HotSermons
educate equip enable
HotSermons presents this study on the Book of Esther, a fascinating record containing drama, intrigue, power-plays, irony, and so much more.
One of the unique things you'll notice as you study this interesting book of the Bible, is that God is not mentioned at all, and no Scriptures are quoted. However, the story is dynamic in its application and you can see the hand of God at work thoughout the entire narrative.
The key verses are Esther 4:13-14: And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: "Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king's palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
This powerful statement of Mordecai's is a constant reminder to us that God always has a plan and a purpose in the seemingly natural events of life. We can either be a part of that plan, or we can miss out. But God will still accomplish what it is that He wants to do. With or without our involvement!
Major themes in the Book of Esther include obedience, sowing and reaping, feasting, fasting, as well as risk-taking.
The central characters in the book include Ahasuerus (the king of the Persians and the Medes who reigned 486-465 BC), Haman, his evil vice-regent, Esther, a young Jewish woman, and Mordecai, a pious Jew who was Esther's cousin and custodian.
The Jews were deported to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 BC and were now in captivity in that foreign land. The plot develops as Ahasuerus exercises his absolute authority in a foolish and capricious manner, only to find himself caught in a bind by his own arbitrary law.
Haman, on the other hand, reaps what he sows as he is outsmarted by his own evil plotting.
The result of the whole episode is the addition of a new feast, the Feast of Purim, to the Jewish calendar, and the purpose of the Book of Esther is to explain its origins.
These are the expository studies available on the Book of Esther:
As with most of the stuff on this website, these Bible Studies can be downloaded free. Just click on the icon to download them as a PDF file.
If you like these Expository Bible Studies, don't forget to check out HotSermons Topical Bible Studies too.