Esther: Week 3

Apr 12

Written By Christie Browning

WEEK 3 READING PLAN

DAY 1: Esther 3:12-15

optional reading: 2 Samuel 1:1-16

DAY 2: Esther 4:1-7

optional reading: Nehemiah 1

DAY 3: Esther 4:8-11

optional reading: Nehemiah 2

DAY 4: Esther 4:12-14

optional reading: Deuteronomy 28:1-14

DAY 5: Esther 4:15-17

optional reading: Joel 2:12-17

BACKGROUND FOR REFERENCE

The optional reading this week covers several aspects of background for these passages in Esther. First, we'll look at another previous encounter with David and the Amalekites in 2 Samuel. (There's an interesting plot twist if you want to dig deeper and look at the last chapter of 1 Samuel).

Then we'll explore what it meant to hold a position in the king's court when we see how Nehemiah used his position to further the city of Jerusalem in Nehemiah chapters 1 and 2. We'll also get a look at the promise God made with the Israelites that gave Mordecai his assurance that somehow the Jews would be saved one way or another.

Lastly, we'll look at another example of fasting and mourning. Before Esther takes the lead to save the Jews, Mordecai is found mourning. Then Esther leads the people in a group fast before she goes before the king.

WEEK 3 OVERVIEW

When we left off in Week 2, Haman has been promoted and Mordecai refuses to bow down and pay respect to Haman. When Haman finds out about Mordecai's disregard, he is angry. He then finds out that Mordecai is a Jew and becomes "scorned" and so angry that he convinces the king that there are people in the king's provinces that aren't following his commands. Under the ruse that these "people" might pose a threat to the king, Haman is able to get the king's okay to issue a decree that the entire Jewish population should be slaughtered.

We pick up in Week 3 as the decree is going out. So great is the decree that it is carried to all the provinces. This would have been all the areas the king ruled over, even Jerusalem. It is more evident that the decree was serious because the scriptures say it was written in each of the languages of the people.

Remember, this "kingdom" would have included all kinds of people - people the king would have ruled over as he conquered each area. There's no telling how many different languages were spoken, but the king and Haman made sure there was no doubt as to what was being determined. You'll also note that the scripture states that all Jews would be slaughtered - all ages, all sexes. Truly Haman's hatred was so deep for this nation.

Chapter 3 ends with King Xerxes and Haman having a drink, maybe to celebrate a "problem" solved. However, the "city was bewildered." The actual translation is "confused or perplexed" here. No wonder! The city especially had to know that kings were allowing the Jews to leave the area and go back to Jerusalem to rebuild their city... and was given the cash to do it! Now suddenly, the king wants them dead?? I would be confused, too!

It doesn't take long for Mordecai to hear what's going on and he is so overcome with emotion that he tears his clothes, puts on sackcloth and ashes, and begins to walk through the city up to the king's gate wailing loudly and bitterly.

Tearing of clothes was a sign of deep distraught or anguish. Remember, Mordecai is so devoted to his Jewish heritage he wouldn't kneel before Haman. The thought that his nation was to be wiped out had to devastate him. I am sure he also felt some responsibility for the events that had happened, considering all of this stemmed from his refusal to kneel.

We also read that he put on sackcloth. This would have been in exchange for his normal clothes. Sackcloth was usually weaved from goat hair. Goat hair is not the softest and can be irritating to the skin. This was so that the person in mourning or anguish would feel a physical discomfort as well as an emotional pain.

When we see the use of ashes, it is a symbol of humility. Ashes reminds us that we return to ashes upon our death and therefore are frail. This ritual of sackcloth and ashes is used for mourning the death of someone, anguish over a pending doom or trial, as well as repentance for some sin or wrongdoing.

Esther's attendants see Mordecai and report a vivid picture to her. Consider how close the two were she was worried for him and immediately offered some relief, but Mordecai wasn't interested. When Esther finds out why Mordecai is in the state, he's in and she hears his wish for her, she goes into an emotional turmoil as well.

If Esther agrees to go see the king to beg for mercy for her people, she could die. No one was able to just waltz in and see the king without being invited. Since it had been 30 days since she had been summoned by the king, she had no way of knowing where she stood with him. She was risking her life to follow Mordecai's wishes. But Mordecai has some poignant words for her.

He first reminds her that she is a Jew, too. So, any fate that's brought on the people will surely be her's as well. We already know the king's track record for disposing of queens, so really there was no reason to believe that King Xerxes would spare Esther just on that account.

Mordecai then reminds her of God's promise to protect and preserve the people. So, one way or another His plan would prevail. However, if Esther didn't obey, a fate far worse could be her's. She could find herself being judged by God.

Then her brings about the divine purpose of her position. The passage from Esther that gets used repeatedly... "for such a time as this." Mordecai puts the pieces of the puzzle together for Esther so she can see that this has been God's plan all along. Not only did God orchestra for Esther to be queen, perfectly positioned to get the king's attention, but Mordecai himself was put in the right place at the right time to carry out his role in the story.

We finish this week's reading with Esther taking on her queen role in a whole new way. She leads her people, the Jews, in a group fast as she prepares to go see the king.

This is the first time we see Esther take a leadership position and the first time we see her act specifically as a Jew and for the Jews.

At this juncture, Mordecai runs the risk that as things play out, Haman and his underlings might remember Mordecai and Esther's relationship and discover she is a Jew herself....

Study Plan

DAY 1: Esther 3:12-15 Optional Reading: 2 Samuel 1:1-16

How would you choose to “get ready for that day” if you were a Jew? If you weren’t a Jew?

How would you feel if you had heard the news of this decree, knowing the past relationship with the Jews and their release back to Jerusalem?

What does it say about the king and Haman that they sat down to have a drink after the decree was issued?