ESTHER

Esther• Around the year 483 B.C. Xerxes was king 1:1-3• Ahasuerus is Hebraized form of his name• Persian Empire from India to Ethiopia (made up

of 127 satrapies) 1:1• Princes and nobles invited to banquet 1:3• Lasted half a year 1:4• To show off his riches 1:4• Including his wife Vashti 1:11• After everyone was drunk 1:7-8,10

Esther• Vashti refused the king’s summons 1:12; 1 Tim.

2:9• The king became angry (he was a hot-head)• King sought advice from his wise men 1:13-15• They claimed that the whole kingdom was

wronged 1:16• They advised him to banish Vashti and marry a

replacement 1:19• Their motive was to keep their own wives in

subjection 1:17,20

Esther• Esther became the replacement 2:1-18• Young, beautiful, Jewess raised in Persia by cousin

Mordecai from the tribe of Benjamin (fifth generation from exile) 2:5-7

• Mordecai told her to keep her background secret 2:10

• Respected by Hegai, in charge of palace women 2:8-9,15 given special treatment

• Mordecai stayed near the gate to learn how she was 2:11

• Esther was chosen by the king, and he gave a feast 2:18

Esther• Mordecai saved the king’s life 2:19-23• He overheard two doorkeepers plot to kill

Xerxes 2:21• He told Esther who told the king 2:22• It was investigated and confirmed 2:23• It was recorded that Mordecai was the

informant 2:23• Esther’s ethnicity still kept secret 2:20

Haman• From a zone by Media 3:1• Became royal vizier 3:1• Mordecai refused to bow to him at the king’s

gate 3:2-5• Haman sought to kill all the Jews because of him

3:6• Cast lots for the day to kill the Jews 3:7• Then he went to Xerxes for authority to kill all

the Jews in the empire 3:8-9• Offered to pay the king 10,000 talents of silver

for this law 3:9

Haman• He and the king sat down to drink 3:15• The city of Shushan was perplexed 3:15• The Jews, especially Mordecai, lamented 4:1-3• Esther hadn’t heard about it 4:5• She sends a messenger to clothe him and find

out why he is mourning 4:4-6• Mordecai explains and asks for Esther to go and

ask the king to save them 4:7-8• Esther warns of the risk of approaching Xerxes

uninvited 4:10-12

Faith and Providence• Mordecai expresses faith 4:13-14• He suggests providence 4:14• We should believe in God’s care 1 Peter 5:6• Otherwise, prayer is in vain James 1:5-8• We may not understand all the details

Philemon 15• Esther shows faith by asking for the prayers of

the Jews with fasting 4:15-16• She was determined to do right even if she

were to die 4:16

Esther’s Wisdom• Esther acts in faith 5:1-2• Esther lays the groundwork in order to give a

word “fitly spoken” 5:3-8• Prepared a banquet for Xerxes and Haman 5:4• Set up for banquet the following day 5:8• She could not use her position to start a Jewish

revolution • Remember Moses Acts 7:23-26• Remember Vashti 1:11-22

Haman• Haman is a proud man 5:11-12• So he is jubilant that he was the only guest of

Esther’s banquet 5:9,12• Just seeing Mordecai refusing to bow at the gate

upset him 5:9 feelings are fleeting• Mordecai refused to show fear 5:9• He brags to his family how he feels 5:10-12• He complains to his family how he feels 5:13• They suggest he hang Mordecai 5:14• Make gallows, get king’s permission, hang

Mordecai in the morning, be happy!

“Give a man enough rope…”• Haman went to Xerxes for permission to hang

Mordecai 6:4-5• Before he made his request, Xerxes asked him,

“What shall be done for the man the king delights to honor?” 6:6

• Haman assumes the man had to be him 6:6• So he suggests truly royal treatment 6:7-9• Xerxes says for him to do that for Mordecai 6:10• Because he realized he hadn’t been rewarded• Now Haman’s family believes in providence 6:13

“Give a man enough rope…”• Now was time for the banquet 6:14• Esther makes her request 7:1-4• For her and her people to be saved• The king asks who would dare kill them 7:5• Esther says, “This wicked Haman!” 7:6• Xerxes is furious and leaves the room 7:7• Haman falls down to plead to Esther 7:7• Xerxes concludes that he wants to assault her 7:8• One of the eunuchs mentioned the gallows made

by Haman for Mordecai, who was a good guy 7:9

Exaltation of Jews• Esther asked for salvation of Jews 8:3-6• Obstacle of decree in king’s name 8:8• Put Mordecai in place of Haman 8:1-2,7-8; 10:1-3• His new law gave Jews authority to defend

themselves against those who still planned on attacking them with Haman’s law 8:11-14

• Many respected Jews, became Jews 8:17• Jews killed their enemies that attacked 9:1-17• Including ten sons of Haman 9:13• Feast of Purim 9:18-32