MEMORY VERSE: Esther 2:20 "Esther had not yet showed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her..."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: John. Write 'John' on small slips of paper and hand out at the end of class for memorization at home.
PRAYER: We do not know how the LORD will use us in this world, so we pray that when we see opportunity, we will do what we are able as Esther did.
SPECIAL SONG: This Little Light Of Mine (see March - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #3 on this blog)
VISUAL AID: TV Box (see February - Visual Aid #1 on this blog)
LESSON POINTS:
- After King Ahasuerus wasn't angry anymore, he remembered Vashti and the law he had made against her: She could not come before the king ever again and could never be queen again. The king decided to get a new queen.
- Back in Old Testament days, and even today in parts of the world, love was a bonus in a marriage. People married to have a family and carry on the husband's name through male children, and through the years, they learned to love each other. Love did not always come first.
- So, the king thought nothing of his servant's suggestion of advertising for a wife. His servant suggested that the king appoint officers in all 127 provinces of his kingdom. The officers would choose the best young maidens in their provinces and then they would send them to the king's palace in Shushan in Persia. This pleased the king and he did what the servant advised.
- Now there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai who had been carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon and he had raised his niece as his own daughter. She had no mother or father, only her uncle Mordecai. Esther was very beautiful and was brought into the palace in Shushan with all the other fair, young maidens. They were under the care of Hegai who was responsible for the care of the young women.
- Esther was very lovely and found favor with Hegai and Hegai was kind to her. Hegai gave her everything she needed in the palace and seven women servants from the king's palace were to help Esther with whatever she needed. Hegai preferred Esther over all the other young women.
- It is important to know that Esther was a Jew and loved the LORD God, but her uncle, Mordecai, had told her not to tell anyone that she was a Jew. Morcecai walked every day in front of the women's house because he wanted to know what was going to happen to Esther.
- All of the women were then brought before the king, and soon it was Esther's turn. The women had the choice of receiving anything that they wanted in the palace, but Esther chose nothing but what Hegai had given her. She asked for nothing else and found favor in everyone's eyes. When Esther was taken in to the king's royal house, the Bible says the king loved Esther more than all of the other young maidens, so much so, that he placed the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Again, Esther did not tell anyone that she was a Jew because her uncle Mordecai told her not to tell anyone. She obeyed him just like when she was raised by him when she was a younger girl back at home.
- Then something important happened to Mordecai, but not what you probably think! Every day Mordecai sat at the king's gate. One day he was sitting there like he always had, and he heard something. He heard how two of the kings' officers who were responsible for keeping the door of the palace were very angry and were planning to kill the king. Mordecai told Esther what they were planning and Esther told the king in Mordecai's name which meant that Mordecai had saved the king's life. There was an investigation and, sure enough, it was just as Mordecai had said and they hung the two men on a tree and they died for planning to kill King Ahasuerus. All of this event was written down in an important book that told all about the king's life. We will see what happens to Mordecai a little later in the story of Esther.
"Older Student" Tips:
- The book of Esther tells of God's people during the reign of the Persians after the seventy years of Babylonian captivity.
- Remember that, chronologically, Esther should be inserted between Ezra 6 and 7 and tells of events towards the end of Old Testament history.
- It is interesting to note that God's name is not mentioned in any of the ten chapters of Esther. The word 'Jew' is mentioned for the first time in Esther 2:5.
- Esther, in Persian, means "star".
- The purpose of this book is to show the providence of God in God watching over the remnant and Abraham's seed.
Materials needed: 9" x 12" pink construction paper, 6" x 6" colorful gift wrapping paper, 6" x 6" piece of tan construction paper, 1 1/2" x 6" piece of shiny gold paper, about 50" of brown yarn, scissors, glue, crayons, marker.
- Hand out pink paper.
- Hand out tan paper.
- Cut a large circle out of the tan paper. This is Esther's head.
- Cut a 1" x 2" rectangle out of the scraps of tan paper. This is Esther's neck.
- Glue Esther's neck in the middle of the pink paper.
- Glue Esther's head on top of her neck.
- Hand out colorful paper.
- Round two corners for Esther's shoulders.
- Glue Esther's shoulders to her neck.
- Hand out yarn.
- Cut eight 5" lengths of yarn and a few 1" lengths of yarn.
- Glue small pieces of yarn for Esther's hair on top of her head.
- Glue four pieces of yard on each side of her head.
- Hand out shiny gold paper.
- Cut paper into a crown.
- Cut tiny circles for jewels in Esther's crown.
- Glue jewels on to crown.
- Write "Esther Is Chosen" and "Esther 2" at the top of the pink paper.
- Draw Esther's beautiful face.
- Draw two lines down Esther's colorful shoulders to resemble her arms.
