June 13, 1948 THE MESSAGE OF THE BOOK OF ESTHER Esther 4:19-17; 9:29-22, 26, 27 Pointers on the Lesson
ess, but she had not told this to the king. Her uncle, Mordecai, who had reared her, heard what Haman had or dered and grieved greatly with all of the other Jews in the kingdom. Esther’s servants told her of the decree against the Jews. At once she sent word to her uncle to learn what had happened. Mor decai sent Esther a copy of the papers which the king had sent to his rulers. Mordecai told Esther to go at once to the king and plead for him to save her people. Esther replied that anyone who went to the king without being invited to do so was killed unless the king held out his golden sceptre. Then Mordecai asked Queen Esther, “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther told the Jews to fast and pray for her for three days. At the end of that time, she put on her royal robes and went to see the king. How frightened she must have been! But Esther knew that her God was able to give her favor with the king. When the king saw Esther, he held out his golden sceptre to her, saying, “ What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request?” When Esther asked for her people to be spared, the king granted his queen’s re quest and hanged the wicked Haman. What great rejoicing and thankfulness there was among God’s people that day! Even today many Jews keep the feast of Purim in honor of Esther’s courage. Perhaps God has sent you into your home or your school or your neighbor hood “ for such an hour as this.” Can you say, “ The Lord is my helper; 1 will not fear [be afraid]” to witness for Him? m T R A C T S
lot. There ought to be special seasons of rejoicing among all of God’s people for His many deliverances; unfortunately, the note of joy has gone out of the lives of many saints. The Jews of Esther’s day took definite steps to help them keep alive the spirit of rejoicing. They “ ordained, and took upon them” the responsibility, the pledge, that they would keep' the feast of Purim year after year lest they forget. What ought the saints of God do today to keep the song of joy ringing in their hearts? A little more remembering God’s deliv erances and counting our blessings would help. Helps for the Children A Queen Who Helped Her People Esther 3:8-5:3; 9:29-32 Memory Verse: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear” (Heb. 13:6). Haman, one of a wicked king’s chief servants, asked the king to order the killing of all the Jews who were scat tered throughout the kingdom. The king gave his ring to Haman, which was a pledge that his wish, was law; Letters were sent to the rulers of each of the king’s lands with orders that upon a cer tain day every Jew was to be killed. Esther, the lovely queen, was a Jew
Nowhere in the book of Esther does the name of God appear. This seems strange to some who for that reason have even doubted its inspiration. But a careful study of the book will reveal a divine purpose even in this omission. In Esther, God is working behind the scenes. In no mistakable manner it is re vealed that there is an Unseen Hand ruling this world. Though men cannot see God in the universe and sometimes it may seem that His cause is being overthrown, yet we know that He over rules all things and that only that which is within His permissive will can come to pass. A witness to this great fact is seen in the drama of the book of Esther. God was acting behind the scenes in or der that His people Israel might be saved from a dreadful tragedy. God Acts through Willing Individuals Esther 4:19-17 The times were serious. If the com mandment of the king (3:13) was car ried out, it meant destruction for the Jewish race; the Messiah would not ap pear. Haman, the first man in the king dom after the king, was furious at the refusal of Mordecai the Jew to bow be fore him (3:2) and determined that for punishment his whole race should be slaughtered. But the wicked Haman had not reckoned with God. Mordecai came to Esther, the queen, a relative, and said to her, “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (14). And it proved to be exactly so. She was the instrument through which her people were to be saved. Even at the cost of her own life, she was will ing -to give herself to the task of inter ceding with the king in behalf of her people. A practical application of this may be made in our lives today. Every believer has been redeemed by the blood of Christ. The witness of the blood- bought saints of God was never needed more than today, in this time of spir itual darkness and corruption. But who knows what God can accomplish through each one of us who will yield himself to Him? The story of Esther should teach us the possibilities of yielded lives and sacrificial service. God’s People Ought to Remember His Deliverances Esther 9:29-22, 26, 27 It is apparent that the children of Israel appreciated their deliverance from the wicked plot of Haman. Their nation was saved. God’s plan was in nowise frustrated. They set aside two days for thanksgiving. They manifested their joy much in the same manner that we cele brate Christmas, by giving gifts one to another and by remembering the poor. This feast named Purim was an expres sion ever associated with the lot cast against the Jews to their destruction but was turned to their favor for Pur means M A Y , 1 9 4 8
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