GREAT EVENTS OF THE BIBLE -- THE RESCUING OF THE JEWS BY ESTHER. Introduction: A. Recent Studies: 1. Judah was taken into Captivity by Babylon. 2. After being there 70 years, Cyrus the Persian decreed that any who desired could return to Jerusalem. The first returnees, led by Zerubbabel, left Persia and came to Jerusalem in 536 B.C. 3. They had planned to rebuild the Temple; however, Cyrus died in 530 B.C.; opponents caused Cambyses to stop the work on the project; it was delayed for 10 years. 4. Finally It was rebuilt in 516 B.C. B. (Slide #2) Important Dates: 1. 606 B.C. -- Nebuchadnezzar s First Attack On Jerusalem. 2. 597 B.C. -- Nebuchadnezzar s Second Attack On Jerusalem. 3. 586 B.C. -- Nebuchadnezzar s Third Attack On Jerusalem -- The City And The Temple Were Destroyed. 4. 559-530 B.C. -- Cyrus Reigned Over Persia. 5. 539 B.C. -- Babylon Overthrown By The Medes And Persians. 6. 536 B.C. -- Cyrus Allowed The Jews, Led By Zerubbabel, To Return To Jerusalem. 7. 530 B.C. -- Cyrus Died; Cambyses Stopped The Work On The Temple. 8. 522 B.C. -- Cambyses Died, Perhaps From Accidentally Puncturing His Thigh With His Sword; Darius Became The Next Emperor. 9. 522-486 B.C. -- Darius Ruled Over Persia. 10. 520 B.C. -- The Work On The Temple Resumed. 1
11. 516 B.C. -- The Temple Was Completed. 12. 486-465 B.C. -- Xerxes I (Called Ahasuerus in the Bible) reigned. (The Events In Esther Occur Between 483-473 B.C.) C. (Slide #3) Tonight s Lesson Is Recorded In The Book Of Esther! D. The Events Of This Book Fit Historically Between Ezra 6,7. 1. Nehemiah had already returned to Israel. 2. The events in the book of Esther occurred during the almost 60 years period between Ezra 6 & 7. 3. The Jews in the book of Esther are those who remained behind in the Persian Empire when Zerubbabel and Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem. The impact of the decree of Haman likely included even the returnees! E. The Main People In The Events Recorded In The Book Of Esther Are Esther, Her Cousin Or Uncle, Mordecai, King Ahasuerus (Xerxes), and Haman. F. Her Hebrew name Hadassah meant Myrtle ; Esther Means Star. G. One Of The Amazing Truths About This Book -- God Is Not Mentioned; However, His Providence Permeates This Historical Event! I. The Queen Deposed; Esther Made The Queen. 1,2 A. Ahasuerus In Anger Deposed His Queen Because Of Her Rejection Of His Request. 1 1. Herodotus described this feast as a military planning session. 2. Ahasuerus brought his mighty men of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes from all 127 provinces, and gloried in the splendor and glory of the Kingdom for 6 months! 1:1-4 3. At the end of that 6 months, Ahasuerus ordered a 7 day feast. 1:5-6 4. Vashti also had a feast for the women. 1:7 5. After 6 days of drinking, the king commanded the beautiful Queen, Vashti, to come to the feast wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials. 1:8-11 2
6. Vashti refused to come to the feast and show off herself in front of these drunken men. 1:12 7. The king thus deposed Vashti. 1:13-22 B. Esther Was Chosen The Next Queen! 2 1. The king sent out officers to find young women who might replace Vashti as the queen. 1:1-4 2. (Slide #4) Mordecai had raised the orphaned Esther. 1:5 3. (Slide #5) Esther was one of the young women taken to the palace; for twelve months her beauty was enhanced; she was selected as the next queen! She did not reveal her nationality. 1:6-20 II. (Slide #6) Haman s Lethal Proclamation! 3:1-15 A. Haman Was Promoted Above All Of The King s Servants. 3:1-2 B. All Of The King s Servants Bowed To Haman; Mordecai Refused To Bow To Him. 3:2 C. Haman, Filled With Rage At Mordecai s Actions, Determined To Destroy ALL Of The Jews! 3:3-9 1. He made a proclamation that all of the Jews would be destroyed eleven months later. 3:11-13 2. He cast the Pur and plotted to destroy the Jews! 3. He got the King s signet ring; this would make the decree official. 3:10 4. The decree was taken throughout the Empire! 3:14,15 III. (Slide #7) Mordecai s Challenge To Esther. 4: A. When Mordecai Heard The Proclamation; He Adorned Himself In Sackcloth And Ashes. 4:1 B. The Jews Mourned All Over The Empire. 4:3 C. Mordecai Urged Esther To Go Talk To The King. 4:2-9 3
D. Esther Knew That That Law Of The Empire Was That No One Could Approach The King s Throne Unless Invited! 4:10,11 E. Mordecai Warned Esther That If She Did Not Speak Up, She, A Jewess, Would Not Escape This Massacre. 4:12-14 1. He gave her a warning; he also suggested that she might be in the position as queen in order to be a providential deliverer of her people! 2. And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king s palace any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Es. 4:13,14 F. Esther s Response: Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: 16 Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish! Es. 4:15,16 IV. (Slide #8) Esther Approaches The King And Makes A Request. 5:1-14 A. Esther Went In To The King; He Received Her Favorably. 5:1-3 B. She Requested That She Could Prepare A Feast For The King And Haman. 5:4-8 C. Haman Left Filled With Pride; As He Passed Mordecai, His Joy Abated And His Rage Returned! 5:9 D. (Slide #9) At Home He Told His Family About His Invitation And About His Rage At Mordecai; His Wife Urged Him To Build 75 High Gallows And To Hang Mordecai. 5:10-14 V. Events Before And During The Feast. 6:1-7:10 A. The King Could Not Sleep That Night; He Called For His Chronicles; As They Were Read, He Was Reminded About Mordecai s Actions That Spared His Life! 1. The events when Mordecai protected the King from being assassinated! 2:21-23 a. Mordecai overheard two eunuch plotting to assassinate the King. b. He reported their plot; they were hanged. 4
c. This event was recorded in the Chronicles of the King. 2. During that sleepless night, the king s servants read the Chronicles to the King; they contained the record of Mordecai s actions. 3. Mordecai had not been honored for his actions. 6:3 B. Haman Entered As This Discussion Was Occurring; He Thought This Was A Discussion About Honoring Him. Thus He Suggested A Pompous Honor! 1. Haman s suggestion: For the man whom the king delights to honor, 8 let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head. 9 Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king s most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor. Then parade him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him: Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor! Es. 6:7-9 2. (Slide #10) Immediately the King told Haman to go and honor Mordecai for protecting the King s life! Ex. 6:10,11 3. Imagine the humiliation that Haman felt! C. As Haman Told His Wife About This Humiliation, Eunuchs Came And Took Him To Esther s Feast. 6:14 1. At that feast Esther revealed her Jewish heritage to the King. 7:2,3 2. She also told the king about the proclamation to destroy her people. 7:4 3. (Slide #11) When the King asked who made such a decree, she identified Haman! 7:5 4. The king left the banquet room in a rage; Haman pled for mercy to Esther; he fell on the couch where Esther was. When the King returned, he accused Haman of attempting to molest or assault the queen. 7:6-8 5. (Slide #12) One of the eunuch suggested that Haman be hung on his own gallows; he was! 7:9,10 VI. The Jews Saved From Annihilation! 8:1-10:3 A. Esther Was Given Haman s House; Mordecai Was Given The King s Signet Ring. 8:1,2 B. Esther Pled To The King For Haman s Decree To Be Revoked; That Could Not Happen Under Persian Law. However, Mordecai Could Proclaim Another Law 5
That The Jews Could Defend Themselves Against Any Who Tried To Harm Them. 8:3-9:16 1. The Jews protected themselves. 2. Haman s 10 sons were executed on his gallows. 9:10 3. A second day of fighting also was proclaimed. 9:11-16 C. (Slide #13) The Jews Celebrated Their Salvation! 9:17-32 D. The Feast Of Purim Is The Jews Observance Of This Deliverance Even To This Day! 9:26-28 VII. (Slide #14) Lessons: A. God Used An Evil King To Deliver His People! B. Esther s Courage Was A Driving Factor In The Salvation Of The Jew! C. Pride Can Consume You And Destroy You! D. Anger And Hatred Can Become Your Own Gallows! E. God Can Take Care Of And Deliver His People Providentially! 6