Intro to Esther

Esther 1:1-9

Icebreaker - Have you ever been in a place that made you feel uncomfortable but you didn’t know why?

1. Have you ever heard a sermon series or participated in a Bible Study on Esther? If so, what do you remember?
   

2. The opening scene of Esther 1 describes a feast, a party, that lasted 180 days. Based on vv.1-4, what do you think it may have been like to have been a guest there?
   

3. What images come to mind as you read vv.5-9? What are some of your impressions of these characters mentioned?
   

4. When was the last time you struggled to see, hear, or sense God’s presence in your life?
   

5. Why do you think Christians tend to forget about God in the mundane seasons of life?
   

6. If you’re honest with yourself, how has pride, power, position, or possessions interfered with your relationship with God or others?
   

7. In what specific ways is Jesus Christ a better King and Ruler than King Ahasuerus?