1. ESTHER

2. Esther Around the year 483 B.C. Xerxes was king 1:1-3 Ahasuerus is Hebraized form of his name Persian Empire from India to Ethiopia (made up of 127 satrapies) 1:1 Princes and nobles invited to banquet 1:3 Lasted half a year 1:4 To show off his riches 1:4 Including his wife Vashti 1:11 After everyone was drunk 1:7-8,10

3. Esther Vashti refused the king’s summons 1:12; 1 Tim. 2:9 The king became angry (he was a hot-head) King sought advice from his wise men 1:13-15 They claimed that the whole kingdom was wronged 1:16 They advised him to banish Vashti and marry a replacement 1:19 Their motive was to keep their own wives in subjection 1:17,20

4. Esther Esther became the replacement 2:1-18 Young, beautiful, Jewess raised in Persia by cousin Mordecai from the tribe of Benjamin (fifth generation from exile) 2:5-7 Mordecai told her to keep her background secret 2:10 Respected by Hegai, in charge of palace women 2:8-9,15 given special treatment Mordecai stayed near the gate to learn how she was 2:11 Esther was chosen by the king, and he gave a feast 2:18

5. Esther Mordecai saved the king’s life 2:19-23 He overheard two doorkeepers plot to kill Xerxes 2:21 He told Esther who told the king 2:22 It was investigated and confirmed 2:23 It was recorded that Mordecai was the informant 2:23 Esther’s ethnicity still kept secret 2:20

6. Haman From a zone by Media 3:1 Became royal vizier 3:1 Mordecai refused to bow to him at the king’s gate 3:2-5 Haman sought to kill all the Jews because of him 3:6 Cast lots for the day to kill the Jews 3:7 Then he went to Xerxes for authority to kill all the Jews in the empire 3:8-9 Offered to pay the king 10,000 talents of silver for this law 3:9

7. Haman He and the king sat down to drink 3:15 The city of Shushan was perplexed 3:15 The Jews, especially Mordecai, lamented 4:1-3 Esther hadn’t heard about it 4:5 She sends a messenger to clothe him and find out why he is mourning 4:4-6 Mordecai explains and asks for Esther to go and ask the king to save them 4:7-8 Esther warns of the risk of approaching Xerxes uninvited 4:10-12

8. Faith and Providence Mordecai expresses faith 4:13-14 He suggests providence 4:14 We should believe in God’s care 1 Peter 5:6 Otherwise, prayer is in vain James 1:5-8 We may not understand all the details Philemon 15 Esther shows faith by asking for the prayers of the Jews with fasting 4:15-16 She was determined to do right even if she were to die 4:16

9. Esther’s Wisdom Esther acts in faith 5:1-2 Esther lays the groundwork in order to give a word “fitly spoken” 5:3-8 Prepared a banquet for Xerxes and Haman 5:4 Set up for banquet the following day 5:8 She could not use her position to start a Jewish revolution Remember Moses Acts 7:23-26 Remember Vashti 1:11-22

10. Haman Haman is a proud man 5:11-12 So he is jubilant that he was the only guest of Esther’s banquet 5:9,12 Just seeing Mordecai refusing to bow at the gate upset him 5:9 feelings are fleeting Mordecai refused to show fear 5:9 He brags to his family how he feels 5:10-12 He complains to his family how he feels 5:13 They suggest he hang Mordecai 5:14 Make gallows, get king’s permission, hang Mordecai in the morning, be happy!

11. “Give a man enough rope…” Haman went to Xerxes for permission to hang Mordecai 6:4-5 Before he made his request, Xerxes asked him, “What shall be done for the man the king delights to honor?” 6:6 Haman assumes the man had to be him 6:6 So he suggests truly royal treatment 6:7-9 Xerxes says for him to do that for Mordecai 6:10 Because he realized he hadn’t been rewarded Now Haman’s family believes in providence 6:13

12. “Give a man enough rope…” Now was time for the banquet 6:14 Esther makes her request 7:1-4 For her and her people to be saved The king asks who would dare kill them 7:5 Esther says, “This wicked Haman!” 7:6 Xerxes is furious and leaves the room 7:7 Haman falls down to plead to Esther 7:7 Xerxes concludes that he wants to assault her 7:8 One of the eunuchs mentioned the gallows made by Haman for Mordecai, who was a good guy 7:9

13. Exaltation of Jews Esther asked for salvation of Jews 8:3-6 Obstacle of decree in king’s name 8:8 Put Mordecai in place of Haman 8:1-2,7-8; 10:1-3 His new law gave Jews authority to defend themselves against those who still planned on attacking them with Haman’s law 8:11-14 Many respected Jews, became Jews 8:17 Jews killed their enemies that attacked 9:1-17 Including ten sons of Haman 9:13 Feast of Purim 9:18-32