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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
ESTHER 3
LESSON #04
THE ENEMY OF GODS PEOPLE SEEMS TO BE ALIVE AND WELL
v MEMORY VERSE: PROVERBS 16:33
v ESTHER CHAPTER 3 OCCURS MORE THAN 4 YEARS AFTERESTHER BECAME QUEEN. (2:16, 3:7)
v READ ESTHER 3:1-15
Ø HAMAN THE AGAGITE (1)
§ HAMAN IS A PICTURE OR TYPEOF SATAN WHO IS OUT TO DESTROY GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE (6) (1CH 21:1).
· THROUGHOUT HISTORY SATAN HASPLOTTED TO DESTROY GODS PEOPLE. IT IS A PART OF THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE THAT CONTINUESBEHIND THE SCENES.
¨ INITIALLY GODS PEOPLE WERE THEISRAELITES DESCENDED FROM JACOB. (THE JEWS) THE NEW TESTAMENT CONCEPT OF GODS PEOPLEINCLUDES THE BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST.
Ø FROM THE TIME OF JACOB AND THE 12 TRIBES OFISRAEL TO THIS DAY, THE JEWS HAVE KNOWN WORLD WIDE ANTI-SEMITISM. WHY? BECAUSE THEY AREGODS CHOSEN PEOPLE.
Ø FROM THE TIME OF CHRIST TO THIS DAY,CHRISTIANS HAVE KNOWN PERSECUTION AROUND THE WORLD. THERE ARE MORE CHRISTIAN MARTYRS TODAYTHAN IN ALL OF NEW TESTAMENT HISTORY, INCLUDING THE TIME WHEN CHRISTAINS DIED IN THECOLLOSEUM UNDER THE ROMAN EMPERORS. WHY? JESUS SAID WE WOULD HAVE PERSECUTION.
§ READ JOHN 15:20-21
¨ SATAN’S PLOT THROUGH HISTORY
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THE EDOMITES: – ESAU, FATHER OF THE EDOMITES |
“I WILL SLAY MY BROTHER, JACOB” | GEN 27:41 |
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THE AMELIKITES: – AMALEK, ESAU’S GRANDSON GEN 36:12 |
“THE LORD WILL HAVE WAR WITH AMALEK FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION” MAL 1:4 | EXO 17:8,14,16 |
| AGAG, AN AMALEKITE KING | KING SAUL WAS TO DESTROY ALL THE AMALEKITES AND THE AGAGITES ACCORDING TO GOD’S DECREE BUT HE SPARED KING AGAG AND LOST HIS OWN THRONE. |
DEU 25:19 1SAM 15:1-11 |
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HAMAN, AN AGAGITE DESCENDED FROM AMALEK |
“HAMAN SOUGHT TO DESTROY ALL THE JEWS” | EST 3:6 |
| HEROD THE GREAT, AN EDOMITE | “HEROD WILL SEEK THE YOUNG CHILD (JESUS) TO DESTROY HIM” | MAT 2:13,14 |
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JUDAS, THOUGHT TO BE OF THE TRIBE OF DAN |
“JUDAS…WENT…TO BETRAY HIM (JESUS)” |
MAR 14:10 |
| THE ANTI-CHRIST. THE FALSE PROPHET, THOUGHT TO BE OF THE TRIBE OF DAN. | “GIVEN UNTO HIM TO MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS”
“THE DRAGON…WAS READY TO…DEVOUR HER CHILD AS SOON AS IT WAS BORN” |
REV 13:7
REV 12:4 |
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Ø THERE IS ANOTHER POSSIBLE INTERPRETATION OFTHE ORGINS OF HAMAN:
§ HAMAN WAS A NATIVE OF THEPROVINCE OF AGAG RATHER THAN A DEDSCENDANT OF KING AGAG.
¨ GOD’S PLAN FOR THE JEWS
Ø WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND ANTI-SEMITISMTHROUGH HISTORY IF WE UNDERSTAND GODS PLAN FOR THE JEWS.
Ø GODS PURPOSE THROUGH HISTORY IS TOBRING HIS PEOPLE, THE JEWS, TO A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF THROUGH HIS SON, JESUSCHRIST. (ROM 9,10,11)
§ THIS PROCESS IS WORKED OUTIN A SERIES OF 10-POINT CYCLES THROUGH HISTORY. WE FIND THE CYCLES IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES.
· POINT 1: GOD GIVES THE LAND.
¨ 1ST CYCLE: ABRAHAM GEN 16:18
¨ 2ND CYCLE: JOSHUA JOS 1:1-2
¨ 3RD CYCLE: 1948 ISRAEL BECOMES ANATION.
· POINT 2: GODS PEOPLE MUST POSSESS THE LAND.
¨ 1ST CYCLE: JACOB GEN32:9 GEN 37:1
¨ 2ND CYCLE: JOSHUA JOS11:23
¨ 3RD CYCLE: WORD WAR 11 EXODUS TO THE PRESENT DAY.
· POINT 3: THE PEOPLE FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD.
¨ 1ST CYCLE: JOSEPH GEN37
¨ 2ND CYCLE: ISRAELITES IN THE LAND 2CHR 36:14-18
¨ 3RD CYCLE: 1964 SIX DAY WAR IN ISRAEL
· POINT 4: SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS PUT UPON GODS PEOPLE.
¨ 1ST CYCLE: JOSEPH GEN 42:7-8
¨ 2ND CYCLE: PROPHECY ABOUT THEIR FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE JESUSCHRIST AT HIS FIRST COMING ISA 59:9-15
¨ 3RD CYCLE: JEWS IN THE TRIBULATION WILL ACCEPT THEANTI-CHRIST AS THEIR MESSIAH. JOH 5:43
· POINT 5: A LOSS OF THE LAND. (GEN 15:13)
¨ 1ST CYCLE: JOSEPH GEN46:6
¨ 2ND CYCLE: THE FALL OF JUDAH TO THE BABYLONIANS 2CHR 36:15-21 (JER 20:4 JER 25:11 JER 29:10)
¨ 3RD CYCLE: THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL POSSESS MOST OF ISRAEL. JOE 1:6
· POINT 6: SPIRITUAL PRESSURE BY PHYSICAL PERSECUTION.
¨ 1ST CYCLE: ISRAELITES IN EGYPT. EXO 1:8-12
¨ 2ND CYCLE: 2CHR 36:17
¨ 3RD CYCLE: THE ANTI-CHRISTS WORLD PERSECUTION OF JEWSAND CHRISTIANS. EXO 20:34-35
· POINT 7: BONDAGE.
¨ 1ST CYCLE: BONDAGE IN EGYPT EXO 1:13-14
¨ 2ND CYCLE: THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY FOR 70 YEARS. 2CHR 36:20 (805 & 586 BC)
¨ 3RD CYCLE: SLAVERY IN EGYPT DURING THE LAST HALF OF THETRIBULATION PERIOD. EZE 20:36
· POINT 8: DELIVERANCE.
¨ 1ST CYCLE: MOSES EXO 12:29-36
¨ 2ND CYCLE: AFTER THE BABYLONIANCAPTIVITY. EZR 2:1 (516 BC, 445 BC, 396 BC).
¨ 3RD CYCLE: PROTECTION IN THE WILDERNESS FOR BELIEVING JEWS INTHE TRIBULATION. REV 12:14
· POINT 9: A TEST OF FAITH.
¨ 1ST CYCLE: THE 12 SPIES SENT TO SPY OUT THE LAND. NUM 13:26-23.
¨ 2ND CYCLE: THE INCARNATION OF JESUS CHRIST. LUK 19:42-44
¨ 3RD CYCLE: THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON AND THE APPEARANCE OFJESUS CHRIST AT THE SECOND COMING. ZEC 12:10-11 (THEYPASS THE TEST AND THE CYCLES END)
· POINT 10: WANDERING IN UNBELIEF
¨ 1ST CYCLE: ISRAELITES WANDER IN THE WILDERNESS FOR 40 YEARS.EXO 14:30-35. (BECAUSED THEY FAILED THE TESTOF FAITH, AFTER WANDERING THE CYCLES BEGIN OVER AGAIN.)
¨ 2ND CYCLE: WORLD-WIDE DISPERSION OF THE JEWS IN 70 AD.(BECAUSE THEY FAILED THE TEST OF FAITH THEY DID NOT ACCEPT JESUS AT HIS FIRST COMING,THE CYCLES BEGIN OVER AGAIN.)
¨ 3RD CYCLE: THERE IS NO THIRD CYCLE BECAUSE THE JEWS WILL PASSTHE TEST AND RECOGNIZE JESUS AT THE SECOND COMING.)
· HAMAN IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HUMANPRIDE PROMOTED AND USED BY SATAN.
¨ REMEMBER THAT THE FIRST SIN IN THE UNIVERSEWAS THE SIN OF PRIDE BY THE ANGEL LUCIFER WHO BECAME SATAN. SATAN WANTED TO BE GOD. HEWANTED WORSHIP.
¨ HAMAN ACHIEVED A VERY HIGH POSITION NEAR THEKING. THE KING PASSES A LAW THAT EVERYONE MUST BOW TO HAMAN.
Ø NOTHING IS SAID ABOUT WHETHER ESTHER BOWED TOHAMAN OR NOT. PERHAPS BECAUSE SHE WAS QUEEN, SHE WAS NOT REQUIRED TO BOW. IF SHE WASREQUIRED TO BOW, SHE PROBABLY OBEYED THE LAW OF THE KING.
Ø MORDECAI DIDN’T BOW. (2)
§ NOTICE THAT MODECAICONTINUALLY COMPROMISED HIS FAITH IN GOD IN MANY AREAS, BUT IN THIS HE DID NOT COMPROMISE.HOWEVER, THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US WHY HE DID NOT BOW TO HAMAN.
· PERHAPS HE DIDNT LIKE THEMANS ARROGANCE AND SELF-PROMOTION.
· HOWEVER, BECAUSE IT WAS A LAWCOMMANDED BY THE KING, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO OBEY IT.
· PERHAPS HE HAD FAITH IN GOD ANDWOULD BOW TO NO MAN.
¨ EVIDENTLY WHEN PEOPLE QUESTIONED MORDECAIABOUT HIS DISOBEDIENCE TO THE LAW, HIS EXPLANATION WAS THAT HE WAS A JEW. (4)
§ DID MORDECAI DO THE RIGHTTHING?
· IT WAS CUSTOM FOR JEWS TO BOWBEFORE THEIR KINGS IN AN ACT OF HONOR AND RESPECT (2SA 18:28 1KI 1:16)
¨ HOWEVER, HAMAN WAS NOT THE KING.
· TO BOW WAS AN ACT OF WORSHIP FORTHE PERSIANS. EVIDENTLY MORDECAI UNDERSTOOD THIS FACT.
§ DISCUSSION: HOW DOYOU KNOW WHEN TO OBEY GOVERNMENT AND WHEN NOT TO OBEY?
· READ ROM 13:1 AND ACT 5:29
Ø HAMAN’S CONSPIRACY (6-9)
§ PUR = THE LOT WAS CAST ONTHE FIRST DAY OF THE NEW YEAR (7)
· ACCORDING TO THE BABYLONIANRELIGION AT THAT TIME, IT WAS THOUGHT THAT THE GODS CAME TOGETHER ON THE FIRST DAY OF THENEW YEAR TO FIX THE FATE OF MEN.
¨ PRO 16:33 SAYS THAT THE DECISION WAS REALLYFROM GOD.
Ø IT IS NOT FATE THAT CONTROLS MENSLIVES, IT IS THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD.
§ THE JEWS WERE SCATTEREDABROAD AND DISPERSED (8) = SCATTERED AND UNASSIMILATED.
· IN OTHER WORDS, WHILE MORDECAIAND ESTHER HAD ASSIMILATED THEMSELVES INTO PERSIAN CULTURE, MANY JEWS HAD NOT. THOSE WHOWERE ASSIMILATED WERE ABLE TO HIDE THEIR IDENTITY LIKE MORDECAI AND ESTHER.
¨ WHY DO YOU THINK HAMAN DID NOT MENTION THEJEWS BY NAME TO KING DARIUS?
Ø HAMAN FEARED THE KING WOULD REMEMBER CYRUS’DECREE AND HIS OWN DECREE FAVORING THE JEWS.
§ CYRUS DECREED THAT THEBABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY WAS AT AN END AND THE JEWS WERE FREE TO RETURN TO THE PROMISED LAND.(EZR 1:1-4; 6:3-5; 6:8-12)
§ HAMAN’S PREPARATION TOFINANCE THE OPERATION (9)
· 10,000 TALENTS = $20 MILLION
§ HAMANS AUTHORITY FROMTHE KING
· THE RING FROM THE KINGSHAND (10) = THE RING WAS A SIGN OF AUTHORITY. THE KING RETAINED TITULAR SOVEREIGNTY, BUTEXECUTIVE POWERS WERE GIVEN TO HAMAN. THE SEAL OF AUTHORITY WAS IN THE RING.
§ HAMANS LAW WAS PUT INWRITING. (12)
· THIS POINT IS VERY IMPORTANT INPERSIAN SOCIETY, BECAUSE ONCE A LAW WAS PUT IN WRITING, IT COULD NOT BE CHANGED.
· LETTERS WERE SENT BY POST TO ALLTHE PROVINCES. (13)
¨ THIS WAS A PRE-CURSOR TO OUR OWN PONYEXPRESS. THE PERSIAN EMPIRE HAD A VERY GOOD COMMUNICATION SYSTEM.
¨ WHAT WAS THE REACTION BY THE GENERAL PUBLICTO THE DECREE? THE PEOPLE WERE PERPLEXED. WHY?
Ø THIS ACTION WOULD DISRUPT ALL OF ECONOMICSOCIETY.
§ THE JEWS WERE A WEALTHYPART OF SOCIETY.
· HAMAN WANTED TO CONFISCATE THEIRWEALTH
Ø THE PEOPLE WOULD WONDER WHAT OTHER ETHNICGROUP WOULD BE NEXT.
v APPLICATION:
Ø WE, CHRISTIANS, LIKE THE JEWS, HAVE APERSONAL ENEMY IN SATAN.
§ READ 1PET 5:8 AND EPH 6:12
§ HOWEVER, WE HAVE A DEFENSEOF WHICH THE JEWS DID NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE.
· READ:
¨ 2COR 10:3-5 1COR 10:13
¨ JAM 4:7 1COR 15:57
¨ REV 12:11 1JOH 4:4
HOMEWORK
ESTHER 4
v APPLICATION OF ESTHER 3
Ø IN WHAT WAYS AND AREAS OF YOUR LIFE ARE YOUPERMITTING SATAN TO DEFEAT YOU?
Ø WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED IN THIS LESSON THAT CANHELP YOU FIGHT THIS SPIRITUAL BATTLE?
v PREPARATION FOR ESTHER 4
Ø READ EST 4:1-17
§ READ DAN 9:3 MAR 9:29 ANDISA 58:1-12
· WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THESPIRITUAL VALUE OF FASTING?
· WHY DO YOU THINK FASTING IS NOTCOMMONLY DONE TODAY?
v MEMORY VERSE: JOEL 2:12
