Esther Chapters 3 & 4

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READING: Esther 3:1- 4:16

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WHEN A JEALOUS HEART RULES


READ: Ester 3:1-6

So, what’s going on here? Why would Mordechai’s refusal to bow down to Haman cause Haman to become so enraged that he would want to kill an entire race of people. Simply wanting to retaliate and kill Mordechai would have been excessively evil, but to kill an entire people who are not even involved in his little battle of the wills.

1. Why was Mordecai's answer, "Because I'm a Jew" enough.

2. Was Haman's anger proportionate to the offence?


A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON


So what was behind the rage that Haman displayed? Take a look at the genealogy in verse 1 of chapter 3: Ahasuerus (Xerxes) promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the AGAGITE.

In 1 Samuel is in an interesting story about a kind named Saul who was told by a prophet named Samuel to kill the Amalekites, the lifelong enemy of the Jews. The Amalekites had attacked Israel after they left Egypt; that’s how far this adversarial relationship went. So Saul was instructed to kill all the Amalekites along with all their animals. But Saul, pragmatist that he was, saved the best of the enemies sheep. He also spared the king, Agag. And the Agagites, descendants of Amalekites, got their name from the king that Saul did not kill. (Which is an excellent reminder that when God tells you to do something you had better do it; He always has a reason.) Afterward the prophet Samuel confronted Saul about his disobedience. And after Saul danced around with some verbal semantic footwork while rationalizing his disobedience, he finally confessed that he had failed to do as the Lord had commanded. Then Samuel put Agag to death before the Lord. (1 Sa. 15:33)

For all these years since, these age-old enemies of the Jews had passed this scene from their history down through succeeding generations. As a results the Agagites hated the Jews. And Haman being an Aggie.... ( Sorry! A bit of TEXAN humor here!;) LOL Naw! Really, he wasn’t an Aggie) ... AndHaman being an Aggagite, had been nursing this grudge which had been taught to him from childhood.

NOTE: Anger is a powerful emotion.Bitterness allowed to fester will make plans for revenge!! And left unchecked it will do unthinkable things to others.

READ: Esther 3:7-9 HMMM I didn't know this!: The casting of Pur, or the casting of lots, was very common in the oriental kingdoms. It is like shooting dice to decide a day for some activity. Seems kind of a …..flippant way to decide what day to KILL off and entire race of people. But then what would be a “kind and sincere” way? Still…guh!

"10 THOUSAND TALENTS of SILVER if ya let me kill of the Jews!" Wow! Haman really wanted for the King to say yes! That's 375 Tons of silver! Even today that’s a bit of CASH. Back then Persia used silver as it’s monetary value so it was a whole lot of loot! any way you look at it!

So, in Esther 3:10 states that in response to Hamans proposition the king gave his signet ring” to the son of Hammedatha, HATER of the Jews. In other words he was basically saying, “Go ahead! DO WHATEVER YOU LIKE IN MY NAME”

So Haman sends out the message to all the kings provinces by way of courier and basically let’s the PEOPLE know that they have much to fear because THE DAY IS COMING VERY SOON WHEN YOU WILL DIE!

Sounds a bit like Hitler in the 1930’s huh?
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PRIVATELY CONSIDER:

Is there "familial prejudice" that rules your heart?

Do you use anger to keep other's from feeling comfortable with speaking into your life when you are going off course?

Is it safe to use words like: "unwise", "too far", "not good", or "watch it" to confront an action you are taking or are considering taking?

Are you nursing a grudge with someone that you need to forgive?

What about a deep emotional and heartfelt wound received from the child who is angry that you are sick and has expressed their anger with"thoughtless remarks?:

What about the friend who gossiped about you, or abandoned you in you time of need?


Is the crushing pain your heart feels when you lay down next to your husband at night in "deafening silence" causing you to turn the words he said to you about "not looking sick" over and over again in yor mind?

Maybe it's a parent who still controls you feelings?

Maybe it's the vengeful anger held in the center of your gut towards that doctor who implied it was "all in your head"? Or the surgeon who's knife slipped?

My dear sister...whatever it is...WHO might be "freed" from the bondage of unforgiveness if we "let go" of that offense?
Praise God! WE WOULD BE SET FREE for sure. That is enough to make me want to OFTEN spend some time with the Lord allowing Him to show me the condition of my heart. I truly don't want to carry anything like this in my heart.

CONSIDER THIS: Were it not for the presence of grace and the miraculous deliverance of Jesus Christ at work within us, controlling our passions and urging us to forgive and move on, hate would consume us. And we would kill without giving a second thought to it.


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READ: Esther 4:1-3

We have all seen pictures on TV of mothers grieving a loss of a child or sister or parent or friend. We’ve see men wailing after and entire family is killed in a bombing – MOST OF US DON’T GRIEVE IN THAT FASHION HERE IN AMERICA. In fact most would be deeply distressed if they heard their neighbor outside in the street wailing and screaming and crying day and night – we would probably take that person to the psychiatric hospital. WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHOULD WE MOURN IN THIS FASHION? For example, when we learn of the unjust death of a loved one?

Mordecai’s loud grieving might have served another purpose – intentional or not it caught the attention of the Queen via her maidens and eunuchs.


I found Ester 4:4 fascinating – “And Esther’s maidens and eunuchs came and told her and the Queen WRITHED in GREAT ANGUISH. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai that he might remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept them.”

I decided to look into these words WRITHED in GREAT ANGUISH – multiple versions described it in as many ways as STRONGS CONCORDIENCE defined it:

writhed in great anguish stunned upset and afraid exceedingly grieved in a consternation


READ: ESTHER 4:5-8

CONSIDER:

1. What is being said in these verses of scripture about Mordecai's character?

2. What can we glean from it?

NOTE: This was quite a request he was making…I think he thought it out carefully but saw this as the only option – SOMETIMES TO BE OBEDIENT WE HAVE TO TAKE A CHANCE AND TRUST THE LORD!


READ:Esther 4:9-11

CONSIDER:

1. Was there a reason why the QUEEN was not called upon for 30 days? Had she lost favor? If so, why?

2. Do you think you would have replied like Queen Esther did– “I can’t do that Cousin Mordecai! If I do the king will have no other choice but to kill me?”

I think I would have been definitly talking it up! "CUZ! Let us reason together! What you are asking me to do...it is serious! I mean, it's my life we're talking about here!" :) READ:ESTHER 4:12-14

12 When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

NOTE: I think when the answer came back from Esther, he thought about how he had raised her as his own daughter. How he had "trained her up in the way she should go." If there ever was a time that his child rearing needed to come thru it was now! Mordecai appealed to Esther's sense of character. WITHOUT SAYING "GOD" he spoke to the part of Esther that he had taught the FAITHFULNESS of God to. He wanted ner to remember think abou the fact that she KNOWS GOD is her DELIVERER and that surely God will deliver His people - she could a part of that if she would like. God was offering it to her.

CONSIDER: 1. How could YOU be used by God to encourage someone when they are faced with an ENORMOUS CHALLENGE?

2. What kind of words could you draw upon to speak TRUTH to a person facing SURE PERSECUTION if they are OBEDIENT?

3. Have you ever felt like you were in a situation that if you didn’t speak up people could be hurt either emotionally or physically? What did you ultimately do?

Below is ESTHER’S ultimate RESPONSE TO the GODLY ADVISEMENT that she was delivered to her from Mordecai:

ESTHER 4:16: 16 "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."

SELEH!