Thank you. The book of Esther tells a fascinating story, and yet God's name is not found anywhere in the entire book.

So how do we know that this Old Testament book actually belongs in the Bible?

We'll find out today on Truth for Life as we revisit this popular message in our Encore

2025 series.

Alistair Begg is teaching from the opening verses in the book of Esther.

When we study any book of the Bible, and particularly one like this, as we come to the details that are provided for us in the canvas, it is important, as we've said so many times, that we see the details in light of the big picture. Even the apparently minor details of the Old Testament stories are all part of the purpose of God in redemption, a purpose to

unify all things in and through the person and work of his son. That is why ultimately it leads

to the United Nations, where black people, white people, yellow people, green people, Scottish people,

all kinds of people will be gathered around the throne of God. And they will declare with untrable tongues that salvation

belongs to the one who has crushed the head of the serpent. So what is happening in the book of

Esther is that God is preserving His people, for it is out of those people that his Messiah is going to come.

Therefore, he's going to make sure that in the details that appear on the canvas,

he has his people in position.

Because, as Jesus explained to the lady at the well, salvation is from the Jews. What was he saying?

Simply that. She had a question about the worshipping of God on Gerasim with the Samaritans or worshipping God in Jerusalem.

He says, a time is coming and who has now come when those who worship the Father

will worship him in spirit and truth. And he says that salvation is from the Jews. And it is.

And God's purposes for his people remain. And that's the whole significance of Romans chapter 11.

And you can read that some morning at three in the morning

when you're having difficulty. It'll help you. Well, I spent a long time on that, but I'm telling you

it's really important. And that is to understand the big picture. Because otherwise, you drop into

Esther and you can do all kinds of things with Esther. You can do all kinds of things with the whole Bible. You can teach stories in a way that simply say, you know, Esther was a really nice person, and you ought to be a nice one too. You know, Haman was a bad guy. Please don't be a bad guy. You know. The king had a bit of an ego. You shouldn't have an ego, which is all true, you know, and people do and they fill in the blanks, and they walk away, and after 15 years,

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