Book of Esther

10/18/09 Book of Esther

• Jews stayed because they had nowhere else to go
• Persia is in Charge, King Xerxes
• Megila: the whole 9 yards
• 7 out 10 chapters of Esther are parties
• Xerxes didn’t earn nobility, he was just born into the royal family
• Xerxes was the “tallest, handsome” man

Chapter 1:
• Verses 1-12:
 King gave orders to how much wine one can have
 He tries to impress guest
 Has lots of parties, banquets
 Verse 4: gold goblets, each different on purpose
• God is never mentioned in the whole book
 But rather implied, understood
• God is working through her, it is implied
• After the wine, the king is in high spirits (drunk)
• Would Xerxes have done this if he weren’t young
• Verse 10: wearing royal crown “only” perhaps, and so she refused to come
 This is implied, because it is a way for Esther
 We get a picture of Xerxes because the queen refuses
• Verses 13-18:
 Civil disobedience by women
 Queen given all women kingdom an idea to disobey
• Verses 19-22:
 Huge kingdom, there are different languages
 Sends an order that man is the ruler of the household
Chapter 2:
• Verses 1-7:
 Jew: Judah -ite, tribe of Judah
 Esther – from tribe of Benjamin and was pretty
• Verses 8-14:
 Went by the name of Esther (Anglo-Saxon, Persian name for Star)
 Hebrew name was Hadassah
 She didn’t want anyone to know she was a Jew
 Mordecai (her uncle) instructed her to not tell
• Verses 15-18:
 She wins, crowned queen, won favor with everyone who saw her
 We can sense her destiny
 She isn’t selfish (it’s a mark of her character)
 Has a huge holiday to celebrate her and Xerxes gives gifts out
• Verses 19-23:
 Strange coincidences
 Mordecai is sitting at the gates (had the responsibility – which was an honor)
 He hears a plot to assassinate the king
 Esther followed instructions when she was brought up - she is obedient
 She happens to have access to king with credit to Mordecai
 It is recorded, Esther is firmly established and he really loves her now

Chapter 3
• Verses 1-7: pur is lot or dice, to decide when to kill
• Mordecai didn’t want to bow down because He was Jewish and Jews only bow down to GOD
 That is the speculation
• Sometimes we bow down, give honor to other people than God
• Ex: athletes, we gave them honor

10/25/09
Chapter 3
• Mordecai didn’t bow down because only God deserves it
• Exodus 17:8-16, 1 Samuel 2
• Haman was an Amelekite (ancient rivalry)
• Verse 4: “day after day”
• Genesis 39:2-10:
 Joseph/Podefer’s wife
• Daily temptations and addiction
• How were they able to buckle up
• A mind set and not a mood
• We have to get our mind set on it
 Feelings are not trustworthy
• Colossians 3:2:
 “set” – goal
 So it is not an option
• Deuteronomy 33:25:
 Gates have your mind
• Verse 6: Mordecai’s people were the Jews
• Haman didn’t want to get even with them an, but take it out on every one
• When we’re not obedient to God, then things get worse
• Why was Haman so angry?
 Because he’s an Amelekite, and someone didn’t follow his order
• He planned a Holocaust (which means burnt whole)
• Verse 7: lots
• Proverbs 16:33: God sometimes let people use lots for directions
• They’re gambling on it (11 months)
• The months are in Jewish calendar
• God’s in control of our time
• Paranoia, total psychosocial damage
• Verse 8: he made a generalization
• He twisted it around and blamed all – stereotype
• The king does not know that Esther is Jewish
• Xerxes was already embarrassed (disgraced) publicly, found out about the murder on him, and he wasn’t going to take chances on anything at this point
• Haman offers to pay for it too!
• Verse 10: enemy of the Jews
• Verse 11: “Keep your money”
• Xerxes is trying to get Haman to call the shots
• He gives Haman his ring (Power)
• Its like Haman is in charge
• Verse 13: destroy, kill, annihilate
 Use 3 words when could have used one
 Revelation 9:11 – the king over the bottomless pit
• John 10:10 – thief comes to kill, destroy
• Satan is controlling Haman to destroy Jews
• Leviticus 23:4-5 – edict set out when Jews were celebrating Passover (deliverance of Jews)
• God is saying “remember who you are”

11/1/09 Chapter 4
• Verses 1-3: great mourning
• Reminds us of our human fragility
• Joel 2:12:
 Joel was a prophet
 Locusts destroyed everything
 Fasting, weeping, mourning in Hebrew is sad, returning to God
 God is talking
• There is a divine hidden-ness
• Sack cloth and ashes: sign of repentance
• Reaction among the Jews: they associated with sin or outside of being in fellowship with God
• They get the idea that the danger is a result of being away from God
• God’s covenant: I will love you, I will protect you if you obey
• Sack cloth is a change in status
 Voluntarily wear
 They humble themselves
• Sometimes our troubles drive us to God
• Repentance: not punishment, but right
 Gift as the children of God
• Verses 4-8: streets were filled with wailing Jews
• Distance between Esther and her uncle
• She’s not like the other Jews, she does get what’s happening
• She’s becoming a pampered queen
• She wants to fix the problem without understanding why it is the way it is
• Mordecai said to show her the text
• She’s lost all the sense of responsibility
• We want our superficiality shattered
• Something will happen that will force you to remove the shell to be an authentic person
• Will be painful, but a butterfly will emerge
 Death, divorce, something serious/painful
• Verses 9-11: She reminds Mordecai about the Law
• It’s a protection thing
• Thinks somehow Xerxes may know that she’s a Jew
• She’s not certain about what he’ll do
• Her concerns are for herself, not considered the consequences of NOT goinig in
• Verses 12-14: strong response
• Shakes her into responsibility, into who she is
• She is ultimately Jewish
• She may not be able to live either
• If she doesn’t not do it, someone else will do it
• God’s plan will not be thwarted by men
• We have a choice to do God’s work
• Why would an orphan Jewish girl be queen?
• Providential hand of God is at work
• She’s been blessed at all time
• No coincidences!
• We see what we think are series of coincidence resolutions, but it is God’s Providential Hand – God answers prayers!!!!
• Do we accept God’s promises spiritually or literally?
• We’ve been put here for such a times as today
• We can refuse to walk in God, but is plan moves on
• Ecclesiastes 3:2
• Acts 17:26
• Ephesians 1:11
• The hardest decisions to make are the right ones
• We are not called to an easy life, but a purposeful life!
• Verses 15-17: she get the message and she reacts
• She fasts for 3 days (don’t eat or drink for 3 days)
• Timing: fasting during feasting
• Celebrations of Passover being trumpeted by this news
• Fasting used to be limited by day hours
• How would a 3 day fast look for her?
• Significance of fast was to sacrifice and prayer whole heartedly
 Act of desperation
• You receive much more than food during a fast
• Joel 2:12-13: wants real return in heart
• Esther id’s herself with the Jews now
• It is a defining moment for her
• She tells the world that she is not what she pretended to be
• Consequence: death, no compromise
• We need to ID ourselves with God’s people

11/8/09 Esther Chapter 5
• Verses 1-2: King is holding a scepter out
• Which means he will see you
• Usually coming uninvited is certain death
• Most of what we fear will never happen to us
• Once we trust God, we can and should be willing to accept the end
• Satan uses our fears to rob us of joy
• She wore a royal robe
• Mordecai told her to beg for mercy
• She’s not dressed as a beggar, but queen of the Persian empire
• We render God’s will and never even know it
• Verse 3: He’s obviously pleased with her boldness
• Historically Xerxes was psycho
• “What is it?” in Hebrew means “What is troubling you?”
• Verses 4-8:
• God loves our willingness and obedience
• She invites Haman
• She may have been observing their relationship
• She’s inciting jealousy in the king – she shows a little bit of affection to Haman
• God’s timing is perfect
• She invites Haman yet again
• Verses 9-14
• Haman leaves the first banquet and is in high spirits
• Mordecai even refuses to rise in Haman’s presence
• Mordecai doesn’t show fear
• Haman is a narcistic person – he goes home and has another party
• He has a pre-occupation with one person
• He loves to hate him and is addicted to it
• 2 Corinthians 10:5:
 Only God can rescue us
 God gets into our secret thoughts and heals us
 We can try to fix it ourselves, but it will keep coming back
• Haman is obsessed with what Mordecai did
• Gallows: shows everyone what he is going to do

11/5/09 Esther Chapter 6
• Verses 1-3:
• “That night”
 Night of the banquet
• Xerxes basically wanted a bed time story about himself
• Wanted the diary of his reign
• Coincidently Mordecai comes up
• (this is about 5 years later)
• Names of conspirators are mentioned and this gives credibility to historical records
• Verses 4-6:
• There are lots of uncanny coincidences
• Haman builds gallows, the same night that Xerxes realizes that Mordecai should be honored
• God’s timing is never too late, its perfect
• The king couldn’t sleep that night
• Circumstances
• The Lord took sleep from the king that night
• Sometimes we cant sleep –
 Maybe God’s asking us to take notice of something He has to say
 A tug on our hearts
• Just ask God what He wants you to know
• He originated a prayer in our hearts
• He uses our intercessory prayer to affect His will on earth
• God kept him awake to learn about Mordecai
• Xerxes wanted to hear about his reign
• God speaks to us about our issues and answer our thoughts
• Haman is pacing in the courts outside
• Maybe the sun isn’t even up
• The king asks for “whomever” is outside and it happens to be Haman
• King asks Haman what should be done to an “honorable” man
• Haman’s ego is HUGE
• Verses 6-9:
• “Man king delights to honor” is mentioned by Haman constantly
• He has a thought, breaks off, and starts another sentence
• Haman is fascinated by that phrase
• He’s almost unable to contain himself
• Haman suggests:
 Bring robe that the king wore
 King’s horse
 King’s toothbrush
 Parade around town
• Genesis 41:33-42
 Joseph was honored by Pharaoh
 Perhaps some similarities except that Joseph’s was a reality and Haman’s is a fantasy
• Haman fantasizes about king
• Persian robe was thought to have magical powers
• Sooner or later pride will destroy you by mouth
 Pride goeth before the fall
• What is in our hearts will come from our mouths eventually
• Verses 10-11:
• Haman’s knees must have buckled
• V 11 leaves out so much
• 3 words that describe Haman:
 Humiliated
 Ashamed
 Destroyed
• 3 words that describe Mordecai:
 Perplexed
 Confused
 Confounded
• Verses 12-13:
• Mordecai returned to work
• It doesn’t effect him
• Haman went home
• Rushed in grief
• Verse 13: friends and advisors – ironic
• Haman’s wife tells him that his downfall started and is going against God’s people
• Verse 14: Eunuchs came to take Haman to banquet

Chapter 7
• Verses 1-7:
• Esther: master politician?
• How did she present this to the king?
• She asked him to spare her life
• She’s Jewish
• Finally tells the truth
• Sooner or later: who we are needs to come out
• Haman is terrified
• The king leaves
• Haman begs for his life

11/22/09 Chapter 7 Continued
• Verses 1-7:
• Haman was terrified before both of them
• Suddenly Esther is not one of them, she is powerful
• An order had been one of the people to be executed
• Xerxes leaves wine
 He finds out that his wife is Jewish
 Finds out that Haman is planning to kill the Jews and Haman is his right hand man
 Feels betrayed by both
• Prior queens: instantly replaceable
• Verses 8-10:
• Haman looks like he is all over the queen
• King is upset
• Esther says nothing
• Did Esther do the right thing? Should she have shown mercy?
• Haman not showing real repentance
• King came in a confused fury
• God uses the character flaws in Xerxes to do His will
• The king is humiliated by Haman
 Haman was duped into killing the queen
• Tradition was at the time that no one was allowed within yards of the queen(s)
• There is a reason all the Eunuch’s were eunuch
• Touching the queen was not even thought of
• Harbona: the Eunuch (est. Chapter 1:10-11)
 Witnessed all the craziness
• Verse 9-10: King says to hang Haman on his own gallows
• The edict is still in effect
• King’s fury is subsided
• The king doesn’t really get it

Chapter 8
• Verses 1-6:
• First time the king and Mordecai are face to face
• Mordecai and Esther’ relationship is exposed
• Pleads before king now
• She held it together as long as she could and falls apart
• Xerxes gives his signet ring to Mordecai
• He doesn’t want to be responsible
• Verse : Esther avoids basically saying “you got yourself into this mess”
• Persian laws cannot be repealed
• She asks king to do something that is important
• Says it’s a “dispatch”
• She is downplaying his authority
• She uses his whole name
• Verses 7-8
• Says “as seems best to you”
• “you fix it”
• He isn’t being who he needs to be
• God wants to show us that we have to do things ourselves when we want someone else to do it
• Verses 9-13:
• Resolution: gives Jews a right to defend themselves
• What’s the purpose of this book? Why is it important?
 God will protect the surviving remnant
• How to protect?
 Come together
• At first, they were all integrated within the society
• Couldn’t distinguish them from others – almost homogenous
• Now that they unify, they will come together and become identifiable
• Will preserve, protect them, and they’ll go back
• 2nd Edict:
 70 days after Edict
• Persian empire is so vast it would take months to get the edict out
• Verse 11: a deterrent
 Don’t have the law behind them anymore
• Verses 14-17:
• God allowed suffering; became battle warriors
• Hebrews 10:24-25:
• Ephesians 6:10-18
• God allows suffering
• We have a right to defend ourselves

11/29/09 Esther chapters 9 & 10
Chapter 9:
• Verses 1-4: there is a big turnaround
• Mordecai: new power, dominion
• New verdict: Jews can defend themselves
• Verses 5-15: no reference to women and children
• The edict included to destroy women and children, but that is because it was copying/referring to Haman’s edict
• Haman’s sons also killed
There would be no more of the Amelekite lineage
Avoid someone to avenge the death of Haman
Public display since the sons were already dead
• Esther’s request is to carry out the edict for another day
Maybe some of the enemies escaped
Make sure the story was widely heard
• This wasn’t a call to slaughter
• They had the right to plunder, but they didn’t
• It makes it a just, holy war
• Viewed as a holy war, doing what should have been done
• Genesis 14:17-24: After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself." But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.' I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share."
• Abram didn’t take the spoils
• They don’t want to be enriched and to give them credit
• 1 Samuel 15:20:
Cant rob a bank and give to church
Restraint is demonstration of the people
Verses 16-19:
• Celebrate the day of rest
• Presents: translated as “special foods”
• Psalm 16:5-6:
 Portion: the way his life has worked out so far
• Instead of destruction, we see our destiny one step at a time
Verses 20-22:
• “gifts to the poor”: reflection of God
• God delivered us by sending His Son as a baby
• Verses 23-28:
• Did God order them to celebrate? No
• Took it among themselves
• Esther: very beautiful, pampered, smart and gets along with everyone
• Yet, it wasn’t her beauty nor her personality that was remarkable, instead it was her courage
• To celebrate “To never cease to celebrate”
• Took it upon themselves
• Ironic? Yes
• Because the edict cant be reversed
• Verses 29-32 and Chapter 10:
• Some thought this book wasn’t historical
• Says written down in its history books