Esther

Welcome to Women of the Bible... over the next 8 weeks (including this week on Esther) we are going to be looking at a different woman each week from the Bible. Please feel free to leave comments or questions, and tell us what these stories mean to you. I love Esther and her courage, even amidst a situation that she was so unfamiliar with.

Who is Esther?

Named Hadassah at birth, she was later given the name Esther. She was a Persian Jew who lived in the fifth century BC during a massive exile of Jews from the Holy Land. It was a time when people kept quiet about their religion, especially if they were Jewish. Esther is the woman in the Bible whose name is mentioned more times than any other woman... 56 times in all. (Even more than Sarah, who was only mentioned 54 times). Her life is full of courage, risk, bravery, and much faith in God. Twice she risked death to save her people, even though she could have kept quiet to save her hide. Esther was Mordecai's cousin, and had been adopted by Mordecai. (2:15)

Main sections of the Book of Esther are:

- Esther becomes Queen and replaces Queen Vashti
- Haman plots to destroy all the Jews
- Esther and Mordecau pray to God for divine assistance
- God answers Esther and Mordecai's prayers
- The tables are turned
- Epilogue

Esther is a Book that could be its own full study... giving it just one week hardly seems right. But I hope that it will inspire you to go and read the entire book on your own and learn more about Esther, and her Godly character.

Esther ch 1

Setting the stage...
King Xerxes ruled over 127 provinces from India to Cush. In his 3rd year he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. It lasted 180 days. After that, he gave a smaller party that lasted 7 days. It was very rich, and every man was allowed to drink as much as he wanted. At the same time Queen Vashti was giving a banquet for the women in the royal palace on King Xerxes. After 7 days of drinking, Xerxes asked Vashti to come wearing her royal crown to show her off. She refused. He was mad. Xerxes asked his consultants what to do, they advised banishment so other women in the Land wouldn't follow her ways and disobey their husbands. They advised that Vashti should never enter the King's presence again and that another woman should gain her royal position.

Now, the actions towards Vashti seems so harsh... she didn't want to go show off to the drunken king and his drunken friends. I don't blame her! But by her refusing, it opened the door for Esther and the job she had to do.....

Ch. 2.
Enter Esther -
Read Esther 2 - each person read 5-6 verses.

Read Judith Couchman's introduction. pg - 17

1. Verse one of this chapter claims that Xerxes "remembered Vashti... and what he had decreed about her." What might this indicate about the king's thoughts regarding his treatment of Vashti?
- maybe he missed her? had regrets after he became sober.... his anger was cooled....

2. In verses 10-18 we learn more about Esther. Do you think her beauty was the only asset that caused people to favour her?
- she won favour of everyone... she had inner beauty, God's strength shows through in our character... our moral standards are revealed through our personality and speech. Maybe she was meek... she didn't ask for anything except what the attendant had suggested.

Esther entered the harem unprepared for its pressures, but as the story unfolds she grows in character and usefulness to God. When we step in to his service we can feel inadequate, even baffled. But God uses who we are, where we are, and develops our character as we yield to him.

Ch. 3
The king honoured Haman, and Haman wanted all people to bow to him. Mordecai would not, (3:1-4) and therefore Haman started to plot against the Jews. Haman's ancestors, the Amalekites swore enmity against the Jews. God had ordered the Jews to "blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven" (Deut. 25:17-19) but they didn't' follow through on his command. Considering this and other possible factors, what could be Mordecai's motivation for refusing to bow to Haman?

Read 3:8-11
4. What was the edict? vs. 12-15
All the Jews would be wiped out, annihilated... the decree had gone out and was posted in all the towns.

Ch. 4.

Mordecai learns what had happened, and he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her about he, she was distressed. Esther sent one of her attendants to get the whole story from Mordecai.

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? 4:14

Read 4:9-17

5. Esther heeds the advice of her cousin and then declares a fast before she approaches the king. Why would she do this?
-Only God can work something out to convince the King.

6. What additional qualities has Esther developed that make her a woman God can use?
- Humility, seeking God, trusting God through prayer and fasting

Ch. 5.

Read 5:1-4
Esther gave a banquet for the 2 of them, and repeated her request the following night. Later in ch. 5 Haman was enraged that Mordecai continued to refuse to bow to him, so his wife suggested Haman have gallows built and ask the king to have Mordecai hanged. He had them built.

READ Ch. 6

Ch. 7
At the banquet Esther had prepared for the King and Haman, she asked for her life. And for him to spare her people. She said if we had just been sold as slaves I would not have bothered the king... but since we are scheduled for annihilation, I thought I would ask. She revealed that it was Haman and the king was enraged. He had Haman hanged on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai.

Ch. 8.
Esther received Haman's estate. Mordecai came into the presence of the king because Esther told him he was a relative.

vs. 3-6
7. How does Esther feel toward her people? She loved them, she was broken at the thought of them being destroyed. She could have saved herself and walked away, but she chose to risk her life twice by going to the king without being summoned.

8. What do these verses say about Esther's character? Loyal, loving, cared for her people.

read vs. 5- 8

The Jews were also given the right to assemble and protect themselves, to destroy the army coming against them. The custom of the day prevents the king from rescinding an order previously given.


Ch. 9
The tables were turned, and Mordecai becomes more prominent and powerful in the palace.

read 9:5-6
vs. 13-17

After that, the Jews celebrated. Mordecai declared that an annual celebration on those days each year. These days were called Purim.

Read ch. 10.

Resources:

Women of the Bible for Dummies - by Rev. John Rigilio Jr., PhD, ThD, and Rev Kenneth Brighenti, PhD.

Esther - Character Under Pressure - by Patty Pell

Esther - Becoming a Woman God can Use - by Judith Couchman

Esther - NIV and the Message Versions of the Bible