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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
ESTHER 5
LESSON #06
GODS FAVOR AND GODS TIMING
v MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 125:1
v ESTHER HAS A MAJOR PROBLEM. SHE HAS A HIGH POSITIONIN THE PERSIAN KINGDOM BUT NO PERSONAL AUTHORITY. HER LIFE IS IN THE HANDS OF THE KING.
Ø IN ESTHER 1 WE SAW THE KING GET RID OF QUEENVASHTI WITH NO PRIOR THOUGHT.
Ø IN ORDER TO COUNTERACT HAMANS EVIL LAWTO ANNIHILATE ALL THE JEWS, SHE MUST MAKE A DECISION TO PLACE HER LIFE ON THE LINE.
§ MORDECAI HAS REVEALED THATHE IS A JEW. THIS MEANS THAT SHE IS ALSO A JEW BECAUSE EVERYONE KNEW THEY WERE RELATED.
· AS SOON AS MORDECAI REVEALED HISETHNIC IDENTITY, HE WAS ALSO REVEALING HER ETHNIC IDENTITY.
v READ EST 5:1-4 THE RESULTS OF ESTHER’S INTERCESSION
Ø ENTERING WITHOUT BEING CALLED WAS PUNISHABLEBY DEATH BUT EXTENDING THE SCEPTER WAS A SIGN OF REPRIEVE. (2)
§ WE SEE GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY ATWORK ON THE KING’S HEART–READ PRO 21:1
· IT SAYS SHE TOUCHED THE SCEPTER.THIS PROBABLY MEANS SHE KISSED IT.
¨ IT SHALL BE EVEN GIVEN THEE TO THE HALFOF THE KINGDOM. (3)
Ø THIS WAS AN IDION OF HYPERBOLE (ANEXAGGERATED SAYING FOR EMPHASIS).
§ THIS INDICATED TO ESTHERTHAT SHE HAD THE KINGS FAVOR.
§ YOU WILL NOTICE THAT SHEDOES NOT IMMEDIATELY TELL THE KING ABOUT THE PLOT.
· WHY DO YOU THINK ESTHER POSTPONEDTELLING THE KING HER REQUEST TWICE? (8)
¨ GOD’S TIMING WAS NOT YET PERFECT & SHEKNEW IT
Ø DISCUSSION: HOW CAN YOU KNOW WHEN GODS TIMING IS RIGHT?.
Ø DISCUSSION: IF YOU KNOW THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGN IN YOUR LIFE,HOW SHOULD YOU RESPOND TO PROBLEMS AND TESTINGS? CAN YOU THINK OF ANY PRINCIPLES ORSCRIPTURES?
§ PSA 125:1 ROM 8:28 1TH5:16-18
§ JAM 1:2-4 1PE 5:7
v READ EST 5:5-8 THE TWO BANQUETS
Ø HAMAN WAS HONORED TO BE INVITED TO A BANQUETWITH THE KING AND QUEEN. PERSIAN OFFICIALS WERE PROTECTIVE OF THEIR WIVES, SO SUCH ABANQUET WAS A GREAT HONOR.
Ø THE KING IS AWARE THAT ESTHER HAS SOMESPECIAL REQUEST. HE ASKS HER ABOUT IT. HOWEVER, SHE DELAYS THE REQUEST UNTIL A SECONDBANQUET.
§ THIS DELAY IN MAKING HERREQUEST KNOWN RAISES THE LEVEL OF EXPECTATION.
v READ EST 5:9-14 HAMANS HIGH SPIRITS AND EVIL PLAN
Ø HAMANS GOOD FORTUNE TO BE SO CLOSE TOTHE KING AND QUEEN, HAS PUT HIM OFF GUARD.
§ HAMAN BRAGS ABOUT HIS GOODFAVOR, HIS INCREASE IN WEALTH., AND HIS MANY CHILDREN. (11)
· HE HAD 10 SONS. IT WAS THOUGHTTHAT IF ONE HAD A LOT OF CHILDREN, HE WAS GREATLY HONORED. THIS WAS TRUE NOT ONLY INISRAEL BUT ALSO IN PERSIA.
· THE BOASTFULNESS OF THE FLESHNATURE IS VERY EVIDENT IN HAMANS ACTIONS. (11-12)
¨ IT IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE FLESH TO SEEK ITSOWN AGGRANDIZEMENT AT THE EXPENSE OF ALL OTHERS.
Ø THE HOLY SPIRIT ALWAYS EXPOSES THE FLESH FORWHAT IT REALLY IS.
Ø THERE IS NOTHING MORE INFURIATING TO THECARNALLY MINDED CHRISTIAN, THAN WHEN THE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNING PERSON REMAINS WHOLLYUNIMPRESSED IN SPITE OF SO MUCH SELF-ADVERTISEMENT.
§ YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD OFTHE MAN WHO BOASTED TO HIS FRIEND “I AM A SELF-MADE MAN!” TO WHICH HIS FRIENDREPLIED DRILY, AND NOT A LITTLE UNKINDLY, “THAT JUST DEMONSTRATES THE HORRORS OFUNSKILLED LABOR!”
¨ HOWEVER, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT HAMAN IS NOTTOTALLY HAPPY. HE CANNOT FULLY ENJOY HIS GOOD FORTUNE BECAUSE OF HIS HATRED FOR MORDECAI.
Ø HATRED POISONS THE SOUL.
Ø HAMAN BUILDS A GALLOWS 75 FEET HIGH TO RIDHIMSELF OF MORDECAI.
§ THE GALLOWS IS VERY HIGH SOTHAT IT CAN BE EASILY SEEN AND MIGHT DETER OTHERS WHO WOULD OPPOSE HAMAN.
v APPLICATION:
Ø THE BELIEVER HAS GODS FAVOR. IF YOU ARELIVING RIGHT BEFORE GOD, GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE. IF YOU ARE LIVING IN UNREPENTED SIN, GODOPPOSES (FRUSTRATES) YOU.
§ READ:
· 1PET 3:12
· PSA 5:12
· PSA 41:11
· PRO 11:27
· PRO 14:9
· PRO 29:6
§ ESTHER HAD SPENT TIMEFASTING AND HUMBLING HERSELF BEFORE GOD. THIS IS WHY SHE HAS GODS FAVOR.
v SPECIAL NOTE:
Ø REMEMBER THE NAME OF GOD DOES NOT OVERTLYAPPEAR IN THIS BOOK. HOWEVER, IT DOES APPEAR IN THE FORM OF ACROSTICS.
§ WE HAVE ALREADY LOOKED ATTHE FIRST ONE IN EST 1:20 WHERE THE FIRST LETTERS OF THE HEBREW WORDS SPELL JHVH (JEHOVAH)BACKWARDS.
Ø THERE ARE TWO ACROSTICS SPELLING OUT THE NAMEOF GOD IN CHAPTER 5.
§ EST 5:4
· “JHVH” (4) FORMED FROM THE FIRST LETTER OF FOUR HEBREWWORDS SPELLED FORWARD. LET OUR ROYAL DINNER THIS DAY BEGRACED BY THE KING AND HAMAN.
| LET |
| OUR |
| ROYAL |
| DINNER THIS DAY BE GRACED BY THE KING AND HAMAN. |
¨ NOTICE THAT THE FIRST LETTERS OF THIS ENGLISHLIKENESS SPELLS THE NAME LORD.
§ EST 5:13
· “JHVH” IS FORMED FROM THE LAST LETTER OF FOUR HEBREW WORDSAND SPELLED BACKWARDS.
|
I AM SAD |
|
FOR |
|
NO |
|
AVAIL |
¨ NOTICE THAT THE LAST LETTERS OF THIS ENGLISHLIKENESS SPELLS THE NAME LORD BACKWARDS.
HOMEWORK
ESTHER 6
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF EST 5
Ø CONSIDER THE OVERALL PATTERN OF YOUR LIFE. DOYOU LIVE IN GODS FAVOR OR DOES GOD FRUSTRATE AND OPPOSE YOU?
§ IF YOU THINK GOD ISOPPOSING YOU, CONSIDER CHANGING THE PATTERN OF YOUR LIFE.
· REPENT OF SINS THAT THE HOLYSPIRIT BRINGS TO MIND.
· KNOW THAT IF YOU REPENT AND SEEKGOD MORE FULLY, HE WILL PARDON YOU.
· KNOW THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO LIVEIN HIS FAVOR.
v PREPARATION FOR EST 6
Ø READ EST 6:1-14
§ WHAT PERSONAL CHARACTERQUALITIES DOES THE WORLD HONOR?
§ WHAT PERSONAL CHARACTERQUALITIES DOES GOD HONOR?
v MEMORY VERSE: ROM 13:7
