![Picture](/uploads/1/6/6/3/16635156/2055053.jpg?278)
Queen Esther was one of the most influential Grandmasters in the history of the Order. Perhaps you have read this account in the Book of Lore. But for someone so devout, and for a book of the Bible, why is God not mentioned?
It has been observed by many that no Divine Name or Title is found in the book of Esther. This is the more remarkable, since, in this short book of only 167 verses, the Median King is mentioned 192 times, his kingdom is referred to 26 times, and his name "Ahasuerus" is given 29 times.
Jehovah had declared (Deu 31:16-18), that if His People forsook Him, He would hide His face from them. Though the book reveals Him as overruling all, His Name is hidden. It is there for His People to see, but not for His enemies to see or hear.
Satan was at work, using Haman to blot out the Nation, as once before he had used Pharaoh for the same purpose. Jehovah's counsel must stand. His promise of Messiah, the coming "Seed" of the woman (Gen 3:15), must not fail. Therefore He must overrule all for the preservation of His People, and of the line by which that "Seed" was to come into the world.
His working was secret and hidden : hence, the name of "JEHOVAH" is hidden secretly four times in this book, and the name "EHYEH" (I AM THAT I AM) once. At least three ancient manuscripts are known in which the Acrostic letters in all five cases are written larger than the others so that they stand out boldly and prominently, showing the four consonant letters of the name JeHoVaH.
THE FIRST FOUR ACROSTICS.
The following phenomena are noticed in examining the four Acrostics which form the name "Jehovah" :
1. In each case the four words forming the Acrostic are consecutive.
2. In each case (except the first) they form a sentence complete in itself.
3. There are no other such Acrostics in the whole book, except the fifth Acrostic at the end; though there is one other, forming another Divine Title, in Psa 96:11.
4. In their construction there are not two alike, but each one is arranged in a manner quite different from the other three.
5. Each is uttered by a different speaker. The first by Memucan (Est 1:20); the second by Esther (Est 5:4); the third by Haman (Est 5:13); the fourth by the inspired writer (Est 7:7).
6. The first two Acrostics are a pair, having the name formed by the Initial letters of the four words.
7. The last two are a pair, having the name formed by the Final letters of the four words.
8. The first and third Acrostics are a pair, having the name spelt backward .
9. The second and fourth are a pair, having the name spelt forward. They thus form an alternation :
A | Backward.
B | Forward.
A | Backward.
B | Forward.
10. The first and third (in which the name is formed backward) are a pair, being spoken by Gentiles .
11. The second and fourth (in which the name is spelt forward) are a pair, being spoken by Israelites . They thus form an Alternation :--
C | Spoken by a Gentile (Memucan).
D | Spoken by an Israelite (Esther).
C | Spoken by a Gentile (Haman).
D | Spoken by and Israelite (the inspired writer).
12. The first and second form a pair, being connected with Queens and Banquets .
13. The third and fourth are a pair, being connected with Haman .
14. The first and fourth are a pair, being spoken concerning the Queen (Vashti) and Haman respectively.
15. The second and third are a pair, being spoken by the Queen (Esther) and Haman respectively. They thus form and Introversion :--
E | Words concerning a Queen.
F | Words spoken by a Queen.
E | Words spoken by Haman.
F | Words concerning Haman.
16. It is remarkable also that, in the two cases where the name is formed by the initial letters, the facts recorded are initial also , and are spoken of an even in which Jehovah's overruling was initiated; while in the two cases where the name is formed by the final letters, the events are final also , and lead rapidly up to the end toward which Jehovah was working.
Thus in the two cases where the name is spelt backward, Jehovah is seen overruling the counsels of Gentiles for the accomplishment of His own; and where the name is spelt forward, He is ruling directly in the interests of His own People unknown to themselves.
THE FIFTH ACROSTIC (Est 7:5).
In this Acrostic it does not form the name "Jehovah," but the remarkable name E H Y H which means "I AM."
It is noted in some manuscripts by larger letters. The Acrostic is formed by the final letters of the words, and the name is spelt backward.
Thus was the name of the great "I AM" of Exo 3:14 presented to the eye, to reveal the fact that He who said of E H Y H "this is My Name for ever, and this is My Memorial unto all generations" ( v . Exo 3:15), was there to remember His People. Here was a "generation" in Persia who experienced the truth and the power of this Name, as a former generation had done in Egypt.
The same "I AM" had indeed come down to deliver them from Haman; as He had from Pharaoh, and from the great "enmity" (of Gen 3:15) which instigated both to accomplish the Satanic design of exterminating the Nation of Israel.
In these five Acrostics we have something far beyond a mere coincidence; we have design. When we read the denunciation in Deu 31:16-18, and see it carried out in Persia, we learn that though God was not among His people there, He was for them. Though He was not acting as Jehovah, "that dwelleth between the Cherubim," He was "the God of Heaven, ruling and over-ruling all in the Heaven above and in the Earth beneath" for the fulfillment of His purposes, and in the deliverance of His People. Hence, though His name, as well as His presence, is HIDDEN, yet, it is there, in the Word; and so wonderfully interwoven that no enemy will ever know how to put it out. All that is hidden shall be revealed.
This Ingot provided by Golden Brother E. W. Bullinger of the 12th Degree.
It has been observed by many that no Divine Name or Title is found in the book of Esther. This is the more remarkable, since, in this short book of only 167 verses, the Median King is mentioned 192 times, his kingdom is referred to 26 times, and his name "Ahasuerus" is given 29 times.
Jehovah had declared (Deu 31:16-18), that if His People forsook Him, He would hide His face from them. Though the book reveals Him as overruling all, His Name is hidden. It is there for His People to see, but not for His enemies to see or hear.
Satan was at work, using Haman to blot out the Nation, as once before he had used Pharaoh for the same purpose. Jehovah's counsel must stand. His promise of Messiah, the coming "Seed" of the woman (Gen 3:15), must not fail. Therefore He must overrule all for the preservation of His People, and of the line by which that "Seed" was to come into the world.
His working was secret and hidden : hence, the name of "JEHOVAH" is hidden secretly four times in this book, and the name "EHYEH" (I AM THAT I AM) once. At least three ancient manuscripts are known in which the Acrostic letters in all five cases are written larger than the others so that they stand out boldly and prominently, showing the four consonant letters of the name JeHoVaH.
THE FIRST FOUR ACROSTICS.
The following phenomena are noticed in examining the four Acrostics which form the name "Jehovah" :
1. In each case the four words forming the Acrostic are consecutive.
2. In each case (except the first) they form a sentence complete in itself.
3. There are no other such Acrostics in the whole book, except the fifth Acrostic at the end; though there is one other, forming another Divine Title, in Psa 96:11.
4. In their construction there are not two alike, but each one is arranged in a manner quite different from the other three.
5. Each is uttered by a different speaker. The first by Memucan (Est 1:20); the second by Esther (Est 5:4); the third by Haman (Est 5:13); the fourth by the inspired writer (Est 7:7).
6. The first two Acrostics are a pair, having the name formed by the Initial letters of the four words.
7. The last two are a pair, having the name formed by the Final letters of the four words.
8. The first and third Acrostics are a pair, having the name spelt backward .
9. The second and fourth are a pair, having the name spelt forward. They thus form an alternation :
A | Backward.
B | Forward.
A | Backward.
B | Forward.
10. The first and third (in which the name is formed backward) are a pair, being spoken by Gentiles .
11. The second and fourth (in which the name is spelt forward) are a pair, being spoken by Israelites . They thus form an Alternation :--
C | Spoken by a Gentile (Memucan).
D | Spoken by an Israelite (Esther).
C | Spoken by a Gentile (Haman).
D | Spoken by and Israelite (the inspired writer).
12. The first and second form a pair, being connected with Queens and Banquets .
13. The third and fourth are a pair, being connected with Haman .
14. The first and fourth are a pair, being spoken concerning the Queen (Vashti) and Haman respectively.
15. The second and third are a pair, being spoken by the Queen (Esther) and Haman respectively. They thus form and Introversion :--
E | Words concerning a Queen.
F | Words spoken by a Queen.
E | Words spoken by Haman.
F | Words concerning Haman.
16. It is remarkable also that, in the two cases where the name is formed by the initial letters, the facts recorded are initial also , and are spoken of an even in which Jehovah's overruling was initiated; while in the two cases where the name is formed by the final letters, the events are final also , and lead rapidly up to the end toward which Jehovah was working.
Thus in the two cases where the name is spelt backward, Jehovah is seen overruling the counsels of Gentiles for the accomplishment of His own; and where the name is spelt forward, He is ruling directly in the interests of His own People unknown to themselves.
THE FIFTH ACROSTIC (Est 7:5).
In this Acrostic it does not form the name "Jehovah," but the remarkable name E H Y H which means "I AM."
It is noted in some manuscripts by larger letters. The Acrostic is formed by the final letters of the words, and the name is spelt backward.
Thus was the name of the great "I AM" of Exo 3:14 presented to the eye, to reveal the fact that He who said of E H Y H "this is My Name for ever, and this is My Memorial unto all generations" ( v . Exo 3:15), was there to remember His People. Here was a "generation" in Persia who experienced the truth and the power of this Name, as a former generation had done in Egypt.
The same "I AM" had indeed come down to deliver them from Haman; as He had from Pharaoh, and from the great "enmity" (of Gen 3:15) which instigated both to accomplish the Satanic design of exterminating the Nation of Israel.
In these five Acrostics we have something far beyond a mere coincidence; we have design. When we read the denunciation in Deu 31:16-18, and see it carried out in Persia, we learn that though God was not among His people there, He was for them. Though He was not acting as Jehovah, "that dwelleth between the Cherubim," He was "the God of Heaven, ruling and over-ruling all in the Heaven above and in the Earth beneath" for the fulfillment of His purposes, and in the deliverance of His People. Hence, though His name, as well as His presence, is HIDDEN, yet, it is there, in the Word; and so wonderfully interwoven that no enemy will ever know how to put it out. All that is hidden shall be revealed.
This Ingot provided by Golden Brother E. W. Bullinger of the 12th Degree.