Esther's amazing story is about love, near tragedy, divine providence, and has a happily-ever-after ending. It is an account about what I consider to be one of the three pivotal events in Jewish history; the other two being the Exodus and the birth of Jesus Christ. It's very true that Mordochai and Hadassah (Esther) were not the most principled people in their private lives, nor does it seem they were even practicing Jews, But God always uses the least likely and there's no denying the sacrifices they made in response to God's call, to ensure the survival of the Jewish people. And though God is not mentioned by Name, anywhere in this Book, it would be difficult to ignore the plethora of inter-textual evidence of the workings of His hands. This book is rife with commentary from the Talmud, Mishnahs, Targums, and other Judeo-centric works; written by rabbis, sages, ancient historians, and philosophers. In that respect, it is unique among commentaries written by Christians. My hope is that through this commentary, you will grow in your faith and in your appreciation not only of the wonderful gift Christ offers for the taking but also of the amazing blessing and privilege Christians have been given to bring the knowledge of Jesus' love and light into the darkness that was the world in biblical times and is the world today.
About the Author: After graduating from Cranbrook School, a private boy's prep school just outside of Detroit, Colonel Mayerstein attended Washington and Jefferson College where he played football and hockey and belonged to the ZBT Fraternity. He then attended the Jewish Theological Seminary of America's Cantorial School and served for a year in a pulpit in a synagogue in New Jersey. After a tour in Vietnam with the Army's 5th Special Forces, shortened by injury, he returned to finish college and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education. In 1974 he joined the US Air Force and, after flight training, was assigned to the Strategic Air Command. At various CONUS and overseas bases, he flew B-52 bombers, was a Flight Commander, served in a number of staff positions at Wing and Air Division levels, was a Squadron Officer School instructor at the Air Force Air University, and was a B-52/KC-135 Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Commander twice. He was also the Jewish Commission on Chaplaincy's rabbi for the Island of Guam for five years. A highly decorated officer, Colonel Mayerstein finished his 24-year Air Force career at the USAF Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Kirtland AFB, NM as the Operational Test Manager for the Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle program, and two highly classified, multi-service cruise missile acquisition programs. Ordained to the Gospel Ministry after retirement in 1997, he earned his Master of Divinity Degree from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. After a 1-year chaplaincy residency Colonel Mayerstein was a Hospice Chaplain for many years. Pastor Mark served in the Pastoral Ministry of the First Baptist Church of Rio Rancho, NM and was the Director of the church's 7-year mission to Belgorod, Russia. He served as a Chaplain at the Albuquerque VA and for the Albuquerque Police Department. He teaches a Bible Study class every Sunday and leads the annual Messianic Passover Seder. For the past 3 years he has hosted a weekly Christian radio program. He has published two Bible commentaries: The Epistle to the Galatians, and The Book of Esther: Salvation from Genocide. He is working on a third, Ezekiel: Stern Judge and Prophet of Blessing. He also published an autobiography, Too Young to Die: Memories of Tommy and the Vietnam War. He and Teri have been married for 39 years, have three married children, six grandchildren, a Pit Bull mix named Coco who thinks he's a person, and a 10-pound Shi-Poo named Cookie whose job is to keep Coco in line.