Esther: God's Unseen Presence, Introduction

Today, we are beginning a new series through the Book of Esther. This is going to be challenging, for several reasons.
First, we are a Gospel-preaching church, and it takes more work to unpack the Gospel from the Old Testament. It is in there, but it isn’t as easily accessed as “For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” In the Old Testament, we read promises of the Messiah—the Rescuer, and we see types and pictures of the Gospel—instances like David standing between God’s people and certain doom; but we don’t see Jesus’ finished work.
Second, Esther is especially difficult because it is the only book of the Bible that doesn’t invoke God’s name. At all. Even in the most well-known passages, Mordecai doesn’t say that God put her there for such a time as this, and before Esther goes uncalled for to the king, she tells her people to fast, but not PRAY TO GOD! There have been discussions on whether this book should even be in the Bible. If I have you wondering, it should be included in Scripture.
God is present, even if unseen. He is working throughout the events, guiding and directing. Even beyond the scope of the narrative, we can see God’s providential hand in Persia's recorded history.
In my study this week, I came across research done by George Barna that suggests that only 6-10% of Americans have a truly Biblical worldview. About half think they have one, but only 6-10% do. Much of this has to do with that fact that many professing Christians don’t know the Scriptures well enough to have a truly Biblical worldview.
And this is why we take books like Esther head-on. Many reject the historicity of Esther seeing it as a historical fiction. Many young Christians know something about the Jewish orphan who became queen and saved her people, but they know nothing about God’s subtle workings and guidance throughout, nor do they know anything about the Gospel message presented in the story.
Over the next few weeks, we will unpack this book. We will see the invisible God working. We will see how God’s people can live and serve Him in a pagan land. We will see God continue revealing His plan of salvation even in passages that do not name His name.