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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
ESTHER 4
LESSON #05
v MEMORY VERSE: JOEL 2:12
v READ EST 4:1-9 MOURNING
Ø TORN CLOTHES, SACKCLOTH AND ASHES (1)
§ THIS IS A SIGN OF MOURNINGFOR PERSONAL OR NATIONAL DISASTER, PENITENCE FOR SINS, OR SPECIAL PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE.
· IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, THIS WASMORE A SIGN OF UNBELIEF THAN OF FAITH.
¨ READ MAR 5:38 1TH 4:13
Ø FASTING (3)
§ FASTING IN THE OLDTESTAMENT:
· THE WORD, FAST MEANT= TO AFFLICT THE SOUL.
· IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, PRAYERUSUALLY ACCOMPANIED FASTING (JOE 1:14). IF THAT IS TRUE IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER, THIS IS ANINDICATION OF PRAYER TO GOD.
¨ DAN 9:3 MAR 9:29 ISA 58:1-12 JER 14:12
· IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, GODSPEOPLE WERE EXPECTED TO FAST AS A GROUP PERIODICALLY ON SPECIFIC DAYS.
¨ FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT.
¨ THERE WERE 4 OTHER ANNUAL FASTS THAT MARKEDISREALITE DISASTERS.
· IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, INDIVIDUALSFASTED PERIODICALLY.
¨ REASONS FOR FASTING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:
Ø AN ACT OF PENITENCE.
Ø A SIGN OF GRIEF.
Ø AN ACT TO INDICATE HUMILITY.
Ø A WAY TO INDICATE A DESIRE FOR GODSHELP OR GUIDANCE.
· OLD TESTAMENT ADMONITIONSREGARDING FASTING:
¨ IT MUST NOT BE DONE AUTOMATICALLY ORLEGALISTICALLY WITHOUT PROPER MOTIVE. (ISA 58:3-4)
§ FASTING IN THE NEWTESTAMENT:
· THE ONLY ANNUAL FAST REFERRED TOIN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS THE DAY OF ATONEMENT FOR THE JEWS.
· JESUS FASTED DURING HIS 40 DAYSIN THE WILDERNESS IN PREPARATION FOR HIS MINISTRY.
¨ PERHAPS HE FASTED BY CHOICE OR PERHAPS HEFASTED BECAUSE NO FOOD WAS AVAILABLE.
¨ THE 40 DAYS IS REMINISCENT OF THE 40 DAYSMOSES FASTED IN EXO 34:28 AND THE 40 DAYS ELIJAH FASTED IN 1KIN 19:8.
· FASTING IN THE EARLY CHURCH:
¨ IN THE BOOK OF ACTS, EARLY CHURCH LEADERSFASTED WHEN CHOOSING ELDERS OR SENDING OUT MISSIONARIES.
¨ PAUL FASTED.
§ JESUS ASSUMED HIS FOLLOWERSWOULD FAST.
· JESUS NEW TESTAMENTADMONITIONS REGARDING FASTING:
¨ MAKE GOD YOUR FOCUS AND NOT MAN. (MAT6:16-18)
¨ WHY DID JESUS DISCIPLES NOT FAST?
Ø READ MAT 9:14-17
§ DISCUSSION: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE SPIRITUAL VALUE OFFASTING IN THIS NEW TESTAMENT AGE OF GRACE?
§ DISCUSSION: WHY DOYOU THINK FASTING IS NOT MORE COMMONLY DONE TODAY?
Ø HATACH, A KINGS CHAMBERLAIN (5)
§ IT IS NOT KNOWN IF HE WAS AJEW OR A PERSIAN.
§ HOWEVER, ESTHER MUST HAVETRUSTED HIM AND SO DID MORDECAI SINCE MORDECAI TOLD HATACH THAT ESTHER WAS A JEW (8b).
v READ EST 4:10-17 ESTHER’S PRECARIOUS POSITION
Ø ESTHER’S POSITION IS MADE MORE PRECARIOUS BYTHE FACT THAT THE KING HAD NEGLECTED HER FOR A MONTH. (11)
§ THE LAW REQUIRED THE DEATHPENALTY FOR ANYONE ENTERING THE KINGS PRESENCE IF THE KING DID NOT CALL HIM.
· THIS WAS A PRACTICE THAT THEPERSIANS ADOPTED FROM THE MEDES. HOWEVER, THE PERSIANS ADDED THE FEATURE OF APPOINTING 7CHAMBERLAINS WHO WOULD ACT AS COUNSELORS OR ADVISORS.
· MORDECAI’S APPEAL (13-14)
¨ WHAT ARE SOME POINTS MORDECAI MAKES IN HISAPPEAL?
Ø 1. DON’T THINK ONLY OF YOURSELF
Ø 2. YOU, ESTHER, BEING A JEW, WILL NOT ESCAPE.
Ø 3. GOD WILL DELIVER THE JEWS SOMEHOW.
Ø 4. GOD HAS PLACED YOU IN THIS POSITION FORJUST SUCH A PURPOSE.
§ MORDECAI MAY NOT HAVE HADTHIS IN MIND WHEN ESTHER FIRST WAS CHOSEN, BUT IN RETROSPECT, ONE SEES GOD’S SOVEREIGNTYAT WORK. IT IS POSSIBLE MORDECAI SAW THIS IN RETROSPECT.
Ø 5. IF YOU DON’T HELP, YOU WILL SUFFERREGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS.
§ THERE’S AN ILLUSION TO THEOLD COVENANT GOD MADE WITH ABRAHAM IN GEN 12:3
· HOW DO YOU FEEL THIS COVENANTPROMISE SHOULD AFFECT OUR RELATIONSHIP TO ISRAEL AND TO INDIVIDUAL JEWISH PEOPLE TODAY?
· ESTHER’S REPLY (16)
¨ ESTHER’S MAIDS FASTED FOR HER. THEY, TOO, MAYHAVE BEEN JEWS.
¨ ESTHER’S STATEMENT, “IF I PERISH, IPERISH”–DID SHE SAY THIS FROM A FATALISTIC MOOD, OR DO YOU THINK SHE SAW THE GUIDINGHAND OF GOD?
Ø DOES THIS REMIND YOU OF A NEW TESTAMENTSCRIPTURE?
§ READ MAT 16:25 ROM 6:4
¨ THE THREE DAYS OF FASTING:
Ø THERE IS AN INTERESTING PARALLEL IN SCRIPTUREREGARDING TIME PERIODS OF THREE DAYS. BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING PRALLELS, IT SEEMS TOINDICATE THAT A THREE-DAY TIME PERIOD REFERS TO GOD, THE FATHER; GOD, THE SON; AND GOD,THE HOLY SPIRIT DOING SOMETHING NEW AND UNUSUAL.
THE THREE-DAY PHENOMENON
MAT 12:40
| THE OFFERING OF ISAAC BY ABRAHAM | GEN 22:4-8 |
| THE EXODUS AND MOSES | EXO 10:22,23 |
| THE GIVING OF THE LAW AND MOSES | EXO 19:11,16 |
| ENTERING THE PROMISE LAND AND JOSHUA | JOS 1:11 |
| THE DELIVERANCE OF THE JEWS AND ESTHER | EST 5:1,2 |
| THE SALVATION OF NINEVEH AND JONAH | JON 1:17 |
| THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST |
MAT 17:23 MAT 20:19 MAT 26:61 JOH 2:19 LUK 24:46 |
Ø DO WE SEE ANY FAITH ON THE PART OF MORDECAI?
§ YES, IN VERSE 14. MORDECAIRECALLS GODS PROMISES TO THE ISRAELITES THAT GOD WILL DELIVER THEM.
Ø DO WE SEE ANY FAITH ON THE PART OF ESTHER?
§ YES, IN VERSE 16, IFI PERISH, I PERISH, SEEMS TO BE FROM A STANDPOINT OF FAITH BASED ON GODSPROMISE THAT MORDECAI TOLD HER ABOUT.
v APPLICATION:
Ø WHETHER YOU FAST PERIODICALLY OR ON A REGULARBASIS, WHETHER YOU DO COMPLETE FASTS (NOTHING TO EAT OR DRINK) OR YOU DO PARTIAL FASTSLIKE DANIEL (AVOIDING ONLY CHOICE FOODS), BE SURE YOU USE WISDOM AND GOOD HEALTHPRACTICES.
Ø SOME KEYS TO NEW TESTAMENT FASTING:
§ DO NOT DO IT TO LOSEWEIGHT!
§ DO NOT DO ITLEGALISTICALLY!
§ DO NOT DO IT TO MAKEYOURSELF LOOK LIKE A SPIRITUAL CHRISTIAN!
§ DO NOT FAST UNLESS YOU ARESURE GOD DIRECTS YOU TO DO IT!
§ DO NOT FAST WITHOUT ADOCTORS APPROVAL IF YOU HAVE SOME PHYSICAL ILLNESS OR YOU ARE ON MEDICATION.
HOMEWORK
ESTHER 5
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TOTHE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
v APPLICATION OF ESTHER 4
Ø LIKE ESTHER, ARE YOU WILLING TO MAKE A PUBLICSTAND FOR JESUS CHRIST EVEN IF IT WILL COST YOU SOMETHING PERSONALLY?
Ø WHY DO SOME CHRISTIANS FIND IT DIFFICULT TOSTAND PUBLICALLY FOR CHRIST?
v PREPARATION FOR ESTHER 5
Ø READ ESTHER 5
§ IF YOU KNOW THAT GOD ISSOVEREIGN IN YOUR LIFE, HOW SHOULD YOU RESPOND TO PROBLEMS AND TESTINGS?
§ CAN YOU THINK OF ANYPRINCIPLES OR SCRIPTURES THAT WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR STAND FOR CHRIST?
v MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 125:1
