Esther - Chapter 6

From pride to humiliation

Esther – Chapter 6

Review

1. History Review
1. When : Time – Some say 486-465 B.C or 464-415 B.C.  Few say 135-104 B.C., during Maccabean period, but that disclaims/discredits the historical value of the story and assumes it’s a allegorical story.
2. When : Relative to Daniel – After.  Daniel was Babylonian to the start of Persian Empires. Esther is entirely within Persian Empire.
3. Who : about – Esther.  A Jewish girl.
4. Who: wrote it – Unknown.  A palace slave?  Mordacai?  Nehemiah?  Jew or Gentile?  Probably Jewish.  Probably Nehemiah.
2. Chapter 1
1. Potential sympathy for Vashti
2. No deep OBVIOUS theological message in Chapter 1 (yet).
3. Chapter 2
1. More character traits of King X.  See Esther move into the scene.
2. No deep OBVIOUS theological message in Chapter 2 (yet).  But maybe there’s a lesson about God works even when it’s not obvious to us that He’s working – like in Esther.
4. Chapter 3
1. Mort rebels against bowing to Haman and the other gate-visitors turn Mort in.
2. Death sentence for Jews
3. King X still a dope.
5. Chapter 4
1. Mort mourning is a concern for Esther.
2. Mort scolds Esther.
3. Esther is reluctant, but agrees with Mort’s request.
6. Chapter 5
1. Haman’s pride will be his downfall
2. Friends and family can be a powerful influence.

Introduction

1. How did you all do this week reading Esther?
2. What’s your opinion of Esther (thus far)?  Easy, hard, straightforward, confusing, basic, advanced, etc?  Compare it to Daniel or Romans, etc as well as your impression of it on its own.
3. What is your opinion of this chapter?  Easy or lots of questions, difficult and convoluted?
4. Can you group any of these chapters together?

Lesson

1. vv. 1-5 [READ – Est 6:1-5] A surprise ending to a night-time reading.
1. V 1 – A Biblical prescription for sleeplessness: read old meeting minutes.

                                                               i.      Question: Is God acting here?

2. V 2-3 – The King is read about Mort saving him from the plot or Bigthana and Teresh (from Est 2:21) and asks a logical question:  What was done for Mort?
3. V 4-5 – So, Haman has a gallows (from Ch 5) that he needs the King’s permission to use on Mort.

                                                               i.      Was Haman invited into the King’s presence?  Was this a risky move by Haman to show up in front of the King without an invite?

                                                             ii.      What might have happened if Haman had proceeded to ask to hang Mort given how the King was feeling about Mort at this time?

2. vv. 6-9 [READ – Est 6:6-9] Haman’s prideful prescription…
1. V 6-9 – Who but the King’s most trusted advisor should the King ask about a tribute to one who is so important to the King?  Of course, Haman knows of no one but himself who could be THAT important, so let’s really dream up something fancy.
3. vv. 10-12 [READ – Est 6:10-12] The great reward (for Mort) and great humiliation (for Haman)
1. V 10-12 – Haman does it, but is humiliated.  He started the evening plotting to kill Mort, but now he had to parade him around singing and lauding his praises.
4. vv. 13-14 [READ – Est 6:13-14] Wise counsel – NOT! (again)
1. V 13 – So, Haman goes home seeking the comfort of his loving spouse, family and friends.  He’s greeted instead by a dose of reality.

                                                               i.      Why do Haman’s friends/family (wise men) say that if Mort is a Jew, that Haman will fail?  What do they know (or think they know)?

2. V 14 – Oh yeah, I’ve got a dinner with the King and Queen.

Summary

1. What’s your key verse? V 13
2. Try keeping a list of where God is acting in this story.  What can you add to that list?  Where do you see God in Ch. 6?
1. Divine insomnia?
2. Any other spot in the chronicles could have been read.
3. God guiding whether Haman asked a question that could have had him killed vs. keeping him alive and for the bigger story to be told.
3. God could have allowed Haman to ask the King to hang Mort as soon as Haman entered the King’s presence.  Had he done that, Haman MAY have experienced much more than humiliation.  However, this is a case where God allows us to see that He can judge people better than we ever could.
4. Is God’s allowance of Haman to experience his humiliation a vengeful action?  Why or why not?
5. Again, we see the impact that friends and family can have with us.  Haman’s suggested death to Mort in the last chapter, but have suggested his demise in this one.

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