Esther 2: Esther Becomes Queen

One thing to notice about the story of Esther is how God quietly moves behind the scenes of this drama, steering events to happen in a way that will ultimately lead to the benefit of His people.  

Surprisingly, "God" does not appear in the Book of Esther at all!  (One of only two books in the Bible to merit that distinction.  The other is the Song of Songs.)  Though not mentioned explicitly by name, God is still very active in the book, discreetly pulling strings and pushing actors in accordance with His will.  

In chapter two, the vacancy of the queen's position by the banishment of Vashti is filled when the king holds a kind of "virgin pageant" of the beautiful young women in his kingdom.  Esther, whose Jewish heritage is kept a secret at the prodding of her cousin/adopted father Mordecai, is the one that Ahasuerus selects to be the new queen.  By installing Esther into such a position of power and influence, it is clear that she will be a major player in the action to come.