Lesson 311: ESTHER SAVES THE JEWS

Esth. 5; 6; 7; 8; 9

Full Lesson HERE

INTRODUCTION. Ahasuerus, the Persian king, appointed Haman his chief advisor

and ordered all of his servants to bow to Haman. Mordecai, a Jew and an official in

the palace, refused to pay homage to Haman and thus incurred his wrath. Haman,

in his anger, planned to destroy all Jews in the kingdom, not just Mordecai, and

received authority from the king for his revenge.

When Mordecai heard about Haman's evil plot, he sent word to Esther, his adopted

daughter, to intercede with the king on behalf of her people the Jews. Ahasuerus

had chosen Esther, a young and beautiful Jewish woman, to be his queen to replace

Vashti who had disobeyed him. However, Esther had not revealed to Ahasuerus her

Jewish ancestry. Esther agreed to speak to the king to spare the lives of the Jews.

Thus she placed her own life in danger, for she had not been summoned by the king

to appear before him.

ESTHER 5. After fasting for three days Esther put on her royal apparel and went to

the inner court where the king was sitting on his throne. When the king saw her, he

held out his golden sceptre to her, thus indicating his pleasure at her presence. He

asked what she desired and said it would be granted her unto the half of the kingdom.

Esther invited the king and Haman to a banquet. At the banquet the king

again asked Esther the nature of her petition. She invited the king and Haman to

another banquet the following day. Haman went home full of pride for the honor

bestowed on him, but his joy was marred by the sight of Mordecai at the king's gate.