Through The Bible
17 Esther
May 27 - Esther 1 - 2
As we begin the book of Esther, I want to give the scriptures for the opening chapter. It is wonderfully written and very descriptive of the time, the place, and the extravagant beauty of the scene. The name of God does not occur in the book, but we see the providence of God working in the lives of His people. The story takes place in Shushan the palace, which was also the opening for the book of Nehemiah.
"1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
4 When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
6 Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus." (Esther 1:1-9)
"On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine,..." (1:10) he commanded his chamberlains to bring Vashti the queen with the royal crown to show the people her beauty. But, Vashti refused which made the king very angry. So the king asked the wise men what he should do.
"16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.
19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.
20 And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small." (1:16-20)
The king liked this answer so he sent letters to every province, in their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house.
In Chapter 2 King Ahasuerus got over his anger and he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what was decreed against her. So his servants suggested that they gather all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace and let the king choose a new queen. And the king liked this idea. (When I was younger I thought this was like a beauty pageant, but these beautiful young ladies would never have the chance to marry and have a family, or have a normal life, because they would remain in the palace as concubines.) In the palace there was a Jew named Mordecai, who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon.
"7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
8 So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.
10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.
11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her." (2:7-11)
Each maid spent a year preparing to go in before the king. They went through the process of purification for 6 months with oil of myrrh, and 6 months with sweet odors and other things. When it was her time, she could choose whatsoever she desired out of the house of women and it was given to her. "In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name." (2:14) I read the book of Esther many times before I stopped and thought about what this verse was really saying. When it was Esther's turn, she didn't ask for anything special. "And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king." (2:17-18) Still Esther had not told anyone that she was a Jew, "... as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him." (2:20) In the end of the chapter, Mordecai sat in the king's gate and found out that two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, were planning to kill King Ahasuerus. He told Eshter the queen, who told the king, certified in Mordecai's name. When it was found to be true, they were hung on a tree and it was written in the book of the chronicles of the king.
May 28 - Esther 3 - 5
Life Lesson... Sometimes God puts us in the right place, at the right time, "for such a time as this."
In Chapter 3 King Ahasuerus promoted Haman above all the princes. All the king's servants in the king's gate bowed to Haman, but, Mordecai bowed not nor did him reverence. The king's servants asked Mordecai why he didn't follow the king's commandment and bow to Haman. After asking him daily, and he didn't listen to them, they told Haman. When Haman saw that Mordecai didn't bow to him then he was filled with wrath. To get back at Mordecai, he decided that he would have all the Jews killed. So they cast Pur, that is, the lot, and the twelfth month came up, Adar (March).
"8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.
9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.
10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy." (Esther 3:8-10)
The scribes were called and letters were written and sealed with the king's ring. "And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey." (3:13) The chapter ends, "And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed." (3:15) Mordecai put on sackcloth with ashes and sat in the midst of the city and cried with a bitter cry. In every province there was fasting and weeping among the Jews. Esther's maids told her about Mordecai so she sent raiment to him but he didn't accept it. She sent Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was. Mordecai told him all that had happened and the sum of money Haman had promised the king to kill all the Jews. He gave him the copy of the decree of the king. He told Esther to go before the king and make supplication for her people. Esther sent back word to Mordecai that anyone who went into the king's inner court could be put to death, except such to whom the king held out the golden scepter.
"13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him." (4:13-17)
"1 Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.
4 And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him." (5:1-4)
The king and Haman went to the banquet and again the king asked Esther, "What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed." (5:6) It seems to me like the queen still didn't know exactly how to tell the king so she invited them to come back the next day. Haman left with a joyful heart, until he saw Mordecai, who didn't move to reverence him and that left him full of indignation. He went home and called for his friends and his wife, Zerech.
"11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.
12 Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to morrow am I invited unto her also with the king.
13 Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.
14 Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made." (5:11-14)
May 29 - Esther 6 - 7
That night the king could not sleep. It could be that he was intrigued by the queen's request to come a second time to a banquet. It could be that all the banging to build a gallows about 75 feet high was keeping him awake. Whatever the reason, we see the providence of God. As some read before going to sleep, the king probably thought that reading the book of records would help him fall asleep.
"1 On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.
2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.
4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
5 And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?
7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,
8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:
9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.
10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken." (Esther 6:1-10)
So Haman took the horse and the apparel, and took Mordecai through the city and proclaimed before him, "Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour." (6:11) Haman was humiliated and went home with his head covered. He told his wife and all his friends what had happened and they said, "If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him." (6:13) While they were still talking, the king's chamberlain came to take Haman to the banquet with the queen. Let's read Chapter 7.
"1 So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.
2 And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.
3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:
4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage.
5 Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?
6 And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
7 And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.
8 Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.
9 And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.
10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified." (7:1-10)
May 30 - Esther 8 - 10
King Ahaseurus gave Esther the house of Haman and she set Mordecai over the house. The king gave Mordecai his ring. And Esther fell down at the king's feet to put away the mischief of Haman against the Jews. The king told her to write for the Jews and seal it with the king's ring and send it to the 127 provinces.
"10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:
11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar." (Esther 8:10-12)
"15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.
17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them." (8:15-17)
In Chapter 9 the day came and the Jews gathered themselves together and no man could withstand them, for the fear of them fell upon all people. The rulers of the provinces and deputies and officers of the king helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. His fame went throughout all the provinces and he waxed greater and greater. "Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them. And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men." (9:5-6) The ten sons of Haman were also slain. Again, the king asked Esther, "Now, what is thy petition?" Esther wanted Haman's sons hung on the gallows and she asked for another day for the Jews to avenge themselves of their enemies in Shushan. And they killed 300 more men in Shushan.
"16 But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,
17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
18 But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another." (9:16-19)
Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews to keep the 14th and 15th days of the month Adar of the Jewish calendar every year with feasting and joy, and sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor. (March in our calendars.) They called the days Purim after the name Pur. The book ends with Chapter 10.
"1 And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea.
2 And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed." (10:1-3)
