Ruthu na EstaRuth and Esther — Sehemu ya 5Unit 5

Baba wa mbinguni, asante kwa nafasi hii ya kuja na kujifunza zaidi juu yako na juu ya upendo wako kwetu katika neno lako. Naomba nisionekane mimi, bali Wewe uonekane. Naomba Roho wako Mtakatifu aje kati yetu na atufundishe yale unayotaka tujifunze kutoka katika Maandiko yako asubuhi hii. Tunaomba mambo haya katika jina la Mwana wako na kwa utukufu wake. Amina.Heavenly Father, thank You for the chance to come and learn more about You and Your love for us in Your word. I pray that I would be invisible and that You would be visible. I pray that Your Holy Spirit would come into our presence and teach us what You would have us learn from Your Scripture this morning. We pray these things in Your Son's name and for His glory. Amen.

Tunasoma kitabu cha Esta, tukianza na muhtasari wake. Ili tukumbuke kwa nini jambo hili ni muhimu, 2 Timotheo 3:16–17: “Kila andiko, lenye pumzi ya Mungu, lafaa kwa mafundisho, na kwa kuwaonya watu makosa yao, na kwa kuwaongoza, na kwa kuwaadibu katika haki; ili mtu wa Mungu awe kamili, amekamilishwa apate kutenda kila tendo jema.” Darasa hili ni lenu kama lilivyo langu; maoni yenu, tafsiri zenu na jinsi mnavyoyatumia maneno haya maishani hufanya mjadala kuwa hai, nami hujifunza kutoka kwenu kadiri ninavyotumaini ninyi mnajifunza kutokana na utafiti wangu.We're covering Esther, starting with the overview. As a reminder of why this matters, 2 Timothy 3:16–17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” This is your class as much as mine; your observations, interpretations, and applications make for a lively discussion, and I learn as much from you as I hope you pick up from my study.

MwandishiAuthorship

Kwa kweli hatujui ni nani aliyeandika kitabu cha Esta, lakini ni wazi kwamba mwandishi aliufahamu vizuri utamaduni wa Uajemi, na huenda hata alikuwa shahidi aliyeyaona mambo kwa macho yake — kila kitu kimeelezwa kwa undani sana. Mwandishi anawapendelea Wayahudi, kwa hiyo huenda alikuwa Myahudi, au angalau mtu fulani wa baraza la mfalme aliyeguswa na hali ya Esta, naye aliujua vizuri mpangilio wa jumba la kifalme. Wanaakiolojia wamegundua kwa kweli jumba la kifalme alilojenga Dario — Dario akiwa jamaa wa Kserkses aliyetawala kabla yake — yaani jumba lake la majira ya baridi huko Shushani, na maelezo machache ya jumba hilo yaliyomo katika kitabu cha Esta yanalingana na mpangilio wake. Lilikuwa ngome: mji wa Shushani uliizunguka, wakati jumba lenyewe lilikaa juu ya kilima, likitenganishwa na mji kwa maji. Kwa hiyo “Shushani ngomeni” inamaanisha jumba la kifalme la mfalme. Mbinu za kifasihi zilizomo katika kitabu hiki pia zinaonyesha kwamba mwandishi alikuwa mtu mwenye elimu ya juu.We simply don't know who wrote the Book of Esther, but the writer was clearly familiar with Persian culture and may even have been a firsthand witness — everything is so detailed. The author is favorable to the Jews, so he could have been a Jew or at least someone in the court partial to Esther's circumstances, and he knew the layout of the palace well. Archaeologists have actually discovered the palace Darius built — Darius being Xerxes' relative who reigned before him — his winter palace at Susa, and the few descriptions of the palace in Esther match the layout. It was a citadel: the town of Susa surrounded it, while the palace itself sat up on a hill, separated by water. So “the citadel of Susa” refers to the king's palace. The literary devices in the book also point to a highly educated author.

Mahali Pake katika BibliaPlacement in the Bible

Katika Biblia zetu kitabu hiki kinafuata mara baada ya Ezra na Nehemia, jambo lenye maana tukifuata mfuatano wa kihistoria wa Mungu kuwaita Waisraeli warudi Yerusalemu kulijenga upya hekalu baada ya uhamisho wa Babeli; baraza la vita kuhusu Waajemi kupigana na Wayunani lingetokea kati ya Ezra sura ya 6 na sura ya 7. Hata hivyo, katika Biblia ya Kiebrania, Esta ni mojawapo ya vitabu vitano vifupi katika sehemu ya tatu, yaani Maandishi — na muundo wake wa kifasihi unaonyesha kwa nini mahali hapo pia panafaa.In our Bibles the book falls right after Ezra and Nehemiah, which makes sense if we follow the historical timeline of God calling the Israelites back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple after the Babylonian captivity; the war council concerning the Persians taking on the Greeks would have happened between Ezra chapter 6 and chapter 7. In the Hebrew Bible, however, Esther is one of five short books in the third section, the Writings — and the literary structure shows why that placement makes sense as well.

Muundo wa KifasihiLiterary Structure

Marudio, jambo letu la kwanza, yametumika katika fasihi angalau tangu tamthilia za huzuni za Wayunani wa kale — na matukio ya Esta yanatokea wakati wa kipindi cha Kitamaduni (Classical) cha Uyunani, jambo linalounga mkono wazo kwamba mwandishi alikuwa mtu anayejua kusoma na kuandika, mwenye elimu nzuri. Marudio yanaonekana zaidi ya mara ishirini katika kitabu hiki, na inafaa kwamba yanaonekana kupitia karamu: mojawapo ya makusudi ya kitabu hiki lilikuwa kuianzisha Sikukuu ya Purimu, kwa hiyo karamu zimefumwa katika kitabu kizima (angalau karamu tatu katika sura ya kwanza peke yake).Repetition, our first note, has been used in literature at least since the ancient Greek tragedies — and Esther takes place during Greece's Classical period, which lends credence to the idea of a literate, well-educated author. Repetition appears over twenty times in the book, fittingly through banquets: one purpose of the book was to establish the Feast of Purim, so banquets are woven throughout (at least three in the first chapter alone).

Mungu hatajwi katika kitabu hiki, jambo linalovutia sana — na bado unaona alama za mkono wake kila mahali katika hadithi. Zaidi ya hayo, ni hadithi ya kupinduliwa kwa hatima kupitia matukio ya ghafla, yasiyotarajiwa, na yanayotokea kwa wakati unaofaa kabisa — yaani, maongozi ya Mungu. Katika lugha ya kifasihi mpinduko huu unaitwa peripeteia, nao unaashiria kuingilia kati kwa Mungu na mpango wake wa kuyapanga mambo. Hadithi hii pia imejaa kejeli za ajabu (neno la Kiingereza la kejeli, irony, linatokana na neno la Kigiriki eiron, mhusika wa vichekesho): Hamani anamtengenezea Mordekai mti wa kumtundika, lakini yeye mwenyewe anatundikwa juu yake; amri inatolewa ya kuwaangamiza Wayahudi siku ya kumi na tatu ya mwezi Adari, lakini badala yake Wayahudi wanawaangamiza Hamani na majeshi yake.God isn't mentioned in this book, which is fascinating — and yet you see His handprint all over the story. More to the point, it is a story of reversal of destiny through sudden, unexpected, and timely events — namely, God's providence. In literary terms this reversal is called peripeteia, and it points to divine intervention and orchestration. The story is also full of wonderful ironies (the word irony derives from the Greek eiron, a comedic character): Haman builds gallows for Mordecai but is hanged on them; a decree goes out to annihilate the Jews on the thirteenth of Adar, and instead the Jews destroy Haman and his forces.

Mwisho, umuhimu wa jozi — jambo hili lilikuwa jipya kwangu, nami nililipenda sana. Jozi zinapatikana katika hadithi nzima (hizi ni chache tu): orodha mbili za wafalme na watumishi katika sura ya 1; makusanyiko mawili ya wanawake (karamu ya Vashti, kisha wanawali wanakusanywa mara ya pili); malkia wawili (mmoja anaondolewa, mwingine anapokelewa); Hamani anamshauri mkewe Zereshi mara mbili; watu wawili wanapanga njama dhidi ya mfalme; Esta anamwendea mfalme mara mbili; mifungo miwili (wakati wa kusikia habari ya amri, na kwa ajili ya Esta); uso wa Hamani unafunikwa mara mbili; hasira ya mfalme inatulia mara mbili; na siku mbili za Wayahudi kujihami. Ted alitoa hoja nzuri: ingawa jina la Mungu halitumiki kamwe, jozi hizi zote zikipangwa pamoja zinafunua mkondo uliofichika chini, mwendo fulani — kuingilia kati kwa Mungu. Kama Ted alivyosema, muujiza mkubwa kuliko yote hapa ni Mungu kutumia mambo ya kawaida; labda hatuoni miujiza kwa sababu hatuitafuti, lakini ipo, Mungu akiwatumia watu wa kawaida na matukio ya kawaida ili kutimiza kazi yake.Finally, the significance of pairs — something new to me, and I loved it. Pairs run throughout the story (these are just a few): two lists of kings and servants in chapter 1; two gatherings of women (Vashti's banquet, then the virgins gathered a second time); two queens (one set aside, one received); Haman consults his wife Zeresh twice; two men plot against the king; Esther approaches the king twice; two fasts (at the news of the decree, and on Esther's behalf); Haman's face is covered twice; the king's anger subsides twice; and two days of Jewish defense. Ted made a good point: while the name of God is never used, all these pairs lined up together reveal an undercurrent, a movement — divine intervention. As Ted put it, the biggest miracle here is God using the mundane; maybe we don't see miracles because we don't look for them, but they are there, God using ordinary people and ordinary events to accomplish His work.

Aina ya FasihiGenre

Aina ya fasihi ya kitabu hiki ni suala gumu. Baadhi ya wasomi wanakiita hadithi ya kubuni yenye msingi wa kihistoria, kwa sababu Esta hatajwi katika vyanzo vya nje — ingawa Kserkses alikuwa mfalme halisi, na karamu ya mwanzo ilikuwa kikao halisi cha kupanga uvamizi wa Uajemi dhidi ya Uyunani, kwa hiyo sehemu hiyo ni ya kihistoria. Mimi naelekea kukiona kuwa historia ya kweli isiyo ya kubuni: naamini ni kweli, na kinalingana kikamilifu na mfuatano wa matukio ya Milki ya Uajemi. Hata hivyo, Esta kina mfanano na fasihi ya hekima (jozi, kejeli, Mungu yupo lakini hatajwi kwa jina), kwa hiyo kwa upande huo ningekilinganisha na Wimbo Ulio Bora — na huko ndiko maandishi ya kirabi yanakoweka. Kinaweza pia kusomwa kama historia ya kitheolojia, kikisimulia jinsi Mungu anavyofanya kazi daima kwa ajili ya Waisraeli. Kuna mabishano ya kweli kuhusu mahali kinapostahili kuwekwa.Genre is a sticky subject here. Some scholars call it historical fiction, because Esther doesn't appear in outside sources — though Xerxes was a real king, and the opening banquet was a real planning session for Persia's invasion of Greece, so that much is historical. I lean toward historical non-fiction: I think it's true, and it fits perfectly within the timeline of the Persian Empire. That said, Esther has similarities to wisdom literature (the pairs, the ironies, God present but unnamed), so I'd compare it to Song of Solomon in that respect — which is where the rabbinic literature places it. It can also be read as theological history, recounting God always working on behalf of the Israelites. There's genuine argument over where it belongs.

Mandhari ya KihistoriaHistorical Backdrop

Mwisho wa 2 Mambo ya Nyakati 36 unaandaa jukwaa: mabaki waliookoka upanga walichukuliwa uhamishoni Babeli wakawa watumishi mpaka ufalme wa Uajemi ulipoingia madarakani, ili nchi ifurahie sabato zake mpaka miaka sabini ilipotimia, kwa kulitimiza neno la Yeremia; kisha BWANA akaiamsha roho ya Koreshi, mfalme wa Uajemi, atangaze kwamba BWANA amemwagiza kumjengea nyumba huko Yerusalemu, na kwamba yeyote miongoni mwa watu wa Mungu angeweza kupanda. Matukio ya Esta yanatokea takriban miaka hamsini baada ya amri ya Koreshi ya kulijenga upya hekalu. Ni muhimu kuona kwamba Koreshi alikuwa Mwajemi, si Myahudi — jambo linaloonyesha tu kwamba Mungu atamtumia yeyote atakayemtumia; Mungu alimwamsha atoe amri hiyo, nayo inarudiwa pia katika kitabu cha Ezra.The end of 2 Chronicles 36 sets the stage: the remnant who escaped the sword were carried into exile in Babylon and became servants until the kingdom of Persia came to power, so that the land enjoyed its sabbath rests until seventy years were completed, in fulfillment of Jeremiah's word; then the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia, to proclaim that the Lord had appointed him to build a temple in Jerusalem, and that any of God's people might go up. Esther occurs about fifty years after Cyrus's decree to rebuild the temple. Notably, Cyrus was Persian, not a Jew — which just goes to show God will use whom He will use; God stirred him to issue the decree, and it is reiterated in Ezra as well.

Yeremia 29 nayo iko chini ya msingi huu: “Baada ya kutimia miaka sabini kwa Babeli, nitawajia ninyi, na kulitimiza neno langu jema kwenu, kwa kuwarudisha mahali hapa. Maana nayajua mawazo ninayowawazia ninyi, asema BWANA, ni mawazo ya amani wala si ya mabaya, kuwapa ninyi tumaini katika siku zenu za mwisho...nami nitawarudisha watu wenu waliohamishwa.” Ted alitoa hoja nzuri kuhusu miaka sabini: muda huo uliruhusu kizazi kisichotii kufa kabisa, kama ilivyokuwa wakati wa kutangatanga jangwani. Kisha Yeremia 51:1–6 inaandika agizo la Mungu la kukimbia kutoka Babeli kabla ya kuangamizwa kwake — kwa sehemu kwa sababu Babeli ingeangamizwa na Waajemi, na kwa sehemu kwa sababu Waisraeli, wakiishi kati ya mataifa ya kigeni, waliendelea kuiga utamaduni wa kigeni na kuchafuliwa nao. Mungu bado hakuwa amewaacha, lakini alitaka watoke huko na kurudi katika nchi yao. (Maonyo yanayofanana yanapatikana katika Zekaria na Hagai, vilivyoandikwa wakati wa Dario I.) Kama Ted alivyoona, nguvu ya kanisa hili ni kwamba sote ni wageni hapa, lakini tunakusanyika katika ushirika katika nchi ya kigeni na kusaidiana kila mmoja kubaki njiani pamoja na Kristo.Jeremiah 29 underlies it too: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future...I will bring you back from captivity.” Ted made a good point on the seventy years: that span allowed the disobedient generation to die off, much like the wandering in the wilderness. Jeremiah 51:1–6 then records God's command to flee Babylon before its destruction — partly because Babylon would be annihilated by the Persians, and partly because the Israelites, living among foreign nations, kept adopting and being tainted by foreign culture. God still had not forsaken them, but He wanted them out and back in their homeland. (Similar warnings appear in Zechariah and Haggai, written in the time of Darius I.) As Ted observed, the strength of this church is that we are all foreigners here, yet we gather in fellowship in a foreign land and keep one another on the path with Christ.

Ezra 1:1–6 kimsingi inarudia mwisho wa 2 Mambo ya Nyakati: BWANA aliiamsha roho ya Koreshi atangaze kujengwa upya kwa hekalu, na wakuu wa mbari za Yuda na Benyamini, makuhani na Walawi — kila mtu ambaye Mungu alikuwa ameiamsha roho yake — walijiandaa kupanda, huku jirani zao wakiwasaidia kwa fedha, dhahabu, mali, wanyama, na matoleo ya hiari. Mtu mmoja aliuliza kuhusu maneno ya Koreshi, “BWANA, Mungu wa mbinguni, amenipa mimi falme zote za duniani” — jinsi ya kuyapatanisha na Shetani alipomtolea Yesu falme za dunia kule jangwani. Jibu ni hili: Koreshi anazungumza kwa maana ya kidunia, juu ya ulimwengu wa kimwili aliokuwa akiutawala wakati huo (na ni maneno ya kutia chumvi — hakufika Asia yote, ingawa milki yake ilikaribia sana). Kwa maoni yangu, amri ya Koreshi ni tendo la wokovu: kama Ibrahimu alivyomwamini Mungu akahesabiwa kuwa haki, Koreshi alimwamini Mungu akatoa amri hiyo.Ezra 1:1–6 essentially repeats the end of 2 Chronicles: the Lord moved Cyrus to proclaim the rebuilding of the temple, and the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, the priests and Levites — everyone whose heart God had moved — prepared to go up, while their neighbors assisted them with silver, gold, goods, livestock, and freewill offerings. Someone asked about Cyrus's words, “the Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth” — squaring that with Satan offering Jesus the kingdoms of the earth in the wilderness. The answer: Cyrus is speaking temporally, of the physical realm he then ruled (and it's hyperbole — he didn't reach into all of Asia, though the empire came remarkably close). In my opinion, Cyrus's decree is a salvific act: as Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, Cyrus believed God and issued the decree.

Angalia pia kwamba kurudi kulielezwa kama toleo la hiari: Mungu aliziamsha roho za watu fulani wafanye kazi ya kujenga upya. Kwa sababu tu Mungu amesema jambo, haimaanishi kwamba tunatii — Yeye hutupa hiari ya kuchagua. Wimbi la kwanza la waliorudi lilikuwa takriban watu elfu thelathini hadi hamsini. Mtu mmoja aliuliza swali la kiutendaji — utawalishaje watu wengi kiasi hicho wanaorudi kwa mawimbi katika eneo lililoachwa ukiwa? — na huenda hiyo ni sehemu ya sababu ya wengi kuamua kutokwenda. Hatujui kikamilifu; mali na wanyama wangesaidia, na kama kitabu cha Ruthu kinavyotukumbusha, hata Bethlehemu ndogo ilikuwa ghala la chakula. Na je, si ni kawaida ya Mungu kutuomba jambo lililo nje kidogo ya mazoea yetu tuliyozoea?Note, too, that going back was framed as a freewill offering: God moved in the hearts of certain people to do the work of rebuilding. Just because God says it doesn't mean we obey — He gives us free will. The first wave back numbered roughly thirty to fifty thousand. Someone raised a practical question — how do you feed that many people returning in waves to a desolate region? — which may be part of why so many chose not to go. We don't fully know; the goods and livestock would have helped, and as Ruth reminds us, even tiny Bethlehem was a breadbasket. And isn't it fitting of God to ask something a little outside our comfort zone?

Mfuatano wa MatukioThe Timeline

Ili tuwatofautishe wafalme na manabii vizuri: Koreshi (alitawala 538–530 K.K.) alitoa amri, na ujenzi wa hekalu ukaanza. Uliendelea chini ya Kambisi na Smerdi (530–522), kisha chini ya Dario I (521–486), wakati kulipokuwa na wito mpya wa kulimaliza hekalu. Hadithi ya Esta inatokea wakati wa Ahasuero/Kserkses (486–465). Ibada ilirudishwa hatimaye na kuta za Yerusalemu zikajengwa chini ya Artashasta, akifuatwa na Dario II. Vitabu vinavyohusika ni: Ezra 1–6 (Koreshi hadi Smerdi), Ezra 7–10 (baadaye, chini ya Artashasta), manabii Hagai na Zekaria (karibu 520, chini ya Dario), sehemu ya Esta, na Nehemia (karibu 445, kuta zilipojengwa upya). Ted alieleza jinsi inavyovutia kwamba Mungu alichagua kutumia mfululizo wa wafalme wa Mataifa ambao kwa matendo yao walikuwa wacha Mungu ili kulijenga upya hekalu — jambo ambalo ni mojawapo ya mawazo makuu ya kitabu kizima.To keep the kings and prophets straight: Cyrus (reigned 538–530 BC) issued the decree, and temple construction began. It continued under Cambyses and Smerdis (530–522), then under Darius I (521–486), when there was a renewed call to finish the temple. Esther's story falls under Ahasuerus/Xerxes (486–465). Worship was finally restored and the walls of Jerusalem built under Artaxerxes, followed by Darius II. The books that pertain: Ezra 1–6 (Cyrus through Smerdis), Ezra 7–10 (later, under Artaxerxes), the prophets Haggai and Zechariah (around 520, under Darius), a portion of Esther, and Nehemiah (around 445, when the walls were rebuilt). Ted noted how fascinating it is that God chose to use a series of effectively godly Gentile kings to rebuild the temple — which is one of the central themes of the whole book.

Hadithi yenyewe inaanzia 482 hadi 473 K.K.: karamu ya kijeshi mwaka 483, sikukuu ya Mwaka Mpya ambapo Vashti anafukuzwa mwaka 482, Esta anafanywa malkia mwaka 478 (baada ya vita vya Uyunani kushindwa — Kserkses akiwa na majuto, baada ya kupoteza Uyunani na kumwondoa Vashti kwa hasira), amri ya Hamani mwaka 474, na mpinduko hadi ushindi wa Wayahudi mwaka 473.The story itself runs from 482 to 473 BC: the military banquet in 483, the New Year's festival where Vashti is banished in 482, Esther made queen in 478 (after the failed Greek campaign — Xerxes in remorse, having lost Greece and dismissed Vashti in anger), Haman's decree in 474, and the reversal to Jewish victory in 473.

Majira ya MataifaThe Time of the Gentiles

Esta pia kiko ndani ya kile kinachoitwa majira ya Mataifa — sawa na kipindi cha kanisa — kilichoanza na kuanguka kwa Babeli na kinachoendelea hadi sasa. Luka 21:24, maneno ya Kristo Mwenyewe: “Nao wataanguka kwa ukali wa upanga, na kuchukuliwa mateka katika mataifa yote; na Yerusalemu utakanyagwa na Mataifa, hata majira ya Mataifa yatakapotimizwa.” Kwa maelezo kamili zaidi, angalia Danieli 2:4 hadi 7:28, ambapo Danieli anazifasiri ndoto za Nebukadreza katikati ya unabii mwingi. Kinachofanya jambo hili kuwa na umuhimu ni kwamba Esta ndicho kitabu pekee cha Agano la Kale kilichowekwa katika majira ya Mataifa — nacho ni kitabu cha mwisho cha historia katika Agano la Kale kabla ya manabii.Esther also sits within what is called the time of the Gentiles — the same as the church age — which began with the fall of Babylon and continues now. Luke 21:24, a quote from Christ Himself: “They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” For a fuller description, see Daniel 2:4 through 7:28, where Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar's dreams amid a great deal of prophecy. What makes this relevant is that Esther is the only book of the Old Testament set during the time of the Gentiles — and it is the last history book in the Old Testament before the prophets.

Makusudi ya KitabuPurposes of the Book

Kwanza, Mungu anaweza, naye atamtumia yeyote anayetaka ili kutimiza makusudi ya ufalme wake — hapa, wafalme wa Uajemi. Huwatumia wale wanaoasi kwa makusudi, wale wenye nia njema, na hata wale wanaotakia mabaya; wanawake na wanaume; wanyama wa kubeba mizigo, wafalme, majemadari, marais, wabunge wa Kongresi na wa Bunge, wachungaji wanyonge, makahaba, watoza ushuru, wezi, wauaji, na matapeli (angalia tu ukoo wa Kristo). Uhakika tulio nao ni kwamba mapenzi yake hushinda, na yatashinda daima. Pili, kitabu hiki kinaweka mwanzo wa Sikukuu ya Purimu kwa Wayahudi. Na tatu, jambo lililo muhimu kuliko yote, kinafunua maongozi ya Mungu.First, God can and will use whomever He wishes to bring about His kingdom purposes — here, Persian kings. He uses the willfully disobedient, those who mean well, and even those who wish ill; women and men; beasts of burden, kings, generals, presidents, members of Congress and Parliament, lowly shepherds, prostitutes, tax collectors, thieves, murderers, and swindlers (just look at the genealogy of Christ). The assurance is that His will does and always will prevail. Second, the book establishes the beginning of the Feast of Purim for the Jews. And third, most importantly, it reveals God's providence.

Kuhusu maongozi ya Mungu: kama Karen Jobes anavyoeleza, Esta ndiyo mfano wa kibiblia unaofanana zaidi na maisha halisi wa maongozi ya Mungu kwa sababu hasa Mungu anaonekana kana kwamba hayupo. Ted alitoa hoja inayohusiana na hiyo — “ni mara ngapi tunahisi Mungu ameuondoa mkono wake, kumbe tunapotazama nyuma miaka kumi baadaye tunaona kipindi cha ukuaji wa ajabu.” Maongozi ya Mungu yanamaanisha matokeo yanayozaliwa na kuona mbele — yaani, ujuzi wa yote wa Mungu. J. Sidlow Baxter anayaita “muujiza mkuu ambao kwao Mungu mwenye enzi anayaongoza matukio yote yasiyo ya kimiujiza kwa namna ambayo yanaleta matokeo yaliyokusudiwa tangu mwanzo, na hilo ni la kimiujiza zaidi kwa sababu hakuna haja ya miujiza.” Kama Tom Constable anavyosema katika maelezo yake, “uchaguzi wetu huathiri hatima yetu, lakini hauzuii mipango ya Mungu.” Ingawa Mungu hatajwi kwa jina katika hadithi, Yeye yupo daima, akifanya kazi ndani na kupitia watu wa kawaida wanaofanya maamuzi ya kawaida, kwa namna fulani ndani ya hiari aliyotupa.On providence: as Karen Jobes observes, Esther is the most true-to-life biblical example of God's providence precisely because God seems absent. Ted made a related point — “how often we feel God has removed His hand, only to look back ten years later and see a period of incredible growth.” Providence means outcomes born from foresight — namely, God's omniscience. J. Sidlow Baxter calls it “the mighty miracle whereby a sovereign God so manipulates all non-miraculous events as to bring about a predetermined outcome, all the more miraculous because there is no need for miracles.” As Tom Constable puts it in his notes, “our choices affect our destiny, but they do not frustrate God's plans.” Even though God is not named in the story, He is ever present, working in and through ordinary people making ordinary decisions, somehow within the context of the free will He gave us.

Mawazo MakuuThemes

Wazo kuu ni maongozi ya Mungu, ambayo matokeo yake ni wokovu wa taifa la Israeli. Angalia kwamba jambo hili halitofautiani sana na kitabu cha Ruthu: katika Ruthu wazo kuu lilikuwa toba na kurejeshwa, pamoja na mkondo uliofichika wa maongozi ya Mungu; katika Esta tunaona kinyume chake — maongozi ya Mungu yako mbele, pamoja na kurejeshwa na wokovu kwa Israeli. Wazo la pili ni wanawake hodari ambao Mungu huwatumia kutimiza mipango yake. Wanawake daima wamekuwa na nafasi katika makusudi ya ufalme wa Mungu, kinyume na dhana kwamba Biblia na Ukristo vinawakandamiza wanawake — dhana ambayo huenda inatokana sana na jinsi Kanisa Katoliki, lenye mfumo mkubwa wa utawala wa wanaume, lilivyotazamwa.The major theme is God's providence, in which the outcome is the salvation of the nation of Israel. Notice this is not dissimilar to Ruth: in Ruth the major theme was repentance and restoration with an undercurrent of providence; in Esther we see the reverse — providence in the foreground, with restoration and salvation for Israel. A second theme is strong women whom God uses to bring about His plans. Women have always factored into God's kingdom purposes, contrary to the perception that the Bible and Christianity are oppressive to women — a perception that may owe much to how the very patriarchal Catholic Church has been seen.

Kuhusu vifungu vigumu: katika 1 Timotheo, Paulo anaposema wanawake wanyamaze, kumbuka kwamba sura chache kabla ya hapo anazungumza juu ya wanawake na wanaume wote wakitoa unabii (wanahitaji tu mtu wa kufasiri), kwa hiyo Paulo hajipingi mwenyewe. Katika muktadha huo alikuwa akishughulikia ugomvi wa ndani na “maneno ya chuki” kanisani (huenda Efeso). Agizo la kufunika kichwa linatoka Korintho: juu ya mji, kwenye Akrokorintho, palikuwa na hekalu la Afrodite, ambalo makahaba wake wa hekaluni walikuwa na vichwa vilivyonyolewa; baadhi ya wanawake hao walipomjua Kristo na kuingia kanisani, Paulo alikuwa na wasiwasi kwamba mwanamke mwenye kichwa kilichonyolewa — ambaye angetambulika wazi kuwa aliyekuwa kahaba wa hekaluni — angeweza kuchochea uasherati miongoni mwa wanaume. Ni agizo mahususi sana linalohusu muktadha wake; huwezi kuyatoa Maandiko nje ya muktadha wake. Na katika Maandiko yote Mungu huwatumia wanawake: Debora na Hulda kama manabii, Yaeli, Rahabu yule kahaba, yule mwanamke kisimani aliyewaambia watu wa mji wake wote, Mariamu kama shahidi wa kwanza wa ufufuo na mwinjilisti wa kwanza, na Priskila — ambaye, pamoja na Akila, walimchukua Apolo kando wakarekebisha mafundisho yake. Kwa hiyo tuna wanawake katika nafasi za kinabii na za kufundisha.On the difficult passages: in 1 Timothy, when Paul says women should remain silent, recall that a few chapters earlier he speaks of both women and men prophesying (they simply need an interpreter), so Paul is not contradicting himself. In that context he was dealing with infighting and “cattiness” in the church (likely Ephesus). The head-covering instruction is from Corinth: above the city, on the Acrocorinth, stood the temple of Aphrodite, whose temple prostitutes had shaved heads; as some of those women came to know Christ and entered the church, Paul was concerned that a shaved-headed woman — obviously identifiable as a former temple prostitute — would invite promiscuity among the men. It's a very specific, contextual instruction; you cannot take Scripture out of context. And throughout Scripture God uses women: Deborah and Huldah as prophets, Jael, Rahab the harlot, the woman at the well who told her whole town, Mary as the first witness of the resurrection and first evangelist, and Priscilla — who, with Aquila, took Apollos aside and corrected his teaching. So we have women in prophetic and teaching roles.

Jumbe za KitabuMessages

Ishi kwa kumtii Mungu, na kumtumaini Bwana — maisha huenda vizuri zaidi sana unapofanya yote mawili. Dumu katika maombi ya bidii, ukiwa makini kusikia mapenzi yake. Sikiliza shauri la hekima la wengine wanaomfuata Mungu, kama Esta alivyomsikiliza Mordekai. Ingawa maombi hayatajwi, kufunga kunatajwa — na mambo haya mawili huenda pamoja. Na katika karamu kadhaa za Esta kwa ajili ya mfalme na Hamani, tunaona umuhimu wa kungojea wakati mkamilifu wa Mungu: hatoi ombi lake katika karamu ya kwanza bali anangoja. Kama Ted asemavyo, usifanye tu jambo fulani — simama hapo. Warumi 8:28: mambo yote hufanya kazi pamoja kwa ajili ya mema kwa wale wampendao Mungu, yaani, wale walioitwa kwa kusudi lake.Live in obedience to God, and trust in the Lord — life goes a lot better when you do both. Stay in active prayer, attuned to His will. Listen to the wise counsel of others who follow God, as Esther listened to Mordecai. Though prayer is not mentioned, fasting is — and the two tend to go together. And in Esther's multiple banquets for the king and Haman, we see the importance of waiting for God's perfect timing: she doesn't make her request at the first banquet but waits. As Ted says, don't just do something — stand there. Romans 8:28: God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Ukubwa wa MilkiThe Vastness of the Empire

Mstari wa kwanza unataja majimbo 127 ya Uajemi, kwa hiyo inafaa kuona jinsi milki hii ilivyokuwa kubwa: Libya, Misri, na sehemu ya kaskazini ya Sudani; juu hadi Makedonia (sehemu ya Uyunani sasa); Uturuki; Yordani na eneo lote lile; Israeli; kushuka kupitia Iraki na Irani; na eneo ambalo Maandiko yanaliita sehemu ya kaskazini ya India (Hindi), ambalo sasa ni Pakistani, hadi kufika Uzbekistani na Kazakhstani. Wakati wa Esta, Uajemi ilikuwa milki kubwa kuliko zote zilizowahi kuwepo hadi wakati huo — kubwa kuliko Uyunani (Rumi ingekuja kuwa kubwa kidogo zaidi), na hasa milki ya nchi kavu. (Babeli, kwa kulinganisha, ilikuwa ndogo — katika eneo la Iraki ya leo.) Unaweza kuona kwa nini Kserkses angetaka kuishinda Uyunani na kupanua milki hata zaidi; Uyunani ilithaminiwa sana. Lakini alishindwa. Ted alieleza kejeli kwamba Mungu aliwatumia wafalme wa Uajemi kulijenga upya hekalu lake, ingawa mojawapo ya majina ya Shetani ni mkuu wa ufalme wa Uajemi.The first verse mentions the 127 provinces of Persia, so it's worth seeing how vast this was: Libya, Egypt, and the northern part of Sudan; up into Macedonia (part of Greece now); Turkey; Jordan and that whole area; Israel; down through Iraq and Iran; and the region Scripture calls the northern part of India, which is now Pakistan, all the way to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. At the time of Esther, Persia was the largest empire to date — larger than Greece (Rome would end up slightly bigger), and mostly a land empire. (Babylon, by contrast, was small — in the area of modern Iraq.) You can see why Xerxes would have wanted to conquer Greece and expand even further; Greece was highly valued. But he failed. Ted noted the irony that God used the kings of Persia to rebuild His temple, even though one of the names of Satan is the Prince of Persia.

Maombi ya KufungaClosing Prayer

Baba wa mbinguni, asante kwa muda huu tuliokuwa pamoja, kuja katika ushirika na kujifunza neno lako. Asante kwa bidii iliyowekwa katika kutufundisha na kwa mengi ambayo tayari tumejifunza leo. Sasa tunaomba utupe hekima yako na utujaze Roho wako Mtakatifu, ili tuweze kutimiza makusudi yako kwetu na kupitia sisi. Tunaomba katika jina la Kristo. Amina.Heavenly Father, thank You for the time together, to come in fellowship and study Your word. Thank You for the hard work put into teaching us and for how much we have already learned today. We pray now that You give us Your wisdom and fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we might fulfill Your purposes for us and through us. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.