A Sunday School study plan for kids by Bible Lessons 4 Kids including large group lesson, small group lesson and family devotions. For more information, please read About Bible Lessons 4 Kidz.
PPT TITLE
Main Point: God is Sovereign. He is in control of all things.
Key Verse:
The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord. He directs it like a stream of water anywhere He pleases. - Proverbs 21:1
Props: Clear glass pitcher (a clear drinking glass would work for a small group of students), water, 4 colors of food coloring, salad oil - as clear as possible, large spoon
Note to teacher: The term, “Jew,” began as a name for anyone who lived in the kingdom of Judah (2 Kings 16:6). Later, after the carrying away of the ten tribes, the term applied to all the Israelites (Jeremiah 32:12).
Say: Because the Israelites had disobeyed God, God allowed them to be taken captive. The tribes were split up and taken to Babylon. At this time, the Israelites were also known as Jews. The Israelites, or Jews, became a sad race. They didn’t have a land, they could not worship God in His temple, and they didn’t have their freedom. But God promised, through the prophet Jeremiah, that one day He would gather the Israelites together again and restore their land (Jeremiah 30:1-4).
Sixty years later, the king of Persia, King Cyrus, conquered Babylon. After the Persians took control of Babylon, the Lord gave a message to King Cyrus. God wanted the Jews to leave Persia and return to Jerusalem in the Promised Land. He wanted them to rebuild His Temple that had been destroyed.
The message was written down. It said, “Cyrus, the king of Persia, says, ‘The Lord is the God of heaven. He has given me all of the kingdoms on earth. He has appointed me to build a temple for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any one of his people among you can go up to Jerusalem. And may the Lord your God be with you.’ ”- 2 Chronicles 36:22b-23
Many of the Israelites obeyed God’s call. The Old Testament book of Ezra tells about the joy-filled returning of tens of thousands of Israelites to Jerusalem after their long captivity. But, sadly, Israel did not return complete. Some Jews chose not to return to Jerusalem as God had commanded. Just two books later, we find the book of Esther. Esther is an account of what happens when we don’t stay under the protection of God’s commands and promises. In the amazing story of Esther, we will see that God is FAITHFUL to keep His promises, no matter what people choose to do.
When the book of Esther opens, the great-grandson of King Cyrus, a man named Xerxes, was king over the massive territory of Persia and Media. It had been over 70 years since the Lord had commanded the Jews to leave Persia and return to Jerusalem, yet some of the Jews were STILL living in Persia. We must ask ourselves why these Israelites were still living in a foreign land where they did not belong. Perhaps they had grown attached to the land they were in. Maybe they liked the people and the culture. As we saw with the Israelites in the Promised Land, many had probably married the foreigners around them.
Note to Teacher: Xerxes reign began in 485 BC, nearly 75 years after King Cyrus’ decree from the Lord in 559 BC (2 Chronicles 36:22).
As chapter one of Esther begins, we read that King Xerxes was throwing a huge party. The party lasted for six months!
In the third year of his rule King Xerxes gave a big dinner. It was for all of his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media were there. So were the princes and the nobles of the territories he ruled over. Every day for 180 days he showed his guests the great wealth of his kingdom. He also showed them how glorious his kingdom was. - Esther 1:3-4
Ask: Who was present at the six month banquet? All the nobles and officials, military leaders, princes.
Say:
Every day for 180 days he showed his guests the great wealth of his kingdom. He also showed them how glorious his kingdom was. - Esther 1:4
The King wanted the leaders to think he was amazing. The King gave them all a six month vacation with the best places to sleep, the best food to eat, and the most fun they had ever had.
Ask: Would you side with someone who did all of this for you? probably, yes
Say: The six-month party was followed by an additional seven-day party at the palace for EVERY man in the capital city of Susa. That’s amazing! There would have been thousands of people there. The king’s court was decorated beautifully. The couches they sat on were made of gold and silver and they drank out of golden cups. The King was very determined to show his great wealth to everyone.
Say: At the very end of the King’s parties, when he was just about finished showing off this splendor to all of Susa, the king made one request. He asked for his wife, Queen Vashti, to be brought to his party. He ordered his officials to go and get the queen.
He told them to bring Queen Vashti to him. He wanted her to come wearing her royal crown. He wanted to show off her beauty to the people and nobles. She was lovely to look at. The attendants told Queen Vashti what the king had ordered her to do. But she refused to come. So the king became very angry. In fact, he burned with anger. - Esther 1:11
Say: In front of all the people of Susa, the King’s request was turned down. For the King to be turned down by his very own queen in front of so many people was not alright with the king. He became very angry. Verse 12 says, “He burned with anger.”
Ask: How do you respond when things don’t go your way, or when you’re embarrassed in front of your friends?
Say: The King asked the wise men around him what he should do about Queen Vashti. The wise men told King Xerxes that he should decree that Queen Vashti must be dethroned. Everyone was watching King Xerxes to see what he was going to do. A royal decree meant the King could never change his mind. It would be final. King Xerxes took away the queen’s crown. And so, Queen Vashti never saw the King again. Queen Vashti was wrong to refuse her husband’s wish, but sending her away forever was a very sad solution. We know that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16) and God requires us to forgive one another (Colossians 3:13).
Application: King Xerxes took advice from those around him, and that advice changed the lives of himself, his wife, and everyone in the kingdom. When you look to others for advice, be sure to choose people who follow God and know what the Bible says. They will give you advice from God’s word. It is rich in wisdom (Colossians 3:16). It is the very best advice, because it is from God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). He knows the past, present, and future, and He wants the very best for you.
Say: Even when people make bad decisions, God can use it for His purposes. We will see that the banishment of Queen Vashti opened the door of opportunity for God to protect His people.
Four years passed between chapters one and two of Esther. According to history, the king may have gone to battle with Greece during this time. King Xerxes’ plan of controlling Greece had failed. This meant he would have returned to Susa very disappointed, ashamed, and frustrated - AND without a queen.
Later, the anger of King Xerxes calmed down. Then he remembered Vashti and what she had done. He also remembered the royal order he had sent out concerning her. - Esther 2:1 NET
Ask: What do you think was going through the King’s mind when he thought about Vashti? Regret of what he did, missing Vashti Ask: Have you ever regretted something you did in the midst of being angry or upset? Have you ever hurt someone’s feelings with something you said?
Say: King Xerxes was not angry any more. But, because he ordered that Vashti be removed as queen, he could not bring her back.
The king’s servants who attended him said, “Let a search be conducted in the king’s behalf for attractive young women. And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa the citadel.” - Esther 2:2-3a NET
Say: The king’s advisers suggested a kingdom-wide search for a new queen. It was almost like a beauty pageant. They planned to gather all the young women who were not married, take them to a special part of the palace, and give them beauty treatments. The king would meet with each of them, and the one he liked the most would take Vashti’s place as queen (Esther 2:4). Here is where Esther entered the scene. She was one of the women gathered up to be taken to the palace.
There was a Jew living in the safest place in Susa. He was from the tribe of Benjamin. His name was Mordecai. - Esther 2:5a
Mordecai’s family had been from the land of Judah to Babylon years before by military force (Esther 2:6).
Mordecai had a very beautiful cousin named Esther, whose Hebrew name was Hadassah. He had raised her as his own daughter, after her father and mother died. When the king ordered the search for beautiful women, many were taken to the king’s palace in Susa, and Esther was one of them. - Esther 2:7-8 CEV
Ask: What do we know about Esther from these verses?
Say: Esther didn’t know what it was like to have a dad, and she didn’t have the hugs and kisses of a mom. Instead, God provided her cousin, Mordecai, to care for her. Know that God works with ALL kinds of people with ALL kinds of families!
In the palace, Esther lived with girls from all of the provinces from India to Ethiopia. For one year, each young woman received perfume baths and special treatments with the sole purpose of being beautiful for King Xerxes. Esther’s cousin Mordecai told Esther to keep it a secret that she was a Jew, and Esther obeyed his wish. Finally, it was Esther’s turn to meet King Xerxes.
She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal house. It was now the tenth month. That was the month of Tebeth. It was the seventh year of the rule of Xerxes. The king liked Esther more than he liked any of the other women... So he put a royal crown on her head. He made her queen in Vashti’s place. - Esther 2:16-17
Say: Esther was chosen! She was crowned queen in place of Vashti. King Xerxes held a big dinner in Esther’s honor. He made the day a holiday and gave away expensive gifts (Esther 2:18).
Esther was not in her homeland. She was now married to a man who didn’t even know her godly heritage as a Jew or Israelite. She was surronded by people who did not share her belief in God. She was certainly out-of-place, and many people around her were going to make terrible decisions. But God will NOT forget His promise to make Israel a Great nation. And so, in the book of Esther, we will watch God stay true to His word, and use Esther in an amazing way!
Application: Like Esther, you might find yourself surrounded by people who do not believe in the God you serve. As believers, God calls us to be different. God wants us to affect the people around us. He does NOT want the people around us to affect us. Jesus compared Christians to salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). When we sprinkle salt on bland food, the salt changes the taste of the food. The food does not change the taste of the salt. Also, Jesus said we are the light of the world. When a candle is lit and placed in a dark room, the candle flame lights up the dark room. The dark room does not dim the candle flame. Light dispels darkness. Darkness does not dispel light.
At one time, God wanted His people to be separated from those around them to keep them pure (Deuteronomy 7:16, Judges 2:2-3). But that is not the case now. God does not separate believers from those around them. Because Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to live inside of every believer (Romans 5:5), we are able to live pure lives, no matter where we are (1 Corinthians 10:13, Titus 2:11-12).
Teacher: Take the large clear pitcher and fill half full with water. Say: This glass pitcher represents the world we live in. We’ll say this water stands for people. The Bible says everyone in the world has sinned. We’ll let this food coloring represent sin. Choose the red food coloring and add several drops to your water. The people break the laws God has given. They do what they want to do, instead of what God wants. Choose another color and add it to the water. They make up their own ideas of what God is like, and they follow that. Choose another color and add it to the water. They choose to hurt other people. Choose another color and add it to the water. They are self-centered and think only about what is best for them. Stir and show the pitcher to the kids. (The water should be very dark by now.) This is the very sinful world we live in. Now, hold up your bottle of salad oil. But, the GREAT news is, when we chose to put our trust in Jesus, He takes our sin away and makes us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). We will let this oil represent those who trust in Jesus. There is no color in them, because their sins have been washed away. But as we said earlier, believers are called to live in the world with all the other people. That way, those who don’t know Jesus can be affected by the Christians. The non-Christians can see the pure lives of the believers, and learn about Jesus. Pour about an inch of oil into the pitcher. Give the water a good stir each time you mention the following: The believers live in neighborhoods with other people, they go to school with other people, they work with other people, and they are on sports teams with other people. Remove your spoon and allow the water to settle while you say the next few lines. Remember how Jesus said we should affect those around us, but they should not affect us? The other people in the world are not following God. They are not living pure lives. The believers are in the world, interacting with these people, but they must live godly lives. Take your spoon, and carefully get a spoonful of oil from the top inch. In a way that the children can see, pour the oil into a clear glass to show the oil is still clear. Just like the color did not get into our oil, our lives must remain pure. This means, we do not live the way the rest of the world lives. We do not choose to sin. We do not do things our own way. We do things God’s way. When we live God’s way, our lives will be full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. Then the other people will be drawn to us, and we can point them to Jesus (1 Peter 2:12).
Say: Next week we will see what God does next in the lives of Esther, Mordecai, and a terribly wicked man named Haman.
PPT MAIN POINT
Main Point: God is Sovereign. He is in control of all things.
© 2007 BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only.
Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society / Used by permission of IBS-STL. All rights reserved worldwide.
Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.
PPT TITLE
Main Point: God is Sovereign. He is in control of all things.
Key Verse:
The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord. He directs it like a stream of water anywhere He pleases. - Proverbs 21:1
Props: An umbrella; [Optional Demonstration: rolled up paper with fancy writing for “scroll,” playdoh or sealing wax, a ring with engraved top for signet ring]
Last week, we learned about a beautiful Jewish, or Israelite, girl named Esther. She was living in the city of Susa with her older cousin Mordecai. Mordecai had raised Esther, because her parents died when she was a little girl. When we left our story last week, King Xerxes had chosen Esther from all the young women of the kingdom to become his new queen. This sounds like something out of a storybook, but danger lies ahead. Mordecai had not taken Esther to live where God wanted them to live. God had instructed all of the Jewish people to return to their homeland to be together and rebuild His temple (2 Chronicles 36:23). Mordecai and many other Jews had ignored God’s instructions. They had become comfortable in the foreign land of Persia, and they remained where they did not belong. Furthermore, Mordecai had told Esther not to tell the king that she was a Jew. Esther kept her family a secret. Listen this week as we hear how God orchestrated all the events in Esther’s life to carry out His plan and keep His promises.
One day while Mordecai was at the palace gate, he overheard two of the king’s officers talking. No doubt, God had placed Mordecai right where God wanted him to be.
Bigthana and Teresh were two of the king’s officers. They guarded the door of the royal palace. They became angry with King Xerxes. So they decided to kill him. They made their evil plans while Mordecai was sitting at the palace gate. So he found out about it. And he told Queen Esther. Then she reported it to the king. She told him that Mordecai had uncovered the plans against him. Some people checked Esther’s report. And they found out it was true. So the two officials were put to death. - Esther 2:21-23a
All of these things were written in the king’s official record book. God is always at work! Isn’t it amazing how God had Mordecai at that gate just at the exact time that he would overhear this terrible plan to kill the king? By reporting this to Esther, he saved the king’s life!
Note to Teacher: In 1 Samuel 15:1-35, Israel was commanded to completely destroy the Amalekites - every man, woman, and child. They did not kill Agag, the King of the Amalekites, although they were told to do so. From Agag’s family line came Haman, a consequence of past sin.
King Xerxes had an another official, named Haman. Haman was from the family line of Agag, a great enemy of the Jewish people (1 Samuel 15). King Xerxes gave him a very high position, and even ordered that everyone bow down to him. Because Mordecai was a the palace gate, he knew of this decree, and he knew who Haman was, yet he refused to bow down to Haman (Esther 3:2). When the officials asked Mordecai why he would not bow down, he told them it was because he was a Jew.
Haman noticed that Mordecai wouldn’t get down on his knees. He wouldn’t give Haman any honor. So Haman burned with anger. But he had found out who Mordecai’s people were. So he decided not to kill just Mordecai. He also looked for a way to destroy all of Mordecai’s people. They were Jews. He wanted to kill all of them everywhere in the kingdom of Xerxes. - Esther 3:5-6
Say: Haman was furious that Mordecai would not honor him, and Haman acted in anger. He came up with a plan to kill ALL the Jews in King Xerxes’ kingdom. Remember, this was a huge, far-reaching kingdom that included many countries.
Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “Certain people are scattered among the nations. They live in all of the territories in your kingdom. Their practices are different from the practices of all other people. They don’t obey your laws. It really isn’t good for you to put up with them. If it pleases you, give the order to destroy them. I’ll even add 375 tons of silver to the royal treasures. You can use it to pay the men who take care of the matter.”
So the king took his ring off his finger. The ring had his royal seal on it. He gave the ring to Haman. - Esther 3:8-10a
This time King Xerxes didn’t even go to his counsel of wise men for advice. The king blindly followed the plan of Haman. Haman had the royal secretaries write orders to all the governors and officials. The orders said they must kill all the Jews on a single day, eleven months away. The king gave Haman his ring with the royal seal. Once the orders were marked with the royal seal, they could not be undone. Optional Demonstration: Either place a small piece of playdoh or melt a small amount of wax on your rolled up scroll. Press a signet ring into the wax or playdoh to “seal” the document. If using Playdoh, tell the students this was originally done with melted wax. Keep this sealed scroll to refer to next week.
Haman was certainly an evil man. His pride caused him to think he was great and worthy to have an entire kingdom bow down to him. When Mordecai refused to bow to him, he became angry enough to kill an entire race of people. But, would God stand for this? Let’s take a quick look back into the history of the Jewish people. Way back in the beginning of Genesis, God blessed Abraham by making him the ancestor of all the Jewish people. The entire Jewish race started with Abraham and his wife, Sarah. God made these promises to Abraham:
PPT VERSE
I will make you into a great nation.
I will bless you.
I will make your name great.
You will be a blessing to others.
I will bless those who bless you.
I will put a curse on anyone who calls down a curse on you.
All nations on earth will be blessed because of you.” - Genesis 12:2-3
These promises were NOT “if - then” promises. They were “no matter what” promises. There was nothing Abraham’s people could do to earn these things. And there was nothing that they could do to stop God from keeping these promises. These promises did not depend on the Jews’ obedience. It was based ONLY on God’s grace and love.
Ask: What was the first promise? I will make you into a great nation.
Say: God promised to make Abraham’s descendants in to a great nation. The word used for great in this verse (gadowl) means very important, and large in number. God promised to keep Abraham’s people, the Jews, large in number. Haman planned to kill a very large number of the Jews.
Ask: Also, what did God’s promise say about anyone who cursed Abraham’s people? God will put a curse on them. Say: Haman had certainly called down a curse on the Jewish people. Remember, God ALWAYS keeps His promises.
However, do not miss this point: God had instructed all the Jews to return to Jerusalem. If Mordecai and the rest of the Jews had obeyed God, there would not have been any Jews left in Xerxes’ kingdom for Haman to kill! Following God’s command would have protected the Jews from the evil plan of their enemy, Haman. It is ALWAYS best to obey God’s commands.
Application: Following God’s commands keeps us under the umbrella of God’s protection (Psalm 91:14). When we choose not to obey God, we remove ourselves from the protection of God (Deuteronomy 23:14, 2 Chronicles 24:20, Joshua 7:10-12).
Teacher: Choose a child from the group, and use your umbrella to illustrate this point. Part of God’s plan of protection for children is placing them in the care of their parents. He has given your parents authority over you, and they are responsible for taking care of you. If you follow their commands and obey their rules, you will be under the umbrella of God’s protection. God promises this! Open the umbrella and hold it over the child. (Or point to the power point illustration.) God loves us very much, and wants us to live under His loving protection. But, if you choose to disobey your parents, you step out from under the umbrella of God’s protection. Have the child step out from under the umbrella. Do not move the umbrella, because God’s care does not move or change; it is our choice to step away from His care. It breaks God’s heart when we make this choice (Genesis 6:6, 1 Chronicles 21:15). He does not want us to be open to trouble and harm. Listen to God’s promise, and remember, God ALWAYS keeps His promises!
Children, obey your parents as believers in the Lord. Obey them because it’s the right thing to do. Scripture says, “Honor your father and mother.” That is the first commandment that has a promise. “Then things will go well with you. You will live a long time on the earth.” - Ephesians 6:1-3
Note to Teacher: God had warned that destruction and hard times would come if Israel was disobedient. So, it is not surprising that the Jews, remaining in Persia and Media, feared for their lives. Speaking through Moses, God told Israel that this would happen if they did not follow Him.
There will be very few of you left, though at one time you were as numerous as the stars in the sky, because you will have disobeyed the Lord your God. The Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods of wood and stone. Among those nations you will have no rest nor will there be a place of peaceful rest for the soles of your feet, for there the Lord will give you an anxious heart, failing eyesight, and a spirit of despair. Your life will hang in doubt before you; you will be terrified by night and day and will have no certainty of surviving from one day to the next. - Deuteronomy 28:62, 64-66 NET
Say: As chapter 4 begins, Mordecai and all the Jews in the entire Persian empire were in mourning. A day had been given when all their lives would come to an end. Mordecai sent a messenger named Hathach to tell Esther about the decree against the Jews. It was dangerous for Esther to have this conversation, because the king did not know she was a Jew. Mordecai sent Esther a copy of the order to kill all the Jews.
Mordecai told Hathach to show the order to Esther. He wanted him to explain it to her. He told him to try and get her to go to the king. He wanted her to beg for mercy. He wanted her to make an appeal to the king for her people. - Esther 4:8b
Esther hesitated when she was challenged to go to the king, because there was a very strict law about visiting the king. Anyone who went to see the king without being called for would be killed, unless the king held out his royal scepter, or gold rod.
Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai. Then he sent back an answer. He said, “You live in the king’s palace. But don’t think that just because you are there you will be the only Jew who will escape. What if you don’t say anything at this time? Then help for the Jews will come from another place. But you and your family will die. Who knows? It’s possible that you became queen for a time just like this.” - Esther 4:13-14
Mordecai reminded Esther that even she would not be safe from the order to kill all the Jews. Mordecai was right when he told Esther that if she did not go to the king, then help would come from somewhere else. Mordecai knew that God had promised that the Jews would be a great nation. Esther considered Mordecai’s challenge, and accepted it. She told Mordecai to ask the Jews to fast for three days on her behalf, and she would then go before King Xerxes – unsummoned.
Three days later, Esther put on her royal robes and approached the king’s court. Imagine the fear in Esther’s heart as she walked toward the thrown room. If King Xerxes did not hold out his royal scepter to her, she would be put to death. Not only would she die, but then she could not beg for the lives of her people. Thousands of lives hung in the balance. Esther walked, no doubt, trembling, toward the king.
The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall. He was facing the entrance. He saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard. He was pleased with her. So he reached out toward her the gold rod that was in his hand. - Esther 5:1b-2a
Against all odds, once again, Esther found favor in the eyes of the King. She was NOT killed, and she began her journey toward rescuing her people.
Say: At her young age, Esther put her life on the line, and bravely went before King Xerxes to save the lives of many. Next week we will see the AMAZING twists that God caused in Ester’s story. We will see that no matter what people do, or fail to do, there is nothing that can stop God from keeping His promises!
The Lord blocks the sinful plans of the nations. He keeps them from doing what they want to do. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever. What he wants to do will last for all time. - Psalm 33:11
PPT MAIN POINT
Main Point: God is Sovereign. He is in control of all things.
© 2007 BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only.
Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society / Used by permission of IBS-STL. All rights reserved worldwide.
Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.
PPT TITLE
Main Point: God is Sovereign. He is in control of all things.
PPT VERSE
Key Verse:
The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord. He directs it like a stream of water anywhere He pleases. - Proverbs 21:1
Props: Large fancy scroll, decorated with tassels, [Optional: Sealed scroll from last week]
Say: When we left our story, a cruel man named Haman had convinced King Xerxes to command the killing all of the Jews in his kingdom. By royal decree, the date was set. The Jews had only months to live. Queen Esther was challenged by her cousin, Mordecai, to go before the King and make an appeal for the lives of the Jews. Esther struggled with this challenge. Simply going before the king without being invited could result in her own death. As she walked into the courts of the king, the most dramatic scene in the Book of Esther unfolded. Certainly, all those who watched the beautiful queen approach the king held their breath in anticipation. King Xerxes extended his scepter to Esther, as a symbol that he would allow her into his presence. Esther found favor in his eyes.
Note to Teacher: Parallel to Salvation and coming into the Presence of God Salvation is made possible by God, who grants sinful and undeserving men and women to draw near to Him when this should mean death for us. Sin separates men from God. God cannot dwell in the presence of sinful men nor can sinners approach a holy God. We see this illustrated by King Xerxes. The law stipulated that no one could approach the king unless invited by him. Those who came uninvited were put to death, unless the king extended his scepter and graciously spared their life. We cannot approach God apart from His grace in granting that we might come into His presence. And this we can do only because He extended Himself to us in the coming of Jesus Christ. In the righteousness of Jesus Christ, we can approach God boldly.
Bob Deffinbaugh, Sleepless in Susa (Esther 5:1-7:10) ©1996-2006 Biblical Studies Press, reprinted with permission from www.bible.org.
The king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What do you want? I’ll give it to you. I’ll even give you up to half of my kingdom.”
Esther replied, “King Xerxes, if it pleases you, come to a big dinner today. I’ve prepared it for you. Please have Haman come with you.” - Esther 5:3-4
After the dramatic entrance of Esther, the King wanted to know why she had come to him. No doubt, Xerxes could tell she was greatly troubled. More than likely, she was trembling, or pale in the face. The king seemed to want to soothe Esther’s distress. The king told her she could have anything - up to half of the kingdom! All she asked for was to have dinner with the king and Haman. So King Xerxes and Haman went to the dinner that Esther had prepared for them. Again, the king asked Esther what she wanted. Again, he told her he would give her anything - up to half of the kingdom.
Esther replied, “Here is what I want. Here is my appeal to you. I hope you will show me your favor. I hope you will be pleased to give me what I want. And I hope you will be pleased to listen to my appeal. If you are, I’d like you and Haman to come tomorrow to the big dinner I’ll prepare for you. Then I’ll answer your question.” - Esther 5:7-8
Say: What a strange request - a second banquet. We aren’t told why Esther did this. But no matter the reason, God used this one extra day to do something incredible.
Haman left Esther’s first dinner very pleased that the queen had invited him to two special dinners.
That day Haman was happy. So he left the palace in a good mood. But then he saw Mordecai at the palace gate. He noticed that Mordecai didn’t stand up when he walked by. In fact, Mordecai didn’t have any respect for him at all. So he burned with anger against him. - Esther 5:9
Application: Haman was an evil man. His heart was filled with sin. He was very proud and he lacked self-control. First, let’s look at pride. Have you ever been angry because someone didn’t give you the attention or praise you thought you deserved? Maybe one of your friends chose to invite someone to his or her house instead of you. This might cause you to become angry. This anger is really pride. Pride is thinking too highly of ourselves. The Bible says God hates pride and bragging (Proverbs 8:13) and God is far away from people who are proud (Psalm 138:6). God wants us to know that we are valuable to Him because He created us, He loves us, and His Son died for us. There is no need for us to be proud of ourselves. Everything good in our lives comes from God (James 1:17)! Furthermore, we do not need to beg for the attention of others when we know that the Creator of the universe loves us with an unchanging, unfailing love (Jeremiah 31:3, Zephaniah 3:17).
Secondly, Haman did not have self-control. His pride filled him with anger. Haman let his feelings determine how he lived. He made decisions according to how he felt. Haman was a very proud man who could not control his emotions, and soon we will see that these characteristics would lead him into terrible trouble.
After Esther’s first banquet, Haman went home, gathered his friends and family, and talked all about himself and how great he was. He talked about how rich he was, about how many sons he had, and about the great job he had with King Xerxes. He boasted that he was more important than any other official in the kingdom, and he even bragged that he was the only person, besides the king, that Queen Esther had invited to dinner.
Haman loved to talk about himself!
Then Haman said: “But even all of that doesn’t satisfy me. I won’t be satisfied as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the palace gate.” - Esther 5:10b-12
Say: Haman listed all the incredible blessings he had, but it was still not enough for him. He wouldn’t be happy until Mordecai was dead. So his wife and his friends gave him some advice. They told him he should build a tall tower where he could have Mordecai hanged. Haman was thrilled with this idea, and he had the gallows built.
Application: Again, we see that Haman is an example of how not to live. We must surround ourselves with godly people who will give us Biblical advice. Not one of Haman’s friends talked sensibly. No one told him that he had plenty to be thankful for, and to forget about Mordecai. No one told Haman that his anger would end in his own destruction (Proverbs 29:22). The people that Haman chose to spend time with told him only what he wanted to hear. This is a very important lesson for us to learn. Do you choose to be around people who add fuel to your fire? Or do you choose to be around people who will advise you to do the right thing, according to God’s Word? We must choose friends who will encourage us to be more godly (Proverbs 27:17).
Say: That night, the King was unable to sleep. So, he asked for the Chronicles, or history book, of his reign to be read to him. Hold up large scroll, and pretend to read from it. Instead of falling asleep, King Xerxes became very interested in one of the stories which was read to him. Ask: Can you guess which story? Listen to answers.
Say: Do you remember at the beginning of last week’s lesson, we learned that Mordecai had overheard two of the king’s officials plotting to kill King Xerxes? Mordecai told Esther and the plot was stopped. Mordecai had saved the King’s life but he had never been rewarded. This was the exact part of the Chronicles that was being read to King Xerxes! Ask: Do you think it was just a coincidence that the king could not sleep that night and the story of Mordecai was being read that night? No! Or, could it have been that something or Someone greater was controlling what was happening? God was controlling it!
Say: King Xerxes realized that Mordecai was never honored for saving his life. King Xerxes was determined to reward Mordecai in some way. Just as the King was considering what to do, Haman entered the courts. Haman had come to the King to receive permission to hang Mordecai.
Before Haman had a chance to make his request, the king asked Haman what should be done to honor a man whom the king favored. Haman described a lavish plan for King Xerxes, because Haman was SURE that he was the one the king wanted to honor.
“Have your servants get a royal robe you have worn. Have them bring a horse you have ridden on. Have a royal crest placed on its head. Then give the robe and horse to one of your most noble princes. Let the robe be put on the man you want to honor. Let him be led on the horse through the city streets. Let people announce in front of him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor!’ ” - Esther 6:8-9
Haman was thrilled about his idea. He could picture himself parading through the streets on the king’s horse, as people admired his greatness.
“Go right away,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe. Bring the horse. Do exactly what you have suggested. Do it for the Jew Mordecai.” - Esther 6:10a
What a blow to Haman’s pride! Haman did as the King said. Mordecai was honored, and Haman returned home that day very ashamed and embarrassed as he prepared for the second banquet with Esther. This is an example of God’s warning in Isaiah 2:11. It says, “A man who brags will be brought low. Men who are proud will be put to shame.”
Note to Teacher: Haman seems to view the king’s honor as Satan viewed God’s glory. Haman’s view of honor was to experience the honor of the king himself. He would love to wear the king’s clothing and ride the king’s horse. He would love to wear the king’s crown. He would love to parade about having the entire city bow down to him as they would the king. Is it not evident that Haman really would like to be the king?
Bob Deffinbaugh, Sleepless in Susa (Esther 5:1-7:10) ©1996-2006 Biblical Studies Press, reprinted with permission from www.bible.org.
Say: King Xerxes and Haman came to Esther’s second banquet. The king intentionally asked what was on Esther’s heart. Surely he was extremely curious by this time.
Then Queen Esther answered, “King Xerxes, I hope you will show me your favor. I hope you will be pleased to let me live. That’s what I want. Please spare my people. That’s my appeal to you. My people and I have been sold to be destroyed. We’ve been sold to be killed and wiped out.” - Esther 7:3-4a
Say: Esther finally said it! She asked the king to spare her life and the lives of her people. Remember, the king did not yet know that she was a Jew, so he did not realize that Esther’ was talking about Haman’s wicked plot.
King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is the man who has dared to do such a thing? And where is he?”
Esther said, “The man hates us! He’s our enemy! He’s this evil Haman!” - Esther 7:5-6a
Burning with anger, King Xerxes walked away from the banquet trying to think about all that Esther had just told him. Ask: What do you think would have been going through your mind if you were Xerxes? How could I have ordered my wife’s death through my very own decree? The decree had my royal seal and cannot be taken back.
Say: King Xerxes returned to the banquet and found Haman desperately begging Esther to have mercy over his life. Haman knew his day would not finish any better than it began. At this very moment, one of the King’s servants arrived with a message which took King Xerxes’ anger over the edge.
Then Harbona, one of the king’s personal servants, said, “Your Majesty, Haman built a tower seventy-five feet high beside his house, so he could hang Mordecai on it. And Mordecai is the very one who spoke up and saved your life.”
“Hang Haman from his own tower!” the king commanded. - Esther 7:9 CEV
Say: What timing! Over and over, the right people entered the scene at the right time. Notice how God moved people to be at certain places at certain times.
These events were not just incredible timing and coincidence! God works in the lives of all different kinds of people to bring about what He wants.
Say: Last week we reviewed the promises that God had made to Abraham way back in Genesis 12. Ask: Who can remember what God said He would do to anyone who cursed Abraham’s family, the Jews? God promised to curse them (Genesis 12:3b).
Say: God destroyed Haman because God promised that He would.
Say: Xerxes decided to replace Haman with Mordecai, elevating him to a position of great power. Although Haman was dead, the killing of the Jews in Persia and Media was still “on the calendar.” The King had decreed it, and it was irreversible. Teacher: If you did the Optional Demostration last week (using the signet ring to seal the scroll) show the scroll and seal to the students again.
Mordecai came up with a plan! He asked Xerxes to send out an additional decree allowing the Jews to take up weapons and defend themselves. The Jews in Persian and Media were able to fight back. Their enemies became afraid of them, and the Jews were not destroyed.
Ask: Does anyone remember the first promise God made to Abraham? He would make Abraham’s people into a great (important & great in number) nation (Genesis 12:2).
Saving the Jews was also part of God’s promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3, Psalm 68:20). Again, we see God was faithful to keep His promises, even when His people were disobedient.
Make no mistake - God is in control. He will accomplish what He sets out to do (Psalm 33:11). Nothing can interrupt His plan. Proverbs 21:30 says, “No wisdom, wise saying or plan can succeed against the Lord.” God may even choose to use ungodly people, and twist the sinful schemes of people to accomplish His plan (Genesis 50:20). But it would have been FAR better for all the Jewish people in the book of Esther to have done things God’s way and return to their homeland. They would have avoided heartache and bloodshed.
Application: At times, we will all have things in our lives that are difficult. Sometimes we are in hard circumstances because of poor choices we have made. For instance, if you choose to play video games instead of studying for a test, more than likely you will earn a poor grade. Even more serious than that, there are bad circumstances that follow when we choose to sin. For example, when you hit someone because you are angry, you will hurt the other person and you will get in trouble. But sometimes, hard circumstances come even when we have not done anything wrong. Examples of this are when someone we love dies, illness, or being teased for following Jesus.
No matter what situation comes your way, remember that God is sovereign. Other words for sovereign are: controlling, absolute, highest, kingly, majestic, master, principal, ruler. All this means that God is in control! God is bigger than any circumstance in our life. God is bigger than any person in our life. God is bigger than the mistakes we have made, and God can work everything together for our good (Romans 8:28).
This is not to say we should go out and do anything we want, because God will pick up the pieces and make everything alright. No, the Bible says not to test, or challenge, God (Deuteronomy 6:16). We should ALWAYS try to follow God’s instructions from the Bible and our prayer time. Following God’s instructions gives us God’s BEST for our life. But when you fail, turn back to Him. And if you are in a difficult time that you cannot control, know that you serve a mighty God who can do anything. Ask God to give you grace to get through it, and for Him to use it for His glory 2 Corinthians 12:10-11).
PPT MAIN POINT
Main Point: God is Sovereign. He is in control of all things.
© 2007 BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit, and non-commercial uses only.
Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society / Used by permission of IBS-STL. All rights reserved worldwide.
Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.