The Book of Esther (Linton Hall Sermon)

Psalm 46:10 CSB – “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,I will be exalted in the earth

Esther 1–Where’s God?

Esther 1:3 CSB – He held a feast in the third year of his reign for all his officials and staff, the army of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the officials from the provinces.

Persian Party 1

Esther 1:4-5 CSB – He displayed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness for a total of 180 days.

⁵ At the end of this time, the king held a week-long banquet in the garden courtyard of the royal palace for all the people, from the greatest to the least, who were present in the fortress of Susa.

Esther 1:8 CSB – The drinking was according to royal decree: “There are no restrictions.” The king had ordered every wine steward in his household to serve whatever each person wanted

Esther 1:11 CSB – [The king ordered his servant].. to bring Queen Vashti before him with her royal crown. He wanted to show off her beauty to the people and the officials, because she was very beautiful.

Esther 1:16-18 CSB – “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the officials and the peoples… ¹⁷ For the queen’s action will become public knowledge to all the women and cause them to despise their husbands

Before this day is over, the noble women of Persia and Media who hear about the queen’s act will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in more contempt and fury.

Chapter 2–Introducing Esther & Mordecai

Esther 2:5-7 CSB – In the fortress of Susa, there was a Jewish man named Mordecai….⁷ Mordecai was the legal guardian of his cousin Hadassah (that is, Esther), because she had no father or mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was extremely good-looking. When her father and mother died, Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter.

Esther 2:17-18 CSB – The king loved Esther more than all the other women. She won more favor and approval from him than did any of the other virgins. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. ¹⁸ The king held a great banquet for all his officials and staff. It was Esther’s banquet.

Esther 2:21-23 CSB – …two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, became infuriated and planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus. ²² When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she told the king on Mordecai’s behalf. ²³ When the report was investigated and verified, both men were hanged on the gallows. This event was recorded in the Historical Record in the king’s presence.

Proverbs 19:21 CSB – Many plans are in a person’s heart, but the LORD’s decree will prevail.

Chapter 3–Haman, the Hate Man

Esther 3:1 CSB – After all this took place, King Ahasuerus honored Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite. He promoted him in rank and gave him a higher position than all the other officials.

Esther 3:2 CSB – The entire royal staff at the King’s Gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, because the king had commanded this to be done for him. But Mordecai would not bow down or pay homage.

Esther 3:5-6 CSB – When Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing down or paying him homage, he was filled with rage. ⁶ And when he learned of Mordecai’s ethnic identity, it seemed repugnant to Haman to do away with Mordecai alone. He planned to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout Ahasuerus’s kingdom.

Proverbs 16:32 CSB – Patience is better than power,
and controlling one’s emotions, than capturing a city.

Esther 3:8 CSB – Then Haman informed King Ahasuerus, “There is one ethnic group, scattered throughout the peoples in every province of your kingdom, keeping themselves separate. Their laws are different from everyone else’s and they do not obey the king’s laws. It is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.

Esther 3:13 CSB – Letters were sent by couriers to each of the royal provinces telling the officials to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jewish people…and plunder their possessions on a single day, the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month.

Esther 3:15 CSB – The king and Haman sat down to drink, while the city of Susa was in confusion.

Hebrews 13:5 CSB – God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.

Chapter 4–Esther’s Decision

Esther 4:1 CSB – When Mordecai learned all that had occurred, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, went into the middle of the city, and cried loudly and bitterly.

James 4:8-10 CSB – Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Esther 4:13-14 CSB – “Don’t think that you will escape the fate of all the Jews because you are in the king’s palace. ¹⁴ If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father’s family will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.”

Esther 4:15 CSB – Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.”

Esther 4:17 CSB – So, Mordecai went and did everything Esther had commanded him.

Chapter 5 & 6—Don’t You Love When A Plan Comes Together?

Esther 5:2-4 CSB – As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, she gained favor with him. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

³ “What is it, Queen Esther?” the king asked her. “Whatever you want, even to half the kingdom, will be given to you.”

“If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “may the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have prepared for them.”

Esther 5:14 CSB – The advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows constructed.

Chapter 7– Esther’s Party, Part 2

Esther 7:2 CSB – …on the second day while drinking wine, the king asked Esther, what is it?  What do you want?  UP to half the kingdom!

Esther 7:6 CSB – Esther answered, “The adversary and enemy is this evil Haman.”

Haman stood terrified before the king and queen.

Esther 7:8 CSB – Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.

The king exclaimed, “Would he actually violate the queen while I am in the house?” As soon as the statement left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.

Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs said, “There is a gallows seventy-five feet tall at Haman’s house that he made for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king.”

The Rest of the Story

Esther 10:3 CSB – Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was famous among the Jews and highly esteemed by many of his relatives. He continued to pursue prosperity for his people and to speak for the well-being of all his descendants.

Be Still. God is at work, even when He seems silent & absent.

The Present Crisis (1845)

Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne,

Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own.

–James Russell Lowell

The Present Crisis (1845)

Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own.

We see dimly in the Present what is small and what is great,

Slow of faith how weak an arm may turn the iron helm of fate,

–James Russell Lowell