Esther 9–10: The Jews defend themselves, celebrate deliverance with Purim, and Mordecai rises to power.
I checked the BYU Religious Studies Center (rsc.byu.edu) and The Joseph Smith Papers (josephsmithpapers.org) but found no specific scholarly articles directly addressing Esther 9–10 or the celebration of Purim that fit as well as the BYU Museum of Art's discussion of Purim. Therefore, I will be using a resource from the BYU Museum of Art.
The BYU Museum of Art published an article titled "Purim" which details the Jewish festival commemorating the deliverance of the Jewish people as recorded in the Book of Esther. The article highlights how Haman's decree to destroy the Jews was reversed through Queen Esther's courage and faith, leading to the establishment of Purim as an annual two-day celebration of feasting and joy. It also mentions Minerva Teichert's painting of Queen Esther, noting how the artist portrayed Esther as a resolute and dignified figure who answered a divine calling to save her people, especially poignant during the rising oppression of Jews in Europe when Teichert painted it. You can read more about it here: https://moa.byu.edu/purim/.
Analytical question: How does the article's mention of Minerva Teichert's painting, created during a time of rising anti-Semitism in Europe, deepen our understanding of the enduring relevance of the Purim story and the theme of divine deliverance?
Reflection question: As the Jews established Purim to remember God's hand in their deliverance, how can intentionally recording recent tender mercies or instances of divine help in your own life similarly strengthen your memory of God's hand and influence your future faith and courage?
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