Part 5 - Esther 5 How Women, Angry Men and God’s People

Part 5 - Esther 5Part 5 - Esther 5How Women, Angry Men How Women, Angry Men

and God’s Peopleand God’s People

• The name Esther means The name Esther means ““somethingsomething hiddenhidden” ”

Esther visits the KingEsther visits the King

On the third day Esther put on her On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace, in front court of the king's palace, in front of the king's quarters, while the of the king's quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace. the entrance to the palace.


• The The spiritualspiritual preparation has preparation has been completed and now she been completed and now she must prepare herself must prepare herself physicallyphysically


Five mission objectives.Five mission objectives.

•BreakBreak the the lawlaw for which the for which the penalty was penalty was deathdeath..

•Confess that she has Confess that she has deceiveddeceived the king by not telling him she the king by not telling him she was a Jew.was a Jew.

•Attempt to convince the king to Attempt to convince the king to reversereverse an an irreversibleirreversible law, law,

Five mission objectives.Five mission objectives.

•OpposeOppose HamanHaman, the most , the most powerful person on earth at powerful person on earth at that moment in time besides that moment in time besides the king.the king.

•Pursue a plan that will strike a Pursue a plan that will strike a serious blow to the king’s serious blow to the king’s pridepride

The Response to the QueenThe Response to the Queen

And when the king saw Queen And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, she won favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his golden scepter that was in his hand. hand.


Then Esther approached and Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. touched the tip of the scepter. And the king said to her, “What is And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.” even to the half of my kingdom.” (5:2-3)(5:2-3)


• The king is The king is pleasedpleased with her. with her. He He truststrusts her. her.



• The Offer of the King (5:3)The Offer of the King (5:3)

And the king said to her, And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.”of my kingdom.”


• It was a way of saying that It was a way of saying that the king was the king was generousgenerous


• The Request of Esther (5:4)The Request of Esther (5:4)

And Esther said, “If it please And Esther said, “If it please the king, let the king and the king, let the king and Haman come today to a feast Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the that I have prepared for the king.” king.”


• It would not have been wise to It would not have been wise to humiliatehumiliate the king in his court the king in his court by telling him he had by telling him he had unknowingly passed a law that unknowingly passed a law that jeopardizedjeopardized the the lifelife of his of his queenqueen. .

•She operates within proper She operates within proper protocolprotocol and and etiquetteetiquette. .


• It’s another It’s another partyparty (5:5-6) (5:5-6)

Then the king said, “Bring Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that we may Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther has asked.” So the do as Esther has asked.” So the king and Haman came to the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared. feast that Esther had prepared.


• It’s another It’s another partyparty (5:5-6) (5:5-6)

And as they were drinking wine And as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to after the feast, the king said to Esther, “What is your wish? It Esther, “What is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what is shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.”my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.”


• Esther’s Second Request (5:7-8)Esther’s Second Request (5:7-8)

Then Esther answered, “My wish Then Esther answered, “My wish and my request is: If I have found and my request is: If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my if it please the king to grant my wish and fulfill my request, wish and fulfill my request,


• Esther’s Second Request (5:7-Esther’s Second Request (5:7-8)8)

let the king and Haman come let the king and Haman come to the feast that I will prepare to the feast that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”do as the king has said.”


•God is working God is working behindbehind the the scenesscenes

AngryAngry MenMen (5:9-14) (5:9-14)

And Haman went out that day And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he neither rose king's gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against filled with wrath against Mordecai. Mordecai.


Nevertheless, Haman Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went restrained himself and went home, and he sent and home, and he sent and brought his friends and his brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. wife Zeresh.


And Haman recounted to them the And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the him above the officials and the servants of the king. servants of the king.


Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. Yet all this is together with the king. Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.”.gate.”.


Then his wife Zeresh and all his Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows friends said to him, “Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made, and in fifty cubits high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.had the gallows made.


•Haman bragged about his Haman bragged about his wealthwealth..

•Haman bragged about his Haman bragged about his powerpower..

• Haman has wealth, power Haman has wealth, power and position but is not and position but is not happyhappy


• Yet all this avails me nothing, so long Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” (5:13)king’s gate.” (5:13)

• Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows be made, said to him, “Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning fifty cubits high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet.”(5:14)king to the banquet.”(5:14)

Bottom Line:Bottom Line:

•Making God famous involves Making God famous involves riskingrisking itit allall!!!!

For anyone checking out the For anyone checking out the Jesus-centered lifeJesus-centered life

•We believe you are We believe you are worthworth any any risk we take to help you risk we take to help you transformtransform

For anyone intentional For anyone intentional about living a Jesus-about living a Jesus-

centered lifecentered life

•We risk We risk offendingoffending people people when we are when we are truthfultruthful with with them about their them about their realityreality..



• The biggest risk you will ever The biggest risk you will ever take is letting God’s grace take is letting God’s grace covercover youyou..





• It is risky to live with the It is risky to live with the belief that every moment is belief that every moment is an an opportunityopportunity to to expandexpand your faith in God.your faith in God.

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Part 5 - Esther 5 How Women, Angry Men and God’s People