Queen Esther of Persia

Application:

Queen Ester saved the Jewish people from destruction just as Jesus saves us from our sins and gives us eternal life.

Bible Text:

Esther chapters 1 to 10.

Lesson:

One day, King Ahasuerus of Persia gave a great feast, and after eating and drinking for several days he commanded his wife, Queen Vashti, to appear before him. But, Queen Vashti refused to come to the king and he was very angry, and so the king started to look for a new queen. At that time there lived in Persia a Jew named Mordecai, who had been taken captive with many other Jews and brought to Persia from Jerusalem. Mordecai had adopted his young cousin Esther and was taking care of her as his own daughter.

Esther chosen as Queen:

Esther was one of the women chosen to go before the king, for she was lovely and gentle. When King Ahasuerus saw Esther, he chose her to be his queen, not knowing she was a Jewess. So Esther went to live in the palace while her uncle Mordecai kept watch outside the palace gates, to make sure that she was looked after and was safe.

One day while he was sitting at the gates, Mordecai overheard a plot to kill the king. Mordecai then told Esther of this plot and she went and told the king and so saved the king's life. For this, the king loved Esther even more.

Haman's Evil Plot:

King Ahasuerus made a man named Haman to be his second-in-command over all the kingdom of Persia, but he did not know that Haman was wicked. All the men bowed down to Haman because they feared him, but Mordecai refused to bow. This angered Haman so he planned to kill Mordecai and all the Jewish people.

Haman then went to the king and told him that there were people living in the Persian kingdom who did not keep the king's laws. By lying to the king, he received permission to kill all the Jews. And so he sent an order to all the governors, that all the Jews were to be killed on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month.

Esther Reveals the Plot:

When Mordecai learned of Haman's terrible plan, he sent a message to Queen Esther begging her to ask the king to stop this wicked order. Esther, though fearing for her life, prayed for three days, and then went to King Ahasuerus and asked him to come to a dinner she wished to give for him and Haman.

The next day Esther gave a second dinner for the King and Haman. During the dinner, the king said to her, "What is your request, Queen Esther? It will be granted to you even to half of my kingdom!" Queen Esther replied, "If I have found favour in your sight, please save my life and that of my people." The king was shocked and exclaimed, "Who is he that would destroy you?" Esther answered, "This wicked man is Haman!"

The People are Saved:

The king was furious and ordered Haman be hanged. And so they hanged Haman on the very gallows he had prepared to kill Mordecai the Jew. And then the king sent for Mordecai and gave him Haman's job as the king's second-in-command over all the kingdom of Persia. And the king made a law cancelling Haman's evil order.

And where there had been mourning and weeping in the land, there was now great joy and celebrations, for Mordecai and Queen Esther had saved the lives of all the Jews in Persia. And Esther urged the Jews to keep two days every year to celebrate their being saved from being killed, and it is celebrated today as the Festival of Purim.

Jesus Saves Us:

We celebrate Easter each year as the time when Jesus died and then rose to life again. He died to pay the price for all the wrong things we have done, and if we ask Him to live in our hearts, He will give us everlasting life in Heaven.

Queen Ester saved the Jewish people from destruction just as Jesus saves us from our sins and gives us eternal life. Can you imagine what joy and singing there will be in Heaven when we get there?

God bless!