Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Sarah as Esther?

I have had several people send me forwarded emails of a story with a Pastor Mark Arnold and Sarah Palin.


I read it carefully. I did as much search on Pastor Arnold as I could. I read much of the other materials as I could. If you want to see the thing I was forwarded you can read it all over the blogs. Type in Mark Arnold Palin Esther. You will get a hundred hits

The first time I heard this idea of Sarah as Esther was at Faith Center from the House Prophet.

I have been careful not to be carried away. My discerner began flagging red. I have been around enough evangelistic exaggeration to know that not every story told is exactly as it was happened.

So I don't know what to make of all this. There are some (few) parallels.

  • Esther was a woman of great beauty
  • Esther was culturally not of the Persian elite
  • Esther was a surprise candidate
  • Esther was despised by her critics (not as herself, but her race)
  • Esther was at risk by what she embarked upon
  • Esther was on a track to be extinguished
  • Esther took a risk and spoke up
  • Esther spoke truth that could have cost her life
  • Esther looked out the window and could see the gallows upon which it would have been predicted she would soon meet her end according to the polls
  • Esther's timing was impeccable
  • Esther saved her people who were so despised and ruled in righteousness

How much of the Purim story fits or not is up to y0u. There are some parallels, but the story I was sent seems to be just more convenient than I suspect actually occurred.

I love the prophetic word and am prone to accept it. I just want to be sure it came from the lips of a prophet and not the pen of a good writer. In this case I'm not sure.

1 comment:

Ron McK said...

The gullibility of Christians is really disturbing. They already have a saviour, but they keep looking for a better one. They already have a divine Lord and King, but they keep looking for a human one.

People should think more clearly about what the Esther analogy really means. Esther dealt with one enemy of the Jews, but she did not rescue them. They continued to be slaves in a Babylon for many more years. Esther was effectively a slave for the rest of her life. Even when they returned to Israel, they were dominated by external powers. Esther is a symbol of slavery rather than deliverance.

I find it scary that so many Americans believe that a politician can rescue America. The idea that God wants a human politician to “reign” in America is bizarre. God wants Jesus to reign in America. The best that Sarah Palin could do is to become a Saul (read 1 Sam 8).

Gene, if you want to be a serious prophetic voice to you nation, stop fussing about Palin and Obama, and get listening to God. Find out what is really going on in your nation. Find out why so many Christians are crying out for a human king, just the other nations of the world.