Assignment for Esther
Old Testament Survey

Read : Chapter 9

 

Name:________________________________________Date______________________

 

Vital statistics:

 

PURPOSE:

To demonstrate God�s sovereignty and His loving care for his people

 

AUTHOR:

Unknown, probably Mordecai (9:29) Some have suggested Ezra or Nehemiah because of the similarity of the writing style.

 

DATE WRITTEN:

Approximately 483 � 470 B.C.. (Esther became queen in 479)

 

SETTING:

Although Esther follows Nehemiah in the Bible. Its events are about 30 years prior to those recorded in Nehemiah. The story is set in the Persian Empire, and most of the action takes place in the king�s palace at Shushan� (Susa), the Persian capital.

 

KEY VERSE:

�For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father�s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?� (4:14 )

 

KEY PEOPLE:

Esther, Mordecai, King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I), Haman

 

KEY PLACE:

The King�s Palace in Shushan, Persia (Iraq)

 

DID YOU KNOW?

1.)    Esther is one of only two books named for women (Ruth is the other).
2.)    The book is unusual in that, in the original version, no name, title, or pronoun for God appears in it. This caused some church fathers to question its inclusion in the canon of scripture. But God�s presence is clearly felt and sensed throughout the book.
(NOTE: If you know Hebrew you can find the name of God hidden in acrostic form four times in the book.)

THE BLUE PRINT:

1.)    Esther becomes Queen � (1:1 - 2:23)
2.)    The Jews are threatened � (3:1 � 4:17) 
3.)    Esther intercedes for the Jews � (5:1 � 8:17)
4.)    The Jews are delivered � (9:1 � 10:3)

THEMES:

1.)    God�s Sovereignty � This book tells of the circumstances that were essential to the survival of God�s people in Persia. The circumstances were not coincidence but were by God Sovereign Design

 

2.)    Racial Hatred � Haman hated the Jews, and was particularly jealous of Mordecai, to the extent that he wanted all Jews exterminated.

 

3.)    Deliverance � On February the Jews celebrate the �Feast of Purim� symbolizing God�s deliverance. Purim, means dice such as those used by Haman to set the extermination date. But God had other plans.

 

4.)    Action � Faced with death Esther and Mordecai set aside their own fear and took action. Esther risked her life by going to the King without being summoned.

 

5.)    Wisdom � It took great wisdom on Mordecai�s part to survive. He studied and worked with Persian law, without compromising his integrity

�

Word Definitions:

 

1.)    What is Sovereignty?_______________________________________

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2.)    What is Shushan?__________________________________________

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3.)    What does it mean, �to take the spoil of them for a prey� (3:13)______

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4.)    What is intercede?__________________________________________

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5.)    What is a decree?___________________________________________

 

6.)    What is deliverance?________________________________________

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7.)    What is Wisdom?___________________________________________

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SUMMARY:

In this book we see King Ahasuerus of Persia setting aside Queen Vashti (Feast of Ahasuerus ). Esther, who was then chosen to be the bride-queen, was brought in and prepared by the ministries of Mordecai and Hegai (Feast of Esther). Then when Haman, the Agagite, rose up against the Jews, Esther called a national fast and at the risk of her own life brought deliverance to the Jewish people. The Feast of Purim was then initiated to be celebrated annually to commemorate the death of Haman (hung on the gallows he had built to hang Mordecai) and the deliverance and preservation of the Jews. Esther is the last of three post-exilic historical books.

����������� Ezra � Restoration of the Temple ��������Religious

����������� Nehemiah � Reconstruction of the city walls ���..Political

����������� Esther � Preservation of the House of Judah ���...National

 

CHRIST SEEN:

Christ is seen as the King, for whom the church (Esther) is prepared to be married to by the ministry of the Word (Mordecai) and the Spirit (Hagai)

 

Thank you for studying with us today. At this point you may choose to either save an unfinished assignment or submit it to the Pastor�s office for review and feedback.

 

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