Esther Chapter 3

Study notes from Esther Chapter 3 (theme verse Malachi 3:16)

Quote--“Everything that is not God serves a purpose higher than itself. Nothing is to be justified as “an end in itself” or “for its own sake.” John Piper

Esther parallels many Proverbs and this one fits Xerxes and Haman, “If a ruler pays attention to lies, all his servants become wicked” Proverbs 29:12.

3:1-2, Xerxes promotes Haman, an Agagite,(1 Samuel 15:1-9), to Prime Minister. Chapter 2 concluded with Mordechai the Jew unrecognized for saving the king’s life, yet chapter 3 opens with the promotion of an enemy of the Jews. *Bible commentators agree Haman’s plan to annihilate the Jews was maybe a plot of Satan’s to stop the birth of Jesus.

(2:21-23) Mordecai never demanded recognition. Sometimes a good work will go unnoticed.

3:2, Xerxes again shows his lackadaisical governing by giving special treatment to Haman, whom he has not properly vetted. Everyone must to bow when Haman walks by, not because he is royalty, but by law. It sounds like a lobbyist’s addition to a government bill. A last minute tacked on codicil, “I promote Haman, the Agagite to Prime Minister, um, oh yeah, and everyone must bow to him.

3:2, Mordechai is a part of Xerxes court (2:21), a good social position. Compliance to the order was the easy way to go. The small compromise was the simple route, but he chose to expose his Jewishness by not bowing to Haman. Christians may find they easily compromise the simpler things but that should never be.

(2:10) Esther hid her heritage, yet changed the atmosphere around her. Mordecai was open of his faith, and changed the atmosphere around him. Each made a beautiful statement for God. Witnessing has no pattern. God designed many members in the church body preforming differently and each empowered by the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 4:1-15)

When rules are enacted against Christian values, people watch to see if Christians will stand on their faith or compromise under their threats. (1 Peter 3:15-17) The simple act of Christian public prayer is often attacked. 3:3-7,

The palace social order watched Mordecai’s rebellion with interest. When Haman failed to notice, they told him to see his reaction. (Proverbs 27:4) By his uncompromised stand, Mordecai exposed Haman’s darkness. (Ephesians 5:26)

Jesus said(to us) “You are the  light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” Matthew 5:16.

#Haman’s problem was his own character and Mordecai was exposing it by not saying a word.

Mordecai and Haman bookend this Proverb, “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.” Proverbs 28:6. Haman held a precarious social position in a weak kingdom destined to fall in a few years. Mordecai had power from Almighty God’s eternal kingdom.

Jesus tells us, “He who does not take up his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” Matthew 10:38,39. This was Mordecai’s witness. Mordecai’s love for God was stronger than life on earth. Mordecai’s faith in eternal life through God was greater than the threat of death by an Agagite at the order of a Persian king. (1 Peter 5:8)

3:6-11. Haman has no respect for his king. By planning to commit genocide before addressing the king, he has elevated himself to the level of the king. Haman doesn’t sit on the throne of Persia. The Jews are not in his power to exalt or destroy, yet he has everything in place before he approaches the king with a half-truth. A half-truth is still a lie. And he used flattery of promised wealth and power to persuade Xerxes, thus proving Proverbs 26:23)

Satan also attempted to exalt himself above his King? Isaiah 14:12-15

3:9,10, Haman’s proposal is similar to what many societies are doing to Christians around the world by enacting laws to annihilate us. Like King Xerxes, many Governing officials do not understand the horrible wrong those laws do to their own positions. If groups or cultures could erase Christianity, nations would lapse into complete chaos. (2 Thessalonians 2)

3:12, In the approved document, it seems Hebrew is the only excluded language. For the Jews scattered throughout the Persian Empire, this must have been a frightening thing to read. They have no clue why Xerxes has ordered them killed. They have months of oppression, waiting to be attacked in their own homes. Maybe some lost their jobs, others might have fled their cities, hoping to escape.

3:14,15. When the document was posted in the capital, the ordinary person was astonished. Because Mordecai’s action took place in the palace, (3:2), Haman’s hatred maybe hadn’t been generally publicized. So seeing the decree without cause would be very unsettling not only for the Jews but for everyone.

*"The edict bewildered the people in the city of Susa (Shushan) Apparently such a decree had never before come from the royal court. Haman’s bloodthirstiness, along with Xerxes seeming indifference to such atrocities was incredible even to a sophisticated society which was used to cruel behavior. Perhaps other minority populations wondered if they would be next to be annihilated". (Bible Knowledge Commentary, pg 706)

3:8, & 15, Haman lied to the king about why the Jews should be killed. (again Prov. 26:23). For Haman the less the king knew the better. For if such a paltry matter were revealed, the death penalty might be more an embarrassment to Xerxes. As it was, the city couldn’t figure out the king’s unreasonable order.

3:15 Ch 1 the king made a law while drunk. Now with the decree in place, Haman and Xerxes sat down to drink. What a shame to the kingdom. (Prov. 31:4,5) “Like a roaring lion and a charging bear is a wicked ruler over poor people” Proverbs 28:15. Xerxes and Haman, Weak and wicked.

Lesson points:

1. Your good works may never be rewarded in your life on earth

2. Sometimes we need to be a silent witness for God like Esther, sometimes we need to be an open witness for God like Mordecai. (Matthew 10:38,39)

3. Know the enemy; take special interest in how he works. (1 Peter5:8)

4. It takes knowledge and faith to hold on when everything seems lost.

Extra reading: Mordechai’s faith and witness examples for us found throughout the Scriptures. Holiness to God amidst unholy unbelief needs faith that God will keep His promises. Mordecai showed what a man ‘standing in the gap’ can do for his family and his nation. Ezekiel 22:30., Hebrews 11:25,26., Daniel1:8, 6:10., Psalm 18:39., Joshua 1:9., Jeremiah 1:18,19., John 17:16., Matthew 28:18-20., Acts 1:8., Romans 12:21., 2 Corinthians 5:7., Ephesians 6:10-18., Philippians 1:6, 3:20., 4:4-9,. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24.

*Historical information from Bible Knowledge Commentary & Commentary, study notes of J. Vernon McGee

#Edited

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Esther Chapter 2

These are the notes from the second study from the Book of Esther. Esther chapter 2

2:1 ; *It’s been three years since the war party. King Ahasuerus failed to conquer Greece, and returns to Shushan in humiliation. Adding to his shame, he remembers the stupid law. Vashti still belongs to the King but wherever she’s being kept, her quarters would be more of a prison than a home. She can’t be thrown out for she’s the former Queen, and she can’t be tossed into the harem for the same reason. Xerxes problem, he doesn’t have a Queen beside him while he attempts to reorganize his kingdom and its defeated army. His kingdom is a shambles.

The most amazing thing? God sees all and knows all. There is nothing in the hearts of all mankind that God doesn’t know about. God even sees what is coming. Almighty God is without equal!

The king has concubines galore, but the throne needs a woman of beauty with a sound reputation, whom the court approves joined to the king with a proper setting. An already owned sex-slave cannot fill that position. Just like in chapter 1—two wrongs don’t make a right.

In ch 1, it was the wise men who instructed the king to write the law dethroning Vashti. Ch 2:2, it’s not even the wise men but his servants suggest gathering virgins for the king to choose a queen from.

So the order goes out to herd young women to the palace, like cattle. Conscripted by order, yanked from their homes and parents arms, many never to be seen by family again. They were essentially kidnapped for the king’s pleasure.

Can you imagine the crying? The terror? The sorrow that they will never be loved wives, or mothers? No homes, nor husbands or children to take care of? Only one can be Queen, the rest will be sex-slaves for the rest of their lives.

2:2-4. It’s not his wise men but his servants that advise him now. And this thing pleased the king. The thing being kidnapping beautiful girls. What do you think? (In a moral society, this would, should be, be sickening.)

2:5,6,7. God inserts Himself in between Xerxes idea & his implementing it. By inserting Mordecai into the palace, God has changed the outcome already.

2:5-6. God shows up! God is so amazing. Although never mentioned, Holy God appears regularly in the movement of different events and different lives. Something horrible is about to happen but Almighty God inserts His presence into the story.

It’s like Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians. God knew they would need powerful encouragement, as the persecution became very heavy in that city. God sent them a wonderful love letter through Paul’s hand. Thessalonians 2:7-12. You need God—God shows up!

Mordecai lives in the Capital city, and more importantly, he has retained his heritage. This is more proof of God appearance in this book---the choice of Mordecai as a devout Jew, strong in his faith and the pride of his heritage.

What can Christians express pride in? (Psalm 34:2, 44:8, 2 Corinthians 9:2, Galatians 6:14)

God told the Jews to always remember their families names and heritage. It seems Mordecai was born while his family was captives, as it was his great great grandfather who was carried away from Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar captured the city. (2 Kings 24:14) Kish must have been a mighty man in Jerusalem, because the best were taken during the first captivity. Kish was taken the same time as Daniel, but he wasn’t placed with Daniel with the eunuchs, as he certainly had children.(1st captivity Jeremiah 29:5-7) (Forbidden Marriage Due 7:1-3, Joshua 23:11-12, Ezra 9:1,2)

It seems Kish and his decedents kept their Jewish linage clean from inter marriage.

For some reason Mortdecai did not return to Jerusalem when Ezra and Nehemiah returned to rebuild. He and his family still reside in the capital Persian city of Shushan.

Esther has the same clean Jewish Lineage as Mordecai. And she is hauled off to the palace with the rest of the young girls. Her prospects of a Jewish family line ends. 

There is another young girl we know in the Bible whose family heritage was kept pure for an awesome reason. Who is that young girl? Mary. (Matthew 1:1-17)2

2:9 Esther’s character was different than any of the other girls in the harem. And her difference was noticed by the major guard of the woman, Hegai. He knew there was something different about her and he treated her with a greater respect than he did all the other women there.

2:8,9. Esther exposed the darkness of the king’s harem by her difference. Her personal holiness in a dark place made her godly character standout among the crowd, thus creating a different atmosphere around her. (2 Corinthians 4:7)

2:10, Esther is an ambassador of her people and of God. Daniel’s account was a historical fact in the Jew’s history of their captivity. There could not have been many that didn’t know how Daniel stood up for his Jewish heritage. But unlike Daniel, Esther kept her Hebrew blood a secret but she retained her learned character.

We may never have an opportunity to speak of our Christian heritage, but our character needs to be the higher standard. It doesn’t matter where we are, who we’re with, we have the mind of Christ, we have the power of God, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit. There needs to be something extraordinary about our holy conduct that even the ungodly will have to take notice.

What is holiness? What are some holy actions? Things Christians do or don’t do publically that sets them apart from the world?

Esther was different from the other women, and her difference gave her an edge in becoming Queen. Hegai was on the look-out for Queen qualities, it was part of his job. And by her more beautiful, composed, lady-like behavior, she expose the hidden things of darkness. She shined brighter in a room full of lesser characters.

Esther was beautiful but she went through the beauty treatments to make her gorgeous. Her beauty treatments went on for a year.

God says women are to shine with an inner beauty, which will shine through any mars of our outward frailties. We’re familiar with the woman of 1 Peter 3, and the Proverbs 31, woman)

We’re the Bride of Christ. We need an extraordinary interest in making ourselves beautiful in Christ.

We have a simpler beauty treatment with less stress. We’re already the Bride of the King. You want to be made beautiful? To have the inner beauty of the heart?

The Bible is your beauty treatment. Get into God’s word to be cleansed from the world. John 17: 17, Ephesians 5:22-27, Titus 3:5, Proverbs 31:17,18 & 30,

We have the Shulamite as our example also, of the love of God shining our beauty that no one else can comprehend. Loving God will draw out the beauty that only He can see in a woman.

You want to have a successful beauty treatment? Get into the word of God. Pray, read, fellowship, worship. Determine to make the effort to love the Lord with all your heart, your strength, your mind. You will be beautiful and others will see it. They may not understand it, but they will certainly see it.

2:21-23. When the trouble came, Mordecai and Esther were able to do the right thing, the right way, to have the right decision made to stop the wrong. This was just a foretaste of their work to come. And now God has Mordecai moved into the palace business district. He’s one of the movers’ and shakers in the palace politics. He’s gaining a reputation as a man of integrity. His peers trust his wisdom. They may hate him but they know he’s an honest man.

Christians need knowledge of the world. God says be as wise as serpents and gentle as doves. God says the serpent is crafty. Know the ins and outs of ruthlessness business, yet conduct business with different deliverance & purpose.

Esther and Mordecai from different positions, exposed the hidden darkness.(Ephesians 5:8-13.)

Lesson Points:

1. God knows the innermost secret hearts of all people.

2. Boast of your salvation in Christ

3. As the Bride of Christ, take an extraordinary interest in making yourself beautiful for Christ Jesus.

4. The Bible is your beauty treatment. Let God’s word cleanse you from the world.

*Historical information from Bible Knowledge Commentary & Commentary, study notes of J. Vernon McGee

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God Designed Christianity for His Glory!

Paul's letter to Ephesians reveals the awesomeness of the grace of God that saves us. Our God is so awesome!

The entire first chapter of this book explains the simplicity of our faith. He established all of Christianity before we even knew anything about Him. He laid down the foundation of our faith in heaven in Christ Jesus before man existed.

That's one of those things we can't really get our heads around but when we're born-again and in Christ Jesus by faith, we can see the kingdom of God. We can undeniable accept our life in Christ because God is the power in us to do so.

And then there's the great explanation of grace in 2:8-10 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works. lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

We have something supernatural that the religions based on the world ideas cannot even comprehend. Heavenly God is the Author of the Christian faith. We are saved in Jesus' sacrificial death for it pleased God to do so to save everyone in the world. And all those who accept Jesus as Savior have that predestined power of Christianity in this new life in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Amazing Grace!!!!

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