The news was conveyed to esther, and by her to the king. Mar 15, 2020 there is much more to be discussed from both of these fascinating books, but i can agree with both of these authors. Mordecai was esthers adoptive father, mentor, confidante. King xerxes had been hosting an extravagant banquet for male dignitaries that lasted for 180 days. Her story is recorded in the old testament book bearing her name. The story of easter i would like to thank you for your wonderful site, and as i begin to read the story of esther i was immediately taken away with of course the detail e. Esther had the privilege of being part of the story of israels rescue. He brought up his cousin hadassah as his own child after she lost her parents see esther 2. Esthers bravery was a provision of gods gracious and eternal plan. When esther s parents died, the orphaned child was adopted and raised by her older cousin mordecai. The fascinating story of mordechai and esther and their triumph over the treacherous haman, based on the megillah, talmud and midrash. The jewish feast of purim celebrates this particular deliverance of the jews. Understandably, as the heroine of the story, most discussions of the book are meant to inspire people to emulate her. Yet we must follow the text to some unfamiliar and even uncomfortable places and not retreat from what it actually says.
The life of mordecai might seem secondary in the extraordinary story of esther in the bible, but mordecai was more than just her uncle who welcomed her as his own daughter. First there was vashti esther 1 the catalyst for esthers story is queen vashtis knockback of a summons from her husband. Its purpose is to demonstrate gods love and sovereignty in all circumstances. In the possibly jewish story of purim, the characters of mordecai and esther seem clearly derived from marduk.
In the bible story, esther responds to ahasuerus promise with a much more significant request. Feb 25, 2020 he has a strong personality and is employed in the kings court. In chapter 4, it tells us that mordecai encouraged esther to go to the king on behalf of the people. Mordecai was revealed to be the foster father of esther. But what had that plot to do with the great story of this book israels deliverance from haman. Mordecai story book of esther old testament bible story. Esther bible story summary what christians want to know. Now there was in the citadel of susa a jew of the tribe of benjamin, named mordecai son of jair, the son of shimei, the son of kish, who had been carried into exile from jerusalem by nebuchadnezzar king of babylon, among those taken captive with jehoiachin king of judah. The talmud says mordecai prophesied in the second year of darius. Since mordecai had previously saved the king from a coup, and queen esther revealed her jewish origins, the king did not allow haman to kill the jews. It is a postexile story about jews who stayed behind after most returned to jerusalem after captivity. But it is also a wonderful story of courage and faith. The story of esther is full of ironies and reversals. Her story is the traditional basis for purim, which is celebrated on the date given in the story for when hamans order.
Ostensibly, that should close the matter, but as almost anyone who has visited a school at purim time or has discussed the matter with his children or grandchildren knows, it. But there was a problem esther had not been summoned into the royal presence for thirty days, an ominous sign that she might be losing favour in his eyes. The king removed his signet ring he had recovered from haman and gave it to mordecai esth. Esther 6 mordecai honored that night the king bible. And when calamity threatened, her cousin mordecai prefaced his. Esther heard all that mordecai had told her messenger. As scripture reveals, esther is a jewish woman living in persia and reared by her cousin mordecai. The king was furious with haman and ordered that he be hanged on those gallows. As wonderful as esthers and mordecais story seems, there is much more to it.
The book of esther 6 powerful life lessons from the bible. Esthers parents died when she was very small, and so mor. When young virgins were sought, she was taken into the presence of king ahasuerus and was made queen in the place of the exiled queen vashti. Esther is described in the book of esther as a jewish queen of the persian king ahasuerus. Now he needs to pick a new queen and eventually manages to select esthera comely, young secretly jewish woman who is a part of his harem. This is a story of an evil man named haman, a king named xerxes, a man named mordecai, and his beautiful cousin who was an orphan. Mordechai encouraged esther to hide her faith from the king and his advisors, which she did. Esther 6 mordecai honored that night the king bible gateway. The story of esther blurs the lines between sacred and secular history. Immediately after leading mordecai around the city proclaiming, this is what is done for the man the king delights to honor. Story 82 mordecai and esther story 83 the walls of jerusalem part 6 birth of jesus to his death show more. Story 84 an angel visits mary story 85 jesus born in a stable story 86 men guided by a star story 87 young jesus in the temple story 88. The key personalities are esther, mordecai, king ahasuerus or xerxes, and haman. Esther and mordecai under xerxes of persia amazing bible.
Esther the queen whom mordecai had raised as his daughter who is also a jew knows of what mordecai is doing and tries to get him to give up his. Making new laws and purim esther 89 the king gives hamans estate to queen esther and she puts mordecai in charge of it. George frideric handel, esther, libretto by john arbuthnot et alexander pope, 1718 and 1732. Subsequently, mordecai discovered a plot of the kings. Esther sent someone to find out why mordecai was acting like this. Mordecai informed esther of hamans plot against the jews, telling her to go before the king and plead for the jews lives esther 4.
Xerxes i, and her cousin mordecai persuade the king to retract an order for the general annihilation of jews throughout the empire. Esther 6 new international version niv mordecai honored. The massacre had been plotted by the kings chief minister, haman, and the date decided by casting lots purim. The story of esther esther lived in ancient persia about 100 years after the babylonian captivity. Jun 18, 2019 the book of esther is one of only two books in the bible named for women. The story that follows in chapters 38 gives details of a personal conflict that escalates into a nationwide pogrom against the jewish people.
The kings chief adviser, haman, is offended by esther s cousin and guardian, mordecai, and gets permission from the king to have all the jews in the kingdom killed. Esther the brave queen childrens sermon sermons4ki. This book is the story of how godly queen esther came to the throne in persia and preserved her people from extinction through her wise trust in god. She asks that her life be spared and her people saved. Esther asked the king to allow the jews to defend themselves against the people of haman, the agagites. King ahasuerus gave his ring to mordecaithe ring he had previously given to haman when haman became the kings righthand man. The story of esther, where sacred and secular history meet. This would have meant that he could potentially have lost esther, as this meant she was to risk her life.
It has been alleged that he was carried into captivity with jeconiah, and hence that he must have been at least one hundred and twentynine years old in the twelfth year of ahasuerus xerxes. I have often read the book of esther from the bible but reading this account is quite refreshing. In the story of esther, youll meet a beautiful, young queen who risked her life to serve god and save her people. According to the megillah, esther is the daughter of mordechais uncle, and thus, esther and mordechai are first cousins. The story is haman is dying of thirst and mordecai agrees to give him water in return for his being mordechais slave. Finally esther shared the secret of her faith and proclaimed herself a jew. Five things about esther that nobody talks about jews for jesus. Mordecai told her what haman had done and even sent her a letter showing hamans plan to destroy all the jews.
The book of esther is also rich in types and patterns which expound for us, the purpose of god in redeeming mankind from the power of sin. Mordecai is one of the main personalities in the book of esther in the hebrew bible. You see, as ill explain in the coming pages, once we understand the chronological context of esther and her persian king, the story of esther takes on profoundly greater significance to the story of the jewish people and yahwehs redemptive plan for mankind. Mordecai asked esther to beg for help from the king. She tells xerxes that mordecai is her family and the king elevates him to hamans position. The narrative is at the same time bitingly sarcastic as it pokes fun at the persian court and horrifyingly ominous as one mans wounded pride and hatred spell potential disaster for the entire jewish people.
She alone could save the jewish people from the stupidity and cruelty of her husband the king. Dec 07, 2019 esther, the kings beautiful new wife was secretly mordecais cousin herself a jew. The festival of purim was established by mordecai to remind jewish people how they were saved by queen esther and mordecai from extermination. The jewish holiday of purim, which typically falls sometime in march, tells esthers story. Because the plot is so engaging, we could easily overlook the complexity in this text. Book of esther her cousin and foster father mordecai were able to frustrate hamans plans. The book of esther is one of only two books in the bible named for women. King ahasuerus gave his ring to mordecai the ring he had previously given to haman when haman became the kings righthand man. Esther 4 new international version niv mordecai persuades esther to help.
Esther was a jewish girl who had been taken captive. Mordecai story book of esther old testament bible story for. The story of esther, mordecai, haman and king ahasuerus, is a drama which exhibits the divine supervision of the people of israel. Do you know any parents who do not enjoy pictures of their children and delight to show them to their friends. In fact, it suggests that the lines dont exist at all, that theres only one history and that god is sovereign over it. Grand old holy tells us the story of queen esthers wit and how she saves the lives of mordecai and fellow jews from persecution by haman.
Esthers cousin mordecai had taken esther in and raised her as his own after esthers parents had died. Without taking away from her courage, wisdom and devotion to god, the real hero of the book is a midlevel government official, mordecai. When esthers parents died, the orphaned child was adopted and raised by her older cousin mordecai. Read the full book of esther in hebrew and english here.
At this, esther balkedshe did not have freedom to enter the kings presence without a summons. Bible stories for christian young children and toddlers. Esther 4 niv mordecai persuades esther to help bible gateway. The book of esther in the bible contains the whole entire story of esther and mordecai. Human characters act out the movements of astronomical bodies as they were or are expected to be at great moments in history like the start and end of world ages. One of the most wellknown heroines in the jewish bible is queen esther, who became the king of persias consort and thereby had the means to save her people from slaughter. Please provide the source for the story of mordechai and haman traveling together.
The plotters, bigthan and teresh, paid the penalty with their lives. Grand old holy tells us the story of queen esthers wit and how she saves the lives of mordecai and fellow jews from. Naturally, being a rather unstable fellow, ahasuerus firesslashdivorces her. The story of esther reveals gods plans and purposes for each of us as we live out lives that are directed by gods design and will. He is described as being the son of jair, of the tribe of benjamin. It demonstrates the sayings of the prophets that no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and surely there is no enchantment against jacob. Esther and mordecai were about to discover the god of great reversals. He told esther about the conspiracy, and she reported it to xerxes, giving credit to mordecai. God is not mentioned in the book of esther, but that doesnt mean he isnt there.
Esther queen of persia, intercessor for the jews before the king, and the one for whom the book of esther is written. But its unlikely that she wanted to be anywhere near the kings haremshe probably would have preferred to stay safely at home. Mar 29, 2016 esther the queen whom mordecai had raised as his daughter who is also a jew knows of what mordecai is doing and tries to get him to give up his march in sackcloth to the kings gate by sending. Esthers uncle mordechai, was the leader of the jews. The story of esther is also made reference to in chapter 28 of 1 meqabyan, a book considered canonical in the ethiopian orthodox tewahedo church. Queen esther was given rule over the house of haman. Find esther and mordecai sermons and illustrations. Marcantoine charpentier, historia esther, h 396, for soloists, chorus, strings and continuo 1675. There is much more to be discussed from both of these fascinating books, but i can agree with both of these authors. Harbona, one of the kings attendants told the king of the gallows that haman had built to have mordecai hanged. Free access to sermons on esther and mordecai, church sermons, illustrations on esther and mordecai, and powerpoints for preaching on esther and mordecai.
Grand old holy tells us the story of queen esther s wit and how she saves the lives of mordecai and fellow jews from persecution by haman. Finally esther shared the secret of her faith and proclaimed herself. Esther was the cousin of mordecai, a member of the jewish community in the exilic period who claimed as an. Mordecai s genealogy in the second chapter of the book of esther is given as a descendant of kish of the tribe of benjamin. His name is mordecai, and we read the essential part of his life in the book of esther. The book of esther begins with the queen of king ahasuerusvashtisnubbing the kings request to meet with her. Mordecai was esther s adoptive father, mentor, confidante, cheerleader, and fellow leader to stand for the rights of their jewish community. After her parents died, she was adopted a family member, mordecai, who raised her as his own daughter. In the crisis that was about to engulf him, mordecai turned to esther. Mordecai resided in susa shushan or shoushan, the metropolis of persia now iran. Esther is the jewish maiden who became queen of persia and rescued her people from a murderous plot to annihilate them. But before esther and mordecai appear in the story, we are told about xerxes and his first wife vashti. Esther 4 niv mordecai persuades esther to help bible. In the narrative, ahasuerus seeks a new wife after his queen, vashti, refuses to obey him, and esther is chosen for her beauty.
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