Where is God?
Wk 10 “A Look Back…”
Esther 9:20-32; 10
February 11, 2024
Darin Elquist
Message Notes
Chapter 1-
The Banquets and the “NO” heard around the world and The Missing God
There is no such thing as coincidence, happenstance, or karma. Everything that has
happened, is happening, and will happen is under the control of the very God who is
also in control of the events read about in the Book of Esther. Even though, His name
isn’t mentioned, not even once.
Chapter 2-
All Things Work Together for Good/Esther Chosen as Queen
There is a 4 year gap between chapter 1 and chapter 2
The Strict Regulations a New Queen Must Meet
- Virgin
- Attractive
- 12 months of prep time before any woman is presented to the king for consideration.
Esther 2:17
The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him
more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal turban on her head and made her queen in
place of Vashti.
Chapter 3
Haman’s Plan to Eliminate the Jews
Esther 3:13
Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces to annihilate, kill, and destroy all the
Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth
month, which is the month Adar, and to seize their possessions as plunder.
Esther 3:15
The couriers went out, speeded by the king’s order while the decree was issued at the citadel in
Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was agitated.
Chapter 4-
Esther Learns of Haman’s Plan
Chapter 4 is a turning point not only in this story, but for a young Queen Esther as well.
Esther 4:4
Then Esther’s attendants and her eunuchs came and informed her, and the queen was seized
by great fear. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai so that he would remove his sackcloth
from him, but he did not accept them.
We find out that Esther is scared. The queen of Persia is scared…
Esther 4:14b
…And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”
“When facing an impossible trial, don’t go through it alone.
Go to God
Go to God’s People
Let Go and let God” -Justin Scarberry
Esther 4:16
“Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three
days, night or day. I and my attendants also will fast in the same way. And then I will go in to
the king, which is not in accordance with the law; and if I perish, I perish.”
Chapter 5-
More Banquets & Haman’s Pride & Hate
Esther 5:4-5
Esther said, “If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I
have prepared for him.”
Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly so that we may do as Esther desires.” So the king and
Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared.
Two Types of People
Esther- Those who bring joy and hope to those around them
Haman- Those who bring frustration, fear, and hopelessness
Esther 5:13
13 Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
Which one are you?
The Peace the Passes Understanding
Esther had that peace that comes from God when there is a total and complete trust in Him.
Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure at heart, for they will see God.
Philippians 4:7
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in
Christ Jesus.
Chapter 6
Mordecai’s Honor/Haman’s Hate & God’s Quiet Voice
This chapter is comical. The very next day after Mordecai spews his hate for Mordecai to his
wife and some friends, he is forces to honor the man he hates. Here’s what happens…
Esther 6:1-3
During that night the king could not sleep, so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the
chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2 And it was found written what Mordecai had
reported about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that
they had sought to attack King Ahasuerus. 3 Then the king said, “What honor or dignity has been
bestowed on Mordecai for this?” And the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has
been done for him.”
Esther 6:13
“If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not prevail over
him, but will certainly fall before him.”
Ephesians 4:18
18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the
ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;
Chapter 7
Evil Exposed
Esther 7:3-6
3 Then Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the
king, let my life be given me as my request, and my people as my wish; 4 for we have been sold,
I and my people, to be destroyed, killed, and eliminated. Now if we had only been sold as
slaves, men and women, I would have kept silent, because the distress would not be sufficient
reason to burden the king.” 5 Then King Ahasuerus asked Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where
is he, who would presume to do such a thing?” 6 And Esther said, “A foe and an enemy is this
wicked Haman!” Then Haman became terrified before the king and queen.
Chapter 8 & 9:1-19
The Playing Field is Leveled, The Jews Fight Back
Esther 8:11
11 In the letters the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right to assemble
and to defend their lives, to destroy, kill, and eliminate the entire army of any people or
province which was going to attack them, including children and women, and to plunder their
spoils,
God allows us to help and be part of His plans, not only because it helps us grow closer to
Him, but it also allows us to spend more time with Him.
Esther 9:20-32
The Festival of Purim
There are three things we should know about this festival.
- This was a day of feasting. It is celebrated on different days by people out in the country
than it is by people who live in a city. Out in the country this was celebrated on the 14 th
of the month. While in the cities it was celebrated on the 15 th . These are the days they
would have been destroyed if Haman’s edict had been fulfilled. - We also know this is called the Festival of Purim for a reason. This name commemorates
the way in which Haman came up with these dates. If you’ll remember all the way back
to Chapter 3 verse 7 it says that Haman cast “pur” or lots. To us, this would be like
rolling some dice on a calendar until the dice landed on a lucky month and day. - We also know that Mordecai prescribed a certain way for the people to celebrate.
Esther had a role in saving her people from Haman’s edict, we too have a roll in the salvation of those people God has placed in our lives.
- What stood out to you the most in the book of Esther? Are there some things that you
think should have been covered better? If you had to summarize the book of Esther in a
few short sentences for someone who has never read the book, how would you
summarize it? - What are some ways God turns things around for us in our lives?
- Read Matthew 5:8, what does it mean to be pure in heart? Are you pure in heart?
- Read Philippians 4:7, what is the peace of God? Do all Christians have this peace?
- Read Esther 9:20-24, what did Haman do to “scheme/(plotted)” against the Jews in
verse 24? Can you think of any other time in history when what seemed like would
result in a complete failure ended up in a complete victory? - Read Esther 9:15-32, what is Purim? How is it celebrated? Is it still celebrated today?
Using your phone, look up which day Purim would be in 2024. Is there another Holiday
celebrated close to that time? What are the similarities? - Read Esther 10, how important is it that believers are in positions of power and
influence? Is there a right way or a wrong way for Christians to vote? Are there any
Biblical principles that should drive our choices? - Please continue to pray for the new board, pastor Darin and his family. It’s easy to
forget to pray, we all have done it. Would you consider putting a reminder on your
phone for a quick prayer once a week?