Esther - This book should have been titled Mordecai (it's much more about him!)
MOREDECAI:
2:21 - Mordecai was faithful in the Gate
He was faithful in the little so God made him faithful in the big
He was like a bell-hop at a hotel
If he wouldn't have been faithful he would not have overheard the plot to kill the king (imagine if he called in sick)
God was orchestrating the destruction of the enemies of the Jews but it required Mordecai to be faithful at the gate
6:4 - If you want to hear the inner council of the king then you had better be in his court
We need to camp out in the courts of God (Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise)
8:1 - Because he was faithful in the Gate God elevated Him to the Court!
Mordecai was not only just faithful in the Gate but he told nobody of his relation to Esther
8:17 - It says, "the kings commandment" but we know that's Mordecai's commandment
He was granted the right to speak for the King - he didn't hold the position but he possessed the power!
This is what faithfulness in the little does for you - God rewards you with Power from on high!
HAMEN:
5:3 - Focus - Hamen was a bad man and it was evident by his inability to focus on the good but only on the bad
Any time there is something good in your life there will also be something bad / Any time there is something bad in your life there will also be something good - the key is "which one will you focus on?
ESTHER: (timeline)
1 - Haman gets elevated and everyone is to bow to Him
2 - Mordecai, who's related to Esther the queen, refuses
3 - Haman hates Mordecai for this and gets the king to agree to issue an irrevocable decree to destroy all the Jews (when anger fills your heart murder crouches at your door)
4 - The plan is flipped on it's head because Esther has the guts to approach the king to expose the wickedness of Haman
Eshter 6:1 - divine insomnia - while Haman was building the gallows God was arousing the King. So long as we focus on God's business He will take care of our business. Mordecai had nothing to do with this!
5 - Mordecai got what was Haman's (his estate) and Haman got what was Mordecai's (the gallows he was hung on). But notice that the enemies of the Jews were still planning to kill them because of the first decree.
6 - The king makes another decree since the first one couldn't be revoked, and he tells all Jews that they can fight and destroy anyone who comes against them.
7 - When the time came to exercise the first decree came many people assembled to kill the Jews, but due to the second decree the Jews were ready and they had organized themselves to fight.
8 - The Jews win and they destroy their enemies!!!!!
9 - God used the pride of the Persians to lead them to make a foolish law like un-revokable vows by their kings which paved the way for the Israelites to destroy many of them!
Esther (7/25/13)
MOREDECAI:
July 25, 2013 • Benham Brothers
Esther - General Overview (7/20/14)
July 20, 2014 • Benham Brothers
This is a lesson we did in our home-group several weeks ago, so we thought we'd post it here for you. CHAPTER 1 - The king gets drunk and Vashti gets stubborn. God uses the weaknesses of people to get us where He wants us. 1:19 - A royal edict could not be repealed. CHAPTER 2 - Esther becomes Queen / She keeps quiet about her heritage. Esther found favor with the king. 2:21 - Mordecai was faithful in his post at the gate. He didn't ask Esther to elevate him - he didn't let his ambition get in the way. His faithfulness allowed God to orchestrate circumstances which led to his rise to power. CHAPTER 3 - The BATTLE is DEFINED 3:2 - Mordecai wouldn't bow. 3:13-15 - Haman's plot. Haman was an Amalekite - Deut 25:17-19 - Blot them out! It appeared the Amalekites were going to win. CHAPTER 4 - The two spirits of Esther 1) 4:11 - "it may cost my life" 2) 4:13-14 - Mordecai's response 3) 4:16 - "if I die I die" CHAPTER 5 & 6 - Esther's Patience Butter him up!! Esther didn't reveal her plan immediately. This allowed God to move: 1) 5:13-14 - Haman prepared his own death-trap. 2) 6:1 - God was orchestrating the rise of Mordecai - He gave the king insomnia. 3) 6:4 - Haman in the court / Mordecai at the gate. CHAPTER 7 - Esther's plea / Haman hanged 7:10 - He died by the weapon he used to fight (just like what Jesus said to Peter in the garden). CHAPTER 8 - The BATTLE is DETERMINED 8:1 - Mordecai got what was Haman's and Haman got what was Mordecai's. 8:5 - "Revoke the letter" / 8:8 - "It can't be revoked!" 8:9 - Mordecai draws up the battle plan. The first decree said they could kill the Jews, but the second decree said the Jews could fight back - the battle was ON! 8:17 - BLUE PAINT! CHAPTER 9 - The BATTLE is won! 9:2 - The day of battle - the Jews destroyed their enemies. God didn't want to just deliver the Jews, He wanted to destroy their enemies. He allowed the Persians to fall in love with their own wisdom so that they made their laws irrevocable. CHAPTER 10 - Mordecai! 10:3 - Mordecai was faithful in the gate and now he was elevated to the court! It wasn't about Mordecai or Esther, it was about God's kingdom!
Esther 1:1 & 14 (7/18/19)
July 18, 2019 • Benham Brothers
* God blessed not only the Jews who obediently went back to Jerusalem, but also those who refused to leave. * The book of Esther shows us how God took care of those who didn’t join in with the other Jews who faithfully followed God’s leading back to Jerusalem. * It shows how God’s hand was behind the scenes working things out to protect His people. * vs 10 - on the “seventh” day the king made a mistake. * vs 10 - There were seven eunuchs who found the girls. * vs 14 - There were seven princes who gave the plan. * God was on the throne working things out and His name was never once mentioned. * Esther 3:7 - Roll the Dice. * Haman kept rolling the dice until everything lined up just right. * Proverbs 16:33 - God used this method to direct people. * Haman had to wait 12 months to execute the plan. * The minute the dice fell into place God’s plan kicked into action. * Esther 9:23-24 - the enemies of God were destroyed because Haman decided to roll the dice and attack them.