Lesson Five: an Unexpected Banquet—Esther 5

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Lesson Five: an Unexpected Banquet—Esther 5 Lesson Five An Unexpected Banquet Esther 5 For Such a Time as This Life Lessons from the Book of Esther Last Week in Review News of the crisis facing the Jews had spread throughout the Persian Empire. Mordecai and others put on sackcloth, mourning loudly and openly. One of the palace servants saw this, and went to tell Queen Esther. Esther was deeply grieved, and knew Mordecai couldn’t enter the palace in such a condition. She sent clothing to him so he would put it on and she could see him, but he refused. She then sent a trusted eunuch to find out what had so disturbed Mordecai. The servant returned with the news of what had been decreed against them, a copy of the order, and Mordecai’s message that she should go to the king to intercede and plead for the lives of their people. Esther was shocked at this request. She sent back the message that no-one could go in to the king without being called. They faced death if they did; the king didn’t forgive their trespassing, and she hadn’t even been called to him for over a month. Mordecai knew how to bring his young cousin around, though. He told her that if she didn’t intervene, God would bring relief and deliverance somehow, but she and her family’s line would be destroyed. He reminded her that being in the palace wouldn’t save her, but perhaps God had brought her to this place of influence “for such a time as this.” Esther requested that Mordecai gather all the Jews he could, to fast and pray for her for three days, and she and her maidservants would as well. Then she would “go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” (Esther 4:16, NKJV). This week we will learn of Esther’s fate as she sought to gain help for her people, and she does so in an unexpected way. The drama is building; the suspense and tension are rising, as the Book of Esther comes to its climax over these next three chapters. Interestingly, while some time had passed between the early chapters of Esther, chapters 5-7 actually are the account of less than two days’ time. DAY ONE: A Bold Step of Faith Please carefully read Esther 5:1-2 and answer the following questions. 1. Toward the end of the third day of the fast, Esther took action. What did she do according to verse 1? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 1 2. When Esther “put on her royal robes,” the phrase literally meant “put on her royalty.”1 We too will have a meeting with our King one day. Amos 4:12 warned Israel to “Prepare to meet your God!” in a negative sense, in fear and trepidation. No doubt Esther had fears, but she allowed faith in God to be her best preparation to meet this human king. What are some ways we can prepare to meet our heavenly King, helping us to be ready on that day? John 15:4-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Romans 10:17; Colossians 3:16, 17; 2 Timothy 2:15 ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Hebrews 10:22-25 ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 3. Esther now stood in full view of Ahasuerus. What was his reaction to seeing her standing there, and how did Esther respond (v. 2)? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 4. The Septuagint for some reason again added to the story here. It states that when Esther entered the court, Ahasuerus’ face grew angry, at which Esther fainted. Ahasuerus then rushed to her, embraced her, and assured her she wouldn’t be put to death, attributing the change of his heart to God’s intervention.2 While this romanticizes the story a little more, it is not true. The thing that caught the eye of the king in sparing Esther was her bold faith to do such a thing, and he knew that this lovely woman wouldn’t do anything so risky unless she had good reason. Thus he extended forgiveness to her, and she also received that forgiveness by faith, just as we did when we accepted God’s forgiveness by receiving His gracious gift. 2 Head knowledge of something, even believing that it might be true or that God’s promises are good means nothing unless we take a step of faith to act upon them. What are some of the things that we learn about faith and action from the following passages, and how do they tie in with the experience of Esther also? Hebrews 11:1, 2, 6; 12:1-2 ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ James 1:22; 2:18-26 ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Scripture Memory: This week we will be memorizing Hebrews 11:6. Review the passage several times throughout the day each day this week, and by the end of the week, you should have it memorized completely. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 NKJV DAY TWO: An Unexpected Invitation Please carefully read Esther 5:3-5 and answer the following questions. 1. Esther found favor with Ahasuerus (was lifted up in his sight with grace3) because of this bold step. What did he ask this brave woman (v. 3)? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 2. What was her unexpected request in view of the seriousness of what she had done (v. 4)? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ NOTE: An important “hidden” picture of God in Esther can be found in verse 4. The initial letters of each word of the phrase “Let the king...come today” spell out YHWH, Yahweh, the divine name of God! 4 Indeed, let Yahweh come today! 3 3. We don’t know the thoughts of Ahasuerus at this strange request, whether he was shocked, laughed to himself, or if he thought, ‘A banquet! Bring it on! Yeah, I can get into those!’ We do know though that he felt there was something else going on behind this by what we’ll read tomorrow. What was his response to Esther’s request (v. 5)? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 4. The witness of Esther to the king by her bold steps of faith to approach him like this must have truly touched him. Remember, she hadn’t told him her background, but lived in a godly way before him. The world is looking for Christians to truly live out what we say we believe, and as we stand up by faith, it speaks to them. What are some ways we can be a living witness of Christ to those in our sphere of influence? Matthew 5:13-16 ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 1 Thessalonians 4:8-12; Colossians 4:5, 6 ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 1 Peter 3:1, 2 (the principle also applies to husbands with non-believing wives) ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Scripture Memory: Try to fill in the missing words in the blanks below, by memory if at all possible, and then review the passage several times today. But without faith it is impossible to _______________________ Him, for he who comes to God must ___________________ that
Recommended publications
  • Week #: 33 Text: Esther 1-10 Title: Feast of Purim Songs
    Week #: 33 Text: Esther 1-10 Title: Feast of Purim Songs: Videos: Purim Song – The Maccabeats Audio Reading: Book of Esther Feast of Purim Purim is an annual celebration of the defeat of an Iranian mad man’s plan to exterminate the Jewish people. Purim is celebrated annually during the month of Adar (the second month of Adar) on the 14th day. In years where there are two months of Adar, Purim is celebrated in the second month because it always needs to fall 30 days before Passover. It is called Purim because the word means “lots” – referencing when Haman threw lots to decide which day he would slay the Jews. The fourteenth was chosen for this celebration because it is the day that the Jews battled for their lives and won. The fifteenth is celebrated as Purim also because the book of Esther says that in Shushan (a walled city), deliverance from the scheduled massacre was not completed until the next day. So the fifteenth is referred to as Shushan Purim. Traditions for the Feast of Purim: It is customary to read the book of Esther – called the Megillah Esther – or the scroll of Esther. It means the revelation of that which is hidden While reading it is tradition to boo, hiss, stamp feet and rattle noise makers whenever Haman’s name is mentioned for the purpose of “blotting out the name of Haman”. When the names of Mordechai or Esther are spoken, hoots and hollers, cheering, applause, etc., are given as they are the heroes of the story.
    [Show full text]
  • Prints and Johan Wittert Van Der Aa in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.[7] Drawings, Inv
    Esther before Ahasuerus ca. 1640–45 oil on panel Jan Adriaensz van Staveren 86.7 x 75.2 cm (Leiden 1613/14 – 1669 Leiden) signed in light paint along angel’s shield on armrest of king’s throne: “JOHANNES STAVEREN 1(6?)(??)” JvS-100 © 2021 The Leiden Collection Esther before Ahasuerus Page 2 of 9 How to cite Van Tuinen, Ilona. “Esther before Ahasuerus” (2017). In The Leiden Collection Catalogue, 3rd ed. Edited by Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. and Lara Yeager-Crasselt. New York, 2020–. https://theleidencollection.com/artwork/esther-before-ahasuerus/ (accessed October 02, 2021). A PDF of every version of this entry is available in this Online Catalogue's Archive, and the Archive is managed by a permanent URL. New versions are added only when a substantive change to the narrative occurs. © 2021 The Leiden Collection Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) Esther before Ahasuerus Page 3 of 9 During the Babylonian captivity of the Jews, the beautiful Jewish orphan Comparative Figures Esther, heroine of the Old Testament Book of Esther, won the heart of the austere Persian king Ahasuerus and became his wife (Esther 2:17). Esther had been raised by her cousin Mordecai, who made Esther swear that she would keep her Jewish identity a secret from her husband. However, when Ahasuerus appointed as his minister the anti-Semite Haman, who issued a decree to kill all Jews, Mordecai begged Esther to reveal her Jewish heritage to Ahasuerus and plead for the lives of her people. Esther agreed, saying to Mordecai: “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law.
    [Show full text]
  • A REWRITTEN BIBLICAL BOOK the So-Called Lucianic
    CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN THE ‘LUCIANIC’ TEXT OF THE CANONICAL AND APOCRYPHAL SECTIONS OF ESTHER: A REWRITTEN BIBLICAL BOOK The so-called Lucianic (L) text of Esther is contained in manuscripts 19 (Brooke-McLean: b’), 93 (e2), 108 (b), 319 (y), and part of 392 (see Hanhart, Esther, 15–16). In other biblical books the Lucianic text is joined by manuscripts 82, 127, 129. In Esther this group is traditionally called ‘Lucianic’ because in most other books it represents a ‘Lucianic’ text, even though the ‘Lucianic’ text of Esther and that of the other books have little in common in either vocabulary or translation technique.1 The same terminology is used here (the L text). Some scholars call this text A, as distinct from B which designates the LXX.2 Brooke-McLean3 and Hanhart, Esther print the LXX and L separately, just as Rahlfs, Septuaginta (1935) provided separate texts of A and B in Judges. Despite the separation between L and the LXX in these editions, the unique character of L in Esther was not sufficiently noted, possibly because Rahlfs, Septuaginta does not include any of its readings. Also HR 1 Scholars attempted in vain to detect the characteristic features of LXXLuc in Esther as well. For example, the Lucianic text is known for substituting words of the LXX with synonymous words, and a similar technique has been detected in Esther by Cook, “A Text,” 369–370. However, this criterion does not provide sufficient proof for labeling the L text of Esther ‘Lucianic,’ since the use of synonymous Greek words can be expected to occur in any two Greek translations of the same Hebrew text.
    [Show full text]
  • Bible Grade 3 Esther Curriculum Review Sheets Teacher
    Name Date Esther Look at the underlined word to determine if the statement is true or True–False false. If the statement is true, write true in the blank. If the statement is false, write false in the blank. true 1. Haman wanted to kill Mordecai because Mordecai refused to bow down to him. false 2. Haman was rewarded for saving the king’s life. (Mordecai) true 3. Mordecai sent a message to Esther that she should ask the king to save the lives of the Jews. false 4. Mordecai, Esther, and their friends fasted ten days and nights. (three) true 5. Esther risked her life by going before the king when he had not sent for her. false 6. Esther invited the king and Haman to three banquets. (two) true 7. Haman had to lead Mordecai through the city and proclaim that he was being honored by the king. true 8. Although the name of God is not mentioned in the book of Esther, the book tells of God’s protection for His people. Discuss: Explain why the false answers are incorrect statements. Short Answer Read each question carefully, and write your answer in the blank. 1. How did Haman trick King Ahasuerus into sending out a decree to kill all the Jews? He pretended to be concerned about the entire kingdom and told the king that the kingdom would be better off without the Jews. over Copyright © mmxviii Pensacola Christian College • Not to be reproduced. Esther • Lesson 125 231 Esther • page 2 2. What should King Ahasuerus have done before allowing the decree to be sent out? Answers vary.
    [Show full text]
  • That Sounds Familiar: Esther Esther 4 Katherine C. Kerr First Presbyterian Church – Charlotte August 9, 2015 This Summer's S
    That Sounds Familiar: Esther Esther 4 Katherine C. Kerr First Presbyterian Church – Charlotte August 9, 2015 This summer’s sermon series title, “That sounds familiar” probably rings true for many of the stories you have heard this summer, but I imagine that for a decent number of folks today, the story of Esther does not, in fact, sound familiar. Though it is a full book of the Old Testament, the story of Esther is not typically found on any top ten lists of well-known and oft-recited biblical stories. Set in 5th century Persia, this book is centered around a young Jewish woman named Esther, an orphan being raised by her uncle. The Jews were one of several minority groups in the Persian empire under the rule of King Ahasuerus (or Xerxes). When the book opens, the king is throwing a huge party for the ministers and army. For 180 days, we read, he “displayed the great wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and pomp of his majesty.” (1:4). Following that, he gave a week- long banquet for the people of the capital city. Well, he gave a banquet for the men, and had his wife, Queen Vashti, give a banquet for the women. The men’s banquet was a debaucherous affair, full of revelry and wine. At the end of the banquet, the king summoned his wife to appear before the men- she was a beautiful woman, and he wanted to show her off. But Queen Vashti refused to come. Whether it was because she was in a bad mood or upset with the king, or didn’t want to be paraded in front of a huge group of overserved men, the book doesn’t say.
    [Show full text]
  • The 4 Mitzvot of Purim 1
    The 4 Mitzvot of Purim 1. Megilla Reading 2. Mishloach Manot The primary mitzvah of Purim is hearing the megilla twice: In order to promote a spirit of friendship and shared Once at night and once during the day. celebration, the megilla defines Purim as a day of “mishloach This applies to men and women, and is fulfilled by manot ish l’reiayhu.” hearing every word of the megilla read from a scroll. Purim is a day when every Jewish man and woman is If you miss a few words you may catch up to the leiner obligated to give at least two kinds of fully prepared by reading it yourself (even without a megilla scroll). foods to at least one friend. Have in mind to fulfill your obligation of the 3 brachot Because of the festive nature of this mitzvah, a mourner prior to megilla reading (answering amen after each should not give more than the one obligatory one) through the one who recites them in shul. Mishloach Manot gift; others should not give directly to In the morning, have in mind that the shehechiyanu also the mourner. includes the other mitzvot of the day as well. Because this mitzvah is meant to enhance the festivities of One may recite the bracha of “harav et riveynu” after Purim Day and imbue it with a spirit of giving, the gifts megilla reading along with the leiner. must be delivered during the daytime on Purim itself to properly fulfill the mitzvah of Mishloach Manot. 3. Matanot L’Evyonim 4. Seudat Purim In order to lift the spirits of those in need and enable them to The joyous nature of Purim is expressed by participating in a rejoice on Purim: festive meal on Purim Day.
    [Show full text]
  • Esther 4:14 ...For Such a Time As This
    No congregational handout, communion service —{1}. Esther 4:14 ................................ For Such a Time as This A. Our text is taken from the words spoken by Mordecai to his niece, Hadassah, or as we better know her, Esther, in 4:14b (NAS): And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this? B. What led up to these words? 1. let’s refresh our memories from last week a. we looked at Josiah, a godly king of Judah, whose reign provided the Jews with 31 years of grace; a time to repent b. but judgement was already announced and was coming 2. now, let’s fast forward about 150 years to the book of Esther: it doesn’t contain the name of Jehovah, the Lord God, but it is a story of God’s providence, of His secretly working His purposes 3. chapter 1: the scene in the city of the royal palace, Shushan (Iran) a. 3rd year of reign of Ahasuerus (Artaxerxes I) India–Ethiopia b. brought rulers from all over his domain – 127 provinces c. spent ½ year entertaining, showing off his wealth and works (A) wound up with 7-day banquet to his nobles; Queen Vashti was entertaining their wives (B) on the 7th day, he had drunk too much, and (C) then did something very foolish – decided to show off his most beautiful possession – Vashti (D) she said “no” – quite right by reason and by custom d. her being right didn’t matter – the king lost his temper (A) asked princes, rulers – “What shall I do?” (B) “King Ahasuerus, you can’t allow this; Vashti has not only wronged you, but every man in the kingdom … (C) “now no man’s wife will any longer obey him … (D) “so depose her from being Queen” – and he did 4.
    [Show full text]
  • Haman's Plot Backfires Esther
    Character Study: Esther Character Study: Esther Part 3 – Haman’s Plot Backfires Part 3 – Haman’s Plot Backfires Esther 5-7 Esther 5-7 What’s happening? What’s happening? Esther had made up her mind to approach the King in hopes of Esther had made up her mind to approach the King in hopes of preventing the Jews from being killed. The King was gracious, and offered preventing the Jews from being killed. The King was ___________, and to give her whatever she wanted. Esther requested the King and Haman to offered to give her whatever she wanted. Esther requested the King and come to a banquet she was preparing. (5:1-8) Haman to come to a ____________ she was preparing. (5:1-8) Haman was thrilled at the offer given by the queen and quickly went Haman was thrilled at the offer given by the queen and quickly went home to brag to his family. Everything seemed to be going well for Haman, home to ________ to his family. Everything seemed to be going well for though he was still angry at Mordecai for not bowing before him. His Haman, though he was still angry at Mordecai for not bowing before him. family encouraged him to build gallows and ask the king to have Mordecai His family encouraged him to build gallows and ask the king to have hanged. Haman had the gallows built. (5:9-14) Mordecai ___________. Haman had the gallows built. (5:9-14) That same night, King Ahasuerus learned that Mordecai was the one That same night, King Ahasuerus learned that Mordecai was the one who had informed him of the men plotting to kill him, and the king was who had informed him of the men plotting to kill him, and the king was troubled that Mordecai had never been honored.
    [Show full text]
  • Series: Bible Characters Esther – (Esther 4:14B) 1. the Name “Esther
    Series: Bible Characters Esther – (Esther 4:14b) 1. The name “Esther” means “star.” Her Hebrew name is “Hadasseh” which means “myrtle.” 2. She was an orphan girl who was adopted by Mordecai her cousin (Esther 2:5-7). She was probably only 10-11 years of age when king Ahasuerus (also known as Xerxes) came to throne. 3. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah deal with the remnant who returned to Jerusalem. The book of Esther takes place between Ezra chapters 6 & 7. 4. What we need to learn from the story of Esther is that no matter how bad the world’s condition is, God is still in control. I. WORLDLY SITUATIONS A. The Players. 1. At this time, Israel is no longer a nation because they have been absorbed into the most dominant power in the world at that time, Persia. 2. One of the most important people in the world at this time is a key player in this story. His name is Ahasuerus. a. He reigned in Susa. b. His empire spanned over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. c. For six months he had the biggest party the world had ever seen. During that time, in one of his drunken stupors, he decides to show off his queen Vashti to his guests. 1) Some feel that he asked the queen to prance around naked in front of the guests. 2) She refuses to do so, and in his rage he banishes her from being queen. He regretted that later, but the law of the Medes and Persians could not be revoked, so he would need a new queen.
    [Show full text]
  • Book of Esther - Thorough
    Book of Esther - Thorough 1. What are the first five words of Esther? NOW IT CAME TO PASS 2. According to 1:1, over what territory did King Ahasuerus reign? FROM INDIA TO ETHIOPIA 3. According to Esther 1:1, who reigned from India to Ethiopia? AHASUERUS 4. According to Esther 1:1, the book of Esther took place in the days of what king? AHASUERUS 5. According to 1:1, over how many provinces did King Ahasuerus reign? 127 6. According to Esther 1:2, where was the throne of the kingdom of Ahasuerus? SHUSHAN THE PALACE 7. According to Esther 1:2, who sat on the throne in Shushan? AHASUERUS 8. Where was the palace of King Ahasuerus when the story of Esther took place? SHUSHAN 9. According to Esther 1:3, in which year of the reign of King Ahasuerus did he make a feast unto all his princes and his servants? THE THIRD YEAR 10. What is the first word in the book of Esther? NOW 11. According to Esther 1:3, what groups of people attended the feast of King Ahasuerus? ALL HIS PRINCES AND HIS SERVANTS; THE POWER OF PERSIA AND MEDIA; THE NOBLES AND PRINCES OF THE PROVINCES 12. According to Esther 1:3, what did King Ahasuerus do in the third year of his reign? HE MADE A FEAST UNTO ALL HIS PRINCES AND HIS SERVANTS; THE POWER OF PERSIA AND MEDIA; THE NOBLES AND PRINCES OF THE PROVINCES 13. According to Esther 1:3, what are we told about the group of people that King Ahasuerus invited to the feast in the third year of his reign? THEY WERE “BEFORE HIM” 14.
    [Show full text]
  • The Information Structure of the Book of Esther in the Septuagint by Ken
    The information structure of the book of Esther in the Septuagint by Ken Chan A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR of PHILOSOPHY at the SOUTH AFRICAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY in October 2010 PROMOTERS: Dr Kevin Smith and Dr Frank Jabini The opinions expressed in this dissertation do not necessarily reflect the views of the South African Theological Seminary. DECLARATION I hereby acknowledge that the work contained in this dissertation is my own original work and has not previously in its entirety or in part been submitted to any academic institution for degree purposes. _________________________________ Ken Chan October 2010 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank my wife who encouraged me throughout the writing of this dissertation. Thanks to Dr Kevin Smith, who trusted me and invited me to go further. He is a good writer, and he taught me what it means to write. Thanks to Dr Frank Jabini for giving me valuable input as my second supervisor. Thanks to my external examiners for contributing their valuable time to review my work. Thanks to all the authors whom I cited (whether it was for or against) because scholarship is a collective effort. Thanks to the financial support of all my supporters during this study period. Thanks to my mission board, which allowed me to take this time to deepen my understanding of God’s word. Thanks to the Chinese University of Hong Kong Library for letting me use their excellent facilities. To God alone be the glory. Ken Chan October 2010 ABSTRACT A comparison of studies on the book of Esther shows that there are diverse opinions of what constitutes (a) the purpose, and (b) the discourse boundaries of the book.
    [Show full text]
  • Esther: #3 “What a Difference a Day Makes” – Esther 5 & 6 Dr. Matthew Cassidy – 4/29/2012
    Esther: #3 “What a Difference a Day Makes” – Esther 5 & 6 Dr. Matthew Cassidy – 4/29/2012 We are at the peak of a fabulous story in the Old Testament, about how life works. If you follow the story well, and you can identify with the characters, especially the good guys, it could change the way you perceive the world around you. This story about Esther is about how God works in our world. It is more like the way God works in our world than maybe any of the other stories in the Old Testament. By the way, to fully appreciate this, and we have not discussed this yet, but this is a story in the ancient Near East. It is an Eastern story and I hope you have seen some Kung Fu movies because that would help you to appreciate what is happening in this story. Losing face is the worst fate you can imagine; to be embarrassed in front of your friends or honorable people would be a tragic thing to happen to you. That is why they would rather fall on their own sword than to suffer the humiliation from their peers. That is a major emphasis of understanding what is motivating the characters here. Just the opposite of that is honor. To be honored is greater than gold. It is what people live and die for. Honor is something we talk about sometimes in our country. It is the currency that people keep in the ancient Near East. So when we look at these characters and see what they are doing and what motivates them and possesses them, it is the fear of losing face and it was the ambition of being honored in front of others.
    [Show full text]