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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
ESTHER 8
LESSON #09
THE BALANCES OF GODS SOVEREIGNTY
v MEMORYVERSE: PSALMS 41:11
v THE ENEMY, HAMAN, IS DEAD. HOWEVER, THE DECREE THATORDERED THE DESTRUCTION OF ALL JEWS IS STILL IN PLACE. THE DESTRUCTION WILL TAKE PLACE ONTHE 13TH OF ADAR (ABOUT MAR 14).
v READ EST 8:1-6
Ø THE REWARD FOR UNCOVERING THE EVIL PLOT (1-2)
§ A CRIMINALS PROPERTYWAS ALWAYS CONFISCATED. THEREFORE, HAMAN WAS CONSIDERED A CRIMINAL.
§ THE KING GAVE HAMANSPROPERTY TO ESTHER WHO THEN GAVE IT TO MORDECAI TO OVERSEE.
§ THE KING GAVE HAMANSPOSITION OF AUTHORITY TO MORDECAI.
· THIS WAS THE POSITION OF A PRIMEMINISTER, SECOND IN COMMAND TO THE KING.
¨ THIS POSITION CONSISTED OF THE POSSESSION OFTHE KINGS RING WHICH THE MEANS OF AUTHORITY. IT WAS USED TO PRESS INTO CLAY OR WAXAS A SIGNATURE.
Ø ESTHERS SECOND APPEAL TO THE KING (3-6)
§ ESTHER DID NOT PRESUME TOTELL THE KING SPECIFICALLY HOW TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, ONLY THAT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTEDAND NEEDED SOME LAW REVERSING THE FIRST ONE.
· IN APPEALING TO HER AUTHORITY,NOTICE ESTHER IS VERY CAREFUL NOT TO LAY BLAME FOR A BAD LAW AT THE KING’S FEET (5-6)
v READ EST 8:7-14 THE KING ISSUES A NEW DECREE
Ø THE FIRST DECREE COULD NOT BE MADE VOID ASTHAT WOULD INDICATE TO THE PEOPLE THAT THE KING HAD MADE A BAD LAW AND UNDERMINE HISPERCEIVED AUTHORITY.
§ REMEMBER, THE PERSIANSCONSIDERED A WRITTEN LAW ALMOST SACRED AND DEFINITELY UNCHANGEABLE.
· MORDECAI TOOK OVER HAMANSPOSITION AS PRIME MINISTER AT THE END OF MARCH. THE OLD DECREE WOULD TAKE EFFECT DECEMBER13. THERE WASN’T MUCH TIME TO WRITE A NEW DECREE IN EVERY LANGUAGE AND SEND IT BY PONYEXPRESS THROUGHOUT THE LAND. TIME WAS SHORT.
¨ HOWEVER, GOD WAS IN CONTROL OF CIRCUMSTANCESAND TIME.
Ø ESTHER AND MORDECAI NEEDED TO REMEMBER THAT.
§ SINCE GOD IS SOVEREIGN,THEN, ACCORDING TO HIS FOREKNOWLEDGE, NOTHING CATCHES GOD BY SURPRISE.
§ SINCE GOD IS SOVEREIGN, GODIS NEVER TOO LATE!
· READ JOH 11:1-7, 17, 21
¨ MARY, MARTHA, AND THE DISCIPLES LEARNED THELESSON THAT GODS TIMING IS PERFECT EVEN WHEN WE THINK THAT GOD IS TOO LATE.
§ THE CONTENTS OF THE FIRSTDECREE (3:13)
· TO DESTROY ALL JEWS
· TO KILL ALL JEWS
· TO CAUSE TO PERISH ALL JEWS
· YOUNG AND OLD
· LITTLE CHILDREN AND WOMEN
· IN ONE DAY
· CONFISCATE ALL JEWISH PROPERTY
§ WHAT WAS THE CONTENT OF THESECOND DECREE? (11-13)
· THE JEWS WERE TO GATHER TOGETHER.
· THE JEWS COULD DEFEND THEIRLIVES, BUT NOT TAKE REVENGE.
· THE JEWS COULD DESTROY THEIRENEMIES WHO ATTACKED THEM.
· THE JEWS COULD SLAY THEIRENEMIES.
· THE JEWS COULD CAUSE THEIRENEMIES’ POWER TO PERISH.
· THE JEWISH COULD ATTACK THELITTLE CHILDREN AND WOMEN OF THEIR ENEMIES.
· THE RIGHT OF SELF-DEFENSE WOULDLAST ONLY ONE DAY.
· THE JEWS COULD CONFISCATE ALLTHEIR ENEMIES’ PROPERTY.
¨ DISCUSSION:
Ø WHY DO YOU THINK WOMEN AND CHILDREN WEREINCLUDED?
§ NOTICE THAT THE SECONDDECREE IS THE SAME DECREE POINT BY POINT AS THE FIRST ONE. THIS IS A LICENSE FOR A ONE-DAYCIVIL WAR.
· THE HOPE WAS THAT IF ALL THEOTHER PEOPLE IN THE KINGDOM KNEW THAT THE JEWS COULD LEGALLY DEFEND THEMSELVES, THEY MIGHTHESITATE TO CARRY OUT THE FIRST DECREE. THIS WOULD BE ESPECIALLY TRUE IF THE PEOPLE KNEWTHAT BY ATTACKING THE JEWS THEY WOULD BE PUTTING THEIR WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND PROPERTY ATSTAKE.
v GODS SOVEREIGNTY AND THE TWO DECREES:
Ø THE BALANCE THAT IS ACHIEVED BETWEEN THE TWODECREES:
§ THROUGH THE OLD TESTAMENTGOD OFTEN USED PAGAN NATIONS TO BRING DIVINE CHASTISEMENT ON HIS PEOPLE, THE JEWS, IF THEYFAILED TO FAITHFULLY FOLLOW GOD.
· THIS WAS WHY GOD ALLOWED THE JEWSTO BE TAKEN BY THE BABYLONIANS INTO THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY WHICH OCURRED JUST BEFORE THEBOOK OF ESTHER.
¨ THE JEWS HAD FALLEN HEAVY INTO IDOLATRY.
· THEREFORE, GOD PERMITS THE FIRSTDECREE TO GO FORWARD AS A CHASTISEMENT ON THE JEWS FOR THEIR FAILURE TO TRUST HIM. ESTHERAND MORDECAI AND OTHER JEWS HAD NOT RETURN ED TO THE PROMISED LAND AFTER THE BABYLONIANCAPTIVITY.
§ IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, GODOFTEN USED ISRAEL TO BRING DIVINE JUDGMENT ON THOSE PAGAN NATIONS WHO REJECTED GOD.
· GOD PERMITS THE SECOND DECREE TOGO FORWARD AS A PUNISHMENT ON THE ENEMIES OF THE JEWS FOR THEIR HATRED OF GODSPEOPLE.
¨ IN CONTRAST TO GODS WAY OF DEALING WITHPEOPLES AND NATIONS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, GOD USES THE CHURCH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AS APEACEFUL INSTRUMENT TO CALL PEOPLE TO HIMSELF, A MERCIFUL GOD.
§ THERE IS ANOTHER BALANCETHAT WE SEE WITH THESE TWO DECREES.
· THIS IS THE BALANCE BETWEEN THEOPERATION OF GOD AND THE COOPERATION OF MAN.
¨ THROUGH THE BIBLE GOD DOES MIRACULOUS WORKSTO PROVE TO MAN HIS LOVE, HIS PROTECTION, AND HIS PROVISION. THIS IS THE OPERATION OF GODSPOWER AS A SOVEREIGN GOD.
Ø HOWEVER, GOD IS NOT AN OVER-INDULGENT PARENTTO HIS PEOPLE. HE DOES NOT LET MAN SIT ON THE SIDELINES AND DO NOTHING FOR HIMSELF.
¨ GOD REQUIRES THAT MAN PLAY A PART IN GODSPLAN. THIS IS THE COOPERATION OF MAN.
Ø FOR EXAMPLE: GOD GAVE THE ISRAELITES THEPROMISED LAND. THAT WAS GODS POWER AND PLAN IN OPERATION.
§ HOWEVER, WHEN THEISRAELITES ENTERED THE PROMISED LAND, THE INHABITANTS OF THAT LAND DID NOT IMMEDIATELY LAYDOWN THEIR ARMS AND RELINQUISH THEIR CITIES. THE ISRAELITES HAD TO FIGHT FOR THAT LAND.THAT IS THE COOPERATION OF MAN.
¨ IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER, WE SEE THE SOVEREIGNPOWER OF GOD WORK BEHIND THE SCENES TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE AND CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS IS THEPOWER OF GOD IN OPERATION.
Ø HOWEVER, WE ALSO SEE THE COOPERATION OF MANAS AN IMPORTANT INGREDIENT IN THE PLAN OF GOD.
§ IF ESTHER HAD NOT BEENWILLING TO PLAY HER PART IN APPEALING TO THE KING, GOD WOULD HAVE HAD TO DO THINGSDIFFERENTLY.
¨ IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER, GOD HAS WORKED TO GIVETHE JEWS A CHANCE AT LIFE. HOWEVER, HE EXPECTS THEM TO DO THEIR PART. THEY MUST FIGHT FORTHEMSELVES.
Ø IN OTHER WORDS, GOD WILL NOT DO EVERYTHING.THE ECONOMY OF GOD IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN MAN AND GOD.
Ø GODS PRESERVATION OF A REMNANT:
§ ALL THROUGH THE OLDTESTAMENT GOD PRESERVES AND PROTECTS THE JEWS FROM ANNIHILATION.
· HE PROMISES THAT THERE WILLALWAYS BE A FAITHFUL REMNANT WHO WILL SURVIVE TO INSURE THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST.
¨ THIS CONCEPT OF A REMNANT BEGAN WITH NOAH. (GEN 7:23)
¨ IT CONTINUES WITH EZRA WHO FAITHFULLYRETURN ED TO THE PROMISED LAND AFTER THE CAPTIVITY. (EZR3:8 ISA 1:9)
§ OTHER NATIONS AND PEOPLESHAVE COME AND GONE, BUT THE JEWS HAVE REMAINED BECAUSE OF THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD WHO WORKSOUT HIS PLAN.
· FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE NO LONGERANY PEOPLE CALLED PHILISTINES.
v READ EST 8:15-17
Ø WHY WERE THE JEWS SO HAPPY IN VERSES 15-17?
§ THE OLD DECREE WAS STILL INEFFECT. THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THEIR LIFE?
· THEY REJOICED BECAUSE THEY HADBEEN GIVEN A CHANCE.
· THEY ALSO REJOICED TO SEE JEWS INA POSITION OF HONOR AND AUTHORITY. IT WAS A SIGN TO THEM THAT ALL WAS NOT LOST. THEY WOULDHAVE FAVOR IN HIGH PLACES.
¨ FUTURE PERSECUTION WOULD BE UNPOPULAR BECAUSETHE KING FAVORED THE JEWS.
¨ OTHERS LIKE HAMAN WOULD BE DISUADED FROMTHEIR PLOTS OF EVIL AGAINST THE JEWS.
¨ THERE WAS A NEW RESPECT FOR JEWS IN THEPERSIAN KINGDOM, EVEN TO THE EXTENT THAT MANY PERSIANS BECAME JEWISH PROSELYTES. (17)
Ø MORDECAI IS GIVEN ROYAL ROBES.
§ THESE WERE THE SAME ASHAMAN HAD WORN IN THAT POSITION OF AUTHORITY.
· BLUE AND WHITE WERE THE OFFICIALPERSIAN ROYAL COLORS.
HOMEWORK
ESTHER 9
v APPLICATION OF EST 8
Ø IS THERE SOME SITUATION IN YOUR LIFE IN WHICHYOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR GOD TO DO ALL THE WORK? IF SO, WHAT IS IT?
Ø IS THERE SOMETHING THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DOIN COOPERATION WITH HIM?
§ IF YOU DONT KNOW WHATTHAT IS, PRAY AND ASK HIM TO REVEAL IT TO YOU.
· WRITE DOWN YOUR PRAYER HERE ANDDATE IT.
· WHEN GOD REVEALS TO YOU YOURPART, RETURN AND WRITE YOUR PART HERE.
· IN PRAYER, MAKE A COMMITMENT TODO WHATEVER HE ASKS.
v PREPARATION FOR EST 9
Ø READ EST 9:1-32
§ WHY DO YOU THINK THE JEWSDID NOT TAKE ANY PLUNDER FROM THEIR ENEMIES WHEN THE DECREE SPECIFICALLY SAID THEY COULD?
v MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 18:3 OR PSALMS 25:2
