March/April 2023

For Such a Time as This

Character Studies from the Book of Esther


The story of Esther revolves around four major players: King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) of Persia; Esther, a Jewish girl; Mordecai, Esther’s cousin who raised her; and Haman, the villain and chief advisor to the king. In this issue of Israel My Glory, we'll take a closer look at each one.

Features

From the Editor Mar/Apr 2023

Publishing is an interesting industry. We must do everything very far in advance to meet our deadlines. I’m writing this column on December 2, 2022, but you’re reading...

God & Money

The popular musical Hello Dolly! had many memorable lines; but my favorite is this one: “Money,” said Dolly Levi, “pardon the expression, is like manure...

Ahasuerus

King Solomon wrote, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He [God] turns it wherever He wishes” (Prov. 21:1)...

Mordecai

Occasionally, my second son and I dabble in the hobby of polishing rocks. With lots of time and patience, rough-hewn stones placed into a rock tumbler...

Esther

When I was a kid, watching the Miss America Pageant on TV was a big deal in our home. The competition symbolized everything we knew back then about beauty...

Haman

Villains! Where would literature, movies, or old-time radio serials be without them? From Sherlock Holmes’s Professor Moriarty to Peter Pan’s Captain Hook...


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More In This Issue

Inside View Mar/Apr 2023

At our farewell dinner for our Up to Jerusalem tour to Israel in October, I was touched by the comments of our Israeli guide. We honored him for skillfully leading...

Growing a Global Love for Israel

Last December the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO) invited me to the sixth annual Christian Media Summit...

Iranian Drones in Ukraine: Warm-up for Israel?

Russia’s use of Iranian-made, unmanned drones in its war against Ukraine is...

The Friends of Israel in Action Mar/Apr 2023

Halina Ostik, who fought in the Polish Resistance during World War II, smuggled Bibles into the country under the...

Anti-Zionism: The Modern Antisemitism

“There’s going to be an anti-Israel protest downtown,” my friend said. “I think we need to do something.” The next day, we...

Behind the Book

Reading the book of Esther is like reading a novel filled with suspense. Chock-full of intrigue, heroism, pathos, and deception, it holds your attention from beginning to end...

Outline of the Book of Esther

Kings of the Persian Empire

What Happened When

Q: What Is God’s Providence?

Providence is God’s active care, control, and governance over everything in His created universe by His...

Let’s Nosh Some Hamantaschen!

A humorous quip describes most of Jewish history: “They tried to kill us. They failed. Let’s eat...”

Archaeology and Jericho (Conclusion)

Previously, we looked at two of four issues (the ban and morality) that clarify God’s controversial actions in the...

Rejoicing in Christ

If anyone had a reason to ask, “Why me?” it was the apostle Paul. No one who followed Christ suffered more for the gospel than he did...

How Do You Spell “Love”?

The “Joy” ship—what a misnomer! I thought. I had reluctantly returned to my unfittingly named Norwegian cruise ship...

Don’t Get Too Comfortable!

If we knew years ago what the world would look like today, we probably wouldn’t have signed up for what we face now...

Apples of Gold Mar/Apr 2023

It is written in Jeremiah 6:14, “‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.” It is also written, “I will give you assured peace in this place” (14:13)...

Daily News from Israel

News Digest — 3/31/23

Israel staged airstrikes on suburbs of the Syrian capital of Damascus early Friday (31st) for the second day in a row, the state news agency reported.  It gave no word on...

Arrested!

Greek police arrested two Pakistani nationals, allegedly for planning “mass casualty terrorist attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets in the country...

News Digest — 3/30/23

Loud explosions were heard in the Damascus area overnight Thursday (30th), Syrian state news agency SANA reported. Syrian television claimed that the explosions were caused by...

Coalition and Opposition Begin Judicial Reform Talks

As the proposed judicial reform sparks protests throughout the nation, Israel’s government is working to reach a resolution...

News Digest — 3/29/23

U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday (28th) urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to abandon a judicial overhaul proposal that led to massive...

News Digest — 3/28/23

On Monday evening (27th), President Isaac Herzog spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and opposition figures Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, urging them to...

News Digest — 3/23/23

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen met Wednesday (22nd) with his Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau to sign an agreement to resume the Israeli youth Holocaust trips to...

US Senator Wants to Punish Israel for Lack of Palestinian State

US Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) called for the Biden administration to make its support of Israel contingent on the development of...

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