THE
BOOK OF ESTHER
INTRODUCTION:
1.The story of Esther fits between the first return from
Captivity led by Zerubbabel, and the second return led by Ezra; The events in ESTHER occurred between Chapters 6 and 7
of the Book of EZRA.
2.Knowledge of the Book is not essential to getting an
overview of general Old Testament History, but ESTHER is an interesting and dramatic story.
3.When Cyrus permitted the exiled Jews to return home,
thousands of them (perhaps even more than a million) stayed in Persia.
a.This BOOK shows
God’s presence was with those who stayed in Persia, as well as with those who
returned to Judah.
b.The people were protected and preserved from the threat of
extermination by the Persians.
c.The Book of EZRA
deals with Restoration; NEHEMIAH
deals with Reconstruction; ESTHER
deals with Preservation.
d.This is the important story of an orphan Jewish girl who
became Queen of Persia; It took place in Susa, the Capital.
e.Esther became Queen in 478 BC, about forty years after the
temple in Jerusalem was rebuilt, and about thirty years before Nehemiah rebuilt
the walls of Jerusalem.
4.TITLE: Hebrew: HADASSAH -- “myrtle”; Persian: ESTHER -- “a star”.
5.AUTHOR: Unknown;
Perhaps an unidentified Persian Jew.
6.DATE: ESTHER probably was written about 460
BC; The Book covers about ten years from 483 to 473 BC.
7.The word “GOD” is not in the Book of ESTHER, but in the Book we can see His Hand in human history in a
dramatic way.
a.It was not just “good luck” which prevented destruction of
the Jews in Esther’s time, but it was the grace of God.
b.The Book of ESTHER
is considered by all Bible believers to be one of the best examples of the
PROVIDENCE OF GOD (Latin PRO-VIDEO: “I
see before” -- Foresight, seeing ahead and acting on the basis of
foreknowledge: Sovereign manipulation of ordinary human affairs; Arranging
matters so His children are taken care of; Not miraculous intervening, but
providential overruling).
c.Although God is not mentioned in this Book, His
Providential care is seen throughout and perhaps it is emphasized by the
non-mention of His Name.
1.CRISIS
ANTICIPATED: GRAVE DANGER TO THE JEWS --
CHAPTERS 1-5.
A.ESTHER REPLACED VASHTI AS QUEEN; CHAPTERS 1-2 --
EXALTATION:
1.Chapter 1, IN THE KING’S PALACE; QUEEN VASHTI DEPOSED.
a.Ahasuerus has been identified as Xerxes (his Greek name),
who ruled Persia twenty years (485-465 BC), Verses 1-2.
b.The king made a lavish banquet and displayed his royal
glory for the people, Verses 3-4.
c.The drunken king ordered Vashti (her name means “beautiful woman”) to parade her beauty
before the men, Verses 10-11.
d.She refused and was deposed as queen lest her example
should encourage other women to look down on their husbands, and disobey them,
Verses 12,15-17,19-20.
1)If the king had been a good man, he would have given her
protection instead of punishment.
2)We admire Verse ashti’s purity and courage, and observe
that her action paved the way for Esther to become queen just at the right time
in history -- An example of Providence!
2.Chapter 2, ESTHER BECAME QUEEN.
a.There was a search for a new queen: Esther was among the
candidates, Verses 2,4,5-8.
b.It now had been about four years since Vashti was deposed,
cf 1:3 with 2:16.
c.Esther won the royal beauty pageant; The king married the
beautiful and charming (cf Verses 7,9,15) Jewish maiden without knowing her
nationality, Verse 20; cf Verse 10 and 3:4.
d.Mordecai warned the king of assassination; His faithful
service was recorded (Verses 21-23); And later rewarded, 7:9-10.
B.HAMAN PLOTTED TO DESTROY THE JEWS; CHAPTERS 3-5 --
PERSECUTION:
1.Chapter 3, HAMAN’S PLAN TO EXTERMINATE THE JEWS.
a.Haman became captain of the princes; Mordecai refused to
reverence him, Verses 1-2. True
spirituality does not do away with good manners, or patriotism; But it does not
allow undue respect, nor respect at all for the person of a high
officer.
b.Haman hated Mordecai and all Jews, and planned for a year
to kill all the Jews in all the provinces, Verses 4-6.
c.Another five years had passed since 2:16; Haman was
superstitious; He “cast the lot” (the
Assyrian word is “PUR”) to determine the best time for the massacre, Verses
7-8.
d.Through bribery and lies he convinced Ahasuerus to issue
an edict that all Jews in the empire would be slain on a single day, Verses
9,13. Such savagery seems inconceivable
to us.
2.Chapter 4, MORDECAI PLED TO THE KING FOR HELP.
a.The king’s decree caused great sorrow to the Jews, Verses
1-3.
b.Mordecai asked Esther to appeal to the king to spare the
Jews, Verses 4-8.
c.He convinced her she was called to her high position for
this purpose, Verse 14 (We should consider why God has put us in our time and
place, and try to fulfill His purpose before our opportunity is gone).
d.Esther made the courageous decision to risk her life by
entering unbidden into the king’s court (see the penalty, Verse 11), and to
reveal her nationality to the king in a desperate effort to get him to spare
the Jews, Verses 15-16.
3.Chapter 5, ESTHER WENT BEFORE THE KING.
a.After fasting, Esther appeared before the king and invited
him and Haman to a banquet, Verses 1-4.
b.We can admire her courage for risking her life by Verse
entering into the king’s presence without an invitation, to intercede for her
people, cf 4:11.
c.At the first banquet, Esther invited the king and Haman to
attend a second banquet, waiting for the right moment to make her request,
Verse 8.
d.Haman was flattered, but later became enraged when
Mordecai did not reverence him, Verse 9.
e.Haman had a 75-foot gallows built for Mordecai, Verses
10-14.
NOTE: In all the
events up to now we can see the marvelous pre-arranging of affairs in
anticipation of the events to come.
2.CRISIS
OVERRULED: GREAT DELIVERANCE OF THE JEWS -- CHAPTERS 6-10.
A.HAMAN WAS HUMILIATED AND HANGED; CHAPTERS 5-7 --
PRESERVATION:
1.Chapter 6, MORDECAI WAS HONORED.
a.After the banquet, Ahasuerus decided to treat his
sleeplessness by reading the palace records, Verse 1.
b.He read about Mordecai, and wanted him to be honored,
Verses 2-3,4-6a.
c.Thinking the honor was for himself, Haman suggested
extravagance in the ceremony, Verses 6b-9.
d.Haman’s wife warned him of trouble to come, Verses
10-14,13.
2.Chapter 7, ESTHER HAD A BANQUET; HAMAN WAS EXECUTED.
a.At the second banquet, Esther interceded for her people,
Verses 1-4.
b.She then told the king of Haman’s guilty intentions,
Verses 5-6.
c.In this most unusual turn of events, Haman was hanged (on
the grounds of his own house!) on the 75-foot gallows he had built for
Mordecai, Verses 9-10.
B.THE JEWS’ CONQUEST AND COMMEMORATION; CHAPTERS 8-10 --
COMMEMORATION:
1.Chapter 8, ESTHER’S THIRD PETITION; THE JEWS WERE AVENGED.
a.Mordecai was made known as Esther’s kinsman (cf 2:7), and
was promoted over the house of Haman, Verses 1-2.
b.Persian law did not allow the earlier decree to be
revoked, but permission was given the Jews to defend themselves when they were
attacked, Verse 11.
c.This decree altered the first one; And it also brought
great joy, Verses 15-17.
2.Chapter 9, ENEMIES DESTROYED; FEAST OF PURIM WAS
INSTITUTED.
a.When the day came, the Jews defeated their enemies, Verse
5.
b.These days were made a celebration for the Jews (PURIM came from PUR, referring to the lots cast by Haman to determine the day),
Verses 26-28.
3.Chapter 10, MORDECAI’S GREATNESS AS HE WAS MADE PREMIER.
a.The “Fairy Tale” closes with the promotion of Mordecai to
be Premier, Verses 1-3.
b.Xerxes, the mighty monarch of the Persian Empire, had a
Jew for his prime minister and a Jewess for his queen; They were the brains and
heart of his palace!
c.This paved the way for the work of Ezra and Nehemiah.
**ESTHER IN
TEN WORDS:
Grave Danger For The Jews;
Great Deliverance For the Jews.
**ESTHER IN
FOUR WORDS:
Exaltation - Persecution - Preservation - Commemoration.
**CONTRIBUTION
OF THE BOOK OF ESTHER TO THE BIBLE:
1.The Book stresses God’s Providence, but also stresses
human responsibility to be aware of every opportunity and take advantage of the
same while it is present.
2.The clear message emerges that God uses ordinary men and
women to overcome impossible circumstances in order to accomplish His gracious
purposes.
3.QUOTE FROM KENNETH BOA: “The God of Israel is the sovereign controller of history, and His
providential care can be seen all throughout this book: He raised a Jewish girl
out of obscurity to become the queen of the most powerful empire in the world;
He ensured that Mordecai’s loyal deed was recorded in the palace records; He
guided Esther’s intrusion into the king’s court; He superintended the timing of
Esther’s two feasts; He was involved in Ahasuerus’ insomnia and the cure he used
for it; He saw that Haman’s gallows would be utilized in an unexpected way; He
gave Esther great favor in the sight of the king; and He brought about the new
decree and the eventual victory of the Jews.
No miracles were involved, but the events meshed together with obvious
purpose -- a slight change would have affected the whole outcome. Even in Persia the words of Genesis 12:3 rang
true: ‘And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will
curse.’“
4.QUOTE FROM J. SIDLOW BAXTER: “...amid the shadows God stands, keeping watch upon His own. He sees and knows and cares for His own. He may be out of their sight: but THEY are
never out of HIS sight. ‘He that keepeth
Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.’
He may be invisible, but He is infallible. He may seem strangely silent, but He remains
actively sovereign. . . . Evil may be temporarily permitted, but ultimately it
is frustrated. Behind a frowning Providence
God hides a smiling face.”
**CHRIST IN
THE BOOK OF ESTHER:
1.See Christ in the Book of ESTHER because of Satan’s effort
to destroy the Jews (and thus the Messianic line), but he could not and
did not succeed - cf Mt 16:18.
2.Mordecai overcame the enemies and all the Jews overcame
through Mordecai just as Christ overcomes our enemies and we overcome through
Christ - cf Heb 2:9; Rom 8:37.
**CONCLUSION:
1.The spiritually preserved Jews brought forth the Messiah;
He is the One Who can preserve us - Rom 6:4; 2:4.
2.God has provided; The lost must respond - Ac 2:38.
THE BOOK OF
ESTHER
Occurs Between Ezra 6-7; Author Unknown;
It Covers About 10 Years (483--473 BC);
It Was Written About 460 BC; Providence
1.GRAVE DANGER TO THE JEWS, Ch 1-5
A.Esther Replaces Vashti: Exaltation
B.Haman Plots Destruction:
Persecution
2.GREAT DELIVERANCE OF JEWS, Ch 6-10
A.Haman’s Hanging: Jews’
Preservation
B.The Jews’ Conquest: Commemoration
10 Words -- 4 Words; Contribution; Christ