Lessons From Esther
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 God uses the weaknesses of people to get us where He wants us. 1:19 - A royal edict could not be repealed.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.
Esther (7/25/13)
July 25, 2013 • Benham Brothers
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 2:15 (8/28/14)
August 28, 2014 • Benham Brothers
Esther is a great example of how to honor those in authority over her. vs 15 - She did exactly what the king's cheif servant told her to do. This brought her the favor of the king. vs 20 - She did exactly what Mordecai told her to do. This brought her the favor of everyone else. She was now placed in a position of authority because she learned well how to honor authority. vs 22 - When she had an opportunity to honor her authority publicly she did it. This played a key part in exterminating the threat on all Jews. Honor leads to obedience; obedience leads to favor; favor leads to blessing. Blessings don't stop with us - they are given to us for the glory of God and the good of others.
Esther 2:21 & 8:10-11 (8/21/14)
August 21, 2014 • Benham Brothers
Mordecai was faithful at the gate. Even after his adopted daughter became queen he didn't leave his post. The gate represents the marketplace and the place of legislation - it's the heartbeat of the city. Because he was faithful in his position at the gate God orchestrated an event for him to overhear. If he wasn't in his place of responsibility he wouldn't have heard it. He was faithful in the king's gate so one day God could elevate Him to the king's court! The court represents access to authority. 8:2 - Mordecai got what was Haman's (a position in the court) and Haman got what was Mordecai's (hung on the gallows). 8:10-11 - Now Mordecai had access to the king's authority. Matt. 16:19 - the keys to the kingdom represent access to authority - God gives us these keys when we're properly aligned with Him. So whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven....... Mordecai wrote a letter in the king's name - it was his idea but the king stamped his approval on it. Because he was in the king's court and properly aligned under the king's authority it was as if the king wrote the letter himself. This means when we're aligned under God He grants us His authority, so when we say or do something it's as if God Himself said it and did it - it's stamped with His name! The key is to be in His court, properly aligned under His rule - we get there by being faithful in the gate He's placed us.
Esther 3:4 - (7/23/15)
July 23, 2015 • Benham Brothers
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 3:9 (8/19/21)
August 19, 2021 • Benham Brothers
* Proverbs 13:22 says, “The wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous…” * People in “right relationship” w/God don’t have to go after wealth. * They just have to stay in relationship with Him and He’ll handle the transfer as He sees fit. * Backstory - Wicked Haman had a position of authority and enough wealth to get anything he wanted. * He hated God’s people and wanted to use his wealth and power to destroy them. * Especially because Mordecai refused to bow to him. * Vs 9 - he offered 375 tons of silver into the king’s treasury. * Vs 10 - the king gave his ring to Haman, which meant he had the authority to do whatever he wanted. * Haman had incredible wealth AND power. * But God transferred it. * To Whom? * To the man who refused to bow to him! * Fast Forward - vs 8:1-2 - Faithful Mordecai now got the king’s signet ring. * That’s how god turns the tables when you stand faithfully for Him!
Esther 3:13 (7/20/17)
July 20, 2017 • Benham Brothers
•A new law decreed that for one day any Persian citizen could kill a Jew and take his property. •Any coveting or angry Persian could vent their anger on that day - the nosy neighbor could now own the house. •For one solid year God’s people had to live under this threat. •This all came as a result of Mordecai refusing to bow before Haman. •But no amount of bowing to Haman kept these Jews from being pursued by their enemies. •But God was busy behind the scenes putting the pieces of the puzzle together for their deliverance. •Esther 8:11 - The same guy who brought initiated the destruction brought the deliverance. •Imagine what the people thought when Mordecai was on the horse - “hey, we’re all going to die in a year….” •But they had no idea what was going on behind the scenes. •When God raises up deliverers it gets worse before it gets better (Moses).
Esther 4:10 (8/26/21)
August 26, 2021
* Your greatest blessings only come on the other side of your greatest fear. * When you face your fear, God takes over the fight. * But you’ll never face your fear if you haven’t first let go of what you hold in your hand. * This is where Esther comes in - she was queen and had an opportunity to stand for what was right. * But it could cost her her life. * The evil plot of Haman - to kill the Jews - was in now the law. * She needed to stand, but she was scared. * Vs 10-11 - she hadn’t been called by the king in a month. * I think it more more than just the fear of death she feared - it was the fear of rejection. * Being approved by the king was her entire reason for getting to her position of power, influence, and authority. * It was her fear of being rejected by the man who once gave her approval. * This could’ve become an insecurity in her if she let it. * The desire for approval is one of our core desires. * The key is to find approval in God and not in others. * But she overcame! How? * Vs 12-14 - Mordecai reminded her of who she was and who she served. * He got her to THINK ASSIGNMENT OVER APPROVAL! * Then she was willing to die to what she wanted (approval). * In her heart, she let go of her position and even her life to do what was right. * She focused on the approval of God rather than that of the king. * And it set her free. * To help her stand strong, she did three things: * 1) She rallied the troops (vs 15a) - get your closest friends involved. * 2) She fasted & prayed (vs 15b) - she denied herself in the physical in order to gain something in the spiritual. * Fasting is how you learn to suffer with grace - it teaches you how to live with a faith that costs you something. * 3) She made her approach (vs 5:1-2) - she knew what would attract the king. * She did her best to gain his approval, but left the results to God. * It’s time to stand strong today, and Esther shows us how to overcome our fear and our deepest insecurities!
Esther 4:13-14 (7/21/16)
July 21, 2016 • Benham Brothers
• If you keep silent, two things will happen: • 1) Relief will come from someone else - God will raise someone else up. • 2) You and your father’s house will perish - death is the result of cowardice. • Wow! • If we keep silent today it will cost us and those we love. • Silence when God says to speak is a result of the wrong fear. • You fear MAN more than GOD. • MLK Quote
Esther 5:4 (7/19/18)
July 19, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* It was time for Esther to press her plea with the king. How would she do it? * vs 4 - she didn’t come right out and tell him the issue. * She waited for the right moment and plowed the ground first. * This was extremely wise, because God did two things during this time. * 1) Haman prepared a death-trap (vs 12-14). * 2) God reminded the king of Mordecai’s faithfulness (vs 6:12). * Mordecai had been faithful in the gate but never sought to honor himself, now he was honored by the king. * add in 7:6
Esther 6:4 (7/19/18)
July 19, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* When he wanted to relay his inner counsel, the king asked “who’s in my court?” * We should seek to be in God’s court all the time so we’ll be able to receive His inner counsel. * Psalms 100:4 tells us we enter His courts with praise. * This puts us in a posture of reverence and awe of Him. * Esther 8:2 - Mordecai was faithful at the king’s gate so he was promoted to the king’s court.
Esther 6:11 (7/18/19)
July 18, 2019 • Benham Brothers
* Haman had two plans - kill Mordecai and honor himself. * God turned those plans around and did the polar opposite. * When Haman paraded Mordecai through the open streets who do you think saw it? * All those Jews who bowed before Haman a year earlier. * Esther 7:10 - Haman was hanged in public. * The same Jews saw this as well. * This was an open rebuke to everyone who refused to stand with courage like Mordecai!