ESTHER
Theme: God’s exiled remnant preserved.
Key Verse: Esther 4:14
"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
Key Words or Phrases: The most important words of the Bible are
missing from this book, "The Name of the Lord."
King, Queen, Haman, Mordecai
Outline:
I. Esther becoming the Queen - Chapters 1,2
II. Haman becoming the renegade - Chapters 3-7
III. Mordecai becoming the hero - Chapters 8-10
Introduction;
This historical narrative takes place during the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) 486-465 B.C. This specific event is believed to have occurred in his third year reign which was 483 B.C.
This time frame fell between Ezra 6 & 7. This book is believed to have been written by Ezra or Mordecai for the Persian historical records. (One reason why God’s name is not mentioned but definitely inferred.)
The primary teaching of this book is the concept of God’s Divine Providence. The book also reveals how the Jewish Festival of Purim (lots) originated. Thus, Esther is considered the Purim scroll.
The Festival of Purim is considered a minor holiday. It is one of the most joyous festivals though in the Jewish year. Purim is one of only two festivals commemorating an event taking place in the post-biblical period and the only one that occurred during the Diaspora. This Jewish Festival even today teaches how God intervenes to avert a terrible calamity to the Jewish nation, it promotes the triumph of good over evil, and the victory of the Jewish people over their enemies. (Eckstein, 130).
This Festival was inaugurated by Queen Esther, and Mordecai and was to be celebrated annually on the 14th day of the 12th month, Adar (130).
The name of the book, "Esther" itself relates the message of this book. Her name means, "Hiddenness". Since the name of God does not appear in Esther and the very name Purim denotes "lots" which reflects the capriciousness of events to mere chance. The point becomes clear though, when you observe the book’s teachings. These coincidences of events form an inescapable pattern of Redemption and reveal that even though God’s name is not mentioned, He is at work in every action and event in Esther and in history. (Eckstein, 134).
Eckstein notes "Nachmanides, along with other Jewish thinkers, suggests that there are two basic categories of miracles - those which are supernatural and which transcend and defy the laws of nature, such as Purim, in which God’s redemptive actions take place through nature in the course of normal events." (134)
Therefore, Purim celebrates God’s miraculous hidden way of working through the natural process. This means through our 4 primary characters in Esther. It’s important to note that they all had their own wills and desires, and even though they were all doing their own thing, God was at work orchestrating a miracle for the Jewish nation through the events of life. Note what Morgan states, "They all went their own way, had their own will. They were left absolutely to work out their own purposes. Yet, while they were absolutely free to work out their own will, the sphere of the operations of will is God, and they could not escape Him." (276)
T.S. Let’s now look at our four main characters in Esther to discover how God works all things out to His glory.
I. KING XERXES CHARACTER PORTRAYED (See Chart)
A What would you say were Xerxes’ priorities? What did he value? (See, for instance, 1:4-15, 22:, 2:2; 6:1-3; 8:8.)
He valued money, riches, booze and sexual pleasure. He was self-centered, conceited and very prideful.
B. Consider how Xerxes dealt with women - Vashti, Esther, and the virgins of his kingdom. What good or bad examples did he set for men (especially husbands)? (See 1:10-12, 1:13:22, 2:1-4, 2:15-18, 5:1-8, 7:1-10, 8:1-8, 9:11-15.)
1. He definitely was not a Promise Keeper
a. See Promise Keeper list.
2. Vashti - a bad example of being a tyrant.
a. Note - He wanted her to parade around nude in front of all at the party he was throwing only wearing her crown. She refused.
3. Esther - treated with respect and was good to her. Offered her half the Kingdom
4. Virgins treated as sex slaves. Once he had slept with them they then lived in isolation from all others. Family could not even see them.
C. Yet God intervened in this man’s life through sleeplessness, for the Nation of Israel.
Note Esther 6: 1-4
6:1 That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. 2 It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. 3 "What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?" the king asked. "Nothing has been done for him," his attendants answered. 4 The king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows he had erected for him.
II. THE PORTRAIT OF HAMAN "AN ENEMY OF THE JEWS"
Esther 8:1
A. His lineage paints a picture for us.
1. In Esther 3:1 he is described as an "Agagite". This means he was a descendant of King Agag the Amalekite.
a. Do you remember the story of the Amalekites from Deut. 25:17 20?
17 Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. 18 When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and cut off all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. 19 When the LORD your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!
b. The Amalekites were the ones who attacked the Israelites from behind as they left Egypt.
c. Do you also remember what God told Saul to do with King Agag and the Amalekites?
1. I Samuel 15: 1-3
15:1 Samuel said to Saul, "I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD. 2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: `I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’"
2. Saul did not obey. Note I Sam. 15: 7-11
7 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt. 8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs--everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed. 10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: 11 "I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." Samuel was troubled, and he cried out to the LORD all that night.
3. Quick Note: Mordecai is one of Saul’s descendants. The battle was not won by Saul because he did not do as God said and his disobedience jeopardized Israel many years later.
4. Eckstein notes:
Amalek and Haman became seen as the Jewish prototypes of pure, unadulterated evil, paradigms of the incarnation of radical and absolute evil in the world. In every generation, say the rabbis, there are Amalekites like Haman seeking to destroy the Jewish people of God. There are those who declare, "Come, let us wipe them out as a nation. Let the name of Israel be remembered no more!" (Ps. 83:4) God’s dominion over the world is incomplete so long as Amalek, symbolizing evil, exists. It is, therefore, humankind’s duty as co-partners with God to eradicate evil and to replace it with good.
(Duet. 25:19) 19 When the LORD your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!
B. God’s intervention in this man’s life to thwart evil.
1. Haman’s plan, Esther 5: 9-14
2. God’s plan carried out. Esther 6: 4-14; Esther 7
III. MORDECAI THE GATEKEEPER FOR GOD
A. His historical lineage
1. Mordecai was a Benjamite and a descendant of King Saul.
2. Esther was a cousin of Mordecai and Mordecai adopted her in her childhood. He would be her foster father.
B. He was a man of integrity.
1. He refused to allow a conspiracy of the eunuchs 2:21-23 to overthrow Xerxes.
2. He would later be rewarded for this honorable action. Esther 6.
3. Note he also is noted as one who checked on Esther, he cared for her with a fatherly love. 2:11.
C. Mordecai also was a man of wisdom.
1. He did not have Esther reveal her heritage 2:10.
2. He would not bow to the enemy of God’s people and forget God. 3:1-6.
3. He used his necessary resources to win a victory.
a. He prayed and fasted and mourned.
b. He went to Esther.
1.) Was stern with her when he had to be and reminded her of Divine Providence. 4: 12-14
D. Mordecai’s faithfulness to God was honored by God, Esther 6, and Xerxes made him Prime Minister.
IV. QUEEN ESTHER PLACED IN POSITION BY GOD TO RESCUE GOD’S PEOPLE FROM EVIL.
A. Her Character
1. She listened to others’ advice. Esther 2:10
2. She was beautiful and won favor with Xerxes.
a. Martin Luther’s comment:
"Let a wife make her husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave."
3. She knew how to handle the king but she did have the people praying and fasting for God’s intervention. 4: 15-17 - 5:1-7 - 7:1-10
a. More men and women need to learn this principle of praying and fasting before approaching their mate with big requests.
b. Ogden Nash stated: "To keep your marriage brimming with love in the loving cup, when you’re wrong, admit it. When you’re right, shut up."
4. She was courageous in the midst of death.
a. She risked her position and her very life, interceded for her people and saved her people from anialation. (Barker, 102)
Conclusion:
The book of Esther teaches us:
1. We may have to confront the enemies of God, but that God and the forces of good, will ultimately triumph over those of evil because God is at work in the background.
2. This book inspires us to have courage in the face of danger and adversity.
3. We also learn "not to be silent" in the presence of evil but confront it in God’s guidance to eliminate it.
4. We learn that while oppressors may come and go, God’s promise and covenant with His people is everlasting.
5. The book of Esther renews our belief in a God who acts in history and who continues to do miracles on behalf of His people. Therefore, we indeed have cause for great joy and jubilation.
