Esther: The Shadows of Providence
The Book of Esther Session 4
Esther Becomes Queen Part 2
(Esther 2:12-23)

“Esther, as compared to the rest of the Old Testament, is like falling from heaven to earth.” – Heinrich Ewald

Introduction
Esther is an obscure book to many. It is a story of human love, palace intrigue, and the glory days of the Persian Empire. A Jewish maiden, elevated to the Throne of Persia as queen, is used by God to preserve His people against a Hitler-like annihilation… The Book of Esther commemorates the deliverance celebrated, to this day—the Feast of Purim. It is, in the end, an account of God’s providence in the people of Israel.
Puzzles
• No mention of the name of God;
• No reference to worship or faith;
• No prediction of the Messiah;
• No mention of heaven or hell…nothing “religious” about it.
• It is a gripping tale, but why is it here in the Bible? Is it a revelation of God’s providence? Martin Luther believed it should not be part of the Canon!
• Esther = means “Something Hidden”(!)
• [The name of YHWH is hidden inside the text in several ways…]
Paul reveals that the historic incidents that happened to Israel are intended as types for us:
Romans 15:4 (NKJV), “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
Examples include:
– Feasts of Israel = prophetic implications (Passover, Firstfruits, etc.);
– Days of Noah;
– Abraham’s Offering of Isaac;
– Jonah, three days…
The story behind the story: Ourselves.
Bible = To know God; to know ourselves!
Time Period
Chronologically, it antedates the Book of Nehemiah by about 30 years. Esther makes possible Nehemiah. It was Esther’s marriage to the King of Persia that ultimately leads to the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
These are historical events: not just a story to highlight a moral imperative. It deals with an escape from annihilation after their return from Babylonian captivity and enables the chain of events that led to the Messiah five centuries later.
The book takes place in the Persian period (539-331 b.c.), after many Israelites had returned from the Exile to the land of Palestine to rebuild the temple. Most Israelite captives, however, chose not to return to their homeland. They should have done so for Isaiah and Jeremiah had urged the yet-to-be-exiled nation to come out of Babylon after 70 years (Isa 48:20; Jer 29:10 50:8; 51:6) and return to the place where the Lord could bless them under the promises (Deut 28).

The events in the Book of Esther extend over a decade:
- From 483 b.c., Xerxes’ 3rd year; Esther 1:3
- to 473 b.c., the end of Xerxes’ 12th year; Esther 3:7
The events in this book occurred between those recorded in Ezra 6 & 7.

Festival of Purim
We are going to learn about the origins of the festival of Purim. Purim is a celebration of deliverance. In contrast to Hanukkah, another festival of deliverance in which the achievement of religious liberty is celebrated, and the preservation of Israel is remembered. Purim commemorates the preservation of the Jewish people.
Outline
I. Affairs in the court and the Dethronement of Vashti - Chapter 1
II. The search for the new Queen - Chapter 2
III. The feud between Haman and Mordecai - Chapter 3
IV. Mordecai’s plan - Chapter 4
V. Pride goes before the fall - Chapter 5
VI. Haman’s humiliation - Chapter 6
VII. Haman’s downfall - Chapter 7
VIII. Esther’s petition - Chapter 8
IX. The day of vengeance - Chapter 9
X. The observance of Purim - Chapter 10

READ (All) Esther 2:1-11

ESTHER IS CHOSEN QUEEN
1) (Esther 2:12-14) The method of preparing and presenting the women before the king is established.

[12] Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after she had completed twelve months’ preparation, according to the regulations for the women, for thus were the days of their preparation apportioned: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women.

a) After she had completed twelve months’ preparation: Persia was one of many countries famous for its aromatic perfumes and ancient customs for the preparations of brides, including ritualistic baths, plucking of the eyebrows, the painting of hands and feet with henna, facial make-up, and applications of a beautifying paste all over the body, meant to lighten the color of the skin and to remove spots and blemishes.
i) The long period was to ensure that none of the women were already pregnant. This would keep the king from having to be charged with fathering a child that was not his.
ii) “The bodies of men and women in those hot countries did of themselves yield very ill scents, if not corrected and qualified by art.” (Poole)

b) Twelve months’ preparation: This twelve months’ preparation was so that they would make a good impression on the king. Do we do the same for our King?
i) What are some of the things that capture our time instead of time for the King? Why do they have such high importance in our lives?

Psalm 84:10 (NKJV), “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wickedness.”
c) Six months with oil of myrrh: Myrrh is used in the embalming process and speaks of death. How will are we to be saturated with the oil of myrrh, to die to ourselves, to lose our lives to find our lives in our King?
Mark 8:35 (NKJV), “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”

[13-14] Thus prepared, each young woman went to the king, and she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the women’s quarters to the king’s palace. In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who kept the concubines. She would not go in to the king again unless the king delighted in her and called for her by name.

d) Thus prepared, each young woman went to the king: It sounds wonderful – a year of constant spa treatments. Yet the destiny of these women should also be considered: one evening with the king. If he chose them from the 400 others to be his queen, then she would be his companion (until she displeased him).
e) Evening she went, and in the morning she returned to the second house of the women: As for the 399 who lost, they were banished to the harem where they stayed the concubine (cohabitation without marriage) of the king, but rarely if ever saw him afterwards. And they were never free to marry another man, essentially living as a perpetual widow.
i) Why is it a struggle to choose to do the right thing as it compares to the pleasure of sin?
Hebrews 11:24-26 (NLT), “It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.”

2) (Esther 2:15-18) Esther is selected as queen.

[15-16] Now when the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king, she requested nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the custodian of the women, advised. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her. So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

a) She requested nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the custodian of the women, advised: In wise humility, Esther allowed the custodian of the women to give her help in preparations.
i) Do you have godly people in your life that you turn to for guidance? How often do you talk to them?
Proverbs 11:14 (NKJV), “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”

b) Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her: Because of Esther’s beauty and godliness she was shown favor.
i) Beautiful people tend to get favor from people. As Christians, we must be careful not to rely too much on outward beauty and consider the wisdom of a person.
Psalm 51:6 (NKJV), “Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.”
[17-18] The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king made a great feast, the Feast of Esther, for all his officials and servants; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the generosity of a king.

c) She obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins: Esther was chosen as queen because God was working in the shadows, not seen directly, but controlling the situation absolutely.
Psalm 75:6-7 (NKJV), “For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another.’

d) She obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins: God has a plan for our lives. Wherever we are in life God’s plan is perfect. Whether it is for a short purpose, or a long purpose, small or large purpose, we must trust that God has our best interest in mind.
i) What is the hardest part about waiting on God’s plan and purpose to be revealed to us?
e) In exactly the same way, we have a place in God’s plan. Wherever you are at right now, God has a purpose for it - maybe a short purpose, or a long one; perhaps a large purpose or a small purpose, but God has a reason.

i) To this point, the story of Esther also shows us that in the outworking of His plan, God can use the evil of man. God did not make Ahasuerus drunk, or make him demand that his queen present herself in an immodest way before the lords of the kingdom; yet God allowed this wicked action of man to fulfill a purpose in His greater plan. We find assurance in the truth that no other person, no matter how evil they are, can defeat God’s plan for our life, no matter what they have done to you or will do to you.

Psalm 68:5 (NKJV), “A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation.”

Mordecai saves the king’s life.
3) (Esther 2:19-20) Mordecai’s rise in prominence and Esther continues to conceal her Jewish identity.

[19-21] When virgins were gathered together a second time, Mordecai sat within the king’s gate. Now Esther had not revealed her family and her people, just as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai as when she was brought up by him. In those days, while Mordecai sat within the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, doorkeepers, became furious and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.

a) Mordecai sat within the king’s gate: This position indicates that Mordecai was associated with the decision makers and men of influence in the kingdom.

b) Now Esther had not revealed her family and her people, just as Mordecai had charged her: Some have thought that the book of Esther carries this idea of concealment too far. This book has been criticized because it does not mention the name of God (as neither does the Song of Solomon).

c) Doorkeepers, became furious and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus: Mordecai continues to watch over Esther and in so doing God reveals a plot against the king. God has His eyes on His people.

i) How does it make you feel knowing that God is constantly watching over you?
Psalm 95:7 (NLT), “For He is our God. We are the people He watches over, the flock under His care. If only you would listen to His voice today!”

4) (Esther 2:22-23) Mordecai hears an assassination conspiracy and informs the king, saving the king’s life.

[22-23] So the matter became known to Mordecai, who told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name. And when an inquiry was made into the matter, it was confirmed, and both were hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.

a) The matter became known to Mordecai, who told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king: Mordecai could have kept silent, but he chose to honor the king.
i) Do you struggle with honoring people that are in authority over you? Explain.
1 Peter 2:17 (NKJV), “Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”

b) Both were hanged on a gallows: The word gallows is literally tree; the idea that they were hanged on a tree probably refers not to a hanging with a noose around the neck, but to impalement on a stake, much like crucifixion.

i) “A pointed stake is set upright in the ground, and the culprit is taken, placed on the sharp point, and then pulled down by his legs till the stake that went in at the fundament passes up through the body and comes out through the neck. A most dreadful species of punishment, in which revenge and cruelty may glut the utmost of their malice. The culprit lives a considerable time in excruciating agonies.” (Clarke)