Esther

Be Courageous

God Will Turn It Around

 

Esther the real life drama

 

King Xerxes of Persia;

Ahasuerus king of Persia—supposed to be the Xerxes of history

 

his wife and former Queen; Vashti

 

Esther, a Jewish woman who became Queen

 

second in command, Haman, recently promoted by the king;

 

 

Mordecai, a leader among the Jewish people

Mordecai had an office in the household of Ahasuerus king of Persia—supposed to be the Xerxes of history—and dwelt at “Shushan the palace.”

 

In an attempt to stamp out the Jews, Haman manipulates the king into issuing an order calling for their execution. But Esther uses her royal favor to intervene and expose Haman’s plot. Ironically, in a dramatic twist of plot, Haman is hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai’s execution, and Mordecai is promoted to prime minister. The Jewish people are granted revenge against their enemies.

 

They also celebrate by instituting the Feast of Purim to mark their miraculous deliverance.   The Jews still commemorate this deliverance in the yearly festival Purim, on the 14th and 15th of Adar (February, March).

 

Es´ther (a star), the Persian name of Hadassah (myrtle)

Myrtle. An evergreen tree with dark glossy leaves and white flowers. The leaves, flowers, and berries of the myrtle were used for perfume and as seasoning for food. The myrtle tree had a religious significance for the Jews (Zech. 1:8–11) and was a symbol of peace and joy. Queen Esther’s Hebrew name, Hadassah (Esth. 2:7), meant “myrtle.”

 

 

She was an orphan

 

 

She be came a slave

 

 

She had the sentence of death on her life

 

 

Mordicai

 

Did good without looking for rewards

1.          Esther

2.          Xerxes the king.

 

Had the sentence of death on his life

 

He sat at the king’s gate, a place for beggars

 

 

He wore sackcloth ashes.

 

 

 

Vashti

VASHTI [VASH tie] — the beautiful queen of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I, reigned 486–465 b.c.) who was banished from court for refusing the king’s command to exhibit herself during a period of drunken feasting (Esth. 1:11

 

She was often praised for her beauty- and she believes it

 

She felt too good for the king

 

 

Haman

 

Wanted recognition meant for a king

 

Wanted to Kill

        1.     Mordicai

 

3.          All the Jews

 

Built a gallows 75 feet high  hang Mordecai  

 

The Curse that became a blessing - the fourteenth day of the month Adar

 

Wipe out the physical evidence of the Jews

 

Wipe the memory of the Jews

 

 

21To establish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, 21To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly.