God Given Victory (Esther 1-10)

Opening Prayer

Introduction

The Book of Esther is an amazing book.

Walter has recently been working through the book at Shine. Who of you have been attending those services?

Well, Walter believes that what you’ve been learning from this book is so important - that he wants you guys to to hear it twice.

At Shine, the study was split up into three studies - but today we will be working through the entire book of Esther in one sitting.

Ten chapters in total, so brace yourselves!

The Book of Esther is really focused on God’s providence, how he is keenly aware of our circumstances, but most importantly that when we humble ourselves and pray to Him - He hears us and acts on our behalf.

Question: Who here can tell me what God’s providence means?

Providence comes from two words, namely: pro video.

It means to see something before hand.

But when we speak about God’s providence, it speaks about how God see’s all things and acts accordingly.

Meaning, that God is in control of everything, and in his wisdom and love, he cares and directs everything in the universe as he see’s fit. Including our individual lives.

So now for a bit of Background:

The Book of Esther takes place in the Medo-Persian Empire.

Historically, the Book is set at a time when the people of Judah had been taken into Babylonian captivity.

At that time some Jews returned to Jerusalem, while other Jews remained in Babylon under the rule of the Persian empire.

The Medo-Persian empire had control over one hundred and twenty seven provinces.

The main characters in the Book of Esther are Eshter, Mordecai, King Ahasuerus and Haman.

And the story in this book is taking place in the city of Shushan.

Chapter 1:

Chapter 1 starts out with Ahasuerus as King over the Medio Persian Empire.

This empire had control over regions strentching all the way from India to Ethiopia.

They controlled a total of one hundred and twenty-seven provinces.

Chapter 1 tells us, that King Ahasuerus hosted a feast in the city of Shushan.

This Feast lasted 180 days.

And after these 180 days, they added another seven days to the feast.

During this feast the women celebrated together, and the men celebrated seperately.

While the men were drinking, King Ahasuerus decided that he wanted to show off his wife to the men, Queen Vasthi, who was known to be a very beautiful woman.

So the King called on Queen Vasthi, but she was not comfortable with the Kings request.

She did not want to be showed off to a bunch of drunk men.

I don’t blame her.

So Queen Vasthi publicly disobeyed the King.

And for that reason the wise men and the King decided that she is no longer fit be Queen.

So her royal position was to be given to another.

Chapter 2:

In Chapter 2, we see that the King’s servants come to him and suggest that beautiful young virgins be sought for the King.

After gathering all the virgin’s together, and presenting them to the King, the King would then have an opportunity to choose His replacement to be Queen.

During this time, there was a Jewish man living in Shushan.

He had raised a beautiful orphan girl named Hadassah (which was her Hebrew name), but her Persian name was Esther.

Esther was chosen as one of the beautiful young virgins to be presented to the King.

Each virgin underwent a period of preparation, where the King’s Eunich’s would provide beauty treatments for the virgins, and afterward they would be presented to the King.

And from the beginning, Esther received God’s favor in the sight of the servants in the King’s house and the King himself.

Esther was loved by the King and she obtained grace in his sight.

And eventually the King would decide that Esther was the virgin to replace Queen Vasthi as the Queen of Medo Persia.

Mordecia, the Jewish man who raised Esther, was also one of the King’s servants during this time.

And while he was he was hanging out within the King’s gate and he discovered that there were two of the King’s eunichs, Bigthan and Teresh, that were plotting to kill the King.

Mordecai communicated what he heard to Esther, and Esther told the King.

Naturally, the King looked into the matter, and it was found that what Mordecai had discovered was in fact true.

So the King hanged them. Meaning they would have impaled them on a stick in a public place.

After that had taken place, these events would have been recorded in the book of the chronicles of the Kings.

And it was recorded that Mordecai had been faithful and that Mordecai had warned the King of the plot that was against Him.

Chapter 3:

In Chapter 3, we get introduced to a man called Haman.

King Ahasurus promotes him above all the princes in charge of his Kingdom.

Haman was called an Agagite.

Its believed that he was a descended from the King Agag, who was an Amalekite.

The Amalekites are known to be eternal enemies of the Jews.

While Haman was going around the King’s gate, he expected the servants of the King to bow down and pay him homage.

The King had commanded this reference to Haman from his servants.

But Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman and would not pay him homage.

The King’s servants saw this and were perplexed at Mordecai’s actions.

They questioned him, and when they saw that he would not listen to them, they went and told Haman about Mordecai’s actions.

When Haman saw that Mordecai did not respect him, verse 5 tells us, that he was filled with wrath.

And in Haman’s wrath, he decided that he was going to destroy all the people of Mordecai, the Jews, dwelling in the Kingdom of Ahasuerus.

According to him, every Jew dwelling in the hundred and twenty seven provinces of Medo Pesia had to die because of Mordecai’s actions.

So they cast Pur (which is the lot) before Haman, to determine when this destruction of the Jews would take place.

And it was determined that it would take place in the twelfth month, which was known as the month of Adar.

Haman approached the King with this decision and convinced the King that these Jewish people were to be killed.

Haman expained to the King that the Jewish people deserved to die because they were different people from the Persians, that the Jews had different laws they adhered to, and because of that they would not obey the King.

Lets read verse 8-10.

Esther 3:8–10 NKJV

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. 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.” 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.

Here we see Haman attempting to convince the King by through deception.

Unfortunately, the King takes the bait.

And they write a decree that is sent out into the hundred and twenty seven provinces, that on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, that the people who hated the Jews could kill them - the women, the children, everyone.

And at the end of chapter three, we see that the King and Haman sit down to drink together - but the city of Shushan was perplexed.

They could not understand this irratinoal decision.

Chapter 4:

In chapter 4, we see Mordecai’s reaction to the news.

He tears his clothes, puts on sackcloth and ashes, goes into the midst of the city, and cries a loud cry.

And the Jews, in their different provinces, have a similiar reaction.

So Esther hears about Mordecai’s behavior and sends one of her servants, Hathach, to find out what’s going on.

So Mordecai explains to Hathach that Haman has planned to destroy all the Jews.

He gave the servant a copy of the decree to had been sent to the different provinces, so that Esther could understand his and the Jewish people’s distress.

Mordecai then insisted that Esther as the Queen should petition this decree.

But Esther reminds Mordecai of one of the King’s rules.

That being, that no one could enter the King’s inner court without an invitation, and that if one enters the inner court without an invititation - that person would be killed.

The only person who would escape this penalty of death would be the one to whom the king holds out his golden scpeter.

Only that person would obtain grace.

She herself had not been invited into his court for last thirty days.

She was probably worried that if she publicly disobeyed the Kings commands or rules, the same fate would await her as that of Queen Vashti.

Mordecai, however, responds to her quite firmly.

Mordecai reminds Eshter that she is a Jew and that she would not escape this decree of death.

If Esther were to remain quiet during this time, then God would bring forth deliverance for the Jews from a different place.

However, it could very well be that God, according to His providence, had given her this position of Queen in Medo-Persia for such a time as this.

Therefore she had to act.

And in verse 16, we see Esther asking that Mordecai would gather the Jews in Shushan and that they would fast for her for three days, not eating or drinking.

Why? Because she was going to take the risk and enter the King’s inner court.

And she had decided that if she died in the process - so be it! What courage.

So the Mordecai gathered the Jews in Shushan, and they fasted and prayed together for Esther.

And this really was the turning point in the book of Esther.

When the people humbled themselves before God and prayed, God heard them, He would give them the victory and freedom from the Tyranny of Haman.

Chapter 5:

In chapter 5, we see Esther putting on her royal robes and finding the courage to enter the inner court of the King’s palalce.

And when Queen Esther entered the court, she found favor in the sight of the King.

The King took his golden scepter in his hand, and Esther went forward and touched the the top of the scepter.

Because of God’s favor - she obtained grace by the King - and her life was spared.

Question: Why did Esther receive this grace?

Because of the prayer and fasting.

God answered the prayer and fasting of the Jews of Shushan.

When you’re in trouble and you humble yourself before God, and you cry out to Him - He HEARS YOU.

And in verse 3, the King asking Esther the following question:

Esther 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!””

And Esther responds with an invitation to a banquet that she had prepared for both the King and for Haman. She wanted them to attend her banquet.

In the the evening, the King and Haman came to the banquet of wine.

Again the King asks Queen Esther, in verse 6:

Esther 5:6 “What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!””

And in this moment, Esther is senstive to the Lord’s leading, and she concludes that its not the right time to ask the King her request.

Verse 8 tells us, that Esther requests that both the King and Haman come back tomorrow to another banquet.

So they King, Haman and Esther go their seperate ways.

And as Haman is leaving to go home, he see’s Mordecai in the King’s gate.

Mordecai again, even after the degree that had been sent out, did not bow or give Haman the respect he believed he deserved.

And the Bible tells us in verse 9, that Haman was filled with wrath towards Mordecai.

Haman had an absolute hatered and injustified anger towards Mordecai.

After this, Haman gets home and because his feeling bad - he begins to speak to his wife and friends about what had just happened.

First he puts himself in a good light, and begins to brag about how great he was, how the king had promoted him above all the kings officials and servants, and how he had personally been invited to a banquet by Queen Esther - that only the King and himself were allowed to attend.

But at the end of all his boasting, he says that all these things avail him nothing as long as Mordecia sits at the King’s gate. Putting Mordecai in a bad light before his family and friends.

So Haman’s wife, Zeresh, and friends, suggest that Haman builds gallows, fifty cubits high by which Mordecai should be hanged or impaled on.

And that when Haman was at the banquet with King Ahasuerus - he was the suggest that Mordecai be hanged in the gallows.

Question: Do you gossip and speak badly of others?

The Bible tells us, in Proverbs 6:18-19, that God hates the person bears false witness against others and the person who sows discord among brethren.

Proverbs 16:28 tells us that “A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends.”

If you’ve done that before - make sure that you repent today and ask God for forgiveness.

We can’t allow the Devil to use our tongues to destroy other people’s reputations and relationships.

Chapter 6:

In verse 1, we see that the King could not sleep that night.

So in order to help him sleep, he asked his servants to get out the book of the chronciles and to read it to the king.

And while they were reading, the King was reminded of what Mordecai had done for him - when Mordecai told of the two King’s eunuch’s, Bigthana and Teresh, who tried to kill the King.

When the King was reminded of this event, He asked his servants, what honor and dignity had been bestowed on Mordecai.

And the servants reminded him that nothing had been done for Mordecai.

And while they were still discussing Modecai, guess who rocks up in the King’s court? Haman.

And he came with an agenda.

Lets read verse 4.

Esther 6:4 (NKJV)

So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

Nevertheless, King Ahasuerus gave Haman an opportunity to speak.

And the King asks Haman a spesific question, with Mordecai at the back of his mind.

Verse 6 the King asks, “What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?”

And Haman, in his arrogance, not knowing that the King was referring to Mordecai and not himself, makes the following statement.

Esther 6:7–9 NKJV

And Haman answered the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor, let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head. Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor. Then parade him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!’ ”

And what happens next - changes everything.

Lets read verse 10.

Esther 6:10 NKJV

Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, as you have suggested, and do so for Mordecai the Jew who sits within the king’s gate! Leave nothing undone of all that you have spoken.”

Everything that Haman wanted for himself, God gave to Mordecai - the person that Haman hated.

In verse 11 and 12, we see that Haman did as the King commanded and Mordecai received his honor.

Humiliated and embarrased, Haman got back home, he was mourning and sad.

Haman told his wife and his friends about what had happened, and the same people that conspired with Haman to build gallows by which they could hang Mordecai, were now the same people telling him - that he would not prevail against Mordecai, especially because he was of Jewish descent.

And as we will see in Chapter 7, the same trap that they had set for Haman, would be the exact same thing that God would use to destroy them.

And while they were still discussing everything that happened, guess who arrives at the door.

The King’s eunuchs, its banquet time with Queen Esther.

God’s providence.

God’s timing is perfect!

Chaper 7:

In chapter 7, we arrive at the second banquet.

The King, Haman, and Esther are there.

And in verse two, we see the King for the third time asking Queen Esther - “what is your petition Esther? What is your request? If you want up to half of the Kingdom, I am willing to give it to you.”

And finally Esther sees that the time is right, and she brings her request before the King.

Lets read verse 3-6

Esther 7:3–6 NKJV

Then Queen Esther answered and said, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request. For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king’s loss.” So King Ahasuerus answered and said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who would dare presume in his heart to do such a thing?” And Esther said, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!” So Haman was terrified before the king and queen.

After this, we see Haman is terrified, and he begins pleading for his life before Queen Esther.

He was not willing to extend mercy to Mordecai and the Jews, but now his begging for it for himself. What a coward.

The King was so upset, that he physically had to excuse himself from the conversation and walk around in the palace garden to cool off.

But as the King finally returns to the palace, He see’s Haman fallen across the couch where Queen Esther was.

And it looked like Haman was trying to assault his wife.

And that was the final straw. The King is furious.

One of the Kings servants, Harbonah, speaks up and tells the King about the gallows Haman built to hang Mordecai.

And what does the King do?

He commands that Haman is hanged on the very same gallows, he built for the death of Mordecai.

The tables turned.

The same thing that the enemy tried to use to destroy Mordecai, God would use to destroy Haman.

And Haman was hanged.

How powerful is God? He alone can use the very things that our enemies try use to destroy to us - to destroy them.

Romans 8:31 NKJV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Chapter 8:

On that same day, Queen Esther, reveals to King Ahasuerus, that she herself was related to Mordecai and that He was the man that raised her.

And the King decides to appoint Mordecai in place Haman, and puts him in charge over the entire house of Haman.

The King gives Mordecai his own signant ring, as a symbol of his authority in the Kingdom of Medo Persia.

After this, Queen Esther implored the King to reverse the evil scheme that Haman had plotted against the Jews.

And as she did this, the King held out his golden scepter, and she touched it - as a symbol of accepting his grace towards her.

And the King instructs Queen Esther and Mordecai to write a decree and send out letters into every province of the Medo Persia, stating that every Jews had every right to protect themselves and avenge themselves against their enemies.

These letters were send out by couriers on horses, bred spesifically to run fast, in order to deliver messages these letters quickly.

So letters went out, and the Jews everywhere celebareted with joy and gladness.

Because God had used what the enemy meant for evil, to their good.

Haman, however, was hung for his horrible deeds - as the enemy of the Jews.

And the last verse of this chapter, it states that, “the fear of the Jews fell on the people of the land”.

Chapter 9:

In chapter nine, we see, that on the exact same day that Haman appointed for the destruction of the Jews, in the twelfth month, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day - the enemies of the Jews tried to over power them.

But what happened? The opposite occured, and the Jews overpowered those who hated and tried to destroy them.

No one could stand against the Jewish people.

Even the officials of the provinces, governors and all those working for the King - began to help the Jewish people, because the fear of Mordecai fell on them.

In the city of Shushan, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.

And in the process they killed and hanged the ten sons of Haman on the same gallows their father built for Mordecai.

The following day, Esther requested by the King that the fight continued.

And the King agreed.

In the city of Shushan another three hundered men were killed. But the Jews did not touch the plunder.

The Jews in the other provinces killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies, but they also did not lay their hands on the plunder.

The victory of the Jews on this day was so great, that Feast of Purim, was created to be celebrated from generation to generation by the Jewish people - in order to remember everything that God had done for them by the hands of Mordecai and Queen Esther.

That God Himself fought for His people, and that what the enemy intended for evil against the Jewish nation - God intended for good.

Romans 8:31 NKJV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Chapter 10:

In chapter ten, we see that God continued to exalt Mordecai, and he became second to King Ahasuerus in the Kingdom of Medo Persia.

The book concludes that Mordecai continued to seek the good of his people, and that he spoke peace to all of his country men.

And if we want to find more information about King Ahasuerus and Mordecai, we can find it in the the book of Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia.

Conclusion

Closing Prayer