The Story of Esther

Ephesians 5:21-25, 32

  • We can’t comprehend what love is, so Jesus gave us a perfect example: the relationship between a husband and wife
  • Husband = Jesus
  • Wife = Jesus’s bride
  • Let’s look at marriage in the Bible, and to learn how we can draw closer to each other and closer to God
  1. Background to the Story
    1. Xerxes is king of the Persian Empire
      1. He disposes of his wife, Vashti, in the year 483 B.C.
      2. Battles the 300 Spartans in the year 480 B.C.
      3. Marries Esther in the year 478 B.C.
    2. Washed clean by the word (Ephesians 5:21-25)
      1. Submit to each other out of reverence for God
      2. Xerxes elevated Esther to the role of queen
      3. Esther prepared herself with what pleased her husband
      4. Sign of Christ and the church to come into his presence
  2. Haman Appears
    1. Story we are talking about is five years later — in 473 B.C.
    2. Begins Esther 3 — Haman (a leader in government) comes up with a plot to destroy all the Jews in the land of Persia
    3. Now this is a huge crisis as all the Jewish people are going to be killed
  3. Esther not in a strong place
    1. Esther and the king are not in a strong place. Esther 4:10-12
      1. 30 days without seeing each other.
      2. Remember we are talking about Christ and the church.
      3. It is hard to fight the battles when we are cold in our relationship with him
      4. THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE THAT GOD WOULD REIGNITE THE PASSION FOR EACH AND OUR PASSION FOR HIM TO FACE THE BATTLES IN FRONT OF US.
  4. Mordecai
    1. Mordecai steps into the situation (he has discernment)
      1. He begins to fast and pray
        1. There are times when a situation arises that we need to stir ourselves to see God move
        2. We can begin to humble ourselves before God
  5. Esther Was Clueless
    1. We can be out of touch because we are not in communication with each other and too busy to have a relationship with God
      1. Example: business that can destroy relationships
      2. Ester was insulated from what was going on
    2. Catch 22 — we can’t pray because we are out of relationship and because we are out of relationship we are unable to pray
    3. 1 Peter 3:1
      1. Submit to one another as wives
      2. God, through Mordecai, stirs up Esther to also fast and pray to see a change happen
      3. We are all Esthers in this day, and there is something important to find out what that is. — or “RAISED UP FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS”
      4. Be able to trust the one that is over us (1 Peter 5:1)
        1. Maybe his heart will be changed
      5. Works both ways, a husband can be hindered (1 Peter 3:7)
        1. Prayers are hindered by our lack of love
        2. Hindered = an obstacle in a road, something that stands in the way of a Moving Object
  6. The Scepter is Shown
    1. Esther comes into his presence
    2. The scepter is shown to (Esther 5: 3)
    3. Scepter = authority and power
      1. Jesus was the scepter that was extended by God to a fallen man to bring us into his presence
  7. Offer 1/2 of Kingdom
    1. You may have anything, up to half of the kingdom
      1. She didn’t do anything
      2. Her presence is enough to bring joy to the king — our presence is enough to bring joy to God
      3. Little movement of our heart toward God brings pleasure toward him
      4. All she wants is to have a meal with him and enjoy his presence
    2. Another guest at the banquet — Hamon
      1. HE IS INVITED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE ENEMY INVITED TO BE DESTROYED BY THE PRESENCE OF THIS KING
      2. Enemy in our homes to destroy us
        1. Pornography
        2. Innocent flirtations
        3. No time for each other
    3. Request before the king against the enemy
  8. King Left in a Rage
    1. God of heaven on our side against the enemy
    2. Destruction of Hamon
    3. Esther co-rules with Xerxes
      1. Reflection of each other
    4. Not only Jews saved, but destruction of the enemy
      1. One will put a thousand to flight two ten thousand (Deuteronomy 32:30)