODY IS SAVED BY EATING IMPURE PORK. AND HADASSAH (WORNGLY KNOWN "ESTHER" ) NITHER MORDEKAI ATE PORK BECASUE THEY WERE UNDER TORAH COVENANT. NO-BODY CAN BE SAVED IF THEY EAT IMPURE, KOWING THEY SHOULD NOT, NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER, AND THEY NEVER WERE INVOLVED IN ACTS OF FORNICATION, NOR KILLED FOR PLEASURE. NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER. TORAH URGE. SHALOM.
I agree with Kat. The King was not indulgent on the wine --banquets do not mean drunkenness is your way of life, anymore than if you go out and always order a drink, it means you are indulgent. And yes to the point Esther was a person whose nature was attractive. as well as her looks.
Haman is held to be an Amalekite and it was they who God wanted to be utterly destroyed after they harassed Israel back in 1 Samuel 15:3.
The one thing I find hard is after killing 75,000 people by getting up close and personal, there were celebrations the next day. Thanksgiving for salvation from annihilation would have been understandable, but to celebrate after so much killing is hard to understand; especially as you are the good guys (you'd expect the bad guys would show little sense of killing other people, but the good guys you would expect to be more relieved, rather than enjoying the deaths of their enemies ). There must be a way to explain this, but it isn't obvious.
Xerxes was said to be a mad king. Not a “party lover”
He ordered the sea to be whipped for his ships sinking .
That’s not something normal minds do.
And continuously drinking for half a year with an entire kingdom isn’t just liking parties.
He just wasn’t a great guy. Granted God used him through Esther to set the people free. But he was an extreme person generally
I'M NOT SURE BUT DID U MENTION THE "FAST AND PRAYER" THAT MOVED GOD'S HEART TOWARDS THE JEWS. THAT WAS THEE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE BOOK OF EASTER!!! I REALLY APPRECIATE YALL'S WORK. I'VE BEEN WATCHING SINCE 2016 I BELIEVE, BUT ANYWAY GOOD STUFF GUYS!!!!!!!!
Cool and all but whats with all of the caps/capital letters
What a beautiful description and explanation of this book! I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate the Bible Reading plan you have and the supporting video's you produce. I'm doing your reading plan and reading the Bible for the 1st time!! I am so blessed by you all! May GOD Almighty bless you ABUNDANTLY and REWARD you for your bring others to Christ!!! Thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart!! Praise The Lord!!! Amen to you all!
Thankyou so much for briefing the Book of Esther. The way you explained the whole book in short period is awesome. Really enjoyed listening and watching. May our dear God continue to bless you and this ministry.
I love watching your videos before reading each book of the Bible. Thank you for this! 🙏🏼
How odd that you skipped the highlight when after 3 days of fasting and praying she dresses her prettiest and goes uninvited before the king who is so enthralled by her beauty that he offers her anything she wants "up to half the kingdom".
The makers of the video were trying to make a point and wanted it to be symmetrical. This video isn't meant as a substitute for bible reading.
FORGOT THE FASTING AND NOBODY IS SAVED BY EATING IMPURE PORK. AND HADASSAH (WORNGLY KNOWN "ESTHER" ) NITHER MORDEKAI ATE PORK BECASUE THEY WERE UNDER TORAH COVENANT. NO-BODY CAN BE SAVED IF THEY EAT IMPURE, KOWING THEY SHOULD NOT, NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER, AND THEY NEVER WERE INVOLVED IN ACTS OF FORNICATION, NOR KILLED FOR PLEASURE. NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER. TORAH URGE. SHALOM.
Of course you aren't "saved" by this. But it is a sign of respect and self control on your part to God.
@@eloishashalom1458You shouldn’t be a trying to convert people to Judaism. Yeshua is Yahweh (God) and he made a New Contract with people who wish to know and follow the Father. The old covenant was made to prepare us for the Messiah but it is not a valid way to reach God anymore because it has expired. As a Jew of the tribe of Levi of the clan of the Kohenim (the priesthood)
I can assure you that the scriptures are clear that there remains no sacrifice for sins after the Messiah laid down his life and raised it up again. Even before this most intentional sins couldn’t be forgiven under the temple law. There is also no legitimate way to fulfill the orders of the Torah today without a temple or dedicated priests. All of that was lost 70 years after Yeshua. This is an importantent number as 70 or 72 is often a reference for the table of nations. I can also say that the old testament clearly teaches the trinity, the old testament clearly teaches a Devine Messiah coming before the destruction of a second temple. When it comes to Esther yes they did eat impure food, they lived in the capital and many of the foods were sacrificed to pagan gods making them unclean. There was also blood still in the food. Not to mention many forbidden animals were used to eat there. This is Why Daniel and his companions refused to eat the meat and drink the wine because of its ritual contamination. Not only this but each of them were given pagan names. Mordichai is named after the patron god of Babylon and Esther is named after the goddess of fertility. They did many things that were improper and impure within the story. Yet God helped them. The answer of Holiness which God loves and demands does not come from without a man. You and I sin even in our hearts and can never be fully clean. Abraham did not yet know about eating kosher or ritual cleansing laws but he paid homage to a higher priesthood; the order of “ Malik ha Zedek” he is the king of righteousness of the city of peace and he has no beginning of days or end of life. He is the Messiah who came before. Abraham trusted in God not of his own earnings but out of simple dependence and this is what made him righteous. Do the same and you will be made righteous. Look to Yeshua for healing from your sins as the Israelites looked to the symbol of their sin on a cross (a snake) to heal them. In the same way look to him and you will overcome the of Satan on your soul and be healed. Holiness is possible but not through yourself, it comes from Gods Ruach as all things do. It is his power that can make you Holy. You must be first cleansed by the blood from the son and then anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit before you can approach the Holy of Hokies where the Father is. The priest did a shadow of this in the past. The were anointed with blood on their body from the lamb, anointed with oil special and Holy for the occasion and clothed in priestly clothes only then could they approach Yahweh. God has elevated all men to the level of my clan and now all people to turn to the Lord may be his priests, cleansed, commissioned and washed for service.
Shalom alechem.
To see all these comments about what part of was "left out," fasting and praying does not change what has already been written by God, who is in control of all things. Stay planted.
THANK YOU for making this available for all of us to watch and learn from. Your videos give me a new sense of curiosity to read the Bible for myself. In the process, I am loving the Bible more and more because I get to discover things that are not emphasized in your videos but are there in the Scriptures. This sense of discovery for myself is what makes the learning enjoyable and exciting. Thank you, The Bible Project for making these materials available. May God continue to bless you, prosper you, and use you to make Him known. -Love from the Philippines
What a blessing! Was inspired to see that although God may seem absent He does not abandon His promises. Amen!
I love this! Your videos are so clear and to the point! It makes the Bible so easy to understand later when you read the Scripture! Thank You Bible Project Team!
Esther wasn't Mordecai's niese, she was his cousin. Esther 2:7 his uncles's daughter.
+Tamer Zakaria That's what I notice too
Tamer Zakaria yeah they were cousins
Yes i emailed them about this too, but they dont seem to care about making corrections. I love the content and the videos. I even asked if i was wrong somehow to plz let me know and they directed me here to youtube comments or their blog or podcast, although their stuff is impressive, their responses are not.
He, probably, got it confused with the movie, 'One Night of the King' in which Esther is Mordecai's niece
Very true
I am a youth pastor and this not only made my job easier but I learned alot! God bless and thank you !
I looove the story of Esther! This was broken down so well
Finally! After all these years, I understand the essence of the Book. Grateful. It is an excellent Bible story.
Would anyone believe that the book of Esther "helped" me & my husband's love story before? My husband used to be an agnostic/atheist when we first met, then God "pushed" me (I'm just His instrument, everything is for His glory) to bring him back to His embrace. Then God led me to read Esther. Then I went through fasting & prayer, much prayer. Just like king Ahasuerus, Mordecai (Christ) reminded him of all His workings in his life in the past up until now until he realized that God is just waiting for him. Now, he's back in faith, though there's still a lot he should learn & practice to keep the faith. But all praises to our Lord Jesus Christ!
By the way, we met through a dating app, much like the "pageant" in Esther's time (except I'm not as stunningly beautiful as Esther teehee!).
I love thissss❤❤❤❤😊
I would hardly call Esther morally ambiguous. She had no choice in the matter of marrying Ahaserus. She selflessly risked her life to save her people.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
Proverbs 16:33
🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿
Nice!!
Truly God is working behind the scenes, He did miracles in my life eventhough I didn't know Him so well before. To God be all the glory🙏🙏🙏
God bless you for spreading and helping understand the truth! Today I was reminded to trust God always, and that alcohol is a plague.
I'd have never related Haman being an Agagite, with the king Agag who King Saul spared when he has been told by God to kill all the Amalekites had you guys not mentioned it. Thats why i love these videos. They make me see parts in the Bible i would have never noticed. God bless you guys for this amazing work
In Esther 2:8, it tells us that Esther was taken, not that she entered a beauty contest willingly.
Tanya Perkins all the young unmarried women were taken. It wasn't a beauty contest but the king was looking for a new wife because his wife would not do her duty as a queen
They say a " beauty contest" to make it funny. Its a figure of speech
lucecita19 Making it funny takes away from the significance of what happened though. All those young women (many in the age range that we still consider to be children) were ripped away from their families, forced to spend a night with the king, and then they would live in the harem for the rest of their lives. The story of Esther is one full of really terrible circuits that God allowed but later used for the good of His people and for His glory. It would be unfortunate for us to miss that.
Say it louder for the people in the back! Calling it a "beauty pageant" is a gross approximation. The Bible says they were "taken", and all historical accounts say that most families hid their daughters in the hopes of keeping them from being abducted, raped, and kept for life by Xerxes.
Mitchell C
John 8:58
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”
Luke 22:70-71
And they all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “Yes, I am.”
Then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”
Jesus absolutely claimed to be God and the religious leaders killed him because they didn’t believe that he was. Jesus was fully God and fully man. God cannot die, man can.
Wow, this is so creative and clear! Keep up the great work.
Wonderful introduction to the Book of Esther. Thank you for all your work. May God bless you.
I have know about the stories of the Bible since childhood. The complexity and beautifull arrangement of the texts amazes me even more today. I think the ways God is working follow this pattern more often than we realize
Just read the book of Esther. This is great!
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What is "silly" about the decree acknowledging that men should be the masters of their own home? Beware of bowing to PC BS denying that men should be the heads, leaders, or masters of their own households.
Excellent. But did not Haman erect a "gallows" to "hang" Mordecai ? Fifty cubits high is pretty high (18"X50=900') for an impaling spike.
(Esther 5:14) "Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a GALLOWS be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be HANGED thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the GALLOWS to be made." (KJV)
In spanish, please
Wonderful explanation
This is so gooood for Today thank you Jesus the truth will set you free
Say this prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen welcome to the family God loves you Peace and love thanksssss sss
Wow, this was terrific, thanks so much. Loved it and love the Bible Project!
FORGOT THE FASTING AND NOBODY IS SAVED BY EATING IMPURE PORK. AND HADASSAH (WORNGLY KNOWN "ESTHER" ) NITHER MORDEKAI ATE PORK BECASUE THEY WERE UNDER TORAH COVENANT. NO-BODY CAN BE SAVED IF THEY EAT IMPURE, KOWING THEY SHOULD NOT, NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER, AND THEY NEVER WERE INVOLVED IN ACTS OF FORNICATION, NOR KILLED FOR PLEASURE. NEVER EVER. NON-ONE, NEVER EVER. TORAH URGE. SHALOM.
Say this prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen welcome to the family God loves you Peace and love thank u
Late night crash course, i have a project in church in the morning for my class and this is a LIFE SAVER! thanks so much!
I like the conclusions you pulled out in this story that I had not exactly tied together as you did at the end. You always have videos worth watching. I appreciate your hard work!
so the meaning of this book is kinda like Job...
trust in God even when things aren't going your way
Ironically Job is the next book after Esther.
I LOVE these videos. However, there are a few major point that have been misrepresented that were missed. First, in the beginning of the book when the King decreed that a new Queen be found, it was for another reason. His advisors told the King that because his Queen (Vashti) had refused to be obedient to him that it would cause ALL of the other women in the Kingdom to also treat their husbands with contempt and disdain. Kind of an uprising of RADICAL feminism. So he didnt make this declaration for a new Queen out of a drunken stupor. It was to ensure that there wasnt an uprising of domestic problems in the Kingdom due to women disrespecting their husbands.
Also, when the King ordered Haman's execution, the Bible does not say he was in a drunken rage. Nowhere does it indicate that he wasnt in his right mind. Then Haman was not impaled but hanged.
You are right, many things we cannot interpret as we like. The animation is good, but storyline is perfect as per scriptures.
Scripture says "the heart of the king was merry with wine," aka, drunk :) and when she refused he became enraged. I don't think the general impression we are given of the king is that he is a prudent ruler, rather we have a rash and fickle man who is constantly making bad decisions and then regretting them in the morning.TBH I doubt the advisors were so worried about the women of the kingdom uprising, as they were worried about their own wives at home (who were most likely guests at the queens party and would have been witnesses!)!! Don't you think that if the king were seriously worried about news of this event getting out, the last thing he'd want to do would be to write an edict about it and publish it throughout the kingdom for everyone to read? It's laughably silly!
When the king orders his execution, it says several times they had been drinking. 7v7 "and the king arose in his wrath from the wine-drinking." We may interpret that however we want, but it does seem to imply they'd been drinking a good bit. The word "gallows" can alternatively be interpreted as "stake." generally hanging was not the method of Persian execution, but bodies were hanged afterwards for everyone to see, as a warning of sorts.
You are partly right, was hanged, and he was impaled, but not on just any pole, but a cross, he hanged impaled on a cross. The Persians invented the crucifixion, but was popularised by the Romans.
Scott Williams thank you. I just finished reading the book of Esther so the story is still fresh in my head. And also Mordecai and Esther were cousins, it wasn’t his niece.
Some believe the king’s request was to have Vasti come to the banquet naked, only with her royal crown on her head. He was drunk and she wasn’t having it. Not feminism, but an issue of abuse and shame she wasn’t going to put up with. This is why he repented afterwards and missed her, but his counselors made sure Vasti be gone for good.
Who ever is narrator of the story does a good job... Its perfect watching the videos with your voice bro... God Bless ☺☺
Ugh god is so good! Watched a reel talking about not having your spiritual ears open and saw myself in that. All of a sudden I “thought” of ester, I have listened to ester before but definitely didn’t realize the ending theme was about god being there regardless of hearing him & him working through people’s moral failings. HE IS ALWAYS LISTENING❤️❤️
These videos are lovely loose summaries that encourage one to further study, or even good after a study of each book!
THANK YOU!
Wow... This explanation is so accurate for this moment of my life🥺. It gave me hope, I decided to believe that God is working even if don't see🙌🏻🔥
The lesson is so beautiful!
First off: I love your videos!! Thank you so much for the diligence your team puts into these amazing shorts! They have really helped me in my studies. However, at 0:29 you say that Esther is Mordecai's niece, but in Esther 2:7 it says she is his cousin. Am I missing a piece of your puzzle?
In my Bible it it says "the daughter of his uncle." and in v15 it says "Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai." So, it is very clear what their relation is. I'm not sure why the Bible Project says otherwise...perhaps just an oversight.
Well, there's a nuance on that which I quite get very well. For one, my aunt has given birth to three kids, which technically makes me their cousin, but they somehow see me as an uncle because I am far older than them (enough to give birth to them if I am to marry extremely young😂😂). It seems that was what was at play in the book of Esther. That's my view though
Thank you Bible Project 💚🌹
I in the USA. I shared this story with my family chat today, November 7, 2024! What a realistic and comforting story! I ❤️ the ending point!!!
Esther was one of the underrated book,why? It is not used for its word,nor gospel. Notice how Esther wasn't mention in many times,but it has the longest verse and the fulfillment of God even though He isn't mentioned
In regard to the "unknown author", after having just recently re-read Esther, it occurred to me that this book reminded me of a Shakespearean comedy. Shakespeare, as does God, loves holding up a mirror to the audience, showing us our true nature.
Whew...I needed this this morning.
"No matter how bad things get, God is committed to redeeming His world."
❤️Praise God from Whom all blessings flow...💛
I could not focus while reading this book, this is my first time reading a book in the Bible all the way through it was so hard for me to concentrate. I tried reading in silence, reading aloud, this video really helped me understand this book & connect so many dots for me! Thanks for this!🙌🏼😊
I'm quickly becoming a big fan of your work.
8:28 This is a really powerful message that feels especially relevant in the times we're going through. Thanks for this amazing video!
Just fantastic all around! Thank you!
I really appreciated the way you described this book (it is one of my absolute favorites). I've never heard it be pointed out of all the corruption and/or acts against God's laws were still being used in the bigger plan of his. It was well stated 🥰
I appreciate the comparative outline. Helps to understand more of the story.
Esther fasted and prayed to God for three days before going before the king uninvited which at the time if anyone did ran the risk of losing their life. Esther also had all her people fast and pray during those 3 days
Hi there 😊 let me invite you to watch my animated Bible stories, hope you enjoy