Lesson 309: ESTHER BECOMES QUEEN

Esth. 1; 2

Full Lesson HERE

INTRODUCTION. In 539 B. C., Cyrus, king of the Medes and Persians, conquered

the Babylonians. Thus the great Babylonian kingdom, represented by the head of

gold in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, ended and was succeeded by the Medo-Persian

Empire, the silver breast and arms.

Cyrus permitted the deported peoples in his conquered territory to return to their

homelands. Many Jews returned to Palestine to once again live in their "promised

land" and rebuild their temple and cities, fulfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah (Ezra

1:1-4; Jer. 25:11-12). Not all Jews returned to Palestine, however; some remained

in the lands to which they had been carried as captives. Throughout the years they

had established new homes and businesses, becoming prosperous.

The book of Esther takes place in Shushan, the Persian capital, during the reign of

Ahasuerus, probably the Persian king known in history as Xerxes, who ruled Persia

from 485 to 465 B. C. During his reign the empire was at its zenith and encompassed

the known world. Esther was a brave and courageous young Jewish girl

who became queen of Persia and saved her people from disaster.

ESTHER 1. The book of Esther opens in the third year of the reign of Ahasuerus

while he was engaged in a seven-day, royal, drunken feast. On the seventh day of

the feast Ahasuerus commanded his beautiful wife, Vashti, to come to the feast in

order to display her beauty in an immoral way before his drunken guests. Vashti

refused the king's request, and for her disobedience she was banished as queen.