FOREWORD
There are two books in Scripture named for women — Ruth and Esther — and no one knows who wrote either book. But both books form major keys to a correct understanding of the whole of Scripture.
Each book, from a typical perspective, covers a complete panorama of the triune Godhead’s dealings with both the Church and Israel. Ruth deals with Christ and the Church, and Esther deals with God and Israel. And the two books together reflect upon and relate the complete story of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation.
The information provided in these two books is indispensable to a correct understanding of numerous parts of Scripture. And this would be particularly true relative to a correct understanding of the Book of Revelation, for both Ruth and Esther deal heavily with the same subject matter seen in this book.
Thus, any proper exposition of the Book of Revelation will, of necessity, have to draw heavily from both Ruth and Esther — along with other Old Testament books such as Exodus and Daniel — or miss the mark on vital points of interpretation. In this respect, God has provided His Own built-in interpretation of His Word; and that which God has provided is the only completely correct interpretation in existence.
Ruth and Esther form integral parts of the complete Old Testament word picture which God has provided, revealing His plans and purposes as they relate to man and the earth. And this word picture, designed by God Himself, allows the spiritual man, under the leadership of the Spirit (Who gave this Word [II Peter 1:21]), to come into a full and complete understanding of that which has been revealed.
God has provided different parts and facets of the picture in different places throughout Scripture, and the complete picture can be seen only through viewing all of the different parts together, as a unit. Scripture must be compared with Scripture. Only through this means, under the leadership of the Spirit, can man see all of the various “things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (I Cor. 2:9-13; cf. John 16:7-15).
INTRODUCTION
The Book of Esther contains a wealth of information relative to Israel and the nations, having to do mainly with activity occurring at the end of and following the Times of the Gentiles.
The first two chapters, within the typical structure of the book, relate the complete history of Israel — from God’s call surrounding this nation during Moses’ day to that future day when this call will be realized under the One greater than Moses, with Israel then occupying the nation’s proper place, in the Messianic Kingdom.
Then the remaining seven chapters (chs. 3-10) form commentary material for the first two chapters, centering attention on that future time when God will resume His national dealings with Israel, at the end of Man’s Day, terminating at the same place as the first two chapters — Israel occupying the nation’s proper place, in the Messianic Kingdom.
Chapter three begins with the rise of Haman to a high position of power in the kingdom, typifying the future rise of Antichrist to a position of world power in the kingdom near the middle of Daniel’s unfulfilled Seventieth Week. And the remainder of the book reveals Antichrist’s activities (typified by Haman’s activities) as they relate particularly to Israel (typified by both Esther and Mordecai), that which Israel will do because of these activities, Antichrist’s ultimate fall (which marks the end of the Times of the Gentiles), and Israel’s subsequent rise to the position which the nation was called to occupy almost 3,500 years ago when God called the Israelites out of Egypt under Moses.
In the preceding respect, Esther chapters three through ten parallel Revelation chapters six through twenty. And, when studying either book, to gain a proper understanding of the book, it is vitally important that Scripture be compared with Scripture. One book must be studied in the light of the other, among other books (O.T. and N.T.) containing related subject matter as well.
This is simply one of the ways in which God has structured His Word, necessitating comparing Scripture with Scripture in order to gain a correct understanding of that which has been revealed. God, through this means, has provided man with a complete revelation of Himself, His plans, and His purposes.
This complete revelation though can be seen only one place — in the complete Word. And it can be properly seen and understood through only one means — through comparing parts of this revelation with other parts of this revelation, through “comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (I Cor. 2:9-13), viewing and studying the whole of Scripture in this manner.
In this respect, the Book of Esther is an integral and vital link to seeing and understanding the complete word picture which God has provided. Not only must Esther be viewed and studied in the light of related Scripture (e.g., Exodus, Daniel, Revelation, among numerous other books and places in Scripture) but related Scripture must be viewed and studied in the light of Esther as well.
And the importance of Esther in this respect is self-evident. This book is about Israel and the nations, and understanding God’s dealings with Israel in this respect is a central key to understanding the whole of Scripture.
Understand the message of the Book of Esther (comparing Scripture with Scripture), and you can understand what has happened, is happening, and is about to happen relative to Israel and the nations. It was all foretold in the small Book of Esther almost two and one-half millenniums ago.