esther: from orphan to queen · esther position reversals esther is an orphan girl (1:7) being...

Esther: From Orphan to

QueenA Divine Reversal Book of

the Bible

Agenda

Divine Reversal Teaching

30 minutes

Question and Answer Time

15 minutes

Personal Application: Break-Out Groups

10 minutes

Wrap-Up

5 minutes

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The Story of Esther

• Persian king Ahasuerus’s wife Vashti refuses to obey him, so he seeks a new wife

• Hadassah is an orphan being raised by her cousin and guardian Mordecai

• She is taken from Mordecai and forced to compete for the affection of the king

• She wins the beauty pageant and is crowned queen

The Plot Thickens

• The king’s chief advisor, Haman, is offended by Mordecai and gets permission from the king to have all the Jews in the kingdom killed.

• Mordecai urges Esther to take action

• “And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

• Unbidden, Esther goes before the king and pleads for her people

• Esther and Mordecai are allowed to write a new

Divine Reversals in Esther

Esther Position Reversals

Esther is an orphan girl (1:7) being raised by her older cousin.

Vashdi is queen (1: 11)

Esther is queen (2: 17)

Mordecai is hanging out at the king’s gate (2:19, 5:9) Mordecai is making edicts and 2nd

in command to the king (10:3)

Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman (3:3-5; 5:9). He is being

required to bow down.

Mordecai wears royal garments and others are bowing down to him (9:3-4,

10:3) of their own volition.

Haman is elevated to position higher than the other nobles (3:1) Mordecai given position of honor. Fear of Mordecai seized the people (9:3-

4). Mordecai is 2nd

in rank to the king (10:3)

Haman gallows built to hang Mordecai on (5:14) Haman himself is hung on the gallows (7:10).

Haman’s 10 sons are hung on the gallows (9:25)

EstherEconomic, Political, and Legal

Reversal

Economic

reversal

Haman has great wealth and riches (3:9, 5:

11)

Haman’s estate is given to Esther (8:1). Esther

appoints Mordecai over Haman’s estate (8:2)

Political

reversal

Signet ring given to Haman (3:10) Signet ring given to Mordecai (8:2)

Legal reversal Edict to destroy, ill, annihilate all Jews and to

plunder their goods (3:13)

Edict gives Jews the right to assemble and protect

themselves, to kill, annihilate anyone who attacks

them and plunder their goods (8:11, 9:1-2)

Esther Identity Reversal

Esther’s identity

reversal

Esther is terrified about going into the presence

of the king without being summoned (4:11).

30 days had passed without her being

summoned.

If I perish, I perish.

Esther pleads with the king, falls at his feet

weeping (8:3-6).

Esther makes regulations and writes with full

authority about feast of Purim, declaring it a

yearly celebration (9: 29-32).

Increased

Favor

Queen Vashdi killed for refusing to come into the

King’s presence when bidden

Queen Esther was spared when she went into the

King’s presence unbidden

King Xerxes goes and makes a request of Queen

Vashti to appear naked in front of all the guests to

show off her beauty (1: 11)

King Xerxes offers Esther up to half the kingdom

(5:3, 6; 7:2; 9:12)

King asks the queen 4 different times to name her

petition

Esther Emotional Reversal

Jews weeping, fasting, in

sackcloth and ashes (4: 1-3)

Joyous celebration (8:15-17),

feasting, happiness, giving gifts

Fasting for Esther’s appearance before the

king for 3 days (no eating or drinking) (4:11)

Feasting and celebration for 2 days (9:20-21,

27-28)

Haman is happy and in high spirits (5: 9).

Boasting to his friends about his wealth (5:

11)

Haman is covered in grief (6:13). Haman is

terrified (7:6)

Esther Spiritual and Emotional Reversal

Spiritual

reversal

Hiding identity as a Jew (2:10, 2: 20) People of other nationalities became Jews (8:17)

because fear of the Jews seized them.

Understanding that they cannot stand against

Jews (6: 13)

Emotional

reversal

Jews weeping, fasting, in sackcloth and ashes

(4: 1-3)

Joyous celebration (8:15-17), feasting, happiness,

giving gifts

Fasting for Esther’s appearance before the king

for 3 days (no eating or drinking) (4:11)

Feasting and celebration for 2 days (9:20-21, 27-

28)

Haman is happy and in high spirits (5: 9).

Boasting to his friends about his wealth (5: 11)

Haman is covered in grief (6:13). Haman is

terrified (7:6)

Divine Reversal Lessons from the Book of Esther

Even When God Seems to be Silent, He is Not Absent

John 5: 17 AMPC

Where do you turnwhen circumstancesget difficult?

• Esther did not resign herself to an intractable situation, but sought God

• She took steps of faith

• Called for prayer and fasting for 3 days

• She went before the king unbidden

• She made a request

The Importance

of Divine Favor

Timing is of theEssence

• God’s anointing is on His timing, and if we operate outside of His timing, we operate outside of His anointing

The Past Cannot be Erased, but it Can Be Reversed

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

Which Lesson Resonates

Most For You?

• Even when God seems to be silent, he is not absent

• Where do you turn when life gets difficult?

• The importance of divine favor

• God’s anointing is on His timing

• The past cannot be erased, but it can be reversed

Comments? Questions?

What struck you about Esther?

What more do you want to know?

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