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Overview of the book of Esther
A new queen in Persia… (3 things)
- 1st – Refusing the King… 1:1-22
- 1st – A feast fit for a King… vs. 1-8
- In the days of Ahasuerus…
- King Ahasuerus – is the historical Xerxes – who reigned from 486-465 B.C.
- The son of Darius – the same Darius who was a contemporary of Daniel – Daniel 6
- Xerxes son Artaxerxes would be the one who sent Ezra and Nehemiah back to Jerusalem!
- He was King of the 127 provinces of Persia – from India to Ethiopia…
- The kingdom of Persia was the greatest the world had ever seen up to that point…
- The territory they conquered ranged from India in the East – to Africa in the West…
- The heart of the Persian Empire was modern day Iran / Persia…
- And the story begins in its capitol of Shushan – the modern city of Susa in Iran
- The King threw a lavish party for all the nobles and princes of Persia…
- To show off the riches of HIS kingdom – and the splendor of HIS glory and greatness…
- The party lasted for 180 days – capped off by a special 7-day party for everyone in the city…
- The courtyard was decorated in blue and white curtains – marble columns / silver rods…
- Silver and gold couches sat on mosaic tiles of alabaster / turquoise / and black marble!
- And everyone was allowed to drink as much as they wanted from gold cups!
- The King obviously had A LOT of money – and he used it all to bring glory to himself!
- That might sound like a great life – but the one thing that was lacking was God…
- And we are going to see his happiness crumble in a moment – because it is built on sand!
- The world looks at us and think we are foolish for trusting in / looking to Jesus…
- But there will come a day when all they depend upon collapses into a heap of dust!
- Matthew 7:26 – “Like a foolish man who built his house on the sand…”
- In the days of Ahasuerus…
- 2nd – A drunken request… vs. 9-15
- Queen Vashti (Beautiful) had her own feast with the women of the royal palace… vs. 9-15
- And on the 7th day of the feast – King Ahasuerus merry with wine (drunk)…
- Called for Vashti to come with her crown (presumably only her crown) show off her beauty…
- But the queen refused to come naked before a group of drunken men (understandably)…
- Enraged the drunken King called for his wise men to discuss a punishment for the queen!
- I am amazed at the poor decisions people make when they ‘have a little too much to drink’…
- Then rather then admit their poor judgment – they go to other drunks for advice…
- A great example of why it is a really good idea not to get drunk – it ruins marriages!
- You will never hear someone say – ‘my marriage is so much better because I drink.’
- Queen Vashti (Beautiful) had her own feast with the women of the royal palace… vs. 9-15
- 3rd – All women are to honor their husbands… vs. 16-22
- Memucan – one of the kings advisors – gave this advice…
- Vashti had not only insulted the king – but all the princes and men of Persia…
- Because their wives would hear the Queen had not obeyed the command of the King…
- As a result – they too would begin to despise the words of their husbands!
- Therefore the King was encouraged to banish Vashti as punishment for her disobedience…
- And a decree sent throughout the Kingdom – all women should honor their husbands!
- The saying pleased the King – and a letter was sent out to all the provinces of Persia
- This ends up being a bit of a hot topic – especially in our modern equal rights culture…
- But the command for wives to honor their husbands is a Biblical one – Ephesians 5:22
- The question has to be asked – what does it mean for a wife to honor her husband…
- The example of honor / submission is found in the Church submitting to Jesus Christ…
- We do not tell Jesus what to do – we are to be completely loyal to His commands!
- In the same way a wife should be COMPLETELY submissive to her husband…
- Not that the wife should be mute – it is a wise man that listens to his wife!
- Yet in the end it is the responsibility of the husband to decide – and the wife to follow!
- And when a wife submits herself to her husband – she is not ‘trusting him’…
- She is trusting Jesus – especially if her husband is not making a great choice!
- But when the wife is not submitting to her husband – she in a sense gets in the way…
- Better to duck and get out of the way – and let God deal with her husband!
- What if a husband is an unbeliever…
- All the more a wife should be submissive to her husband…
- I Peter 3:1 – “Wives be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives…”
- It may very well be that their Godly example will win their husbands to Jesus!
- But believer or un-believer there is one very important exception…
- If a husband asks his wife to do things contrary to the Word of God…
- In that case a wife must always submit and obey to God first!
- It is VERY important to note…
- This command is not for all women to submit to all men – just a wife to HER husband…
- Also the command is for the wife – the husband has nothing to do with it….
- It is not for the husband to remind his wife – tell her to submit…
- Whether or not the wife it submissive is between the wife and the Lord!
- Memucan – one of the kings advisors – gave this advice…
- 1st – A feast fit for a King… vs. 1-8
- 2nd – Picking a new Queen… 2:1-23
- 1st – Queen Esther… vs. 1-11
- The wrath of the King subsided – he sobered up – and he regretted what he had done… vs. 1-4
- But the laws of the Medes and Persians could not be repealed – even by the King…
- So instead the decree was given for a new queen to be chosen…
- A search was made throughout the empire to find the most beautiful young women
- In Shushan there was a Jew named Mordecai – from the tribe of Benjamin… vs. 5-11
- A descendant of Shimei – who had cursed David when he fled Absalom – II Samuel 16:5
- Whom David head spared when he was restored – allowing him to have children!
- Mordecai had adopted his cousin who was an orphan – her name was Hadassah (Myrtle)…
- But her name was changed to Esther – Star – because she was so beautiful!
- She was chosen to be one of the young women taken into the harem of the King…
- However under the instruction of Mordecai – she did not tell anyone she was a Jew!
- From mercy shown by David – to orphaning a little girl – to the drunken request of a King…
- It turns out God was orchestrating every detail in preparation to save His people…
- We often try to label things in life – we call them either Good or Bad…
- Because we do not always understand why God allows the things He does…
- But there are no coincidences with God – He uses all things in our lives!
- Romans 8:28 – “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
- The wrath of the King subsided – he sobered up – and he regretted what he had done… vs. 1-4
- 2nd – Each women had 12 months to prepare to meet the King… vs. 12-20
- Presumably because many came from lower classes – and wanted to present their best…
- Afterwards they could take anything they wanted with them to impress the King…
- They would go to him in the evening – and in the morning return to a 2nd haram…
- And they would never see the King again – unless he specifically requested them by name
- When Esther went to meet the King – she only took what Hegei (chief eunuch) suggested…
- And the King loved Esther more than any other women – so she became the new Queen…
- Not because of all the beauty treatments – or jewelry – all the women had that…
- It was because of the far deeper beauty that came from inside Esther!
- The trend today is for women to focus on external beauty…
- They judge their beauty based on clothing – hair / jewelry / nails / etc.
- They think these are what make a person beautiful – they could not be more wrong…
- Someone might have the best clothes – hair – makeup – and all the accessories…
- But if they are mean and sinful – there is no beauty – just the opposite!
- Yet someone can be very homely – but if they are full of Jesus – beautiful!
- And for those who live for outward beauty – they are in for a surprise…
- It does not last – not matter how much you try – you GET OLD…
- Women spend LOTS of money trying to hold on to the beauty of their youth…
- They buy ‘beauty products’ / spend HOURS in front of the mirror / surgery…
- But no matter how hard they try – age ALWAYS wins out in the end!
- Therefore do not focus on outward looks…
- I Peter 3:3-4 – “Do not be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should be known for the beauty that comes from within…”
- Not that there is anything wrong with a woman being ‘pretty’…
- If the house needs painting to make it look good – paint that house!
- But women should not focus ONLY on making the outside pretty…
- Instead they are to ‘put on’ good works – beauty coming from their heart!
- Seeking the inner beauty that comes from knowing Jesus Christ!
- Presumably because many came from lower classes – and wanted to present their best…
- 3rd – The plot against the King… vs. 21-23
- Two of the eunuchs of the King became furious with him – and plotted to kill the King…
- But Mordecai overheard their plans – and informed the Esther – who then told the King…
- The King had the men hung on a tree (impalement) – the event recorded in the history books
- But nothing was done for Mordecai – at that point – God was still working!
- 1st – Queen Esther… vs. 1-11
- 3rd – The command to kill the Jews… 3:1-15
- 1st – Haman the Agagite… vs. 1-6
- After these things – the king promoted Haman to the head of the Princes…
- So all the servants of the King bowed and paid respect when Haman passed by…
- Except Mordecai – he refused to bow – and word of his insolence came to Haman…
- But instead of seeking to just punish Mordecai – he decided to instead kill all the Jews!
- Why did Mordecai refuse to bow – Haman was an Agagite – a descendant of the Amalekites…
- When Israel came out of Egypt – Amalek had attacked them…
- They wanted to keep Israel from Mt. Sinai – where God would give Israel the Law…
- To keep Israel from hearing from God – becoming the chosen people of God…
- As a result God promised He would completely destroy even the memory of Amalek!
- 400 years later King Saul was commanded to fulfill that vow – I Samuel 15:1-3
- Saul slaughtered the Amalekites in battle – but he did not kill them all…
- He left alive the best of the sheep / cattle – and King Agag!
- In the Bible ‘Amalek’ is a type / picture of our flesh (sinful desires / sinful nature)…
- Our flesh does not want to listen to God – it desires to keep us from the Lord…
- There is a battle inside of us every day – between our sinful flesh / and our Spirit…
- It is the battle between what I ‘know’ God wants – and what I ‘want’…
- Romans 7:15 – “I do not understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I do not do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate.”
- Why do I do what I know is sin – because I want to – no one forces me…
- Why do I not do what I know is good and right – because I do not want to …
- The battle between our flesh and Spirit – our will versus the will of God…
- The failure of Saul to completely wipe out Amalek would cost him his life…
- Saul was later killed by an Amalekite – II Samuel 1:8-12
- And because Amalek was not wiped out it almost destroyed the entire nation of Israel…
- Haman and Amalekite (descendant of King Agag) – wanted to kill every Jew!
- The Amalekites in our life are not always obvious – they can seem innocent…
- That ‘one drink’ that could not possibly hurt – the ‘one night’ we go to out to…
- The ‘one Sunday’ we miss church because we are so busy…
- When we give in to the flesh – the flesh desires more – and then more…
- We end up on a slippery slope that threatens to destroy our relationship with the Lord!
- After these things – the king promoted Haman to the head of the Princes…
- 2nd – Casting lots… vs. 7-15
- In the month of Nisan (April) Haman cast lots to decide what month to eradicate the Jews…
- The lots fell on the 13th day of month of Adar (March) – 12 months later…
- He went to the King and told them about the Jews – with their ‘different laws’…
- He was willing to pay 10k talents of silver – $200 million – for their extermination!
- The King gave his ring / seal – and the order was sent out to every corner of the Empire…
- To destroy / kill / annihilate – every Jew – young and old / men and women…
- And to take all of their possession and land as spoils (motivation for murder)…
- After the King and Haman sat down to drink – while the city was in confusion!
- Ironic – that Haman spent millions to destroy the work of God on a specific day…
- But it was Haman who actually was rushing towards a judgment day of his own!
- The world spends countless millions today to try and take God out of society…
- Influencing politicians / elections – and an complete take over of public education…
- But for all their efforts – God will not loose – they are the ones hurling towards judgment!
- So many people today are just going about their daily lives – blinded by lies…
- They assume life just goes on – tomorrow will be just like today…
- They do realize that Jesus is coming soon – judgment is right around the corner…
- It is our opportunity to share with them – to warn them…
- They may mock us – they might not believe – but then again they might and be saved!
- In the month of Nisan (April) Haman cast lots to decide what month to eradicate the Jews…
- 1st – Haman the Agagite… vs. 1-6
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