Bible Story Lessons

One day, King Ahasuerus of Persia gave a great feast.  That's a hard name isn't it, so we will call him King Ah-ha!  Well the eating and drinking at the feast continued for several days and then King AH-Ha commanded his wife, Queen Vashti, to come and stand before him.

But, Queen Vashti refused to come.  "No I won't!" she shouted and went and hid in her rooms.  The king became very angry, and started to look for a new queen.

At that time a Jew named Mordecai was living in Persia.  He had been taken captive and brought to Persia from Jerusalem with his young cousin, Esther, and thousands of other Jews.  Mordecai had adopted Esther as his own daughter and was taking care of her.

Esther was a very lovely and gentle person and was one of the women who were ordered to go before the king.  When King Ahasuerus saw Esther, he chose her to be his queen, not knowing she was a Jew from Israel.

So Esther went to live in the palace while her uncle Mordecai kept watch outside the palace gates and made sure that she was looked after and was safe.  Do you think he was a good and kind uncle? (Let the children respond).  Let's all whisper, "Brave Uncle Mordecai!" (Let the children respond).

One day while he was sitting at the gates, Mordecai overheard some men planning to kill the king.  Mordecai then called Esther, "They want to kill the king, so go and warn him!"  Esther ran into the palace and told the king.  For saving his life, the king loved Esther even more!

Now the king 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 a wicked person.  Let's all shout, "Wicked, wicked Haman!" (Let the children respond).

Do you know why?  He made all the people bow down to Him because they were frightened that he would kill them and their families.   But Mordecai refused to bow down.  Let's whisper, "Brave Uncle Mordecai!" (Let the children respond).

This so angered Haman that he planned to kill Mordecai and all the Jewish people.  Let's shout, "Wicked, wicked Haman!" (Let the children respond).

And do you know what Haman did?  He 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!  He then sent an order to the governors that all the Jews were to be killed on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month.

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 invited the king 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?  I will grant you anything up to half of my kingdom!"  Queen Esther replied, "If I have found favour with you, please save my life and that of my people."

The king was shocked and exclaimed, "Who wants to kill and destroy you?"  Esther answered, "This wicked man Haman!"  Let's shout, "Wicked, wicked Haman!" (Let the children respond).

The king was furious and ordered Haman be hanged.  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 weeping in the land, there was now great joy as the Jews celebrated what Mordecai and Queen Esther had done to save their lives!  Let's shout now, "Brave Uncle Mordecai!" (Let the children respond).

We celebrate Easter each year as the time when Jesus died and then rose to life again.  He died on the cross to save us from being punished by God for all the wrong things that we have done.  And if we ask Jesus, He will forgive us, and come and live in our hearts as our Best Friend.  And then we will be able to live with Jesus and God forever and ever in Heaven one day when we die.

I want you to give me a "J" (Let the children respond each letter), now give me an "E", now give me an "S", and then a "U", and now another "S". And that spells, "JESUS!" (Let the children respond).   And what does it spell?  "JESUS!" (Let the children respond)  And He's our Best Friend!  What's His name?  "JESUS!" (Let the children respond).

God bless!