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The book of Esther is the only book in the Bible that does not mention the name of God. Esther is not quoted in the New Testament. Neither Mordecai, Esther, nor the Feast of Purim is mentioned elsewhere in Scripture. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain fragments of each Old Testament book, with the exception of Esther.
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The context of the book gives no indication as to the identity of its author. Tradition grants the honor to Mordecai, using Esther 9:20 as dubious evidence. Alternatively,the book has been credited to Ezra, Nehemiah, Joiakim (Neh. 12:10, 26) and the men of the synagogue. Authorship, of course, matters little, if we accept God’s providential
Esther A2 Classic Bible Study Guide 3 Esther 1:1-22 Xerxes's feast ended in heaviness by his own folly. An unhappy quarrel between the king and queen, broke off the feast abruptly, and sent the guests away silent and ashamed. I. It was certainly the king's weakness to send for Vashti into his presence when he was drunk, and in company with
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6. God’s purpose and will were served by His two faithful servants, Esther and her cousin, Mordecai, who adopted her as his daughter, and who were examples for all of God’s people down through the ages. [NOTE: Esther was a daughter of Mordecai’s uncle, 2:7]
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- Esther 1:1-22
- Esther 2:1-23
- Esther 3:1-15
- Esther 4:1-17
- Esther 5:1-14
- Esther 6:1-14
- Esther 7:1-10
- Esther 9:1-32
- Esther 10:1-3
What do we know about the time and setting of the book of Esther?Why do you think the first chapter includes a description of the king’s wealth? How might it compare to Israel’s temple?What type of person is King Ahasuerus? What does his relationship with Queen Vashti tell us about him?How were women treated in that culture? How does this chapter frame Esther’s journey in the coming chapters? How might she be feeling?How would you describe Esther in this chapter? How does she contrast with the Esther we meet by the end of the book?How would you compare the person you were with the person you are? Can you see God’s hand shaping and molding you? What does this teach us about patience?Bethany Jenkins writes, “Men are measured by wealth and power, women by beauty and sexuality.” How does our culture value men and women? How can we as Christians model a different way of valuing pe...Why do you think Esther hid her Jewish identity? What does this tell us about the Persian society and the Jewish people in exile?Mordecai is a Benjamite and a descendent of a man named Kish (Esther 2:5), which 1 Samuel 14:51 tells us is King Saul’s father. Haman is described as an Agagite, which would be descendants of Agag...In his Esther sermon, Timothy Keller talks about pride being the chief sin and yet a sin that is like carbon monoxide, undetectable in ourselves. Why is pride so deadly?Verse six says, “Haman sought to destroy all the Jews…” Have you ever witnessed anti-semitism or ethnic hatred of any kind? What can we do as Christians to stand up for Jewish people or any nationa...Keller points out that Haman doesn’t name the people he is going to kill and King Ahasureus doesn’t ask. This dehumanizes those they are going to murder. How common is it to dehumanize those we dis...Where is God when bad things happen? The book of Esther doesn’t mention God. Why do you think that might be the case?When Mordecai hears the edict, he tears his clothes and clothes himself in sackcloth and ashes. What’s your response to seeing injustice and evil around you? What can Mordecai’s response to injusti...Sackcloth and ashes is also a sign of repentance (see Jonah 3:5-6). Why is repentance an important part of asking God for mercy?It says the people fast, weep, and lament. It’s safe to assume they also prayed, although the text does not mention it. Have you ever tried prayer and fasting? Why or why not? What was it like? How...Esther approached King Ahasuerus’s throne at great risk to herself. Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace...The king was not sexually faithful to Esther alone (Esther 2:12-14). He was also a drunk. Esther, in many ways, is caught in the system, and yet God is still at work. How does this give us hope in...How does James’ New Testament warning help explain the pathway Haman takes from pride to mass genocide? How does it warn us today? How can sin grow and gain power in our own lives?When Mordecai saves the king, his deed is recorded in the king’s book of chronicles (Esther 2:23; 6:1-3). When the king remembers what he did, he rewards him. Read about the book God has of our liv...Jesus says in Matthew 23:11-12, “The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (NIV) Where do we see...Does Mordecai’s exaltation as “the man whom the king delights to honor” give you any hope for the way Jesus will one day reward you? Why do you feel that way?How does the story of Esther, Mordecai, and Haman help us understand the injustices we see in our world today? How can we respond where God has placed us today? (Esther 4:14)In Esther 5:8 and 7:3, Esther finds “favor” in the king’s sight. Stephen Witmerexplains that finding the king’s favor is a subtle way of implying Esther has God’s favor. How does Esther have God’s...In this chapter, those who were most at risk receive power and justice while those who intended to harm the weak and the marginalized are destroyed. What does this tell us about the upside-down nat...What do you think of Esther’s request to extend the edict by a day and to impale Haman’s ten sons on poles? Was she being vindictive? How might this tie into Israel’s war against the Amalakites?Just because the Bible describes a historic event doesn’t mean it prescribes it for us today. What parts of Esther do you think are descriptive and what parts of Esther do you think are prescriptive?The book ends highlighting how Mordecai helped his people. Esther 10:3 says, “Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fell...Jeremiah the prophet wrote a letter to the exiles in Babylon. Jeremiah 29:7says, “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, be...Four years after these events, King Ahasuerus suffers a terrible military defeat to Greece, losing much of his wealth and power. As Stephen Witmernotes, “Things are not always as they seem.” What m...What most surprised you about the book of Esther?Study Number One – Esther 1:1-22 . The book of Esther is unique in that there’s only two books that are named by women in the Old Testament and that’s Ruth and Esther. material . There are only two books in the Bible that don’t have the name of God in them—the book of Esther and the a Song of Solomon. You will not be able to walk out ...
days (Esther was taken to the harem [2:1–16]), their faithful obedience (Esther risked her life before the king [5:1–3]), and their victories (Esther revealed Haman’s plot and the Jews’ destruction of their enemies [7–9]). This message is clear: God is sovereign even when life doesn’t make sense. . . Life can be hard.
