Shared universes. The new wave in movies and television which is, well, not so new. While the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) has re-popularized the concept, it has existed before. Not just in comic books. The old classic, Universal Monsters such as the Mummy and the Werewolf and such had their universe. Then we had Toho’s Kaiju universe with Godzilla, Mothra and eventually King Kong. “Walker, Texas Ranger” did a crossover with “Martial Law” and of course there was the Hanna Barbera cartoon universe. Dare I go into the old Greek myths or other mythology?
Since the MCU re-popularized this idea, we have seen more. There is the DCEU (DC Extended Universe); the Arrowverse (which will soon give us a huge crossover event where even Kevin Conroy of the Batman Animated Series and Tom Welling of Smallville will be in the same, well, multiverse). We also have a shared universe made by Guiermo del Torro in cartoon form, featuring both 3 Below and Troll Hunters. Universe tried to start a new one with monsters but that has not seemed to get off the ground. Even Hasbro was supposed to be jumping into it with a series of movies building a world with M.A.S.K., G.I. Joe, and many others.
Did you know the Bible is a shared universe? King David, Esther, Gideon, Paul, Jeremiah, Ruth, Abraham, and so many others are all part of one big universe. Daniel is mentioned in the book of Jeremiah, Ezra appears in Nehemiah, Peter and Paul cross over, etc. Try reading Hebrews 11. This really brings it together. Also, look for the points where the New Testament quotes the Old Testament.
Have you ever read such a point then gone back and read the passage being quoted? Not just the one verse, but the chapter or even book? Surely you have done this with the MCU. You see something…wait, what? And then you go home, watch one of the other MCU movies, and are so shocked in the connection. Why not do this with the Bible?
But here is something crazy. Just crazy: YOU live in a shared universe. Yes, you live in this same universe! You live in the same universe as the King David who slayed a great warrior while only a young man. You also live in the same universe as a Paul, a many who underwent many perilous journeys to bring a new message from a creator to His creations. In this same universe God came in human form, being born of a virgin, to bring a message of love and righteousness and then die to free humanity from sin; only to show more power in resurrecting from the dead a few days later! We live in such a universe as this. Sometimes we think the angels are a totally different group. But they are part of this ‘verse. They serve the same God we do (well, except the fallen ones). We are on one team with them, not separate teams.
So start looking for those connections. Ask God questions about these stories. Look for the crossover moments and ask how it fits together. While Esther existed “for such a time” as hers and we exist “for such a time” as ours, we all exist for such a single timeline as this.