Esther 6 - Sessions

The study of Esther delves into the themes of courage, providence, and divine sovereignty, exploring how God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary purposes. As the renowned preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, "God’s providence is the great thread that runs through the story of Esther, though it is not always visible, it is always at work."

1: Introduction to Esther: "A Time for Esther: God's Sovereignty"- Esther 4:14

2: Setting the Stage (Esther 1-2)-"From Exile to Opportunity: The Beginning of Esther's Story"

3: Have Courage (Esther 3-4)-"Courage in the Face of Crisis: Esther’s Bold Decision"

4: Faithfulness Brings Honor (Esther 5-6)-"God’s Timing and Favor: Faithfulness in Action"

5: Pride and Hatred Lead to Destruction (Esther 7-8)-"The Fall of the Proud: God’s Justice in Action"

6: With God, There is Victory (Esther 9-10)-"Victory Through Faith: Celebrating God’s Deliverance"

The Book of Esther shows how God intervened once again to save the Jews. This fast-moving story occurs during the reign of the Persian king Xerxes (most likely Xerxes I, 486–465 BC). It relates the adventures that take place when a Jewish exile named Esther and her cousin and guardian Mordecai work to rescue their people from a plot to destroy them. While the story never mentions God by name, God’s hand of protection can be detected in the timing and combination of events as they unfold.

The book features numerous banquets, including two hosted by Xerxes at the beginning, two given by Esther in the middle, and two celebrated by the grateful Jews at the end. Since this story was told to later generations during the feast of Purim itself, the audience is placed right in the middle of the action. Those who read it can not only join in celebrating God’s deliverance, but they can ask themselves, as Mordecai asked Esther, for what great purpose God may have brought them to their own position in life.

This is a historical narrative, and it is a wonderful example of God making a plan before we know we need a plan. God saw what was going to happen for the Jewish people at the hands of a political advisor of this king, and God arranged things so that Esther would be in a place of influence that would ultimately save the people of God. What an extraordinary story and an extraordinary young lady who found herself in a position of influence whom God could use to change the destiny of a people.