INTRODUCTION
OPENING SLIDE
• Today we begin a new four-week series from the book of Esther.
• This four-week series explores the story of Esther. Through understanding the book’s backstory and context, we can see that Esther is not a fairy tale but an understanding of how God can work behind the scenes with imperfect people in a hostile environment.
• The Book of Esther is set during the Persian Empire, under the reign of King (A HAS YOU AIR US) Ahasuerus, commonly identified with Xerxes I.
• The story revolves around a Jewish woman named Esther who becomes queen of Persia and uses her position to prevent the annihilation of her people.
• Esther, an orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai, is chosen to be queen after the previous queen, (VASH TIE) Vashti, is deposed for defying the king.
• Meanwhile, the king's advisor, Haman, becomes enraged when Mordecai refuses to bow to him and convinces Ahasuerus to issue a decree to destroy all the Jews in the empire.
• Through her courage and strategic thinking, Esther reveals her Jewish identity to the king and exposes Haman's plan.
• As a result, Haman is executed, Mordecai is promoted, and a new decree allows the Jews to defend themselves.
• The deliverance of the Jews is celebrated annually during the festival of Purim, which commemorates the events of the book.
• The Book of Esther is notable for not explicitly mentioning God, yet themes of divine providence and justice are central to the narrative. It highlights courage, identity, and the importance of standing up for one’s people.
• The Book of Esther is unique in the Bible because God's name is never explicitly mentioned.
• Yet, His presence and power are undeniably evident throughout the entire narrative.
• It’s a story that perfectly illustrates how God works, often unseen, to accomplish His sovereign will.
• So, have you ever watched a play or a movie and been captivated by the story unfolding on screen?
• You see the actors, the dramatic events, and the climactic moments.
• But what you often don't see is the immense amount of work happening "behind the scenes"—the writers, directors, set designers, costume artists, lighting technicians, and countless others who make it all possible.
• Their work is crucial, yet largely unseen by the audience.
• In life, we often feel like we're just seeing the "front stage" events.
• We experience the daily routines, the challenges, the joys, and the uncertainties.
• Sometimes, it feels like chaos, or like things are happening purely by chance.
• But what if I told you that even in the seemingly random, the mundane, or the difficult moments of our lives, there is a Master Director, a Divine Hand, working tirelessly "behind the scenes"?
• Today, we'll look at the opening chapters of Esther to uncover three ways God works "behind the scenes" even when we are unaware.
Esther 1:1–3 NET 2nd ed.
1 The following events happened in the days of Ahasuerus. (I am referring to that Ahasuerus who used to rule over 127 provinces extending all the way from India to Ethiopia.)
2 In those days, as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa the citadel,
3 in the third year of his reign he provided a banquet for all his officials and his servants. The army of Persia and Media was present, as well as the nobles and the officials of the provinces.
SERMON
MAIN POINT 1 SLIDE
I. God is at work in the unlikely places.
• When you think of God at work, you may usually think of God working in His church or, back in the Old Testament, through the nation of Israel.
• Maybe we picture God working in holy places?
• The book of Esther shows us that God works in the most unlikely places.
UNLIKELY PLACES SLIDE
• The setting of the book of Esther is anything but holy.
• The setting of the book takes place in the Persian Empire, the most powerful empire of its day.
• The king was Ahasuerus, or in the Greek translation, Xerxes.
• In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, he is called Artaxerxes.
HISTORICAL TIMELINE SLIDE
• He was born around 519 BC and reigned from 487 to 465 BC.
• If you ever watched the movie The 300, Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) is the same king that the story of Esther is a part of.
• The book of Esther begins in 483 BC (Esther 1:1), during the third year of Xerxes reign.
• Xerxes I led the massive Persian invasion of Greece and faced the legendary stand of the Spartan 300 at Thermopylae in 480 BC.
• Esther becomes queen in the 7th year of Xerxes reign (Esther 2:16).
• Haman’s plot against the Jews took place in 474 BC (Esther 3:7).
• The royal throne Xerxes sat upon in the palace of Susa was filled with wealth, wine, and worldly power.
• Esther 1 shows a six-month display of glory followed by a lavish, week-long banquet.
• On the surface, this is a pagan party—not a place you'd expect God to work.
• This is not Israel.
• This is not Jerusalem.
• This is not the temple.
• Yet God is already at work in the pagan king’s palace in Susa.
• What places do you think God cannot work?
• I would imagine some of you have served in places where it looked like God could not work.
• God can move even when His name is not mentioned.
• God’s name is never mentioned in the book of Esther, yet His fingerprints are everywhere.
• Even though this book begins in a worldly, godless environment, it sets the stage for God's invisible hand to unfold a remarkable rescue plan for His people.
• Like a skilled director in a stage production, God is setting the scene before a single actor realizes the drama has begun.
• God is working in even the most secular places and the most surprising of places.
• You might be in a place that seems spiritually dry—your job, your school, your city, or even your own family.
• Maybe you look around and see pride, brokenness, or dysfunction and think, “Surely, God’s not in this…”
• The Book of Esther reminds us: God is not confined to "holy" spaces.
• Don’t Dismiss Where You Are.
• What looks like a godless setting may be a divinely chosen backdrop for your purpose.
• God might be using your current environment to prepare, position, or protect you—even if it doesn’t feel that way now.
• “God is not limited by location—He is sovereign everywhere.”
• If God can work in unlikely places, could it be that He also works through unlikely people?
• Let’s meet two of them in chapter 2!
Esther 2:5–7 NET 2nd ed.
5 Now there happened to be a Jewish man in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai. He was the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite,
6 who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried into exile with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken into exile.
7 Now he was acting as the guardian of Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, for neither her father nor her mother was alive. This young woman was very attractive and had a beautiful figure. When her father and mother died, Mordecai had raised her as if she were his own daughter.
MAIN POINT 2 SLIDE
II. God is at work in the unknown people.
• Let’s meet the two unknown people who are central to our story.
• The first three verses of the book focused on power, prestige, and politics.
• Now, the camera pans to two obscure Jewish exiles—Mordecai and Esther (Hadassah).
• Mordecai: A displaced Jew, raising an orphaned cousin in a foreign land.
• Mordecai worked in the citadel.
• In Esther 2:5, the term 'citadel' refers to the fortified part of the city of Susa.
• Susa was one of the major capitals of the Persian Empire, and the citadel (or fortress) was the administrative and royal center where the king and his officials lived and conducted government affairs.
• This area would have included the royal palace complex and other important government buildings.
• So when the verse says that Mordecai lived in the citadel of Susa, it suggests that he lived in or near the central administrative area of the Persian Empire, likely indicating his connection to royal service or proximity to the seat of power.
• Then we have Esther.
• Esther was a young woman with a tragic past—no parents, no position, no voice (yet).
• All we know about Esther is her parents died at some point early in her life, and Mordecai, who was her uncle was raising her.
• We also know she was hot!
• We are told she was very attractive and had a beautiful figure.
• She had a good figure and a beautiful face.
• We see a similar description of Jacob’s to-be wife, Rachel.
Genesis 29:17 NET 2nd ed.
17 Leah’s eyes were tender, but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.)
• These two people were nobodies in the world’s eyes—but not in God’s eyes.
• If God can work in the lives of these two people, why can’t He work in your life?
• God’s hand is on people before they know it!
• Esther doesn’t yet know that she will be queen.
• Mordecai doesn’t yet realize he’ll uncover plots, save the king, or play a pivotal role in national deliverance.
• But God is already shaping their story.
• God’s hand has been in your life even before you knew it!
• God uses the overlooked and the ordinary.
• You may feel forgotten, unknown, or unqualified.
• Maybe you’ve got a messy background, a complicated story, or you're walking through a season of grief—just like Esther.
• But your past does not disqualify you from God's purpose.
• In fact, it may prepare you for it.
• I am nobody, yet God has used me and worked through me.
• If He can use me, He can and will use you!
ORDINARY PEOPLE SLIDE
• David was a shepherd before he was a king.
• Mary was a young teen girl from Nazareth before she became the mother of Jesus!
• Look at the disciples.
• They were fishermen, tax collectors, and zealots; they had no resume to present to Jesus, yet look at what God did through them!
• Mordecai was faithful in raising Esther, and Esther was faithful in trusting him.
• Neither one chased power, but both were positioned by God's providence.
• You don't need to chase significance—just stay faithful where God has you.
• Think of the backstage crew in a play.
• They don't get the applause, but the entire show depends on their unseen efforts.
• Sometimes you're backstage now because God is preparing the scene for your next act.
• The Chinese bamboo tree is planted and watered for years—with no visible growth for the first 4-5 years.
• Then, suddenly, in just a few weeks, it shoots up 80-90 feet in 5 to 6 weeks.
• What was happening during all that time?
• It was developing an underground root system strong enough to support rapid growth.
• Tie-in: Esther’s rise looked sudden—but God had been growing her in silence, behind the scenes.
• Her years of obscurity were years of preparation.
Encouragement: Just because nothing seems to be happening doesn’t mean God isn’t working.
• Have you ever felt like your life doesn’t matter?
• Like your past disqualifies you or your present is too small to count?
• Esther was a young woman with no family, no title, and no platform—and yet God chose her.
• If God could use her, He can use you.
• Don’t wait to be seen to be faithful—because God sees you now.
• So far, we've seen God move in unexpected places and through unknown people—but what about those moments when everything seems random, painful, or out of control?
• Let’s look at how God works in the process.
Esther 2:8 NET 2nd ed.
8 It so happened that when the king’s edict and his law became known many young women were taken to Susa the citadel to be placed under the authority of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the royal palace to be under the authority of Hegai, who was overseeing the women.
MAIN POINT 3 SLIDE
III. God is at work in the unseen process.
• The process seems harsh and out of control.
• Esther is taken, not by choice, into a system that objectifies and devalues her.
• This isn’t a fairy tale; it’s a politically motivated beauty contest, saturated with pagan values.
• To Esther, it may have felt like a loss of control, identity, and freedom.
• Even painful, unjust circumstances can still be used by God to fulfill His purpose.
• God’s plan can look like chaos before it looks like it is organized.
• Esther doesn’t know the end of the story.
• She doesn’t see the redemption that’s coming.
• Yet even in this unfair process, God is placing her in a position of influence that will save a nation.
• A tapestry looks like a mess of threads from the back—but flip it over, and you see the beautiful design.
• You may be looking at the back of the tapestry now.
• Trust that God sees the front.
• God uses the unseen process to prepare us.
UNSEEN PROCESS SLIDE
• Esther is being positioned, molded, and tested through this process.
• So are we.
• God does His best work in the seasons we don’t understand.
• Remember Romans 8:28!
Romans 8:28 NET 2nd ed.
28 And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,
• Knowing this, we have to learn to trust God even when it does not make sense!
• You may feel like life is out of your hands.
• Maybe you were “taken” into a season you didn’t want—loss, change, illness, or transition.
• But take courage: just because you can’t see the purpose doesn’t mean there isn’t one.
SPURGEON QUOTE SLIDE
“God is too wise to be mistaken, too good to be unkind. So when you can't trace His hand, trust His heart.” — Charles Spurgeon
CONCLUSION
• We began this message in the splendor of a pagan palace with no mention of God.
LAST SLIDE
• But now, we see something much deeper unfolding:
• God was working in unlikely places—even in a palace where His name wasn’t spoken.
• God was working through unknown people—a forgotten exile and a young orphan girl.
• And God was working in an unseen process—using events that didn’t make sense at the time to shape something eternal.
• Esther didn’t see it.
• Mordecai didn’t know it.
• But God was at work—behind the scenes.
• And He’s doing the same in your life.
Behind The Scenes
Jeffery Anselmi / General Adult
The Book of Esther / Sovereignty / Esther 1:1–3; Esther 2:5–8
Esther tells the story of God working behind the scenes to
raise a Jewish girl to be queen in ancient Persia.
INTRODUCTION
OPENING SLIDE
• Today we begin a new four-week series from the book of Esther.
• This four-week series explores the story of Esther. Through understanding the book’s backstory and context, we can see that Esther is not a fairy tale but an understanding of how God can work behind the scenes with imperfect people in a hostile environment.
• The Book of Esther is set during the Persian Empire, under the reign of King (A HAS YOU AIR US) Ahasuerus, commonly identified with Xerxes I.
• The story revolves around a Jewish woman named Esther who becomes queen of Persia and uses her position to prevent the annihilation of her people.
• Esther, an orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai, is chosen to be queen after the previous queen, (VASH TIE) Vashti, is deposed for defying the king.
• Meanwhile, the king's advisor, Haman, becomes enraged when Mordecai refuses to bow to him and convinces Ahasuerus to issue a decree to destroy all the Jews in the empire.
• Through her courage and strategic thinking, Esther reveals her Jewish identity to the king and exposes Haman's plan.
• As a result, Haman is executed, Mordecai is promoted, and a new decree allows the Jews to defend themselves.
• The deliverance of the Jews is celebrated annually during the festival of Purim, which commemorates the events of the book.
• The Book of Esther is notable for not explicitly mentioning God, yet themes of divine providence and justice are central to the narrative. It highlights courage, identity, and the importance of standing up for one’s people.
• The Book of Esther is unique in the Bible because God's name is never explicitly mentioned.
• Yet, His presence and power are undeniably evident throughout the entire narrative.
• It’s a story that perfectly illustrates how God works, often unseen, to accomplish His sovereign will.
• So, have you ever watched a play or a movie and been captivated by the story unfolding on screen?
• You see the actors, the dramatic events, and the climactic moments.
• But what you often don't see is the immense amount of work happening "behind the scenes"—the writers, directors, set designers, costume artists, lighting technicians, and countless others who make it all possible.
• Their work is crucial, yet largely unseen by the audience.
• In life, we often feel like we're just seeing the "front stage" events.
• We experience the daily routines, the challenges, the joys, and the uncertainties.
• Sometimes, it feels like chaos, or like things are happening purely by chance.
• But what if I told you that even in the seemingly random, the mundane, or the difficult moments of our lives, there is a Master Director, a Divine Hand, working tirelessly "behind the scenes"?
• Today, we'll look at the opening chapters of Esther to uncover three ways God works "behind the scenes" even when we are unaware.
Esther 1:1–3 NET 2nd ed.
1 The following events happened in the days of Ahasuerus. (I am referring to that Ahasuerus who used to rule over 127 provinces extending all the way from India to Ethiopia.)
2 In those days, as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa the citadel,
3 in the third year of his reign he provided a banquet for all his officials and his servants. The army of Persia and Media was present, as well as the nobles and the officials of the provinces.
SERMON
MAIN POINT 1 SLIDE
I. God is at work in the unlikely places.
• When you think of God at work, you may usually think of God working in His church or, back in the Old Testament, through the nation of Israel.
• Maybe we picture God working in holy places?
• The book of Esther shows us that God works in the most unlikely places.
UNLIKELY PLACES SLIDE
• The setting of the book of Esther is anything but holy.
• The setting of the book takes place in the Persian Empire, the most powerful empire of its day.
• The king was Ahasuerus, or in the Greek translation, Xerxes.
• In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, he is called Artaxerxes.
HISTORICAL TIMELINE SLIDE
• He was born around 519 BC and reigned from 487 to 465 BC.
• If you ever watched the movie The 300, Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) is the same king that the story of Esther is a part of.
• The book of Esther begins in 483 BC (Esther 1:1), during the third year of Xerxes reign.
• Xerxes I led the massive Persian invasion of Greece and faced the legendary stand of the Spartan 300 at Thermopylae in 480 BC.
• Esther becomes queen in the 7th year of Xerxes reign (Esther 2:16).
• Haman’s plot against the Jews took place in 474 BC (Esther 3:7).
• The royal throne Xerxes sat upon in the palace of Susa was filled with wealth, wine, and worldly power.
• Esther 1 shows a six-month display of glory followed by a lavish, week-long banquet.
• On the surface, this is a pagan party—not a place you'd expect God to work.
• This is not Israel.
• This is not Jerusalem.
• This is not the temple.
• Yet God is already at work in the pagan king’s palace in Susa.
• What places do you think God cannot work?
• I would imagine some of you have served in places where it looked like God could not work.
• God can move even when His name is not mentioned.
• God’s name is never mentioned in the book of Esther, yet His fingerprints are everywhere.
• Even though this book begins in a worldly, godless environment, it sets the stage for God's invisible hand to unfold a remarkable rescue plan for His people.
• Like a skilled director in a stage production, God is setting the scene before a single actor realizes the drama has begun.
• God is working in even the most secular places and the most surprising of places.
• You might be in a place that seems spiritually dry—your job, your school, your city, or even your own family.
• Maybe you look around and see pride, brokenness, or dysfunction and think, “Surely, God’s not in this…”
• The Book of Esther reminds us: God is not confined to "holy" spaces.
• Don’t Dismiss Where You Are.
• What looks like a godless setting may be a divinely chosen backdrop for your purpose.
• God might be using your current environment to prepare, position, or protect you—even if it doesn’t feel that way now.
• “God is not limited by location—He is sovereign everywhere.”
• If God can work in unlikely places, could it be that He also works through unlikely people?
• Let’s meet two of them in chapter 2!
Esther 2:5–7 NET 2nd ed.
5 Now there happened to be a Jewish man in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai. He was the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite,
6 who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried into exile with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken into exile.
7 Now he was acting as the guardian of Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, for neither her father nor her mother was alive. This young woman was very attractive and had a beautiful figure. When her father and mother died, Mordecai had raised her as if she were his own daughter.
MAIN POINT 2 SLIDE
II. God is at work in the unknown people.
• Let’s meet the two unknown people who are central to our story.
• The first three verses of the book focused on power, prestige, and politics.
• Now, the camera pans to two obscure Jewish exiles—Mordecai and Esther (Hadassah).
• Mordecai: A displaced Jew, raising an orphaned cousin in a foreign land.
• Mordecai worked in the citadel.
• In Esther 2:5, the term 'citadel' refers to the fortified part of the city of Susa.
• Susa was one of the major capitals of the Persian Empire, and the citadel (or fortress) was the administrative and royal center where the king and his officials lived and conducted government affairs.
• This area would have included the royal palace complex and other important government buildings.
• So when the verse says that Mordecai lived in the citadel of Susa, it suggests that he lived in or near the central administrative area of the Persian Empire, likely indicating his connection to royal service or proximity to the seat of power.
• Then we have Esther.
• Esther was a young woman with a tragic past—no parents, no position, no voice (yet).
• All we know about Esther is her parents died at some point early in her life, and Mordecai, who was her uncle was raising her.
• We also know she was hot!
• We are told she was very attractive and had a beautiful figure.
• She had a good figure and a beautiful face.
• We see a similar description of Jacob’s to-be wife, Rachel.
Genesis 29:17 NET 2nd ed.
17 Leah’s eyes were tender, but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.)
• These two people were nobodies in the world’s eyes—but not in God’s eyes.
• If God can work in the lives of these two people, why can’t He work in your life?
• God’s hand is on people before they know it!
• Esther doesn’t yet know that she will be queen.
• Mordecai doesn’t yet realize he’ll uncover plots, save the king, or play a pivotal role in national deliverance.
• But God is already shaping their story.
• God’s hand has been in your life even before you knew it!
• God uses the overlooked and the ordinary.
• You may feel forgotten, unknown, or unqualified.
• Maybe you’ve got a messy background, a complicated story, or you're walking through a season of grief—just like Esther.
• But your past does not disqualify you from God's purpose.
• In fact, it may prepare you for it.
• I am nobody, yet God has used me and worked through me.
• If He can use me, He can and will use you!
ORDINARY PEOPLE SLIDE
• David was a shepherd before he was a king.
• Mary was a young teen girl from Nazareth before she became the mother of Jesus!
• Look at the disciples.
• They were fishermen, tax collectors, and zealots; they had no resume to present to Jesus, yet look at what God did through them!
• Mordecai was faithful in raising Esther, and Esther was faithful in trusting him.
• Neither one chased power, but both were positioned by God's providence.
• You don't need to chase significance—just stay faithful where God has you.
• Think of the backstage crew in a play.
• They don't get the applause, but the entire show depends on their unseen efforts.
• Sometimes you're backstage now because God is preparing the scene for your next act.
• The Chinese bamboo tree is planted and watered for years—with no visible growth for the first 4-5 years.
• Then, suddenly, in just a few weeks, it shoots up 80-90 feet in 5 to 6 weeks.
• What was happening during all that time?
• It was developing an underground root system strong enough to support rapid growth.
• Tie-in: Esther’s rise looked sudden—but God had been growing her in silence, behind the scenes.
• Her years of obscurity were years of preparation.
Encouragement: Just because nothing seems to be happening doesn’t mean God isn’t working.
• Have you ever felt like your life doesn’t matter?
• Like your past disqualifies you or your present is too small to count?
• Esther was a young woman with no family, no title, and no platform—and yet God chose her.
• If God could use her, He can use you.
• Don’t wait to be seen to be faithful—because God sees you now.
• So far, we've seen God move in unexpected places and through unknown people—but what about those moments when everything seems random, painful, or out of control?
• Let’s look at how God works in the process.
Esther 2:8 NET 2nd ed.
8 It so happened that when the king’s edict and his law became known many young women were taken to Susa the citadel to be placed under the authority of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the royal palace to be under the authority of Hegai, who was overseeing the women.
MAIN POINT 3 SLIDE
III. God is at work in the unseen process.
• The process seems harsh and out of control.
• Esther is taken, not by choice, into a system that objectifies and devalues her.
• This isn’t a fairy tale; it’s a politically motivated beauty contest, saturated with pagan values.
• To Esther, it may have felt like a loss of control, identity, and freedom.
• Even painful, unjust circumstances can still be used by God to fulfill His purpose.
• God’s plan can look like chaos before it looks like it is organized.
• Esther doesn’t know the end of the story.
• She doesn’t see the redemption that’s coming.
• Yet even in this unfair process, God is placing her in a position of influence that will save a nation.
• A tapestry looks like a mess of threads from the back—but flip it over, and you see the beautiful design.
• You may be looking at the back of the tapestry now.
• Trust that God sees the front.
• God uses the unseen process to prepare us.
UNSEEN PROCESS SLIDE
• Esther is being positioned, molded, and tested through this process.
• So are we.
• God does His best work in the seasons we don’t understand.
• Remember Romans 8:28!
Romans 8:28 NET 2nd ed.
28 And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,
• Knowing this, we have to learn to trust God even when it does not make sense!
• You may feel like life is out of your hands.
• Maybe you were “taken” into a season you didn’t want—loss, change, illness, or transition.
• But take courage: just because you can’t see the purpose doesn’t mean there isn’t one.
SPURGEON QUOTE SLIDE
“God is too wise to be mistaken, too good to be unkind. So when you can't trace His hand, trust His heart.” — Charles Spurgeon
CONCLUSION
• We began this message in the splendor of a pagan palace with no mention of God.
LAST SLIDE
• But now, we see something much deeper unfolding:
• God was working in unlikely places—even in a palace where His name wasn’t spoken.
• God was working through unknown people—a forgotten exile and a young orphan girl.
• And God was working in an unseen process—using events that didn’t make sense at the time to shape something eternal.
• Esther didn’t see it.
• Mordecai didn’t know it.
• But God was at work—behind the scenes.
• And He’s doing the same in your life.
