Esthers uncle mordechai, was the leader of the jews. The story of esther esther lived in ancient persia about 100 years after the babylonian captivity. 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. The book of esther in the bible contains the whole entire story of esther and mordecai. 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. Grand old holy tells us the story of queen esthers wit and how she saves the lives of mordecai and fellow jews from. She alone could save the jewish people from the stupidity and cruelty of her husband the king. Subsequently, mordecai discovered a plot of the kings. But what had that plot to do with the great story of this book israels deliverance from haman. Harbona, one of the kings attendants told the king of the gallows that haman had built to have mordecai hanged. The king was furious with haman and ordered that he be hanged on those gallows. In the narrative, ahasuerus seeks a new wife after his queen, vashti, refuses to obey him, and esther is chosen for her beauty. Mordecai told her what haman had done and even sent her a letter showing hamans plan to destroy all the jews. The festival of purim was established by mordecai to remind jewish people how they were saved by queen esther and mordecai from extermination.
But before esther and mordecai appear in the story, we are told about xerxes and his first wife vashti. She asks that her life be spared and her people saved. As wonderful as esthers and mordecais story seems, there is much more to it. He told esther about the conspiracy, and she reported it to xerxes, giving credit to mordecai.
His name is mordecai, and we read the essential part of his life in the book of esther. According to the megillah, esther is the daughter of mordechais uncle, and thus, esther and mordechai are first cousins. The talmud says mordecai prophesied in the second year of darius. Esther was the cousin of mordecai, a member of the jewish community in the exilic period who claimed as an. The jewish feast of purim celebrates this particular deliverance of the jews. Bible stories for christian young children and toddlers. Esther was a jewish girl who had been taken captive. Esther 6 mordecai honored that night the king bible. But its unlikely that she wanted to be anywhere near the kings haremshe probably would have preferred to stay safely at home. The key personalities are esther, mordecai, king ahasuerus or xerxes, and haman. This would have meant that he could potentially have lost esther, as this meant she was to risk her life. 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. The book of esther begins with the queen of king ahasuerusvashtisnubbing the kings request to meet with her.
Mordecai s genealogy in the second chapter of the book of esther is given as a descendant of kish of the tribe of benjamin. The jewish holiday of purim, which typically falls sometime in march, tells esthers story. 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 resided in susa shushan or shoushan, the metropolis of persia now iran. But it is also a wonderful story of courage and faith. Without taking away from her courage, wisdom and devotion to god, the real hero of the book is a midlevel government official, mordecai.
God is not mentioned in the book of esther, but that doesnt mean he isnt there. Do you know any parents who do not enjoy pictures of their children and delight to show them to their friends. In the story of esther, youll meet a beautiful, young queen who risked her life to serve god and save her people. Finally esther shared the secret of her faith and proclaimed herself.
Mordecai story book of esther old testament bible story for. Mordecai was revealed to be the foster father of esther. 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. 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. Jun 18, 2019 the book of esther is one of only two books in the bible named for women. Immediately after leading mordecai around the city proclaiming, this is what is done for the man the king delights to honor. Because the plot is so engaging, we could easily overlook the complexity in this text. Read the full book of esther in hebrew and english here. 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. Mordecai informed esther of hamans plot against the jews, telling her to go before the king and plead for the jews lives esther 4.
Mordecai was esther s adoptive father, mentor, confidante, cheerleader, and fellow leader to stand for the rights of their jewish community. 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. Book of esther her cousin and foster father mordecai were able to frustrate hamans plans.
Dec 07, 2019 esther, the kings beautiful new wife was secretly mordecais cousin herself a jew. 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 massacre had been plotted by the kings chief minister, haman, and the date decided by casting lots purim. Finally esther shared the secret of her faith and proclaimed herself a jew. 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. The plotters, bigthan and teresh, paid the penalty with their lives. King xerxes had been hosting an extravagant banquet for male dignitaries that lasted for 180 days. And when calamity threatened, her cousin mordecai prefaced his.
There is much more to be discussed from both of these fascinating books, but i can agree with both of these authors. Esther 6 mordecai honored that night the king bible gateway. George frideric handel, esther, libretto by john arbuthnot et alexander pope, 1718 and 1732. King ahasuerus gave his ring to mordecaithe ring he had previously given to haman when haman became the kings righthand man. Esther asked the king to allow the jews to defend themselves against the people of haman, the agagites. 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. In fact, it suggests that the lines dont exist at all, that theres only one history and that god is sovereign over it. King ahasuerus gave his ring to mordecai the ring he had previously given to haman when haman became the kings righthand man. 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. 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. 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.
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. In the possibly jewish story of purim, the characters of mordecai and esther seem clearly derived from marduk. 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 heard all that mordecai had told her messenger. The story is haman is dying of thirst and mordecai agrees to give him water in return for his being mordechais slave. I have often read the book of esther from the bible but reading this account is quite refreshing. Kish was also the name of the father of king saul, and the talmud accords mordecai the status of a descendant of the first king of israel. But the words of esther do not necessarily lead to this conclusion. Esther sent someone to find out why mordecai was acting like this. Esther had the privilege of being part of the story of israels rescue. Understandably, as the heroine of the story, most discussions of the book are meant to inspire people to emulate her.
When esther s parents died, the orphaned child was adopted and raised by her older cousin mordecai. Queen esther was given rule over the house of haman. The story of esther blurs the lines between sacred and secular history. 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. At this, esther balkedshe did not have freedom to enter the kings presence without a summons. Esther 4 new international version niv mordecai persuades esther to help. Esther is the jewish maiden who became queen of persia and rescued her people from a murderous plot to annihilate them. 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. Esthers cousin mordecai had taken esther in and raised her as his own after esthers parents had died. Five things about esther that nobody talks about jews for jesus. Mordecai story book of esther old testament bible story.
Esther 4 niv mordecai persuades esther to help bible. Esther is described in the book of esther as a jewish queen of the persian king ahasuerus. The king removed his signet ring he had recovered from haman and gave it to mordecai esth. As scripture reveals, esther is a jewish woman living in persia and reared by her cousin 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. Esther 6 new international version niv mordecai honored. 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. The story of esther is full of ironies and reversals. 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. Her story is the traditional basis for purim, which is celebrated on the date given in the story for when hamans order. Esther bible story summary what christians want to know.
Esther the brave queen childrens sermon sermons4ki. The story that follows in chapters 38 gives details of a personal conflict that escalates into a nationwide pogrom against the jewish people. First there was vashti esther 1 the catalyst for esthers story is queen vashtis knockback of a summons from her husband. The book of esther is one of only two books in the bible named for women. After her parents died, she was adopted a family member, mordecai, who raised her as his own daughter. Naturally, being a rather unstable fellow, ahasuerus firesslashdivorces her. Esther queen of persia, intercessor for the jews before the king, and the one for whom the book of esther is written. Mordecai asked esther to beg for help from the king.
Making new laws and purim esther 89 the king gives hamans estate to queen esther and she puts mordecai in charge of it. The story of esther, where sacred and secular history meet. Its purpose is to demonstrate gods love and sovereignty in all circumstances. Esther and mordecai under xerxes of persia amazing bible. He is described as being the son of jair, of the tribe of benjamin. When esthers parents died, the orphaned child was adopted and raised by her older cousin mordecai. Find esther and mordecai sermons and illustrations. Mordechai encouraged esther to hide her faith from the king and his advisors, which she did. She tells xerxes that mordecai is her family and the king elevates him to hamans position. The news was conveyed to esther, and by her to the king. Please provide the source for the story of mordechai and haman traveling together.
In the crisis that was about to engulf him, mordecai turned to esther. Yet we must follow the text to some unfamiliar and even uncomfortable places and not retreat from what it actually says. In chapter 4, it tells us that mordecai encouraged esther to go to the king on behalf of the people. In the bible story, esther responds to ahasuerus promise with a much more significant request. Free access to sermons on esther and mordecai, church sermons, illustrations on esther and mordecai, and powerpoints for preaching on esther and mordecai. Esthers parents died when she was very small, and so mor.
The story of esther, mordecai, haman and king ahasuerus, is a drama which exhibits the divine supervision of the people of israel. 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. The fascinating story of mordechai and esther and their triumph over the treacherous haman, based on the megillah, talmud and midrash. 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. Marcantoine charpentier, historia esther, h 396, for soloists, chorus, strings and continuo 1675. 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.
Feb 25, 2020 he has a strong personality and is employed in the kings court. Esther and mordecai were about to discover the god of great reversals. It is a postexile story about jews who stayed behind after most returned to jerusalem after captivity. 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. Xerxes i, and her cousin mordecai persuade the king to retract an order for the general annihilation of jews throughout the empire. Mordecai was esthers adoptive father, mentor, confidante. 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. 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 4 niv mordecai persuades esther to help bible gateway. The book of esther 6 powerful life lessons from the bible.