2 CHRONICLES 3:1-17
On a hilltop overlooking Jerusalem, King Solomon builds the first of only
three temples the Jews ever had. He assembles a workforce of 150,000.
Seven years later, the job is done. Israel has one of the most beautiful
temples in the ancient world. Only priests are allowed inside. In the back
room, where only the high priest can go one day a year, sits the Ten
Commandments inside a gold-covered chest – the ark of the covenant. In
this temple, Jews will offer sacrifices to God for 400 years – until Babylon
invaders destroy the building.
2 CHRONICLES 10:1-19
•By the time Solomon dies, the people of
Israel are tired of paying heavy taxes to
support the king’s administration and his
enormous household (including his 1000
wives).
•They ask King Rehoboam, Solomon’s son
and successor, for relief. The rookie
monarch responds harshly, “My father
made you work hard, but I’ll make you
work even harder. He punished you with
whips, But I’ll use whips with pieces of
sharp metal!”
•The northern tribes secede, start their
own nation that they call Israel, and
appoint their own king. Only the tribe of
Judah, in the south remains loyal to the
descendant of David.
2 CHRONICLES 32:1-23
•The northern nation suffers under godless kings
for about 200 years.
•In 722 B.C., Assyria invades and annihilates the
kingdom, taking the survivors away as captives.
•Like other countries in the region, Judah had
been paying taxes to Assyria. But when the
Assyrian king dies, Judah decided to rebel.
•The army of Sennacherib, the new Assyrian
king, captures one Judean city after another
before laying siege in Jerusalem. Standing near
the city walls, the Assyrian commander yells,
“No god of any nation has ever been able to
stand up to Assyria. Believe me, your God
cannot keep you safe!”
•The Lord sent an angel to the camp of the
Assyrians and the next morning the camp was
full of dead bodies. Sennacherib returned to
Assyria, disgraced.
2 CHRONICLES 36:9-21
• The southern nation of Judah outlasted its
northern brother for about 150 years. This is
because Judah had many godly rulers. But some
kings led the people astray.
• The Lord God sent prophets who warned the
people over and over about their sins. But the
people only laughed and insulted these
prophets. God decided to punish Judah (36:1516).
• Judah’s capital city of Jerusalem suffered a
siege that lasted a year and a half, starving many
to death.
• When soldiers of Babylonian King
Nebuchadnezzar broke through the city walls,
they tore the city to the ground. Solomon’s
glorious temple was looted and destroyed.
• Jewish citizens who survived the assault were
deported to Babylon as captives.
Nebuchadnezzar finally
destroyed Jerusalem and
the Temple in 586 BC. and
took slaves including Daniel
to Babylon.
Slaves were taken in three
groups, Daniel was in the
first of these groups.
2 CHRONICLES 36:22-23
King Cyrus
About 50 years later, the Persian empire, under the
rule of King Cyrus, swallowed up Babylon, just as
Babylon had earlier overpowered Assyria.
At the completion of the 70 years in Babylon, God faithfully
fulfilled His promise to bring His people back into their land, as
prophesized and recorded in Jeremiah 25. Ezra records the
return of the remnant to their homeland and their struggles to
rebuild the Temple and re-establish the nation’s religion.
Authorship of Ezra
The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah were one book in the original
Hebrew Old Testament, Ezra-Nehemiah. The evidence would indicate
that Ezra the priest, leader of the second group of the remnant
returning from Babylon, is the author of Ezra-Nehemiah.
•
Most of the Book of Ezra is written in the first person (from the “I”
point of view).
• Ezra 1:1 connects the book with the last verse of 2 Chronicles,
which was also written by Ezra.
• Both Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah are the work of a priestly
chronicler, manifesting a priestly interest, emphasis, and point of view.
• The vividness and continuity of the accounts favor an eyewitness
author like Ezra.
• Ezra had access to the library of Nehemiah from which he could
have compiled material for the events of which he was not an
eyewitness.
•The Jewish Babylonian Talmud attributes the book to Ezra.
To Whom was
Ezra-Nehemiah Written?
• Ezra-Nehemiah was composed for the remnant
returning from the Babylonian captivity.
• Zerubbabel had returned with the original remnant of
nearly 50,000 who rebuilt the Temple by 516 B.C.
• Later (458 B.C.), Ezra returned with another 2,000
people.
• It was to this latter group as they struggled to rebuild
the city of Jerusalem and defend themselves against
surrounding enemies that Ezra wrote these books.
• Zerubbabel was the grandson of
Jehoiachin, the captive king of
Judah (1 Chr. 3:17). A descendant
of David, he was in the direct line
of the ancestry of Jesus (Luke
3:27; Matt. 1:12).
• He was a governor (head) of the
Persian province (tribe) of Judah
during the time of the Babylon
exile.
• Under the rule and blessing of
King Cyrus of Persia (Ezra 1:1-2),
he led the first group of Jews,
about 50,000, from the Babylonian
captivity back to Jerusalem.
•Jeshua (Joshua) was the high
priest that returned to Jerusalem
with Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel was the prime builder
of the second Temple.
For some 20 years he was closely
associated with prophets, priests,
and kings until the new Temple
was dedicated and the Jewish
sacrificial system was reestablished.
The Historical Purpose
The apparent historical aim of Ezra-Nehemiah is recording the
rebuilding of the Temple and city of Jerusalem by the returned
remnant of Babylonian exiles.
The Doctrinal Purpose
One of the main teachings of these books is the faithfulness of
God to His covenantal promises to Judah. God had promised
them a land and religious center in Jerusalem as well as the
return after 70 years of captivity (Jer. 25), and He kept His
promises. Also, as in Chronicles, Ezra the priest reflects here the
centrality of the Temple worship to the whole life of the Jewish
nation. Another obvious lesson in these books is the power of
prayer (Ezra 9; Neh. 9) and of the Word of God (Neh. 8).
The Christological Purpose
God had promised David to keep his line of
descendants alive, for one of them, the Messiah,
the Son of David, would one day reign on his
throne in Jerusalem. Ezra-Nehemiah shows how
God kept this hope alive by repatriating (sending
back home) His people.
The main messages are:
THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD TO THE DAVIDIC
COVENANT,
ONE FAITH UNDER TESTING,
and
RETURN, REBUILD, RESTORE, REPENT, and REVIVAL
Basic Outline of Ezra
I.
The Return Under Zerubbabel; The Restoration of the Nation’s
Religious Center: Chapters 1-6
A. The Remnant’s Emancipation from Babylon (1-2)
1. The Decree of Cyrus (1)
2. The Return to Palestine (2)
B. The Remnant’s Occupation of Jerusalem (3-4)
1. Rebuilding the Temple (3)
2. The Opposition to Rebuilding (4)
C. The Remnant’s Completion of the Temple (5-6)
1. The Return to Rebuilding (5)
2. The Temple Completed (6)
The entire Book of Ezra covers a period of about 80 years. There is a large
gap between chapters 6 and 7, where there is no recorded history.
II.
The Return Under Ezra; The Reformation of the Nation’s
Religious Life: Chapters 7-10
A.
B.
C.
D.
The Declaration/Decree of Artaxerxes (7)
The Repatriation of the Remnant (8)
The Intercession of Ezra; The Return to Palestine (9)
The Reformation of the Jews (10)
I.
The Return Under Zerubbabel; The Restoration of the Nation’s
Religious Center: Chapters 1-6
A. The Remnant’s Emancipation from Babylon (1-2)
1. The Decree of Cyrus (1)
2. The Return to Palestine (2)
EZRA 1-2
• In the 1st year of his reign Cyrus, king of Persia, made a
•
•
proclamation that allowed Jews of the Babylonian captivity
to return to their homeland.
The tribes of Benjamin and Judah, along with priests from
the tribe of Levi, began to make preparations to return to
Jerusalem in accordance with the decree.
Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the people packed to
leave Babylon. Ezra recorded that about 50,000 (46,900)
departed for Jerusalem.
King Cyrus’ Decree, Ezra 1:1-4
Also recorded in 2 Chronicles 36:22-23
1
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by
the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of
Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his
kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,
2 Thus
says Cyrus king of Persia:
All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And
He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in
Judah. 3 Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him,
and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of
the LORD God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem. 4 And whoever is
left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with
silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for
the house of God which is in Jerusalem.
King Cyrus in Prophesy:
Isaiah 44:28-45:1,13
44:28 Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd,
And he shall perform all My pleasure,
Saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,”
And to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.”’
45:1 “Thus says the LORD to His anointed,
To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held—
To subdue nations before him
And loose the armor of kings,
To open before him the double doors,
So that the gates will not be shut:
13 I have raised him up in righteousness,
And I will direct all his ways;
He shall build My city
And let My exiles go free,
Not for price nor reward,”
Says the LORD of hosts.
Persian King Cyrus
issues a formal decree
inviting Jews to return
to Jerusalem and
rebuild the temple.
Persian King Darius brushes aside nonJewish opposition to the rebuilding
project and tells the Jews to finish
their work. He even returns the
temple furnishings from Solomon’s
temple before they leveled it.
Persian King Artaxerxes
encourages remaining Jews
to return home and gives
money and supplies to any
who wish to go.
EZRA 1-2
Out of the ashes and rock piles of the annihilated Jewish nation emerges a restored
Israel. It’s a miracle, reminiscent of the Exodus. But instead of confronting a resistant
stubborn pharaoh who refuses to let the Jews go as happened in the day of Moses –
we read of three Persian kings who encourage the exiled Jews to return home – and
give them gifts and tax breaks as added incentive.
So, nearly a thousand years after the great Exodus, the Jewish nation begins a second
exodus. It takes place over several decades, as wave after wave of exiles pack up their
families and begin the long, nearly thousand-mile walk northward along the fertile
Euphrates River valley in what is now Iraq, then south along the Mediterranean coast,
through Lebanon and into Israel.
The Chronology of the Restoration
Persian King
Dates
Biblical Scripture
Characters
Event
1st return;
539-530
Zerubbabel,
Ezra 1-4
Temple begun
Joshua, Haggai,
535:
536:
537:
Work
The
Return
altar
of
Temple
for
50,000
sacrificing
begun
Jews
538:
Edict
ofon
Cyrus
permitting
then stopped
Zechariah
under
rebuilt
stopped
ofhomeland
Zerubbabel
Jews leadership
tothen
return
to
Pseudo Smerdis reigns for ½ year No work on
530-521
-- No further work
-- on
Cambyses
535-520:
after Cambyses year laying ruin
Temple
the Temple
to temples within the empire
Temple work
521-486
Haggai,
Ezra 4-6
Darius I
completed
Zechariah
520:
Decree
of Cyrus confirmed
516:
The completion
and
Esther,
Esther 1-10 Story of Jews’
Xerxes
bydedication
Darius
I; he
in486-465
Temple
ofaids
the Temple
preservation
Mordecai
(Ahasuerus)prophet Haggai
construction;
begins ministry
2nd return
465-423 Ezra, Nehemiah, Ezra 7-10;
Artaxerxes
Cyrus
458: Second return to Judah,
led by Ezra
Malachi
Nehemiah
under Ezra; 3rd
return
Nehemiah
Ministry of
Malachi
I. The Return Under Zerubbabel; The Restoration of the
Religious Center: Chapters 1-6
B. The Remnant’s Occupation of Jerusalem (3-4)
Nation’s
1. Rebuilding the Temple (3)
2. The Opposition to Rebuilding (4)
EZRA 3-4
• Upon reaching Jerusalem the remnant manifested their
•
•
observation of the law by building an altar, offering
sacrifices, and keeping the feast of the tabernacles (538
B.C.).
The foundation of the Temple was laid soon after they
became established in the land (535 B.C.)
Opposition from their enemies hampered their work, for
these enemies convinced the king of Persia to stop the
reconstruction (chapter 4).
I. The Return Under Zerubbabel; The Restoration of the
Nation’s
Religious Center: Chapters 1-6
C. The Remnant’s Completion of the Temple (5-6)
1. The Return to Rebuilding (5)
2. The Temple Completed (6)
•
•
•
EZRA 5-6
Under the powerful ministries of Haggai and Zechariah the
prophets, the remnants were exhorted to overcome their
opposition and complete the Temple.
An investigation into the work by the king of Persia proved
to be favorable to the Jewish cause and the work on the
Temple commenced again (chapter 5).
The decree for the building of the Temple was reissued and
the consummation of the work occurred in 516 B.C.
(chapter 6).
There is an interval of some 100 years between Ezra 6 and 7. It is during this
period that the events recorded in the Book of Esther occur (486-464 B.C.).
II. The Return Under Ezra; The Reformation of the Nation’s Religious
Life: Chapters 7-10
A. The Declaration/Decree of Artaxerxes (7)
B. The Repatriation of the Remnant (8)
•
•
•
•
EZRA 7 and 8
Ezra, the scribe of the law, and some 2,000 others whose hearts
God had touched carried both written authority and gifts from
the king to Jerusalem for the House of the Lord there.
Ezra records the scene firsthand: “I took courage, for the hand of
the Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered leading men from
Israel to go with me” (7:28).
More than 1750 men are numbered (males only numbered)
among those who returned with Ezra. This was about 80 years
later in 456 B.C., after the return under Zerubbabel.
Prayer and the providential protection of God brought them
safely to the House of God in Jerusalem. They offered their
sacrifices to God in thanksgiving for His gracious hand upon them.
Ezra, receiving the decree written
by Artaxerxes during his 7th year
of reign, in 457 B.C.
• The decree gives further help in
establishing the Temple, but it also
gives Israel the right to self
government.
• Up until 457 B.C., the leaders in
Judea were no more than county
commissioners. They could look
after local problems but they did
not have judicial or executive
authority. Now they did.
• They could set up their own
magistrates and judges to carry out
their laws. Now, they were
recognized as a nation.
• This is why this decree was so
important to the reestablishment
of Jerusalem.
EZRA 9-10
•Priest Ezra begins teaching the people from the laws of Moses.
• Ezra discovers that many of the Jewish men have ignored the law
against marrying non-Jewish women. Even some of the priests and
temple workers have broken this law.
II. The Return Under Ezra; The Reformation of the Nation’s Religious
Life: Chapters 7-10
C. The Intercession of Ezra; The Return to Palestine (9)
D. The Reformation of the Jews (10)
EZRA 9 and 10
• Like Daniel 9 and Nehemiah 9, this chapter is one of the great
intercessory prayers of the Bible. Ezra identifies with the sins
of his people as he prays (9:7)
• Following this great prayer of confession and intercession, a
great revival took place.
• The people made a covenant with God, reordered their lives to
conform to God’s law, and offered sacrifices for their sin.
• Ezra goes to the temple
courtyard and begins praying and
weeping on behalf of the people.
He knows that it was Israel’s
association with non-Jews that
led to idolatry, which brought on
the exile. He fears that God will
punish the new nation, just as he
had punished Judah.
• One by one, a crowd of
whisperers gathers around him.
When they hear his prayers, they
begin weeping too. Within three
days a vast assembly has
gathered there. As rain pours
onto the courtyard, Ezra stands to
speak.
Deuteronomy 7:3-4 and 6
(The Message)
3-4 Don't marry them: Don't
give your daughters to their sons
and don't take their daughters
for your sons—before you know
it they'd involve you in
worshiping their gods, and God
would explode in anger, putting a
quick end to you.
6 Do this because you are a
people set apart as holy to God,
your God. God, your God, chose
you out of all the people on
Earth for himself as a cherished,
personal treasure.
“You have broken God’s Law by marrying foreign women,” he said. “Now
you must confess your sins to the Lord God of your ancestors and obey
Him. Divorce your foreign wives and don’t have anything to do with the
rest of the foreigners who live around here.”
The assembly agrees.
Ezra confessed the sins of Israel, even though he
had not participated in them.
Ezra 9:4-7 (The Message)
4-6 Many were in fear and trembling because of what God was saying about the
betrayal by the exiles. They gathered around me as I sat there in despair, waiting
for the evening sacrifice. At the evening sacrifice I picked myself up from my
utter devastation, and in my ripped clothes and cape fell to my knees and
stretched out my hands to God, my God. And I prayed:
6-7 "My dear God, I'm so totally ashamed, I can't bear to face you. O my God—
our iniquities are piled up so high that we can't see out; our guilt touches the
skies. We've been stuck in a muck of guilt since the time of our ancestors until
right now; we and our kings and priests, because of our sins, have been turned
over to foreign kings, to killing, to captivity, to looting, and to public shame—just
as you see us now.
As priest of the people, Ezra assumed a posture of deep sorrow
and humility, tearing his clothes, falling on his knees, and
spreading out his hands before God as he prepared to offer
confession on behalf of the people.
Ezra 9:8-9 (The Message)
8-9 "Now for a brief time God, our God, has allowed us, this battered band
[remnant – KJV and NIV], to get a firm foothold [nail – KJV and NIV] in his
holy place so that our God may brighten our eyes and lighten our burdens as
we serve out this hard sentence. We were slaves; yet even as slaves, our God
didn't abandon us. He has put us in the good graces of the kings of Persia and
given us the heart to build The Temple of our God, restore its ruins, and
construct a defensive wall in Judah and Jerusalem.
• While Israel had been faithless, God remained
faithful and preserved a remnant for His people.
• God, in His mercy was bringing rest to this
remnant from the years they spent in exile. That
they even existed was a testimony to God’s mercy
toward His people.
The Persian Kings had a history of showing favor
to the Jewish people. Isaiah had prophesied
that the walls of Jerusalem would be rebuilt, and
God used the power of the Persian kings to
accomplish His purposes.
The wall of protection Ezra
speaks of is likely a
metaphorical reference to
the type of wall a shepherd
used to keep his sheep safe
at night. The shepherd
himself would lay across
the opening in the wall as a
human gate, keeping the
sheep in and the predators
and thieves out.
Ezra 9:10-15 (The Message)
10-12 "And now, our God, after all this what can we say for ourselves? For we have
thrown your commands to the wind, the commands you gave us through your
servants the prophets. They told us, 'The land you're taking over is a polluted land,
polluted with the obscene vulgarities of the people who live there; they've filled it
with their moral rot from one end to the other. Whatever you do, don't give your
daughters in marriage to their sons nor marry your sons to their daughters. Don't
cultivate their good opinion; don't make over them and get them to like you so you
can make a lot of money and build up a tidy estate to hand down to your children.'
13-15 "And now this, on top of all we've already suffered because of our evil ways
and accumulated guilt, even though you, dear God, punished us far less than we
deserved and even went ahead and gave us this present escape. Yet here we are, at it
again, breaking your commandments by intermarrying with the people who practice
all these obscenities! Are you angry to the point of wiping us out completely, without
even a few stragglers, with no way out at all? You are the righteous God of Israel. We
are, right now, a small band of escapees. Look at us, openly standing here, guilty
before you. No one can last long like this."
Ezra returned to his original theme of confession of sin, acknowledging that
as God’s people they had all violated God’s commands. The “pollution” Ezra
referred to had to do with the corruption associated with Canaanite idolatry.
The Jewish Queen of
Persia who saves the Jews
from slaughter
Esther’s cousin, Persian
official who prods her to
risk helping the Jews
Persian high official who
plots to kill the Jews
King of Persia
The Book of Esther
• The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah deal with the
•
•
•
return of the “remnant” which returned to
Jerusalem.
The Book of Esther deals with those who stayed
on in the land of their captivity. This is also the
group to whom the Book was written, the Jews
who did not return.
This story takes place in “Shushan,” the palace,
which is in Susa, the ancient capital of Persia.
The number who stayed in the land was far
greater than the number who returned to
Jerusalem.
Authorship of Esther
•The author of Esther is unknown;, it appears to have been written by
an unknown Persian Jew.
•Some have suggested that Ezra or Nehemiah wrote Esther, but the
vocabulary and style do not bear a close resemblance to either one.
•Others have suggested that Mordecai wrote Esther since he is said to
have kept records (9:20). But, it has been pointed out that Esther
10:2, 3 seems to refer to his career as already finished.
•It seems best to leave the author unnamed. The best guesses
available seem to be Mordecai or, better, a younger contemporary of
Mordecai who used his records. The fact that Mordecai is referred to
in the 3rd person and is very highly regarded would support the
position that someone else compiled the book.
•The name of God is NEVER mentioned in this Book, but Matthew
Henry says, “If the name of God is not here, His finger is.
•Esther is never quoted in the New Testament.
The Historical Purpose
The manifest intention of the Book of Esther is to give the historical
foundation for the origin and celebration of the feast of Purim (see
Esther 7).
The Book of Esther compliments the Book of Ezra. It describes a
fascinating story of God’s providence that transpired back in Persia
while many of God’s people were resettling Palestine.
The Doctrinal Purpose
The primary doctrinal lesson concerns the providential care of
God for His own. A subsidiary, but important theme, is the truth
stated later in Luke 14:11: “Every one who exalts himself will be
humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The Christological Purpose
•
•
Esther shows that God has not forgotten the Jews who did not
return. Predictions of a second return (Isaiah 11:11), which has in
fact been in process of fulfillment since before 1947 (when the
modern state of Israel was re-established), indicated that indeed
the nation was to be reborn some day in the future. According to
Revelation 7 and 14, there will be in Palestine in the end time
thousands from every tribe.
Esther, whose name means “star,” is a beautiful picture of Christ.
Both put themselves in the place of death for their people but
received the scepter of the King’s approval.
The main messages/themes are:
THE PROVIDENTIAL PROTECTION AND BLESSING OF GOD
FOR HIS PEOPLE (BECAUSE OF THE ABRAHIMIC
COVENANT),
THE HAND OF GOD CHANGES THE SITUATION, and
GOD BLESSES THOSE WHO BLESS ISRAEL AND CURSES
THOSE WHO CURSE ISRAEL.
Basic Outline of Esther
I.
Royal Crisis for God’s People; The Grave Danger to the Jews:
Chapters 1-4
A.
B.
C.
D.
II.
The Vices of Ahasuerus/Xerxes; Queen Vashti Deposed (1)
The Virtues of Esther; Esther Becomes Queen (2)
The Vilification of the Jews; Haman’s Murderous Plot (3)
The Vision of Mordecai; Mordecai’s Intercession (4)
The Great Deliverance of the Jews; Divine Protection for God’s
People: Chapters 5-10
A. The Venture of Esther; Esther Becomes Queen (5)
B. The Vengeance and Execution of Haman; Mordecai Receives Honor
(6-7)
C. The Vindication of the Jews; The Jews Avenged (8)
D. The Victory of the Jews (9-10)
A. Purim Instituted (9)
B. Mordecai Becomes Premier (10)
I. Royal Crisis for God’s People; The Grave Danger to the Jews:
Chapters 1-4
A. The Vices of Ahasuerus/Xerxes; Queen Vashti Deposed (1)
• One night with drinks flowing
freely the Persian king Ahasuerus
(Xerxes) demanded that queen
Vashti sacrifice her modesty and
dignity before his court. She flatly
refused and this threw the king
into anger and humiliation, and
his court into alarm.
• Fearing that the queen’s actions
might lead to defiance by women
throughout the kingdom,
Ahasuerus deposed (ousted)
Vashti and sought to replace her.
I. Royal Crisis for God’s People; The Grave Danger to the Jews: Chapters
1-4
B. The Virtues of Esther; Esther Becomes Queen (2)
• (Chapter 2: 3), In order to fill the vacancy of
queen, a nationwide beauty contest was held.
Young women would join the king’s harem and
then he would decide who would be queen
(2:5-8).
• Esther had lost both parents and was raised by
Mordecai, her cousin. Mordecai, a gatekeeper
for the king, viewed this as an opportunity to
recommend Esther. She was not only
physically beautiful, she was morally pure.
• Esther found favor in the king’s eyes. This
enabled her to inform the king about how
Mordecai warded off an assassination plot
against him.
I. Royal Crisis for God’s People; The Grave Danger to the Jews: Chapters
1-4
C. The Vilification of the Jews; Haman’s Murderous Plot (3)
• (Chapter 3) Haman was elevated in a
position of authority; he was the
captain of the king’s princes. He hated
the Jews and sought to destroy them.
Mordecai refused to bow in reverence
to him.
• Haman became offended by Mordecai.
He alleged that the Jews did not keep
the laws of the king, he managed to
acquire the king’s agreement to a plan
to destroy them.
• Jewish men, women, and children were
to be slain simultaneously on the same
day (December 13) throughout the
whole kingdom.
I. Royal Crisis for God’s People; The Grave Danger to the Jews: Chapters
1-4
D. The Vision of Mordecai; Mordecai’s Intercession (4)
• (Chapter 4) When Mordecai heard of the
proclamation, he immediately consulted with
Esther and her maidens. He persuaded Esther to
intervene on behalf of the Jews. Esther and her
maidens made the situation a matter of urgent
fasting and prayer.
• The plan was proposed for Esther to make an
unscheduled visit before the king to make an
appeal for her people.
• At the suggestion of Mordecai, Esther bravely
concluded that she was called by God to her high
position in the kingdom for such as hour as this.
In an act of unparalleled courage, she went
before the king without an invitation, even if it
meant she would perish (v. 16).
II. The Great Deliverance of the Jews; Divine Protection for God’s
People: Chapters 5-10
A. The Venture of Esther; Esther Becomes Queen (5)
• (Chapter 5) With great tact and
caution, Esther did not blurt out her
request to the king. She invited the
king to come to a banquet. Haman
was to also come. It was at the
banquet that she would make her
request.
• During the banquet, the king
volunteered to grant her anything up
to half of the kingdom. Her only
request was that he attend another
banquet.
II. The Great Deliverance of the Jews; Divine Protection for God’s People:
Chapters 5-10
B. The Vengeance and Execution of Haman; Mordecai Receives Honor (6-7)
• (Chapter 6) Haman, bristling with
vengeance and jealousy, constructed
gallows 75 feet high on which to
hang Mordecai.
• Meanwhile, the king happened to
read in the royal records how
Mordecai had saved him from an
assassination plot.
• To show his appreciation to
Mordecai, the king honored him by
following the unwitting advice of
Haman: he dressed Mordecai in rich
apparel and paraded him through
the streets on a royal horse.
II. The Great Deliverance of the Jews; Divine Protection for God’s People:
Chapters 5-10
C. The Vindication of the Jews; The Jews Avenged (8)
• (Chapter 7) At the
banquet, Esther pleaded
for her own life and
pointed to Haman as the
villain in the matter.
• Esther petitioned that her
people be spared and
that their adversary be
judged.
• At the king’s command,
Haman was hanged on
the very gallows which he
had prepared for
Mordecai.
II. The Great Deliverance of the Jews; Divine Protection for God’s People:
Chapters 5-10
C. The Vindication of the Jews; The Jews Avenged (8)
• (Chapter 8) The king issued a
proclamation against killing the
Jews and sealed it with his own
ring. On March 23 the king’s
scribes wrote up the new
proclamation.
• Out of the king’s palace at
Shushan the king’s emissaries
carried the message on swift
horses to all corners of the
empire. As a result, many nonJews became Jewish proselytes
(converts).
II. The Great Deliverance of the Jews; Divine Protection for God’s People: Chapters
5-10
D. The Victory of the Jews; The Jews Avenged (9-10)
1. Purim Instituted (9)
• (Chapter 9) On December 13, the
very day the Jews were originally
supposed to be destroyed, their
enemies were destroyed.
• Haman, and his sons were hanged
and the next 2 days were set aside
as national Jewish holidays. This
was called the feast of Purim (from
the word “Pur,” meaning “lots” –
Haman had cast lots to determine
the day on which to destroy the
Jews.
II. The Great Deliverance of the Jews; Divine Protection for God’s People: Chapters
5-10
D. The Victory of the Jews; The Jews Avenged (9-10)
2. Mordecai Becomes Premier (10)
(Chapter 10)
Mordecai, the
Jew and Esther’s
cousin, was
exalted next to
the king and he
acquired great
favor for his
people.
Esther’s mission had succeeded: the Jews’ enemies were squelched
and the Jewish seed was preserved. God had protected His people.
• Esther’s success in delivering her people from
persecution offers several principles we can
use to pray for the suffering church:
• Identifying with the persecuted – Esther
identified with those who were being
persecuted because she was one of them.
Scripture teaches us that believers in Christ
are not just one family but one body.
• Praying Together – Esther responded to the crisis
by turning to God in prayer and fasting. She
knew her people were in imminent danger, and
she recognized that she needed the prayers of
her spiritual family to accomplish her appointed
task.
• Corporate prayer was the key to Esther’s
success.
• God has not called us to live out our faith
independently from other believers. Personal
prayer is important, but the Bible teaches us the
importance of praying with other believers.
• Willing to Sacrifice – Esther risked her life for the
sake of her people. Though it was forbidden to
enter the king’s inner court without his invitation,
she went before him boldly to plead on behalf of
the Jews. “And if I perish, I perish,” she told
Mordecai.
• Esther could have been bitter about her past,
lamenting her life as a prize of war in a foreign
land. She also could have lived passively in luxury,
indifferent to the suffering of others.
• Instead, she choose to get involved and to become
a burden bearer, willing to die for her people.
• Esther was chosen and granted royalty “for such a
time as this.”
• And so are we!
• What seems impossible to change in this
world?
• What habits in your own life, or trends in
society, seem like walls that can never be
knocked down?
• Remember, God used ONE woman and
changed an ENTIRE EMPIRE.
• Ask God to provide you the courage Esther
had to be bold for His kingdom.
• Ask Him to open your eyes so you will see
what you need to do that will better align
your actions to what you believe in Him.
“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and
deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place,
but you and your father’s family will perish. And who
knows but that you have come to royal position for such
a time as this?” – Esther 4:14 NIV