Core Theological Themes and Questions​​​

• Where is God when He is silent? 

• Is God present when He is not named?

• How does the author communicate God’s presence through events rather than words?

• How do we navigate "Secular" spaces? 

• Esther and Mordecai live in a pagan empire under assumed names. How does one maintain identity and faithfulness in a culture that doesn't share their values?

• In a world where women were treated as property (as seen with Queen Vashti’s dismissal), how does Esther navigate the system to gain actual political power?

• Esther hides her identity (her "race and kindred") on Mordecai’s orders. Is it ever spiritually "right" to hide one’s faith for the sake of survival?

• Is justice inevitable? 

• When Mordecai says "deliverance will arise from another place," does he mean God will find a different hero, or that God's promises don't depend on one person's obedience?

• Does the story suggest that evil eventually consumes itself, or is the intervention of the "righteous" required to trigger justice?

• Why does Haman’s hatred for one man (Mordecai) escalate so quickly into a desire for genocide? What does this tell us about the nature of pride and systemic evil?

• How does God handle systemic evil?

 

 

Personal Application Questions

• The "Such a Time as This" Moment: Can you identify a current situation in your life (at work, in your family, or in your community) where your specific skills or position might be needed to stand up for what is right?

• Risk vs. Comfort: Esther risked her life to speak to the King. What "comforts" or "securities" are you afraid to lose in order to follow what you believe is right?

• What "Persian" masks do you wear to fit into your environment, and when is it time to take them off?

• Recognizing the "Nudges": Looking back at your past year, what seemed like a "coincidence" at the time but now looks like a pivotal moment of guidance or protection?

• Esther said, "If I perish, I perish." What is the "Good" that you would be willing to risk your status or security for?

• Faith in the Silence: How do you maintain your spiritual practice or moral compass when you don't feel a "sense" of the divine or see immediate answers to prayer?

• Looking back at your life, what seemed like a "random coincidence" that actually set you up for a major success or saved you from a disaster?