Where is God?
Wk 8, “The Big Payback”
Esther 6
1/28/24
Justin Scarberry
Message Notes for Week 8
Old Testament Principal-An Eye for an Eye
Leviticus 20:17-20
17 ‘Now if someone takes any human life, he must be put to death. 18 But the one who takes the life of an animal shall make restitution, life for life. 19 If someone injures his neighbor, just as he has done, so shall it be done to him: 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; just as he has injured a person, so shall it be inflicted on him.
Punishment should be equal to the crime, not more and not less!
Living by the law is not just hard, it is impossible!
Leviticus 24: 16
Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the Lord must be put to death;
Leviticus 20:9
9 ‘If there is anyone who curses his father or his mother, he shall certainly be put to death.
Leviticus 20:10
10 ‘If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.
Jesus made the law even more impossible to keep!
Matthew 5:21-22 NIV
21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.
When we do get angry with others, don’t stay that way!
Ephesians 4:26-27 NASB
26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.
Queen Esther went straight to the king. How do we approach our King?
- Does it please the King?
- Does the matter seem proper to the King?
- Are you pleasing in the King’s sight?
When you go to God Is it selfish or selfless?
James 4:3 NIV
3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Revenge NEVER gets you even and often will bounce back on you! Leave it to God!
Romans 12:19
19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.
We are commanded to Love, not get revenge.
John 15:12-13 NIV
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Are you a friend of the law or a friend of Jesus?
1, What does the phrase“an eye for an eye” mean?
Read Leviticus 20:17-20.
a. Does this scripture mean that we should always payback for an injury to us?
2. What is the law in the Bible?
a. Are Christians bound to keeping the law?
b. Why or why not?
c. Did Jesus keep the law?
3. Read Esther 8:1-4
a. Give a brief summary of the 4 people listed in these verses.
b. What is the evil scheme of Haman in verse 3?
4. Read Esther 8:5
a. can we learn some insights from this verse on how we should approach our King?
5. Is there a right way or a wrong way to go to God?
a. Read James 4:3
b. What are some “wrong motives” we may have when we pray?
c. Does God always hear our prayers?
6. When we seek our own revenge does it usually get us even with others? Why or why not?
7. Read Esther 8:6-12
a. Do you think there is a significance of the king sending out “royal relay horses”?
8. Do you think Christians have the same urgency with sending out the message of our King?
a. What are some of the things that tend to get in the way of taking our King’s message to all the nations?
9. Can we be a “friend” of Jesus? Why or why not?
a, How can we know that we are a friend of Jesus?
b. Read John 15:12-14
c. How can we love people who do not love us or maybe even despise us?