Transcript God’s Hand: - Washington University Bible Fellowship

And Who Knows…
A Study on the manifestation of
God’s involvement in the book of
Esther.
Goals of this Study
For the audience to understand that God works out
his plan in all circumstances.
Focus more on lessons rather than dates.
Point out ways in which we can identify with each
of the characters.
Find:
Examples to follow.
Sins to avoid.
Promises to claim.
Commands to follow.
Authorship and Time Frame
• The author is a Jew. Both Jews and Christians
alike have generally supposed Mordecai to be the
writer of this book, according to Esther 9:20
"Mordecai wrote these things".
• The book of Esther is about a beautiful Jewish girl
who became the Queen of the Persian Empire in
479 B.C.
Key Verse
Esther 4:14
"And who knows but that you have come to royal
position for such a time as this?"
Outline and Overview
I. How Esther came to be queen, and Mordecai to be great at court, as instrument
of the intended deliverance
Chapter 1-2.
II. How Haman obtained an order for the destruction of the Jews
Chapter 3.
III. The distress of the Jews, Mordecai's rebuke to Esther and Esther's decision
Chapter 4.
IV. The defeating of Haman's plot against Mordecai
Chapter 5-7.
V. The defeating of his plot against the Jews
Chapter 8.
VI. The care taken to keep this story in the mind of all Jews for generations to
come
Chapter 9-10.
I. Chapter 1-2
How Esther came to be queen and Mordecai to be
great at court, as instruments of deliverance.
"And Esther won the favor of everyone who
saw her" --Esther 2:15b
II. Chapter 3
Upon what provocation, and by what arts, Haman
the Amalekite obtained an order for the
destruction of all the Jews.
"...King Xerxes honored Haman son of
Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and
giving him a seat of honor higher than that of
all the other nobles."
-Esther 3:1
III.Chapter 4
The distress of the Jews, Mordecai's rebuke to
Esther and Esther's decision.
"Do not think that because you are in the king's house you
alone of all Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at
this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise
from another place...And who knows but that you have
come to royal position for such a time as this?“
"Go gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast
for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day.
I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I
will go to the king, even though it is against the law.
And if I perish, I perish.”
Chapter 4:10-16
IV. Chapter 5-7
The defeating of Haman's particular plot against
Mordecai's life.
As Esther approached the king with her resolve,
he held out his scepter. Esther finding favor with
the king, invites him and Haman to a banquet, ver.
1-5. She invites them to a second, ver. 6-8, while
Haman makes a gallows for Mordecai,
ver. 9-14
V. Chapter 8
The defeating of his general plot against the Jews.
At this second banquet, Esther petitions for her
life, and the lives of her people. Even a stranger, a
criminal, shall be permitted to petition for his life.
But that a friend, a wife, a queen, should have
occasion to make such a petition, was very
affecting.
VI. Chapter 9-10
The care that was taken to remember this event
The Jews slay their enemies, ver. 1-11. A second
day is granted them by request of Esther and A
yearly feast is instituted, in memory of this great
deliverance, ver. 20-32.
Characters
•
•
•
•
•
•
Xerxes
Mordecai
Esther
Haman
Jews
God
Who is King Xerxes?
• Xerxes was a powerful king, who ruled over 127
provinces.
• Xerxes is an absolute man. He loves absolutely
and hates absolutely.
• "So the king took his signet ring from his finger
and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the
Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. "Keep the money,"
the king said to Haman, ‘and do with the people
as you please’.” Esther 3:10-11
Who is Mordecai?
• Mordecai was very forthright with everything except for
Esther's background.
• Mordecai obeyed God's law first, even at the risk of
disobeying the king's own command. Esther 3:2 & 4 --"All
the royal officials at the king's gate knelt down and paid
honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this
concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or
pay him honor."
• Mordecai was very concerned about God's people, and he
cried loudly to God. In the same way, Daniel was
concerned about Israel in Daniel Chapter 9, and he cried
out to God in humble repentant prayer.
• Mordecai rebuked Esther with the truth of the word of
God. Esther 4:13&14
Who is Esther?
• Esther was obedient.
“Esther had not revealed her nationality and family
background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to
do so.” Chapter 2:10
• Esther is sacrificial- 4:16
A shadow of Christ, who gave himself as the utmost
sacrifice when he declared in Matthew 26: 39 “Yet not
as I will, but as you will.”
• Esther was a favorable girl.
Chapter 2:9 says “The girl pleased him[Hegai, the
charge of the Harem] and won his favor.”
Verse 15b “And Esther won the favor of everyone
who saw her.”
Verse 17b “...she won his favor and approval more
than any one of the other virgins.”
Who was Haman?
• He hated Mordecai because Mordecai refused to
honor him with divine worship.
"When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel
down or pay him honor, he was enraged. Yet having
learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the
idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked
for a way to destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews,
throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.” 3:5,6
• History: He is an Amalekite, he is an image of
pure pride and hatred, he is a prince of darkness to
the Jews.
Now Haman thought to himself, "Who is there that the
king would rather honor than me?"" Esther 6:6.
Who are the Jews?
• They had no influence as God's people.
• Fear
"The king and Haman sat down to drink,
but the city of Susa was
bewildered“3:15b
• They ignored God, so they lost their
identity. See Deut 28:2,8
Who is God?
MAIN THEME:
Although God’s name is not mentioned in
this book, God's hand is involved in the
governing the affairs of his people.
God’s Hand…
Prevented king Xerxes from sleeping.
Changed the positon of Mordecai and Haman. Esther 6: 11-12 "so
Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and
led him through the streets on horseback through the city
streets, proclaiming before him, "this is what is done for the
man the king delights to honor!" Afterward Mordecai returned
to the king's gate. But Haman rushed home with his head
covered in grief""
Changed Esther from a favorable woman, to a woman of truth. "Esther
said, "the adversary and enemy is this vile Haman". 7:16
Judged Haman. He was a proud man, but at the face of death, he
begged for Esther to save his life. Esther 7: 6b-7.
Changed Xerxes into a man who listen to God's counsel and supported
God's people. Esther 8: 2a "the king took off his signet ring,
which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to
Mordecai." Changed the passive Jews, into aggressive fighters
who defeated the forces of Haman's evil in Esther 9:16
Lessons
Xerxes
Love absolutely and hate absolutely...but based on the truth
of God's word.
Listen to good counsel -when he listened to Esther and
Mordecai's advice.
Esther 8:1-9; Esther 9:12-15.
Mordecai
Refusing to worship anything and anyone but God.
Esther 3:4.
Give counsel and rebuke where appropriate.
Esther 4:13,14.
Pray with an absolute attitude in order to help save God's
people.
Humility. Esther 6:12
Honesty. Esther 2:22; Esther 8:16.
Lessons
Esther
Obey God's servant.
Esther 2:10.
Repent when rebuked by fasting and praying.
Esther 4:16.
Be truthful and clear--not always pleasing people.
Esther 7:6.
Willingness to die in order to save God's
people.
Esther 4:16b.
Haman
Disregard pride.
The proud will be humbled by force.
Death comes to the proud.
Esther 7:16.
Lessons
Jews
Get together as God's chosen ones, do not
fear the Anti-Christ or opposition.
Celebrate God’s Deliverance.
Jesus has delivered us from the Devil.
God
God's hand is working in our lives, even though we
think we make our own decisions. God has everything
to do with everything because he is Almighty, creator
and sustainer of all things.