The Queen Of Beauty And Courage

06/03/2019 The Queen Of Beauty And Courage

Series: The Story Of The Bible 

https://vimeo.com/337937362

What Does The Bible Say?

Esther

15 Esther was the daughter of Abihail, who was Mordecai’s uncle. (Mordecai had adopted his younger cousin Esther.) When it was Esther’s turn to go to the king, she accepted the advice of Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem. She asked for nothing except what he suggested, and she was admired by everyone who saw her. 

16 Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace in early winter of the seventh year of his reign. 17 And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti. 18 To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther’s honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone. 19 Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem and Mordecai had become a palace official, 20 Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecai’s directions, just as she did when she lived in his home. (Esther 2:15–20 NLT) 

God puts us in places so we can influence others.

Some time later King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite over all the other nobles, making him the most powerful official in the empire. (Esther 3:1 NLT) 

5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. 6 He had learned of Mordecai’s nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes. (Esther 3:5–6 NLT) 

People will attack you because of their hidden agenda.

7 So in the month of April, during the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, lots were cast in Haman’s presence (the lots were called purim) to determine the best day and month to take action. And the day selected was March 7, nearly a year later. 8 Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to obey the laws of the king. So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live. (Esther 3:7-8 NLT) 

33 We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall. (Proverbs 16:33 NLT)

Remember that God always has a bigger plan than what we can see.

3 And as news of the king’s decree reached all the provinces, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and many people lay in burlap and ashes. (Esther 4:3 NLT)

All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.” 12 So Hathach gave Esther’s message to Mordecai. 13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” 15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” 17 So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him. (Esther 4:13–17 NLT)

Ask yourself, “Am I where I am for such a time as this?”

So on March 7 the two decrees of the king were put into effect. On that day, the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but quite the opposite happened. It was the Jews who overpowered their enemies. 2 The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the king’s provinces to attack anyone who tried to harm them. But no one could make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them. 3 And all the nobles of the provinces, the highest officers, the governors, and the royal officials helped the Jews for fear of Mordecai. 4 For Mordecai had been promoted in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces as he became more and more powerful. (Esther 9:1–4 NLT)

16 Meanwhile, the other Jews throughout the king’s provinces had gathered together to defend their lives. They gained relief from all their enemies, killing 75,000 of those who hated them. But they did not take any plunder. (Esther 9:16 NLT)

20 Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to the Jews near and far, throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes, 21 calling on them to celebrate an annual festival on these two days. 22 He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts of food to each other and presents to the poor. This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy. 23 So the Jews accepted Mordecai’s proposal and adopted this annual custom. (Esther 9:20–23 NLT)

Remember what God has done for you. 

How Can You Obey?

Discover why God has placed you where He has placed you.

Question 1 of 5

How do you deal with people that are always trying to hurt you physically, emotionally, and even spiritually?

Question 2 of 5

Will you share a story where you faced a situation that seemed hopeless, but God miraculously turned things around? What helped you see God’s presence and power at work through this situation?

Question 3 of 5

Esther made the comment, “if I must die, I must die.” How does this remind us that Jesus told us to, “take up our cross daily” (Luke 9:23)?

Question 4 of 5

The story in Esther did not remove the danger of attack on the Jews, but allowed them to fight back and defend themselves. What is the battle that God is calling you to fight?

Question 5 of 5 

Who is a “Mordecai” in your life: family member, friend, church leader, or person who offered spiritual wisdom and guidance in some season of your life? Tell us about their spiritual influence on your life.