Victory!
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Tables turned
Tables turned
We have seen Haman’s plot to destroy Mordecai and the Jews
But God stepped in for a time such as this and used Mordecai and Esther to thwart the plot.
We have seen Esther’s plan and it come to fruition in the destruction of Haman.
We have seen the edict that is unchangeable that had gone out that the day of destruction to the Jews was still coming.
We have seen a counter-edict issued by the king by the pleading of Esther.
(Tonight) - the day that was a year off, that the Jews were going to be destroyed has come, there is an edict to destroy the Jews, and there was an edict for the Jews to defend themselves. Tonight we see how God’s providence works out a victory for the Jews, and paints a picture for us, of our victory that we have in Christ Jesus.
In our passage tonight it is here for us to recognize God’s deliverance even when His name is not mentioned in their lives and to celebrate God’s deliverance in our lives.
This chapter absolutely points to the redemptive work of Christ who delivers us from sin and death. God’s provision for us, is Jesus Christ and provides the way of salvation even though the world wants to destroy.
So, lets turn to our passage. It is long so will break it down some. Some we will send some time on, some we will make note of only after reading it.
God’s providence through reversal
God’s providence through reversal
Watch in our passage as we see God’s providence orchestrates the deliverance of the Jews. May we think about how God has orchestrated deliverance from things in our lives.
1 Now in the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on the thirteenth day when the king’s command and edict were about to be executed, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, it was turned to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them.
2 The Jews assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm; and no one could stand before them, for the dread of them had fallen on all the peoples. 3 Even all the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and those who were doing the king’s business assisted the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them.
4 Indeed, Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai became greater and greater. 5 Thus the Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying; and they did what they pleased to those who hated them.
6 At the citadel in Susa the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men, 7 and Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha,
10 the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
Is there anything in particular that sticks out to you in these verses?
Do you see a time marker (v.1)?
Twelfth month (month of Adar); thirteenth day.
How did the Jews prepare for this day (v.2)?
They assembled in their cities throughout all the providences
Ready to lay hands on those who planned to lay hands on them and harm them.
Can you see who else God used in His provision and why (vv.3-4)?
The princes, satraps, governors
Because of the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them.
How many men were killed by the sword in Susa (vv.5-6)?
Destroyed five hundred men.
After that in (vv.7-9) you see the districts that this all happen in.
What facts do you find now in (v.10)?
Ten sons of Haman were noted as part of those destroyed.
The Jews did not lay hands on the plunder.
Through history the Jews had always had their enemies, those that wanted to destroy them. Here in our passage they have someone great on their side, the king. And someone greater than the king, God. Makes me think of
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
God takes their adversities and turned them into triumphs! - - We have our own enemies to deal with but we have the king of kings, Lord of Lords on our side!
We see in (vv.6-10) the cities where they fought their enemies. Enemies can be everywhere, they are not just in our city, but in other cities, countries too.
We also see that the order given to Saul (1Sam15:2ff) to wipe out the Amalekites that he did not do is going to happen now. Mordecai a direct relative from the line of Saul would complete God’s judgement.
Provisional power and empowerment
Provisional power and empowerment
We will see in this passage Queen Esther asks for an additional day to complete the task, for the Jews to defend themselves.
11 On that day the number of those who were killed at the citadel in Susa was reported to the king. 12 The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa. What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! Now what is your petition? It shall even be granted you. And what is your further request? It shall also be done.”
13 Then said Esther, “If it pleases the king, let tomorrow also be granted to the Jews who are in Susa to do according to the edict of today; and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.” 14 So the king commanded that it should be done so; and an edict was issued in Susa, and Haman’s ten sons were hanged.
15 The Jews who were in Susa assembled also on the fourteenth day of the month Adar and killed three hundred men in Susa, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. 16 Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces assembled, to defend their lives and rid themselves of their enemies, and kill 75,000 of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
Anything stick out to you in these verses?
What facts do you see (vv.11-12)?
King is speaking to Queen Esther.
There were 500 men killed
The ten sons of Haman were killed.
Yet, what is your petition, it will be done?
What is Esther’s petition (v.13) and the kings response (v.14)?
Let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.
The King commanded it and it happened.
OK, be a good detective, what facts do you see in (vv.15-16)?
It is now a new day; fourteenth day
In Susa another three hundred men killed.
Did not touch the plunder.
The Jews in all the kings provinces assembled and killed 75,000 of those who hated them, but did not touch their plunder.
We need to be people who know God provides, and we need to be people of perseverance to accomplish God’s task, even if it seems difficult. This could have been avoided if Saul would have obeyed the command of the Lord originally. The 75,000 shows the totality of the destruction, but more so the depth of the victory through God’s provision. Esther was not willing to settle for a partial victory, she knew God’s will and demanded full victory. We need to not fall short either. What are we asking God for victory on? Are we stepping in faith for that victory?
Praise through celebration
Praise through celebration
We see in this passage the feast of Purim established. May we learn what it means, and what does it mean today, if anything.
17 This was done on the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. 18 But the Jews who were in Susa assembled on the thirteenth and the fourteenth of the same month, and they rested on the fifteenth day and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.
19 Therefore the Jews of the rural areas, who live in the rural towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a holiday for rejoicing and feasting and sending portions of food to one another. 20 Then Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far,
21 obliging them to celebrate the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same month, annually, 22 because on those days the Jews rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and rejoicing and sending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
Anything stand out to you in these verses?
The feast of Purim in the country this would be on the fourteenth day of Adar, in Susa it was on the fifteenth day.
It was a day of feasting and rejoicing.
It was a time to send portions (exchange gifts of food items) to one another.
Mordecai sent letters to all the provinces (v.20), commanding them (obligating) them to celebrate on the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the Adar, annual.
Mordecai gave the reason (v.22) it was for the victory of they ridding themselves of their enemies and turned sorrow into gladness; from mourning into a holiday (feasting and rejoicing).
May we be people who stop, pause and celebrate with feasting and rejoicing in God’s work, God’s provision that gets us through the troubling times! Look for reasons to rejoice, and invite others to rejoice with you, not in what you are doing, but what God has done, is doing.
Proclamation through Unity!
Proclamation through Unity!
23 Thus the Jews undertook what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had schemed against the Jews to destroy them and had cast Pur, that is the lot, to disturb them and destroy them.
25 But when it came to the king’s attention, he commanded by letter that his wicked scheme which he had devised against the Jews, should return on his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 26 Therefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. And because of the instructions in this letter, both what they had seen in this regard and what had happened to them,
Est9:27-28\
27 the Jews established and made a custom for themselves and for their descendants and for all those who allied themselves with them, so that they would not fail to celebrate these two days according to their regulation and according to their appointed time annually. 28 So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province and every city; and these days of Purim were not to fail from among the Jews, or their memory fade from their descendants.
29 Then Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim. 30 He sent letters to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, namely, words of peace and truth,
31 to establish these days of Purim at their appointed times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established for them, and just as they had established for themselves and for their descendants with instructions for their times of fasting and their lamentations. 32 The command of Esther established these customs for Purim, and it was written in the book.
Anything stand out to you in these verses?
In this passage we see the stopping, remembering what God had done
In this passage we see the call four unity. To gather in unity to celebrate, but also encourage one another.
Purim means “lots, lots.” and what would happen then and with Jews today it is most celebrated feast.
It was established as a festival celebrating the deliverance of the Jews from the Haman.
They read the scroll of Esther.
The feast
They give gives to one another that are food items
They give to the poor
They partake of “Hamantasden;” it is a triangular pastry filled with poppy seeds, fruit preserves or with chocolate. It was said it represented Haman’s hat or his ears.
Do we today have any formal decrees for celebrating?
Yes, the Lord’s Supper!
What do you have to remember, to celebrate today?
(Prayer) (Exit)
