Esther Lesson Three

Chapter Five
We’ll briefly review the first four chapters, looking for God’s hand in what is happening so far.
Last Week’s Bible Verse to Recite:
Esther 4:14
14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Est 5:1  
NOW it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace, across from the king's house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house.
Q:  Do you remember what would happen if someone came into the King’s presence uninvited?

Why do you think Esther put on her royal robes?
Remember Queen Vashti?  What happened to her when she wouldn’t put on her crown and come to the King when he invited her?

Est 5:2  
So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.
Q:  What does it mean to “find favor in the sight of the King?”
Est 5:3  
And the king said to her, "What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you--up to half the kingdom!"
Q:  Do you think he’d really give her anything “up to half the kingdom?”  What do you think he meant by that?
Est 5:4  
So Esther answered, "If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him."
Q:  Did you notice how she asked him?
Est 5:5  
Then the king said, "Bring Haman quickly, that he may do as Esther has said." So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
Est 5:6  
At the banquet of wine the king said to Esther, "What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!"
Est 5:7  
Then Esther answered and said, "My petition and request is this:
Est 5:8  
"If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said."
Again he asks her what she requests of him but she doesn’t mention the decree against the Jews.  Why do you think she hasn’t asked yet?
Est 5:9  
So Haman went out that day joyful and with a glad heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, and that he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai.
Q:  Why was Haman “joyful, with a glad heart?”  What do you think Mordecai was doing by the king’s gate?  Why was Haman mad at Mordecai?
Est 5:10  
Nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zeresh.
Est 5:11  
Then Haman told them of his great riches, the multitude of his children, everything in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and servants of the king.
Est 5:12  
Moreover Haman said, "Besides, Queen Esther invited no one but me to come in with the king to the banquet that she prepared; and tomorrow I am again invited by her, along with the king.
Q:  Why did Haman gather his wife and his friends together?  

Est 5:13  
"Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."
Q:  Do you think that Haman is acting reasonably?  Why or why not?

Est 5:14  
Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet." And the thing pleased Haman; so he had the gallows made.
Q:  Why did this plan please Haman?  Why did he think he could get the King to hang Mordecai?  Did he have the authority to have the gallows built?

Review Chapter Five

Can you tell me what God's providence means?  Do you see signs of God’s providential care and His ruling over people and events?  Can you name some?

Next Week’s Bible Verse to Memorize:  

Psalm 94:21-22
21 They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. 22 But the Lord has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge.

These lessons were written for elementary aged students.  You can find all of the Lessons in Esther here.