This is an in-depth look at practical and prophetic meanings in the book of Esther. Esther, representing the morning star, is part of a symbolic story of how the people of God triumph after an evil force (Haman) obtains the ring of power and sets a date to completely destroy the people of God. The Lord places the story of Esther in the Bible as a special prophecy regarding the end times we live in and the imminent destruction of evil.

Patterns, they're everywhere. Sometimes though, unless someone points out the pattern, it can pass by unnoticed. In his book, Good lays out the pattern and then expertly overlays it with amazingly parallel arrangements of the past, and of those to occur. Each chapter of the Book of Esther is set out and described with some detail. Characters are introduced; they're connected to their legacies and linked to events within other books of the Tanach (Old Testament). Customs, history, and lore of the time are taken into account serving to construct the events of those days. Finally, the Book of Esther concludes with a great victory, but the story is far from over. Joseph Good continues to shake out patterns from the world's own current history. Suddenly, prophecies, codes and mysteries overlooked become easily visible. Words in the Hebrew text are seen with new eyes, open to the variances of the letters, their placement and some peculiar features. The satisfaction in reading Good's book is not only his shared insight, but how much it opens understanding in general for the reader, both in this and other books of the Bible. The Creator Most High distinguishes Himself through patterns. Man as a pattern of G-d, the world as a pattern of His Kingdom, and His Word, a pattern of His Way. Just as His patterns are multi-dimensional, Good has brought much to the table for readers to avail themselves of during their own Bible studies. This most recent addition has been updated and includes additional material and illustrations not found in earlier releases.

This book situates the book of Esther in the intellectual history of Ancient Judaism and provides a new understanding of its purpose.

The Teach the Text Commentary Series utilizes the best of biblical scholarship to provide the information a pastor needs to communicate the text effectively. The carefully selected preaching units and focused commentary allow pastors to quickly grasp the big idea and key themes of each passage of Scripture. Each unit of the commentary includes the big idea and key themes of the passage and sections dedicated to understanding, teaching, and illustrating the text.

What if the way the book of Esther has been taught to us in church and retold to us in films, cartoons, and romance novels has missed the original point of the story? Far from being models of piety and devotion, Esther and Mordecai seem indifferent to the faith of their ancestors. How then did this story become part of the Bible and gain the broad acceptance that it has? If the church should not neglect the story, how should it be read? Esther and Her Elusive God calls Christians to avoid the common attempts to make Esther more palatable and theological, and to reclaim this secular story as Scripture. Readers will be encouraged to see in Esther a profound message of God's grace and faithfulness to his wayward people.

Clear explanations for uncertain times by one of today's premier prophecy scholars.

Divination, the use of special talents and techniques to gain divine knowledge, was practiced in many different forms in ancient Israel and throughout the ancient world. The Hebrew Bible reveals a variety of traditions of women associated with divination. This sensitive and incisive book by respected scholar Esther J. Hamori examines the wide scope of women's divinatory activities as portrayed in the Hebrew texts, offering readers a new appreciation of the surprising breadth of women's “arts of knowledge” in biblical times. Unlike earlier approaches to the subject that have viewed prophecy separately from other forms of divination, Hamori's study encompasses the full range of divinatory practices and the personages who performed them, from the female prophets and the medium of En-dor to the matriarch who interprets a birth omen and the “wise women” of Tekoa and Abel and more. In doing so, the author brings into clearer focus the complex, rich, and diverse world of ancient Israelite divination.

The books of Ruth and Esther recount two of the most memorable stories in all of Scripture: Ruth, a displaced widow in search of a new home and loving husband, and Esther, a courageous queen intent on saving her people from imminent destruction. Plumbing the theological depths, this guide explains the biblical text with clarity and passion—leading us on a journey to discover the God who hears the cries of his people and remains faithful to his promises. Over the course of 12 weeks, each study in this series explores a book of the Bible and: Asks thoughtful questions to spur discussion Shows how each passage unveils the gospel Ties the text in with the whole story of Scripture Illuminates the doctrines taught in each passage Invites you to discover practical implications Helps you better understand and apply God's Word

For those who have tried and failed to follow through on a plan to study the entire Bible, Chuck Missler has the answer. Learn the Bible in 24 Hours is an ideal study aid to help you grasp the big picture of Scripture. Each chapter is designed for study in an hour or less. Features include: Sound, fresh teaching on Scripture Historical and cultural insight into biblical passages Sidebars that highlight the primary concepts of the chapter