SESSION 6: mission impossible

 FROM RAGS TO RICHES Read Esther Chapter 8 1. Why did the king give Queen Esther the estate of Haman? 2. How did the king respond to the news that Esther and Mordecai were related? 3. In what way is the role reversal between Mordecai and Haman completed? The Persian law allowed those that revealed a crime to be rewarded by gaining the land and possessions of the criminal He called up Mordecai and elevated him to Haman’s former position What Haman planned for Mordecai (gallows) has become his death and all Haman’s position and property now belong to Mordecai

4. If Haman (Amalekites) was the archenemy of the Jews, who is the archenemy of the church? 2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Satan and his demons continually work to damage and destroy the Church 5. What does Jesus say concerning the role reversal between the Church and its’ archenemy? John 12:31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. Revelation 2:26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—

6. Why did the king extend his scepter to Esther a second time (vs 4) and what was her request? All the events of Esther 3-7 took place over about one week’s time; in the first month of Adar In Esther 8:9 it states that it is now the third month of Sivan Therefore about two months have passed since Haman’s exposure and the king has not resolved the Jewish edict problem…so Esther goes and pleads for her people once again 7. What did the king direct Esther and Mordecai to do? They were free to write another decree on behalf of the Jews of Persia

8. What do you notice about Mordecai’s orders to the Jews (vs ) ? It uses some of the same legal language that Haman used in his attempt to destroy the Jews; but it is written to give the Jews the right of defense if they are attacked This counteraction does not permit the Jews to take the offensive nor to provoke others 9. What contrasts do you notice between Haman’s former edict and that of Mordecai (vs )? Instead of sackcloth, ashes and mourning, Mordecai is wearing royal garments and sharing in the joy and happiness with all the Jews Instead of ‘bewilderment,’ the city of Susa held a joyous celebration Many people became Jews when they saw how Haman fell and how Esther and Mordecai were elevated

When Esther accepted the task at hand in Chapter 5, she realized that she had been “born for such a time as this.” In this regard, she had four, seemingly impossible, mission objectives. Now we can consider these objectives and see how they were accomplished. 1. To speak to the king, Esther has to break the law for which the penalty was death. In Chapter 5, Esther turned her fear into faith and found the courage to go before the king 2. To make her appeal to the king, Esther has to confess a secret that she kept from the king, namely that she was a Jew. In Chapter 7, Esther used self-control and wisdom when revealing her true identity

3. Esther must oppose Haman, the second most powerful man in the world, in front of him and the king. In Chapter 7, Esther exposes the evil schemes of Haman after he is humiliated by having to honor Mordecai Esther singles Haman out as a wicked man at her own banquet; and he is caught by the king in a compromising position with the queen 4. Esther must convince the king to reverse an irreversible law. In Chapter 8, the king has rewarded Esther and elevated Mordecai. Since Mordecai has the king’s signet ring, he was invited by the king to write a contrary decree concerning the Jews. She really doesn’t have to…a new and better decree can counter it

 ILLUSTRATIONS OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE “It has pleased God at different times in history to startle the heathen world into a conviction of His presence. The Lord intended, by the narrative of Esther’s history, to set before us a wonderful instance of His Providence, so that when we had viewed it with interest and pleasure, we might praise His name, and then go on to acquire the habit of observing His hand in other histories, and especially in our own lives.” 1. God places His agents in fit places for doing His work. Many Jews remain in exile in Persia Mordecai obtained an office which placed him at the palace gate Esther replaces Vashti as Queen Haman was an Amalekite and a powerful enemy of the Jews 2. God restrains His enemies The wicked cast their lots and it gave the Jews a “stay of execution” for 11 months

3. God, in His Providence, tries His people. God teaches His people obedience through affliction Hebrews 5:8-9 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him Mordecai had to resist bowing down to Haman and Esther had to risk her life and plead for her people 4. The Lord’s wisdom is seen in arranging the smallest events so as to produce great results. The devil isn’t in the details, God is. In the book of Esther fine details are woven together and both the wicked and the righteous walk in them

Prayer doesn’t change God’s providence, but it is part of His providence. The Lord sets His people praying and fasting and then He blesses them 5. The Lord, in His Providence, call His own servants to be active We are to rest confidently in Providence, but we are not to be idle in it Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 6. The Lord achieves the total defeat of His foes and the safety of His people. The manifold wisdom of God promises this. We see it in the past, in the present and we anticipate it’s finality in the eternity to come

When we obey Him –like Joshua, like Esther, like the early church – not only will we be blessed and honored, but another thing will happen that we all long for: men and women will come to Christ. When they see what God does in us, through us and for us, they will rejoice with us, and will want to be one of us. So like Esther, step out and do the impossible thing that God wants you to do. Obey Him and let Him bless you.