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INTRODUCTION …
The Book of Esther is another of those neglected
portions of Scripture. Yet what an
abundance of spiritual truth is found therein.
(a) The Jews
love this Book and read it annually at the Feast of Purim.
(b) The Liberal
Theologians criticise it as Unhistorical and Unchristian.
(c) The Christian
reminds himself that “All Scripture is inspired by God … and is
profitable…”! (2 Timothy 3:16.)
And
that includes the Book of Esther!!
* * * * * * * * * *
Nebuchadnezzar attacks
Jerusalem 606 BC
And attacks again 586
BC
(PERSIA CONQUERS BABYLONIA)
50,000
Jews return to Jerusalem 536 BC
(Approximately
2 million stay)
Here
comes Esther 480 BC
* * * * * * * * * *
Chapters 1-3 The
King’s Feasts 1:3;
2:18; 3:15
Chapters 4-7 The
Queen’s Feasts 5:5; 7:2
Chapters 8-9 The
Jews’ Feasts 9:27-28
1. The
King and His Revelry … verses 1-8
To celebrate his forthcoming victory over Greece (so
he anticipates, foolishly!) the King of Persia, Ahasuerus (better known as
Xerxes) throws a sumptuous banquet. And
gets drunk.
2. The
Queen and Her Refusal … verses 9-12
He orders Vashti to come and display her charms to
his drunken friends … and she says “No!”
3. The
Princes and Their Request … verses 13-22
At the suggestion of the seven wise men, Xerxes
issues a decree (that can never be altered, v. 19), that all wives must obey
their husbands. And Vashti is deposed
from her regal position.
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In our first study the stage was set for the
remarkable saga of Esther and her people.
Queen Vashti has been deposed for disobeying her drunken husband, Xerxes
1 … and whilst he is absent doing battle with the Greeks the quest is on for a
new queen…
1. THE
PERSIAN BEAUTY CONTEST
(a) The
Contestants. Notice that Esther is picked
to be in the contest … she does not appear to have had a say in it (v. 2). She is a young Jewess (born in the Persian Empire,
however), brought up by her cousin, Mordecai (vs. 6-7).
(b) The
King
himself would act as judge on his return.
Such judging was not carried out according to present day rules!
(c) The
Cosmetician, Hegai (v. 8), is so taken with Esther’s beauty that no unnecessary
cosmetics are needed (v. 15).
(d) The
Crowning. Sure enough, Esther pleases the king more
than the rest … and we have another feast (vs. 17-18)!
A comparison of the dates in chapter 1:3 (the third
year) with chapter 2:16 (the seventh year) reveals that Xerxes has been
away and now returned.
(e) The
Concealment. Twice we are told that Esther,
at Mordecai’s bidding, conceals her Jewish identity (vs. 10, 20). Was she right in so doing … or not??
(f) The
Conspiracy. Two of the king’s officers
plot to kill him; Mordecai overhears of
it and the king is saved (vs. 21-23).
* * * * * * * * * *
2. ENTER
THE VILLAIN … Boo, Boo, Hiss, Hiss…
Haman, one of the most wicked men in the pages of
God’s Word, is promoted. And it went to
his head.
(a) Self-Importance was one of his sins. Everybody had to bow to him. But Mordecai would not (v. 2)!
(b) Satanic … for he plots to massacre
the entire Jewish race (vs. 8-9)!
(c) Anti-Semetic. He hates Jews! Maybe ’cos
of his nationality, v. 1. He was
descended from Esau … and Jews did not bow to such people.
(d) Subtle … his accusation of the
Jews to Xerxes if half true and half false (v. 8).
(e) Superstitious … and this will prove his
downfall. He casts lots to see which
will be the most favourable day to slaughter the Jews (v. 7).
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Haman is out to slay the entire Jewish race … on the
13th day of the 12th
month … little knowing that the queen is a Jewess! Now read on…
1. TIME
FOR ACTION
(a) Mordecai’s Reaction to the decree is one of
anguish (vs. 1-3)
Esther’s
Misery
is very real, too (vs. 4-7). Why is her
cousin sad?
(b) Mordecai’s
Request is
that Esther would plead for her people (v. 8)
Esther’s
Misgivings
are well-founded. You don’t ‘barge in’
on the
Persian King
uninvited. It means DEATH … unless he
extends his Golden Sceptre (vs. 9-12).
(c) Mordecai’s
Reply is that maybe God has put her in such a position as she occupies
“for such a time as this!” (vs. 13-14).
Esther’s Mission … to plead for her people …
is heroically described (vs. 15-17).
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*** WHY IS GOD’S NAME DELIBERATELY AVOIDED IN
ALL THIS?? ***
1. It may be because the Jews
were in Persian and jealously guarded the Name of their God against heathen
eyes.
2. It may have something to do
with the fact that they are out of “His Land”. Deuteronomy 31:17-18 tells of His ‘Hidden Face’ during their
time of exile.
3. God’s
Name is hidden in the book four times in acrostic form. See Scroggie’s Know Your Bible,
Sidlow Baxter’s Expore the Book, etc.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter 5
1. THE
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ESTHER … vs. 1-4
(a) See
her FEARFUL … it may mean death! We, too,
are under condemnation (Romans 3:23).
(b) See
her FAVOURED …
the king extends the sceptre (v. 2).
And that sceptre is a picture of the Cross … the place where Heaven’s
King meets sinful man in MERCY! It was
all of grace.
God was propitious to us … at Calvary (Romans
3:23-24-25).
(c) See
her FEASTING …
feasting with the king. And invited to
ask of him what she will (vs. 3-4).
So we also fellowship with our King and bring him
our petitions.
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2. TROUBLE
AHEAD … vs. 5-14
(a) Haman’s
Pleasure
knows no end when he is invited to the queen’s banquet (v. 9). [Esther held the first feast (vs. 5-8) and
did not reveal her purpose. Female
intuition or Divine Providence?]
(b) Haman’s
Pride
is revealed as he displays his riches (v. 11).
But what shall it profit a man …
(c) Haman’s
Plot is
to hang Mordecai tomorrow. He will ask
the king to do away with that troublesome Jew.
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In
chapter 5 we saw Esther approach the king to plead for her people (under
sentence of death) … only to change her mind and invite him (and Haman) to
dinner the following day (v. 8).
That
night the king recalled Mordecai’s part in saving his life (2:21-23; 6:1-3) … and Haman, meanwhile, had some
‘gallows’ erected on which to hang his ‘thorn in the flesh’ (v. 14).
Now
the time comes for Esther’s second banquet …
1. THE
SUPPLICATION OF THE QUEEN
She now pleads for the life of her people … the
first time Xerxes or Haman knew she was a Jewess! (vs. 3-4).
2. THE
ACCUSATION TO THE KING
The instigator of this wickedness is Haman!! (v. 6).
3. THE
SUBJUGATION OF THE CULPRIT …
which, being interpreted, means that Haman comes to
a ‘sticky’ end. He is impaled upon the
stake he built for Mordecai (Psalm 7:15).
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THE DISPUTATION WITH THE CRITICS
Literal theologians deny the :
(a) Historicity
of the Book of Esther;
(b) Morality
of the Book of Esther.
(a) Historically. Whilst existing records do not confirm every historical
incident mentioned herein, it does not mean Archaeologists will never
discover such confirmation. Besides,
what has been unearthed by the spade does agree with many of the details given.
(b) Morality. The wording of the second decree, issued to counteract the first
one, therefore uses the SAME WORDING (8:11-12;
cf. 3:13). It does not command
the Jews to slaughter the ‘little ones’ … rather it covers the first decree and
reverses it in every detail.
Now the Persian army is on the side of the Jews! And sometimes ‘hangers on’ get out of
control when such a demonstration takes place.
The Scriptures make it clear that the Jews did not
go and attack others; rather the
Anti-semetics still attacked them despite the second decree (9:2, 16). Nor did they plunder their defeated enemies
despite permission to do so (8:11 …but see 9:10, 15-16). Had none attacked the Jews that day there
would have been no massacre. As for a continuation
of the slaughter on the second day (9:13), to leave 300 men antagonistic to the
Jews alive in the capital would have only led to further trouble at a later
date. A public example was made of
Haman’s ten sons, already dead when hanged (9:13). Nor must we judge Esther by the Sermon on the Mount. It is about 500 BC.
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We now come to a final look … especially at the way
in which Mordecai illustrates in a number of remarkable ways, our Lord Jesus.
1. THE
EXILE HE SHARED
Mordecai was born in Persia … an exile from
Jerusalem. The Lord Jesus was an exile
from the Heavenly Jerusalem. It was an
exile He shared with His brethren…
2. THE
ENEMY HE CONFRONTED
Haman is a picture of the old Devil. He hates God’s people … and their Leader, in
particular. Like Mordecai, our Lord
Jesus refused to bow (3:1-2; Matthew
4:9-10).
3. THE
GRIEF HE DISPLAYED … 4:1
The doom facing the Jews caused Mordecai great
sorrow (4:1). Note how Esther sought to
cheer him with a new suit (4:4). What
makes the Lord Jesus sad should make us sad, too. We need to change our attitude, not His.
4. THE
COMMANDS HE UTTERED
Esther did all that Mordecai commanded (2:10,
20). Until it was a matter of taking up
the cross (4:8). Some believers kick at
this stage, too…
5. THE
PRAYER HE OFFERED
As Esther risks her life, her counsellor and friend
intercedes for her (4:6). So does ours
(Hebrews 7:25).
6. THE
DEATH HE FACED
The word for ‘gallows’ (5:14) can be translated
‘cross’. (Esther, Moody Press,
p. 65). Of course, our Lord Jesus
actually went to the cross whereas Mordecai did not.
7. THE
WEAPON HE USED … 7:10
Haman himself died on that same cross (7:10). And the Lord Jesus used His Cross to defeat
the Devil (Hebrews 2:14).
8. THE
PRE-EMINENCE HE WAS AFFORDED
Notice how Esther gives all to Mordecai
(8:1-2). The application is obvious…
“Take my life …”
9. THE
DECREE HE DISPATCHED … 8:9
So we, too, are bidden by our Heavenly Mordecai to
spread the message of salvation to all (Matthew 28:19).
10. THE
JOY HE BESTOWED … 8:15-18
And that’s why Jesus came, too (John 10:10b).
11. THE
BOOK HE PENNED
Mordecai wrote a record of these events (9:20), and
by His Spirit the Lord Jesus inspired men to write a record of His victory.
12. THE
FEAST HE INSTITUTED … 9:21
… which reminds us of the Lord’s Supper. It commemorates the victory of our Heavenly
Mordecai (Matthew 26:26-29).
13. THE
EXALTATION HE RECEIVED … 8:15;
9:4; 10:2
He who once was “outside the gate” clothed in
sackcloth, is now gloriously arrayed.
“The Head that once was crowned with thorns…”
14. THE
FRIEND HE IS! … 10:3
He is our ‘friend at court’. See Esther 10:3 (The Living Bible)
and I John 2:1. Hallelujah!!
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