The final feast of Esther is a culmination of the entire story: a two-day festival devoted to the sheer joy of divine deliverance. We learn a deep truth here—that celebrations are just different on the other side of salvation.

Esther is a story of reversals, but never more so than in the story’s final twist. In a moment of political intrigue, Esther devises one final counter-decree to secure her people’s future. This moment points us to Jesus Christ, who was God’s counter-decree of love in the face of the powers of death and despair.

This episode is the heart of the Esther story and it has it all: Suspended suspense, intense irony, a dramatic reversal of fortune, and dark humor. While it reads like a made-for-TV drama, our entertainment isn’t it’s primary aim. This story for the ages offers timeless lessons to help us navigate with bravery and grace the drama of our own lives.

How do we deal with the things in life that shake us to the core? How do discover who we really are so we live lives of lasting purpose? These are just a few of the large questions addressed in this extraordinary segment in the fascinating story of Esther.

The rivalry between Mordecai and Haman reveals the cost and the great reward of living by faith. When God extends us invitations to transformation, how we respond shapes our hearts and our futures.

Esther finds herself in an ambiguous and complex situation where God is seemingly silent. How she responds during her season of silence gives readers a clue of how we can respond when God is seemingly not present in our difficult situations.