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.

ESV Chapter Three, Section III discussion notes

Chapter Three Section III.

What is the Motive for Evangelism

What are the 2 motives for evangelism?

    1. Love to God and concern for His glory
    2. Love to man and concern for his welfare

Contrast glory and welfare.  What does this tell us about God?  About man?

Discuss the nature of God’s glory in His attributes and contrast it with man’s creaturely status and his need of all things from the One Who needs nothing from His creation.)

1. First motive—love to God

How do we show love to God
    Keep His commandments (1 Jn 3:7 to end of chapter)
Pg 75—“If , therefore, we love God and are concerned to glorify Him, we must obey His command to evangelize.”
    
Not only out of obedience, but “also because in evangelism we tell the world what great things God has done for the salvation of sinners.”

Speaking to unbelievers about Christ and His salvation is in and of itself honoring and glorifying to God.

Discuss the importance of Biblical and doctrinal knowledge.

We must know before we can tell!  Review pages where Packer makes the point that the Gospel is to be taught and learned (Chapter 2, section 2 re: Paul’s primary task in evangelism was to teach the truth about Christ  *quotation bottom of pg 47 “It was a message of some complexity, needing to be learned before it could be lived by, and understood before it could be applied.  It needed, therefore, to be taught.”

2. 2nd motive—love to neighbor (pg 75)

1 John 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

Galatians 6:10  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Who is my neighbor?  Discuss The Good Samaritan passage (Luke 10)  Discuss our realm of influence?  What (who) determines this realm?  How we answer this question reveals the depths of our understanding of who is our neighbor)

Pg 76:  convicting words to be contrasted:

    “Naturally and spontaneously and tragic and ugly”

Read last paragraph on page 76 that continues on top of pg 77.

Discuss sharing good news with friends and family—how natural and spontaneous it is to want to share our temporal good news with our friends and family; how much more so should our desire to share our eternal good news!

Beginning on the bottom of pg 77 “If we find ourselves shrinking forom this responsibility. . .Ought these things stop us from loving our neighbors?”

Discuss the admonition in the above paragraph (bridging 77-78) There is no wiggle room.  What is the root of this?  (Pride and unbelief)

What is the remedy?
Ask for grace to be ashamed and to repent! (remorse and regret is not the same as repentance!)

    Pray

There is one command to evangelise, but different “opportunities”
    “We are not all called to be preachers; we are not all given equal opportunities or comparable abilities for personal dealing with men and women who need Christ.  But we all have some evangelistic responsibility which we cannot shirk without failing in love both to God and to our neighbor.  NO EXCUSES, equal responsibility

What must we do to fulfill this command to evangelize? (pg 78)
    Pray four ourselves to overflow with love
    Pray for the unconverted
    Look for opportunities
    Be enterprising.  

    DO GOOD!!! (Galatians 6:10)

Caution:  (bottom pg 79)
    “It must never be forgotten that the enterprise required of us in evangelism is the enterprise of love:  and enterprise that springs from genuine interest in those whom we seek to win, and a genuine care for their well-being and expresses itself in a genuine friendliness toward them.”  (discuss genuineness. . .)

“If we truly care for them, and if our heart truly loves and fears God, then we shall seek to present Christ to them in a way that is both honoring to God and respectful to them.”

Discuss HC Trumbull quote: (implications of justified in choosing my subject)

“Whenever I am justified in choosing my subject of conversation with another, the theme of themes shall have prominence between us, so that I may learn of his need, and, if possible, meet it.”
    We must establish a relationship, show ourselves friendly, show interest, show respect before we can “choose or subject of conversation.”  (No drive by evangelism, or as Packer names it “impersonal evangelism.”)

ESG Chapter Three Update (?)

To Connie and anyone else who was following our study in Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God:

 My apologies!  I didn't realize how far behind I had got in posting our studies.  I will try to remember the basics of what we studied since I last updated and provide at least a truncated version of what we have done.  I will try to be more faithful in updating, both for anyone who is interested and for myself! 

First of all, even though I inaccurately titled my last post  "Chapter Three, Conclusion, it was only the conclusion of the first section of Chapter Three:  "What is Evangelism?".  The next two or three weeks we met together, we discussed two articles, Puritan Evangelism by J. I Packer and Evangelism in a Postmodern Age, by Don Matzat .

 After we finished with those, we picked back up with the chapter. 

The last few weeks we have completed the next section:

Section Two:  What is the Evangelistic Message?

The Evangelistic Message (aka as the Gospel!) is:

• about God

        emphasizes the need to go back to creation when teaching the gospel .  God is our Sovereign Creator.

• about sin 

        emphasizes the need to know our guilt before God.  Made the clear distinction between guilt and                 remorse--they are not the same.  We must see ourselves as God sees us and think of ourselves as God thinks of us.   Key point:  sin is not a social concept; it is a theological concept and we must treat it as such.  Also developed the necessity of conviction of sin, what is is and what it is not.

Conviction of sin is

• an awareness of a wrong relationship with God;  not just with one's neighbor or one's conscience

• includes a conviction of sins in particular

• includes a conviction of one's sinfulness (complete corruption in God's sight and need for a new heart)
  

• about Christ

    it is His message
        We must not present the Person of Christ apart from His saving work     
        We must not present the saving work of Christ apart from His Person 

Next, beginning on page 66, we discussed the fact that the extent of the atonement has no bearing on the content of the evangelistic message.  Whether you believe in a limited or unlimited atonement, it does not change the evangelistic message.  Our job is to proclaim Christ and call the hearer to come to Christ. 

This past Thursday we finished the last subsection in Section Two:  What is the Evangelistic Message?:

• about faith and repentance 

Briefly, faith and repentance are contrasted with credence and regret and the differences defined.  ". . .faith is not a mere optimistic feeling, any more than repentance  is a mere regretful or remorseful feeling."  Packer develops the twin truths that the demand is for faith as well as repentance and repentance as well as faith. In other words, it is not enough to feel guilty and make promises.  Our faith has an object--it is an objective faith.  Our faith is in Christ.  If we never put our faith in Christ alone, then our repentance is only as good as we are able to keep it up and then it becomes a matter of our subtle dependence upon our ability to repent rather than Christ that we have faith in.  By the same token, faith without repentence.  Repentance says that God has claim on our lives; there is a cost to our faith.
Next Thursday we will continue with Section Three:  What is the Motive of Evangelism?

I will try, God willing and time permitting, to be more faithful to post notes in the future. 

Esther Lesson Two

Esther Week Two Chapters 3-4

People to Know:
Haman
Hathach
Chapter Three
Est 3:1  
AFTER these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him.
Q:  After what things?
Est 3:2  
And all the king's servants who were within the king's gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage.
Q:  Why not?
Est 3:3  
Then the king's servants who were within the king's gate said to Mordecai, "Why do you transgress the king's command?"
Est 3:4  
Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai's words would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew.
(they knew that the Jews would not bow to anyone except the One True God)
Est 3:5  
When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled with wrath.
Q:  Why did that make Haman mad?
Est 3:6  
But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus--the people of Mordecai.
Q:  Why wouldn’t Haman go after Mordecai on his own?  He had the power to do it! (3:1)
Q:  Haman decides not ONLY to destroy Mordecai, but all the Jews.  What does this remind you of from last week’s lesson?
Est 3:7  
In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, the lot), before Haman to determine the day and the month, until it fell on the twelfth month,  which is the month of Adar.
Q:  What does it mean to “cast the lot?”  Who was casting the lots?  Has the King weighed in on this yet?  
Est 3:8  
Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people's, and they do not keep the king's laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain.
Q:  Do you remember why the Jews were dispersed into other lands in the first place?  Why don’t they keep the laws of the land?  How does this relate to what Mordecai did to make Haman mad in the first place?

Est 3:9  
"If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king's treasuries."
Q:   What two things did Haman know about the King (from Chapters 1 and 2) and how he operates or what is important to him?  (hint:  why did Haman ask for a written decree and why does he promise silver for the king’s treasury?)
Est 3:10  
So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
Q:  What is the significance of a signet ring?  Did you notice how the writer of Esther is describing Haman now?  (listen to the Jews’ reaction to the name of Haman even today when the book is read aloud on Purim)
Est 3:11  
And the king said to Haman, "The money and the people are given to you, to do with them as seems good to you."
Q:  When did we see the king asking a similar question?  What do you think that says about King Xerxes’ kingly rule?
Est 3:12  
Then the king's scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded--to the king's satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province according to its script, and to every people in their language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king's signet ring.
Q:  Do you remember why it was important for the decrees to be written in the writing and the language of every people?  Why is it important that the decree was sealed with the king’s signet ring?  Who sealed the decree?
Est 3:13  
And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.
Q:  What did the decree say?  (about who was to be killed and about the timing).  What does this say about the planning of the attack against the Jews?  Did you notice that this is a command?  They HAD to do it, by law.
Est 3:14  
A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province, being published for all people, that they should be ready for that day.
Est 3:15  
The couriers went out, hastened by the king's command; and the decree was proclaimed in Shushan the citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed.
Q:  Why do you think the writer of Esther tells us that the king and Haman sat down to drink?
Chapter 4
WHEN Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry.
Q:  Why did Mordecai tear his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes?  Why did he go into the midst of the city?  Why did he cry with a loud voice?
Est 4:2  
He went as far as the front of the king's gate, for no one might enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
Q:  Why not?
Est 4:3  
And in every province where the king's command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
Est 4:4  
So Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them.
Q:    What did they tell her?  Do you think she knew about the Kings decree?  Why or why not?  Why wouldn’t Mordecai accept the clothes that Esther sent him?
Est 4:5  
Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was.
Q:  Do you remember what a eunuch is?  Who’s eunuch is he?  What does it say about Esther that she had the power to command the king’s eunuch?
Est 4:6  
So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king's gate.
Est 4:7  
And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries to destroy the Jews.
Est 4:8  
He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people.
Q:  Why did Mordecai tell him all that had happened and give him a copy of the decree?  What did Mordecai command?  Based on what you know about Esther so far, do you think she will obey him?
Est 4:9  
So Hathach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
Est 4:10  
Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai:
Est 4:11  
Est 4:12   "All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days."  So they told Mordecai Esther's words.
Q:  What was Esther telling Mordecai?
Est 4:13  
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.
Est 4:14  
"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?"
Q:  What do you think about what Mordecai answers?  Does this surprise you?  Why does he think that deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place?  What does he mean when he says, “for such a time as this?”
Est 4:15  
Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai:
Est 4:16  
"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!"
Q:  Why does she call for a fast?  Who is supposed to fast?  What made her change her mind?
Est 4:17  
So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him
Q:  Now, who’s obeying who?

Last week’s verse (memorized for today)
Bible Verse:  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?”

Next week’s verse (memorize for next week)
Bible Verse:  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.

Esther Lesson One

Esther Week One Chapters 1-2

Introduction:  
Author: Unknown
Time:  400-500 B.C. In the third year of King Ahasuerus’ reign
Theme:  God’s Providential Plans for His People
    
People to Know:
    King Ahasuerus (Xerxes)
·    Known for his building projects and wars against the Greeks
·    Consolidated his father, Darius’, kingdom into 20 satrapies and 127 provinces.
·    Ruled Persia from India to Ethiopia (capital city, Sushan or Susa)

Queen Vashti
·    King Ahasuerus’ queen
·    Disobeyed a command
·    Was removed as Queen

7 eunaches (servants to the King)

7 Princes of Persia and Media (nobility—counselors to the King)
·    Memucan—the spokesman for the Princes

Mordecai
·    A Jew
·    Of the tribe of Benjamin, of the family of Kish (a descendent of King Saul)
·    Carried off to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar (King of Babylon)

    Esther
·    Orphaned
·    Raised by her uncle, Mordecai
·    She was beautiful
·    She was obedient
    
7 choice maidservants
·    Given to Esther by Hegai to help in her preparations to meet the King

Hegai
·    Custodian of the women

Shaahgaz
·    Custodian of the concubines

Places to Know:
    Persia (127 provinces, 20 satrapies)
    Sushan (Susa)
    Babylonia

Lesson:
1:1-9      
Introduce characters
    180 day feast for all of Persia
    7 day feast for all of Sushan
    King was generous
    King was showing off
    Description of wealth and riches

10-12  
King A commands his 7 servants to bring the Queen to show her off (he was                   saving the best for last)

13-15
    Queen Vashti refuses to come.  King is furious.
King calls in the 7 Princes of Persia and asks: “What shall we do to Queen Vashti according to the law, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus brought to her by the 7 eunaches (servants to the king)

16-22
Mumucan “stirs the pot.” (vs. 16)  He expands the issue from the King’s personal dishonor and embarrassment to the whole country and from the King and Queen’s personal issue to that of all the husbands and wives in the land.

    See Mumucan’s answer (vs 19)

    Consequences to Vashti
    Consequences to women

Read vs 22 “each province in it’s own script, every people in it’s own language” Why is this important?  We will need to remember this!

2:1-4
    Choosing a new queen

5-7    
    Mordecai and Esther

8-14
    Making the Choice
    Vs 9 concerning Esther
    Vs 10 concerning Mordecai
15-18
    Esther becomes Queen

19-20    
    Esther’s obedience to Mordecai

THE PLOT

21-23
    The Plot of the Doorkeepers
    Mordecai hears—saves King through Esther

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

Esther Study 6 week plan

Esther 6 Week Study
Outline and Bible Verses

Week One, April 15
    Chapters 1 and 2
    Bible Verse:  Psalm 4:5
        5 Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.

Week Two, April 22
    Chapters 3 and 4
    Bible Verse:  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?”

Week Three, April 29
    Chapter 5
    Bible Verse:  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.

Week Four, May 6
    Chapter 6 and 7
    Bible Verse:  Proverbs 2:10-12
10 for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; 11 discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you,12 delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech,

Week Five, May 13
    Chapter 8-9:15
    Bible Verse:  Esther 8:17
17 And in every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them.

Week Six, May 20
    Chapter 9:16 and Chapter Ten
    No Bible verse

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