Slides: Esther's Choice
Timeline
586
BC Jerusalem and temple destroyed
516
BC New temple completed
478
BC Esther made queen of Persia
458
BC Priest Ezra arrives in Jerusalem
445 BC Jerusalem’s walls rebuilt
Esther’s Choice
- Deadly plots
- Divine plan
Offspring at War
I will put enmity
between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he
shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
Deadly plots
- Cain
- Pharaoh
- Athaliah
- Haman
- Herod
Divine plan
- Eve gives birth to Seth.
- Shiphrah, Puah, Jochebed, Miriam, and princess rescue baby boys.
- Jehosheba rescues baby Joash.
- Esther and Mordecai rescue Jews.
- Mary and Joseph rescue Jesus.
- Jesus rescues all God’s people.
Satan’s targets
- Jews mothered the Messiah
- Babies resemble baby Messiah
- Christians stand with Messiah
Esther’s Choice
- Deadly plots
- Divine plan
Esther’s choice
If you keep silent
at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place,
but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not
come to the kingdom for such a time as this? (4:14)
I will go
Go, gather all the
Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink
for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you
do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I
perish, I perish. (4:16)
Active faith
- Know vital purpose
- Seek higher help
- Dare face danger
- Plan with wisdom
- Seize the moment
Hidden hand
- Vashti’s refusal of Xerxes
- Miss Universe contest
- Esther’s exquisite beauty
- Guards’ assassination plot
- King’s sleepless night
- Haman’s hateful haste
Haman’s lucky day
The pur (lot) was
cast in Haman’s presence to select a day and month. (Esther 3:7)
The lot is
cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Prov 16:33)
There is no wisdom,
no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. (Prov 21:30)
Self destruction
They hanged Haman
on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. (Est 7:10)
Whoever digs a pit will
fall into it; and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
(Proverbs 26:27)
The Lord works
out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day
of disaster. (Proverbs 16:4)
Savior
- Unbowed like Mordecai
- Mediator like Esther
- Executed like Haman
- Sovereign like Xerxes
- God with us