Transcription of Esther - Grace Notes
1 Grace Notes 1705 Aggie Lane, Austin, Texas 78757 Email: a Grace Notes Bible Study Esther Daniel Hill, PhD Pastor-Teacher Southwood Bible Church Tulsa, Oklahoma Esther Table of Contents Preview to the Study of Esther .. 3 Esther , Chapter 1 .. 5 Esther , Chapter 2 .. 8 Esther , Chapter 3 .. 18 Esther , Chapter 4 .. 23 Esther , Chapter 5 .. 34 Esther , Chapter 6 .. 37 Esther , Chapter 7 .. 42 Esther , Chapter 8 .. 45 Esther , Chapter 9 .. 52 Esther , Chapter 10 .. 54 Preview to the Study of Esther The key to understanding the purpose of the book of Esther hinges upon two pre-consideration. First, the understanding the decisions of the characters in this account, while make in Babylon, had direct effect upon the Jews in Jerusalem.
2 1. When the edict went out that on a certain date all the Jews in the Babylonian empire would be destroyed, this genocide would have included the Jews who had returned to the Land. The people were informed of the order nearly a year prior to the date the order was to be carried out. One year of sitting on edge wondering if they would be destroyed. HENCE, the information in Esther tells how the genocide of the Jews, the first proposed pogrom of anti-Semitism in history, was adverted. 2. Secondly, we have to bear in mind the recipients of the book. This book was written in Jerusalem about events in Babylon where a majority of Jews still resided (Throughout the whole empire by now). As these Jews in Jerusalem of Judah read this story they were able to see how God was in control of even the Jews who refused to return to the Land of Promise.
3 The Jews of Babylon were out of the geographical will of God and not terribly concerned about spiritual things. This is illustrated by the writer not once referring to God by name or even pronoun. Yet, God's sovereign power is magnificently displayed in this story. The Jews in Jerusalem could read this and be greatly encouraged knowing that if God is in control in Babylon, how much more so with those in Jerusalem, in his geographical will, who are calling daily upon the name of the most height God. APPLICATION: Today we can take great comfort and gain great encouragement from this story also. There are believers, Christians today out of the will of God but God is still in control just as He was in Esther 's day.
4 For those who know that they are in God's will, how much more is God in control of every facet of their lives. THE BOOK OF Esther : This book unfolds like a play. It has plot, intrigue, counter plot, irony, climax, and conclusion. There are four acts to the play of Esther : OUTLINE OF Esther : The SETTING, the CONSPIRACY, the SOLUTION, the RESULT A. THE SETTING: Esther becomes Queen, Esther 1-2 1. Ahasuerus (Xerxes) and Queen Vashti, Esther 1 2. Esther becomes Queen, Esther 2:1-20 3. Mordecai ( Esther 's cousin) saves the King, Esther 2:21-23 B. THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE JEWS, Esther 3-5 1. Mordecai offends Haman, Esther 3:1-6 2. Haman conspires to kill all the Jews, Esther 3:7-15 3. Mordecai and then Esther learn of the plot, Esther 4:1-9 4.
5 Mordecai influences Esther to stop the plot, Esther 4:10-17 C. THE SOLUTION: Esther saves her people, Esther 5-7 1. Esther risks her life approaching the King, Esther 5:1-5 2. Haman's arrogant plan to kill Mordecai, Esther 5:6-14 3. The King's insomnia and divine intervention, Esther 6:1-9 4. Haman forced to honor Mordecai, Esther 6:10-13 5. Esther pleads to the King for her people, Esther 7:1-6 6. Haman hanged on his own gallows, Esther 7:7-10 D. THE RESULT: The Jews revenge their enemies, Esther 8-10 1. A new decree from the King, Esther 8:1-14 2. Mordecai appointed to Haman's position, Esther 8:15-17 3. On the day the Jews were to die, their enemies die at their hand, Esther 9:1-19 4. The Feast of Purim instituted, Esther 9:20-32 5.
6 Mordecai's further advancement, Esther 10 Esther , Chapter 1 THE SETTING: Esther Chapters 1 and 2 This first act sets up the Character of Esther . Esther 1:1-4 1 Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was in Susa the capital, in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the princes of his provinces being in his presence. And he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days. As with other post-exilic books, the date is carefully recorded as to the reign of the Persian king.
7 These events occur chronologically between the 6th and 7th chapters of Ezra. Ahasuerus, commonly known as Xerxes I (486-465 ). He was the son of Darius the Great Artaxerxes (465-424). He was the son of Xerxes I, and was king of Persian when both Ezra and Nehemiah returned (Ezra 7:1, 8; Nehemiah 2:1). Here he is called Ahasuerus which in Persian when combined with Hebrew is not that different than the more common name of Xerxes This would be 483-482 BC and the meeting of nobles and military rulers of Persia which lasted 180 days was really a war conference. Persia had been defeated by the Greeks. One famous battle under the leadership of Xerxes' father Darius, in 490 BC, the battle of Marathon. 1 The New American Standard Bible (NASB) is used for the study verse quotations.
8 So this long war session is to plan a revenge on the Greeks for the destruction of the Persian fleet at Marathon. Esther 1:5 And when these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Susa the capital, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king's palace. At the end of the planning session, Xerxes held a grand feast that last for seven days. This was in Susa, the winter palace so the feast was not held in the famous hanging gardens of Babylon. Esther 1:6-8 There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones.
9 Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds, and the royal wine was plentiful according to the king's bounty. And the drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person. The recording of the events in such great details would indicate that the writer had at least second hand knowledge of the feast. Esther 1:9-12 His queen, Vashti, mother of Artaxerxes, held a banquet for the women: Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven Esther 6 eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown in order to display her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful.
10 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. Then the king became very angry and his wrath burned within him. On the final day of the feast, Xerxes wanted his Queen to come to the garden where the men were having their feast so he could show her off. She was apparently very beautiful. She refused; which was her right to do. This was not disobedience to her husband because the protocol of the Babylonian people did not demand such a display. Furthermore, many feel she may have at the time been pregnant with Artaxerxes and did not want to appear in public .. especially before a bunch of men who had been drinking for seven days. NOTE: SHE WAS RIGHT IN NOT APPEARING AT THE BANQUET Esther 1:13 Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times-- for it was the custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice, Rather than let it drop, Ahasuerus the king pursues the matter.
