Esther - Chapter 9

The Day of the Jews: before (, during) and after

Esther – Chapter 9

Review

1. History Review
1. When : Time – Some say 486-465 B.C or 464-415 B.C.  Few say 135-104 B.C., during Maccabean period, but that disclaims/discredits the historical value of the story and assumes it’s an allegorical story.
2. When : Relative to Daniel – After.  Daniel was Babylonian to the start of Persian Empires. Esther is entirely within Persian Empire.
3. Who : about – Esther.  A Jewish girl.
4. Who: wrote it – Unknown.  A palace slave?  Mordacai?  Nehemiah?  Jew or Gentile?  Probably Jewish.  Probably Nehemiah.
2. Chapter 1
1. Potential sympathy for Vashti
2. No deep OBVIOUS theological message in Chapter 1 (yet).
3. Chapter 2
1. More character traits of King X.  See Esther move into the scene.
2. No deep OBVIOUS theological message in Chapter 2 (yet).  But maybe there’s a lesson about God works even when it’s not obvious to us that He’s working – like in Esther.
4. Chapter 3
1. Mort rebels against bowing to Haman and the other gate-visitors turn Mort in.
2. Death sentence for Jews
3. King X still a dope.
5. Chapter 4
1. Mort mourning is a concern for Esther.
2. Mort scolds Esther.
3. Esther is reluctant, but agrees with Mort’s request.
6. Chapter 5
1. Haman’s pride will be his downfall
2. Friends and family can be a powerful influence.
7. Chapter 6
1. God controls, even Haman.
2. Haman’s friends turn out not to be too friendly
8. Chapter 7
1. God gets His justice against Haman…but Jews aren’t safe yet.
9. Chapter 8
1. Jews saved again
2. Mort gets his (earthly) reward
3. King Xerxes still a dope.

Introduction

1. How did you all do this week reading Esther?
2. What’s your opinion of Esther (thus far)?  Easy, hard, straightforward, confusing, basic, advanced, etc?  Compare it to Daniel or Romans, etc as well as your impression of it on its own.
3. What is your opinion of this chapter?  Easy or lots of questions, difficult and convoluted?
4. Can you group any of these chapters together?

Lesson

1. vv. 1-4 [READ – Est 9:1-4] The Preparations
1. v 1 – the big contrast – what was to be a day of slaughtering the Jews turned into a day of mastery of the enemy of the Jews.
2. People feared Mort (v 4) and the Jews (v 2) and could not stand against them.  In contrast, ones that likely sent/supported the first edict were now helping Mort and the Jews prepare.
2. vv. 5-13 & 16-17a [READ – Est 9:5-13 & 16-17a] During (the day of, the 13^th of Adar)
1. Tally on day 1

                                                               i.      500 men in Susa (v 6)

                                                             ii.      10 sons of Haman (v 10)

                                                            iii.      75000 men outside of Susa (v 16-17a)

2. So, King, can we have another day, asks Esther.

                                                               i.      Why?

3. vv. 14-17 [READ – Est 9:14-17] During (Day 2, the 14^th of Adar)
1. Day 2 tally:

                                                               i.      300 men in Susa

                                                             ii.      Bodies of Haman’s sons hanged publicly

4. Review:
1. Total tally – 75,810 recorded dead men.

                                                               i.      What about wives, children, etc?  Jews likely spared them.

                                                             ii.      How do you feel about this number?  It’s a lot.

1.       Is this genocide?

2.       Since God ordained it (not that we see God in this Book), is it OK?

2. V 10, 15 & 16 – “did not lay hands on the plunder” – Why?  Why not?

                                                               i.      Maybe Mort told his people not to.  Would they have listened?

                                                             ii.      Maybe it was a miracle that God performed.

3. The edict SPECIFICALLY said that they could.  What happened?
4. What happened to that “plunder”?

                                                               i.      My guess is that it sat there.  We know the Jews didn’t take it.  I doubt any non-Jews that knew what happened would want it either.  Perhaps some other group happened by and took it or it just rotted away.

5. What does it mean to the story?

                                                               i.      While we don’t know specifically, I believe at minimum, it sets up another contrast (to the edict and to the enemy of the Jews) in this Chapter.

                                                             ii.      Perhaps it was a “God thing” – In 1 Samuel, the Jews failed to complete their task of destroying the Amalekites (Haman’s ancestry).  Should they profit by completing now what they should have done then?

                                                            iii.      Perhaps the Jews wanted a “high road”, a moral victory in addition to their physical victory?

                                                            iv.      Perhaps the Jews didn’t want unclean stuff from unclean enemies?

5. vv. 18-19 [READ – Est 9:18-19] (Right) after.
1. In Susa – warred on 13^th and 14^th.  Rested on the 15^th.
2. Outside of Susa – warred on 13^th and rested on the 14^th.  (take note, it’ll be important in just a bit.)
6. vv. 20-28 [READ – Est 9:20-28] Soon after.
   (look for contrasting words like “turned into”, “was to be”, etc)
1. Mort writes a letter:

                                                               i.      Celebrate the 14^th and 15^th of Adar

                                                             ii.      Typically celebrated by fasting on the 13^th, Israel (Jews at large) celebrate on the 14^th, but within Jerusalem, it’s celebrated on the 15^th.

2. Justification provided – a summary of events in Esther in vv 24 & 25
3. Custom established in order to remember

                                                               i.      Another Jewish holiday (not a high-holy day).  Do we do anything like this?

1.       Sure.  Holidays are (at least, originally were) intended to remember/commemorate events – Easter, Christmas, Birthdays, etc.

7. vv. 29-32 [READ – Est 9:29-32] Forever.
1. Mort (and Esther) write the Jews to comfort them with words of peace and truth (v 30)
2. They wrote to establish Purim as a custom to be practiced by future generations.
3. V 32 – “Command of Esther” – what’s the contrast here?  She CAN command.  She is to be obeyed.  This (at least) implies that she has true power as Queen.  Before, she was little more than a possession.

Summary

1. What’s your key verse? V 16
2. Try keeping a list of where God is acting in this story.  What can you add to that list?  Where do you see God in Ch. 9?
3. This chapter has significant contrasts in them.  What are some that you can identify?
1. 13^th of Adar was to be X, but turned out to be Y

                                                               i.      Sorrow to Gladness (v 22)

                                                             ii.      Mourning to a Holiday (v 22)

                                                            iii.      A day of Death (v 1) to a day of feasting and rejoicing. (v 22)

2. Enemies of Jews were to kill Jews and take their plunder, but Jews killed them and did NOT take their plunder.
3. Edict said Jews could kill and take plunder, but they did not.
4. Esther started out in Esther (the book) with no power, but ends this chapter with the appearance of real power/authority
5. Etc…

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