Esther

Day 1

Esther: Her name may derive from "Ishtar," The Babylonian Goddess of Love or from the Persian word for "star". Her Hebrew name, "Hadassah," means "Myrtle"


Her Character: An orphan in a foreign land, she displayed great courage in the midst of a crisis. Prior to risking her life for her people, she humbled herself by fasting, and then put her considerable beauty, social grace, and wisdom in the service of God's plan.

Her Sorrow: To learn that her husband, the king, had unwittingly placed her life and the life of her people in jeopardy.


Her Joy: To watch mourning turn to celebration once the Jews enjoyed relief from their enemies.


Key Scripture: Esther 1-10


Subject to foreign powers after the Exile, God's people must have felt among the weakest elements of society. But weaker even than a Jewish man exiled to a foreign land was a Jewish woman. And weakest of all would have been a young orphan of Jewish descent. God had once again employed one of his favorite methods for accomplishing his purposes: he had raised the weakest of the weak, placing her in a position of immense strategic importance.


But it had been up to Esther to decide whether she would play the part God offered. Like Moses, she chose to identify with God's people even if it meant risking her life to do so. And even though exile was punishment for Israel's long unfaithfulness, God showed that he was still with his people, delivering and protecting them in surprising ways, turning the table on their enemies through a series of stunning reversals. Earthly powers were at work to kill and destroy, but a heavenly power, far greater in scope, was at work to save and preserve.


Day 2


The Festival of Purim

When Haman threw the lot or the pur to discover what day would be the best day to annihilate the Jews in Xerxes' kingdom, he unwitingly established a festival called Purim, when, instead of annihilation, the Jews celebrated their deliverance. Esther and her cousin Mordecai jointly worked to overturn Haman's plot, and when they were successful, sent out a proclamation to all the Jews living in Xerxes' kingdom to "celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration" (Esther 9:21-22)


Adar 14 and 15. Adar was the last month in the Jewish calendar, our February/March. Josephus, the first-century Jewish general and historian, claimed that Jews all over the world celebrated the festival of Purim in his day, and it continues to be a popular festival for Jews today.


Worship and fasting typically make up the first day of the festival. The entire book of Esther is read aloud, and the congregation respons with "Let his name be blotted out" each time Haman's name is read. The children in the group respond to Haman's name with noisemakers and rattles. On the second day of the feast, rejoicing and celebration break out. Food, music, dramas and plays, special songs, and recitals all add to the festive mood. People give gifts to each other and also make sure they don't forget to give gifts of food to the poor, as that was a special wish of Mordecai (Esther 9:22)


Like the Passover, the Feast of Purim celebrates divine deliverance. Saved from Pharaoh's rule and slavery in Egypt and delivered from the destruction planned by Haman, the Jews celebrated a deliverance that only God could have orchestrated. Previously doomed, they were now delivered. As believers, we too have something to celebrate. Instead of a Moses or an Esther, God sent his own Son to deliver us, saving us from the terrible destruction of sin and death. Surely, that's reason enough to celebrate.


Day 3

Read the entire book of Esther, in one sitting if possible.



Esther's royal position was no accident. She was in a position of influence for a very specific purpose. Your position in life is not an accident either. What do you think God might have for you to do right where you are, right now?



Have you ever had to be brave like Esther in order to step out and do the right thing? What were the circumstances? What was the outcome?



How have you been delivered like the Jews in this story? How do you celebrate your deliverance?

Day4

Esther 4:6-16
6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. 8 He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to urge her to go into the king's presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.
9 Hathach went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 "All the king's officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that he be put to death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king."
12 When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 "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."

Esther 5:1-8
Esther's Request to the King
1 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. 2 When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
3 Then the king asked, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you."
4 "If it pleases the king," replied Esther, "let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him."
5 "Bring Haman at once," the king said, "so that we may do what Esther asks." So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. 6 As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, "Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted."
7 Esther replied, "My petition and my request is this: 8 If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king's question."

Esther 7:1-4
1 So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther, 2 and as they were drinking wine on that second day, the king again asked, "Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted."
3 Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.

Esther 8:1-8
1 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. 2 The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman's estate.
3 Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him.
5 "If it pleases the king," she said, "and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king's provinces. 6 For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?"
7 King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have hanged him on the gallows. 8 Now write another decree in the king's name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king's signet ring—for no document written in the king's name and sealed with his ring can be revoked."

Day 5

Could you imagine how Esther must have felt when she found out that not only her people, but herself were going to be put to death because of Haman. She must have known immediately that her husband could fix the situation. But take a moment to consider how she decides to handle this.

First, she asks her cousin and people to pray and fast for her. Then she goes into a time of prayer and fasting herself.

When conflict arises in your home or family how do you handle it? Esther is a great example to us. Taking her predicament to the only One who could truly prepare the way for her. Esther could have run straight to the king begging for her life and the lives of the Jews. She probably could have made her argument in her defense, yelling about the injustice that was about to occur. And gotten herself killed in the process, doing not a single person any good.

Her patience amazes me. She was slow to react. Relied on her God. Deprived herself of food and water, putting herself in the presence of God first and seeking His guidance.

How many times have you been too quick to react in a situation? I know there have been many times I have stood my ground, argued my defense in a situation and not accomplished a darn thing. I know none of my situations had to do with the destruction of myself or an entire group of people, but at the moment they may have seemed just as important to me. I wonder, if I had been slow to anger, sought my Lord in fasting and prayer, would He have prepared the way for me? Of course He would have.

Maybe next time, I will think of Esther, take a deep breath then take it to God. I have a feeling that my case will be heard if God has already prepared the hearts of the people involved and He will give me the words to say. In the end I will glorify God, not just be “right”.