The Book of Esther in Review...Continued from page 1

Thomas Klock

THE LESSONS OF THE BOOK OF ESTHER

Charles Swindoll stated, “Esther is a story of triumph that grew out of tragedy, ecstasy out of agony, celebration out of devastation. Yours can be the same.”[i] This book has shown us many things, including that God can use anyone for His glory that is willing to be used, that He is ultimately in control of all things in our lives, and He will work according to His foreknowledge to bring all things together in our lives for our best and His glory (Romans 8:28 ff.). The enemy may rage, but God will turn his attacks back on his own head ultimately. We need to stand strong against the three-fold enemy that directed the lives of Ahasuerus and Haman, “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16, nkjv). It destroyed them both ultimately.

The impact of the lives of Mordecai and Esther is one of the most amazing aspects of this story, and it shows us that God is not limited in who He works through, nor how. In view of the world in which we live, we need more Esthers and Mordecais that will stand up and make a difference for God and His children, even if it as at their peril as these two experienced. As Mervin Breneman well observed, “God needs servants today who will speak up when his people are in danger or when injustice and corruption are rampant in society.”[ii] Esther and Mordecai were not perfect, nor were they spiritual giants when they first were brought into their place of influence. How encouraging that is for us who are not another Moses or Paul or others of their caliber, because God can work in and through us just as well. Let all of us be able to say with the beloved apostle Paul at the end of the stories of our lives,

As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me?the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return.

2 Timothy 4:6–8 (nlt)

To help us all in our future studies and to also have milestone markers on which to look back, the rest of this Review contains the actual outlines of the Book of Esther that we studied, the memory verses used, and a complete bibliography of the materials used in the preparation of these lessons. May God bless and strengthen and use you for His glory, and may you often look back to the incredible Book of Esther to remember that He too has put you in the place He wants you to be, for such a time as this.

ESTHER OUTLINED

Esther 1: A Providential Divorce

V. 1–4 Pride on Display

V. 5–8 Party Hardy!

V. 9–12 Problems Sin Produces

V. 13–18 Proposing Foolish Solutions

V. 19–22 A Providential Divorce

Esther 2: True Beauty

V. 1–4 A Pleasing Plan

V. 5–9 A Providential Arrangement

V. 10–14 A Preparation Period

V. 15–18 A Pleased King

V. 19–23 A Providential Plot

Esther 3: No Compromise

V. 1–3 A Courageous Stand

V. 4–6 An Evil Reaction

V. 7–9 A Proposed Plot

V. 10–12 A Pleased Enemy

V. 13–15 A Perplexed City

Esther 4: For Such a Time as This

V. 1–4 Mourning and Sackcloth

V. 5–8 A Cry for Help

V. 8–11 Danger and Death

V. 12–14 For Such a Time as This

V. 15–17 Decision

Esther 5: An Unexpected Banquet

V. 1–2 A Bold Step of Faith

V. 3–5 An Unexpected Invitation

V. 6–8 An Unexpected Banquet

V. 9–11 A Disgruntled Braggart

V. 12–14 A Sinister Plot

Esther 6: Ironic Honor

V. 1–3 A Providential Insomnia

V. 4–6 A Providential Arrival

V. 7–9 A Providential Narcissism

V. 10–12 A Providential Irony

V. 13–14 A Providential Downfall

Esther 7: Reaping what is Sown

V. 1–2 The Generous Offer

V. 3–4 The Unexpected Revelation

V. 5–6 The Shocking Accusation

V. 7–8 The Angry Ahasuerus

V. 9–10 The Reaped Result

Esther 8: A Plan Petitioned

V. 1–3 A Bittersweet Victory

V. 4–6 A Desperate Plea

V. 7–10 A Plan Petitioned

V. 11–14 A Reversal of Fortune

V. 15–17 A Joyful Resolution

Esther 9:1–19: A Resounding Victory

V. 1–3 The Tables are Turned

V. 4–10 A Resounding Victory

V.11–13 A Finishing Touch

V. 14–16 The Final Tally

V. 17–19 A Good Day at Last

Esther 9:20-10:3: The Impact of One Life

9:20–22 The Feast of Purim Clarified

9:23–25 The Feast of Purim Established

9:26–28 The Feast of Purim Memorialized

9:29–32 The Impact of One Life: Esther

10:1–3 The Impact of One Life: Mordecai

MEMORY PASSAGES

LESSON ONE: 1 John 2:15, 16: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world?the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life?is not of the Father but is of the world. (nkjv)

LESSON TWO: Isaiah 43:1: But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.” (nkjv)

LESSON THREE: Esther 3:2b, 4: But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage. Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai's words would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. (nkjv)

LESSON FOUR: Esther 4:14: For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? (nkjv)

LESSON FIVE: Hebrews 11:6: But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (njkv)

LESSON SIX: Proverbs 16:18: Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (nkjv)

LESSON SEVEN: Galatians 6:7-8: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. (nkjv)

LESSON EIGHT: Psalm 97:11-12: Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. (nkjv)

LESSON NINE: Esther 9:1: Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, the time came for the king's command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them. (nkjv)

LESSON TEN: Esther 9:22: As the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies, as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor. (nkjv)

ESTHER BIBLIOGRAPHY

Baker, Warren and Carpenter, Eugene eds., The Complete Word Study Dictionary Old Testament. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, Inc., 2003.

Baldwin, Joyce G. Esther. Downer’s Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1984.

Breneman, Mervin. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. In E. Ray Cleneden ed., The New American Commentary, Vol. 10. Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1993.

Huey, F.B. Jr., Esther. In F.E. Gaebelein ed., The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 4. Grand Rapids: Regency Reference Library, 1988.

Hughes, R. Kent. Disciplines of a Godly Man. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1991.

Lasseigne, Jeff. Highway 66: A Unique Journey through the 66 Books of the Bible. Santa Ana: Calvary Chapel Publishing, 2004.

Lockyer, Herbert L. All the Kings and Queens of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Press, 1961.

_______________. All the Men of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1958.

_______________. All the Women of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1958.

MacArthur, John ed., The MacArthur Study Bible. Nashville: Word Bibles, 1997.

Martin, John A. Esther. In J.F. Walvoord and R.B. Zuck eds., The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament. Wheaton: Victor Books/SP Publications. 1985.

Morgan, Robert J. ed., Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations and Quotes. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000.

Prime, Derek. Unspoken Lessons about the Unseen God. Darlington, England: Evangelical Press, 2001.

Reader’s Digest Association. Who’s Who in the Bible. Pleasantville, NY: The Reader’s Digest Association, 1994.

Strong, James. A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Hebrew Bible; With Their Renderings in the Authorized English Version. In James Strong, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1890 Reprint.

Swindoll, Charles R. Esther: A Woman of Strength and Dignity. Nashville: Word Publishing, 1997.

Thomas Nelson, Publishers. The New American Standard Bible: The Open Bible Edition. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1977, 1979.

_______________. The New King James Version: The Open Bible Expanded Edition. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Publishers, 1983, 1985.

_______________. The New Scofield Study Bible, New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Publishers, 1989.

Tyndale House Publishers Inc. Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1996.

Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Committed. Colorado Springs: Chariot Victor

Publishing, 1993.

_______________. With the Word Bible Commentary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Publishers, 1993.

Wilkinson, Bruce, and Boa, Kenneth. Talk Thru the Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983.

Youngblood, Ronald F. ed., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Publishers, 1986, 1995.

Zodhiates, Spiros ed., The Complete Word Study Old Testament.

Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 1994.

Zondervan Bible Publishers. The Holy Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1978.

Zondervan Publishing House. The Amplified Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1965.

[i] Charles R. Swindoll, Esther, A Woman of Strength and Dignity (Nashville: Word Publishing, 1997), p. 184.

[ii] Mervin Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. In E. Ray Clendenen ed., The New American Commentary Vol. 10 (Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1993), p. 370.

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The Book of Esther in Review...Continued from page 1