2. Esther 4 The chapter starts with Mordecai’s reaction to the king’s edict –Tore clothes, put on sackcloth & ashes –At city gate waily loudly & bitterly The chapter starts with Mordecai’s reaction to the king’s edict –Tore clothes, put on sackcloth & ashes –At city gate waily loudly & bitterly In every province that heard the edict, there was great mourning among the Jews

3. Leviticus 23:5 The people of Susa would have received the news of their annihilationi at the very time when they should be celebrating the Passover Feast. Instead they are devestated. Perhaps that was God’s way of reminding them that if they trust in Him, He will deliver them just as He delivered their ancestors. « The Lord’s Passover begins at twilight on the 14 th day of the first month. »

4. QUEEN ESTHER Esther’s maids came to tell her about Mordecai and Esther is greatly distressed. She sent clothes for him to put on but Mordecai would not accept them. Esther lived a very secluded life cut off from contact with the outside world. Communication between Esther and Mordecai was very difficult, Esther as Queen lived on a different social level. Nobody knew of their relationship and Mordecai wanted it kept a secret Esther’s maids came to tell her about Mordecai and Esther is greatly distressed. She sent clothes for him to put on but Mordecai would not accept them. Esther lived a very secluded life cut off from contact with the outside world. Communication between Esther and Mordecai was very difficult, Esther as Queen lived on a different social level. Nobody knew of their relationship and Mordecai wanted it kept a secret

5. QUEEN ESTHER Mordecai had raised Esther as a Jew, but now she had been living far away from her home and the influence of her cousin, in a place where she could not be open about her beliefs Esther lived in a place of beauty and riches. She lived in a world where appearance was important Why did Mordecai refuse the clothes? Perhaps insulted that Esther thought giving new one’s would make the problem go away, or maybe to show Esther this was a serious problem Mordecai had raised Esther as a Jew, but now she had been living far away from her home and the influence of her cousin, in a place where she could not be open about her beliefs Esther lived in a place of beauty and riches. She lived in a world where appearance was important Why did Mordecai refuse the clothes? Perhaps insulted that Esther thought giving new one’s would make the problem go away, or maybe to show Esther this was a serious problem

6. MORDECAI & ESTHER Communication Esther sends Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, to see Mordecai. She ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai Mordecai told Hathach to urge her to go into the king’s presence and beg for mercy Esther sends message to Mordecai – everyone knows that by the king’s own law if anyone approaches the king without being summoned they are to be put to death Esther sends Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, to see Mordecai. She ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai Mordecai told Hathach to urge her to go into the king’s presence and beg for mercy Esther sends message to Mordecai – everyone knows that by the king’s own law if anyone approaches the king without being summoned they are to be put to death

7. MORDECAI & ESTHER Communication Esther concludes by saying « Thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king. » Obviously there was trouble in paradise. Esther concludes by saying « Thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king. » Obviously there was trouble in paradise.

8. FOR SUCH A TIME … « And who knows, but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? » In this verse Mordecai is reminding her of God’s providence in the past, and of the entirely unlikely (miraculous) set of circumstances that resulted in her divine appointment as Queen « and who knows » - a figure of speech known as aposiopesis which means a sudden breaking off in speech. So that the mind is more impressed by what is left unsaid because it is to wonderful to verbalize « And who knows, but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? » In this verse Mordecai is reminding her of God’s providence in the past, and of the entirely unlikely (miraculous) set of circumstances that resulted in her divine appointment as Queen « and who knows » - a figure of speech known as aposiopesis which means a sudden breaking off in speech. So that the mind is more impressed by what is left unsaid because it is to wonderful to verbalize

9. ESTHER’S CHOICE Somewhere between v 14 & v 15 Esther had a difficult choice to make. She and her people were now walking in the shadow of death Her command to Mordecai is to gather all the Jews of Susa to fast for her for 3 days and 3 nights (no food or drink). She and her maids would do the same and then she would go before the king. On the third day she prepares a feast for king Xerxes and Haman while she fasted Somewhere between v 14 & v 15 Esther had a difficult choice to make. She and her people were now walking in the shadow of death Her command to Mordecai is to gather all the Jews of Susa to fast for her for 3 days and 3 nights (no food or drink). She and her maids would do the same and then she would go before the king. On the third day she prepares a feast for king Xerxes and Haman while she fasted

10. AND IF I PERISH « And if I perish, I perish. » What powerful words. They show courage. « Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there are things more important than fear. » (Beth Moore) « And if I perish, I perish. » What powerful words. They show courage. « Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there are things more important than fear. » (Beth Moore)