We love to conceal, but not to reveal.
Mordecai instructed Esther to keep her identity hidden - if the king knew she was a Jew she couldn’t have been Queen.
For Mordecai, his time to reveal himself had come.
When was it time?
When he was presented a choice to bow or pay the price to stand.
For Esther, her time came later.
When was it time for her?
When Haman’s evil plot had taken root in the head of the king - when the ruler of the day stood opposed to God’s people.
Esther 3:6 - Hamen didn’t want to just kill Mordecai, he wanted to kill all Jews.
Satan works the same way - he’s not satisfied with just the Kleins or Stutzmans - he wants all Christians to lose their livelihoods.
Why Christians? Why not Muslims or Buddhists, etc?
Esther 3:8 - Haman tells us why:
1) We live by different laws - our laws are higher than the laws of the land and they make us better citizens.
2) We don’t keep the king’s laws - when the laws of the land contradict the laws of God we obey God and not man.
When do we know to obey God over man?
1) When you’re forced to do something against your faith.
2) When you’re prohibited from expressing your faith.
Esther 3:4 - (7/23/15)
Reveal
July 23, 2015 • 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 God uses the weaknesses of people to get us where He wants us. 1:19 - A royal edict could not be repealed.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.