|
The
Book of Esther
The
ancient book of Esther is an Old Testament book. So what can it
offer a Christian living in the days of grace? It might do all
Christians well to know that our God has incorporated into His Word
the stories of two women--one named Esther and the other Ruth. Both
of these women’s lives have had great significance in proving
great doctrinal statements of truth in the out workings of God's Providence.
In
Esther's situation, God chose to reveal how He worked a work of
grace in her live, and how her obedient faith in the eternal God
saved not only her life, but the lives of all Jews that were being
held in bondage. This episode of ancient world history happened
during the reign of King Xerxes, who was the son of King Darius I. King
Darius I attempted to conquer
Greece
in 481 BC and his army was severely defeated and crushed at
Salamis
in 480 BC and again at
Plataea in 479 BC.
The
story of Queen Esther takes place during the reign of King Xerxes,
who is known in the scriptures as King Ahasuerus that lived in
Shushan the palace. His province stretched from present day
Turkey
east to
India
and south to
Ethiopia. During that time period it was the largest of all provinces in the
known world.
So
we not only have a worldly historical account of this time period,
but God has also chosen to reveal to us in Holy Scriptures how He
chose to keep His ancient people, [whom He was punishing by placing
them in exile from the
land of Israel] from being exterminated. A wicked governmental
official named Haman had a great influence upon King Ahasuerus,
and had persuaded him of a method of eliminating God's people. But
God's providence ruled over the devices of men, and caused Haman and
his family to be executed, instead of the Jews.
The
story of Queen Esther clearly shows from the beginning to the end
how God showed favor on her as a common Jewish woman, and led her from being a nobody to
a queen. After becoming a queen how her faith was tested to the
point of death, and how God turned a diabolical scheme of a curse on
His people into a blessing. This series of messages from the book of
Esther will reveal both secular and sacred history, and their
inseparable and climatic conclusion.
Does
The Book of Esther really have any significance to a Christian?
Yes,
it reveals the providence of our Almighty God among the people on
this earth!
|
|
Part
|
Title/Subject
|
Reference
|
|
D01
|
Introduction
to the Book
|
Esther
1
|
|
D02
|
The
King’s Party—part 1
|
Esther
1:1-4
|
|
D03
|
The
King’s Party—part 2
|
Esther
1:1-4
|
|
D04
|
The
King’s Feast Grand Finale
|
Esther
1:5-8
|
|
D05
|
The
Queen’s Feast
|
Esther
1:9
|
|
D06
|
King’s
Shameful Request, Queen’s Steadfast Refusal, Pt. 1
|
Esther
1:10-12
|
|
D07
|
King’s
Shameful Request, Queen’s Steadfast Refusal, Pt. 2
|
Esther
1:10-12
|
|
D08
|
The
King’s Anger
|
Esther
1:10-12
|
|
D09
|
The
King’s Courtly Business Meeting
|
Esther
1:13-22
|
|
D10
|
Historical,
Political and Spiritual Settings
|
Esther
2:1-7
|
|
D11
|
Repentance—Its
True Face & Fruits
|
Esther
2:1-7
|
|
D12
|
Vanity
of Beauty
|
Esther
2:1-7
|
|
D13
|
Payday
is Coming
|
Esther
2:5-7
|
|
D14
|
The
Favor of God Revealed & Demonstrated
|
Esther
2:8-11
|
|
D15
|
The
Promotion by God Revealed & Demonstrated
|
Esther
2:12-20
|
|
D16
|
Little
is Much When God is In It
|
Esther
2:21-23
|
|
D17 |
Malice in the Palace |
Esther 3:1-6 |
|
D18 |
Authority and Our Response to It--1 |
Esther 3:1-6 |
|
D19 |
Authority and Our Response to It--2 |
Rom. 12:9--13:7 |
|
|
D20 |
Authority and Our Response to It--3 |
Rom. 13:1-7 |
|
|
D21 |
Authority and Our Response to It--4 |
Dan. 2:37-45 |
|
|
D22 |
Authority and Our Response to It--5 |
Dan. 5:17-23 |
|
|
D23 |
Duties of Civil Magistrates |
Rom. 13:1-3 |
|
|
D24 |
Our Duty to the Government |
Rom. 13:4-7 Matt. 17:24-27 |
|
|
D25 |
Civil Disobedience--1 |
Judges 6:1-11 |
|
|
D26 |
Civil Disobedience--2 Jesus' example |
Mark 2:23-28 |
|
|
D27 |
Civil Disobedience--3 other biblical
examples |
Josh. 2:1-7 |
|
|
D28 |
Hatred, Pride & Folly--The Devil's
Soup--1 |
Esther 3:5-15 |
|
|
D29 |
Hatred, Pride & Folly--The Devil's
Soup--2 |
Psalm 10 |
|
|
D30 |
Hatred, Pride & Folly--The Devil's
Soup--3 |
Esther 3:8-15; I Sam. 25:36-39 |
|
|
D31 |
Hatred, Pride & Folly--The Devil's
Soup--4 |
Esther 3:8-15 |
|
|
D32 |
Hatred, Pride & Folly--The Devil's
Soup--5 |
Esther 3:8-15 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
