MEMORY VERSE: Esther 6:6 "...What shall be done unto the man whom the king delights to honor?..."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Review the first four books of the New Testament. This is the foundation for the other 23 books.
PRAYER: Pray with a sincere heart that we will do to others as we would have them do to us.
SPECIAL SONG: This Little Light Of Mine (see March - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #3 on this blog)
VISUAL AID: Draw a picture like the one in the Activity below on the whiteboard or chalkboard.
LESSON POINTS:
- After three days of fasting and prayers, Esther put on her royal clothes that she wore on special occasions and stood in the king's court. Maybe this sounds like a normal thing for us to do because Esther was the queen and the king's wife, but it was different back then. Esther was taking a great risk to her own life by going into the king's court uninvited. People only went to the king's court if the king called them, they were in trouble, or they wanted to speak to the king, hoping he would hold out his golden sceptre to them. The golden sceptre was like a staff that had a lot of decorations engraved on it and was one of the king's symbols like his crown. A sceptre showed everyone that he was the king. This was what Esther was hoping for...that the king would hold out his golden sceptre to her. Think of Esther's happiness when the king saw a very nervous Esther in the court and he held out his golden sceptre to her! Perhaps the king was curious as to what could be so important to Esther that she would risk her life to talk to him.
- When Esther drew near, she touched the top of the sceptre. The king asked Esther what she wanted and what her request was. He said she could have up to half the kingdom! But that was not what Esther wanted. Esther had made a plan. She asked the king that, if it pleased him, he and Haman were invited that day to a banquet that she had prepared for Haman. The king ordered a servant to tell Haman to hurry up because Esther had made a banquet for him. So the king and Haman went to Esther's banquet.
- While they were eating and drinking, again the king asked Esther what she wanted and he said again that she could have up to half of his kingdom, meaning her request would be granted. But Esther said that she was going to have another banquet the next day and would like Haman and the king to come again and, at that time, she would give him her request.
- So, Haman left the banquet feeling joyful! He had just had a banquet with the king and queen and, with another invitation, the next day sounded like it would be just as satisfying, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate and saw how Mordecai did not pay any respect to him at all, he was full of anger and resentment. Haman thought he should be treated as if he were special. However, Haman did not say anything to Modecai; he continued on his way. When he arrived home, he called all of his friends and his wife and bragged to them about how his life was so good and how the banquet was only prepared for himself and the next day he was going to Esther's second banquet. There was only one thing that gave him heartache and that was Mordecai, the Jew, sitting in the king's gate who paid him no respect. His wife had a suggestion that pleased Haman. She said to build a gallows 75 feet high (that's high!) and the next day speak to the king about hanging Mordecai from it, then go happily into the banquet. Haman told his servants and they began building the gallows right then.
- The king had a bad night and could not sleep. He commanded that the chronicles of the kings book be brought to him. Servants came in with the book and began reading to him. Then something was read to him that surprised the king! Written in the book was the account of Mordecai saving the king's life by telling Queen Esther about the two officers' plans to kill King Ahasuerus! This interested the king. He asked if anything nice had been done to thank Mordecai for saving his life, but nothing had been done.
- The king asked who was in the court at that time and it was Haman. Haman had come to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai from the gallows they had finished building. (Talk about bad timing!) The king asked Haman what should be done to a man whom the king delighted in. Of course, Haman thought the king was talking about doing great things for Haman, so he replied that he should receive royal clothes to wear, ride on the king's horse, wear the king's crown, and the king's servants should lead the horse through the city and announce the man's presence to all that were in the city. That is what Haman wanted for himself!
- But the king said to Haman to hurry up, get the royal clothes and the horse and do what he had just said to do...to Mordecai, the Jew!! Imagine Haman's surprise at the king's words!! Haman did everything he told the king he would do and, afterwards, Haman went home to his friends and family with his head covered in mourning. He told his friends and wife what had happened, but they changed their tune and were not sympathetic. They said that if Haman was going to fall before Mordecai, then that would be what would happen, meaning Haman could do nothing about it. Haman was miserable.
- While Haman and his friends were still talking, the king's officers hurriedly escorted Haman to Esther's second banquet. Next time, we will see what happens at Esther's second banquet.
"Older Student" Tips:
- A cubit equals 18 inches.
- Read Galatians 6:7. Discuss the meaning of the verse.
- Sceptre can be spelled 'sceptre' or 'scepter.'
ACTIVITY: The King Holds Out HIs Golden Sceptre
Materials needed: 9" x 12" yellow construction paper, 4 1/2 " x 12" light green construction paper, 4 1/2 " white construction paper, 5" x 5" brown construction paper, scraps of gold, shiny paper, and different colors of construction paper, glue, scissors, crayons, marker.
- Hand out yellow paper.
- Hand out white paper.
- Fold paper in half, lengthwise, and cut out two pillars for the court.
- Hand out green paper.
- Glue green paper at the bottom of the yellow paper.
- Glue pillars on each side of the yellow paper.
- Hand out brown paper.
- Cut out a throne. (see picture)
- Cut out the king and queen and glue them on the paper (see picture).
- Out of gold scraps, cut out golden sceptre.
- Glue sceptre in the king's outstretched hand.
- Glue hold crowns on both of their heads.
- Label "Queen Esther", "King Ahazuerus", and the golden sceptre.
- Write "The King Holds Out His Golden Sceptre To Queen Esther" and "Esther 5, 6" at the top of the paper.
