Week 1 DAY 1 and 2
Segment 4, Esther Chapters 8-10.
Today AND Tomorrow
We will:
- LOOK at Esther 9:1.
- LEARN ‘how‘ to incorporate GODcha’s tools along the way.
- LISTEN to God speak to us as we focus on GODcha’s LEARN/LIVE question.
Open GODcha to the Book of Esther
You Can Open GODcha and GODchats together
NOTE:
If you don’t have GODcha Get It >
Or, use your hardbound Bibles and follow along.
You can print off this week’s posts and put them in a notebook!
Consider the Overview
To Find the Purpose of Esther
Scan the Overview in GODcha to refresh your memory!
Why Was Esther Written?
Understand: Everything written in this book points back to the purpose.
The Purpose Was To:
Reveal how the Jews, living in exile throughout all the king’s provinces, were protected and delivered from annihilation by God’s divine power and control even though He is never mentioned in this book.
We are seeing how God’s hidden hand is working. Are you seeing how He works through ordinary unlikely imperfect people to accomplish His perfect will?
Let’s Begin With Prayer
And Continue With an Attitude of Prayer
Perhaps. . .
Oh Lord, as we come to Your Holy Word today, this old story, may You correct, convict, and comfort us right where we are at. Make all that we see today come alive. Wake us up as You did Mordecai, Esther, and the Jews. May we truly grasp hold of how Supreme You are in our lives and circumstances. Illuminate Your Holy Word to us. Please give us understanding. May we live in the light of what You show us and teach us today. Thank you, Lord, (Psalm 119:130).
If you get STUCK at any point in your discovery, stop, and pray!
GOD, your Creator, loves you and desires to reveal much to you.
Context
CONTEXT is the setting that Rules Interpretation.
God’s people have been in exile for 100 yrs. Now, some of the 3rd generation had separated from Babylon going back to Jerusalem while others remained in Babylon blending in.
Esther 8
We left off focusing on the great reversal where everything went from death to life.
We compared the 1st decree issued by Haman to kill all of God’s people, with the 2nd decree released by Mordecai granting God’s people to defend themselves on the day that their attackers came to destroy them and their families.
Let’s see what develops.
Let’s LOOK 
Open GODcha’s LOOK Section
Always Begin LOOKING By READING
READ Taking Small Bites
This Narrows Your Focus
Focus on a Paragraph at a Time
Esther Chapter 9 is Broken Down Into Paragraphs
9:1-10
9:11-15
9:16-17
9:18-19
9:20-22
9:23-28
9:29-32
TIP: In your hardbound Bibles Paragraphs are designated by:
– an indentation;
– a paragraph symbol; and/or
– a boldface number.
READ With Purpose
As You READ, Ask Questions
We Always Want to Consider:
Who is speaking; and to whom?
What is happening?
Where is it happening?
When is it happening?
Why is it happening or, why did it happen?
How did it happen?
Questions
Help SLOW You Down
You will:
1. See the complete picture;
2. See how everything relates to one another; and
3. Remember what you read.
This is the most critical skill to learn, in order to see God’s Word accurately!
Okay, Let’s Give It a Try!
READ the 1st paragraph, Esther 9:1-10.
As you read, ask the who, what, where, when, why, and how questions.
This is a skill that just takes time and practice.
Remember to:
Reflect on the events that demonstrate God’s hidden hand.
Let’s Zoom In On Verse 1.
What happens?
LOOK
For KEY Words
Because they ‘unlock’ the meaning to what God is saying.
In GODcha Scroll Down To:
Key Words
What caught your attention? You might want to check it out.
TIP: If you need help to see what is key, check out GODcha’s Key Words, and/or even the LEARN Questions to help you as they have been designed to reveal what is Key.
Today, let’s do just that.
Let’s Work Our Way Backwards.
Check Out the LEARN Questions
Scroll down to GODcha’s Deeper Discovery Section
Find the #6 LEARN Question(s).
Here it is for you.
#6. Ch 9, God’s people have had to wait. Almost 9 months have passed. What happened on the 13th day of Adar? How did the tables turn? Who gained mastery over whom? Do you see God’s hand working as He reverses things? (v1)
Now you see what to zoom in on.
Today: The Jews Gain Mastery Over Their Enemies
Let’s LOOK Once More
At Verse 1
READ Esther 9:1 again, asking the who, what, where, when, why, and how questions.
What Would be Key?
The ‘timing’ is Key.
Do you see the 
Time Phrase, ‘the 12th month, the 13th day’?
We want to stop and ask, what month and day is it?
It slows us down to think.
We have seen this before. What month and day is it?
Check the Cross References If You Don’t Remember.
This would take us back to both edicts, Est 3:13-14, and Est 8:12.
It is an appointed day!
Food for thought, as it has been so true in my life!
“In your life this pictures the truth that God never teaches you something without having appointed a time when you will be put to the test. It is easy to come to a church service or a Bible class and open the Bible and learn marvelous truth which thrills you. I often rejoice at seeing truth break suddenly upon people’s hearts and their faces light up as the truth of God comes home and they rejoice in the knowledge of it, but head knowledge is one thing, and heart experience is quite another. The wonderful thing about God’s dealings with us is that he never lets us learn a thing that he doesn’t test us on in our own life. In other words, he has appointed a day when what we learn out of the pages of the Word will be put to the test in the place of pressure, our daily experience. God is forever conducting examinations. Have you discovered that? He is forever bringing us to the place of actual combat, for life is certainly more than a Boy Scout picnic. The learning of truth is not simply mental acrobatics, but is designed to be tested in the hurly-burly of life, in the mud and blood of our daily experience,” Ray Stedman.
READ Esther 9:1 again, asking the who, what, where, when, why, and how questions.
What Else Would Be Key?
What happens to the Jews is huge.
Do you see another big reversal?
Check Out the Cross-References About This Reversal
Why was it turned to the contrary?
Gen 12:3
Gen 50:20
Rom 8:31
What does it mean that the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them.
MASTERY, šālaṭ; to dominate, rule, have dominion, give (have) power. A verb meaning to domineer, to be master of. In the simple form, it takes the connotation of ruling. This can be ruling over people (Ne 5:15; Ecc 8:9); or possessions which one has been given control of (Ecc 2:19). It can also mean to obtain power or to get mastery over something. Examples of this would be how sin can have power over a person (Ps 119:133), or people can have power over each other (Est 9:1). This verb is also used in the causative form, meaning to give power (Ecc 5:19[18]; 6:2). In these contexts, God gives people power over their lives, possessions, honor, and wealth. God is the only legitimate source of power, and all power flows from Him.
THINK and REASON
As this relates to a believer –
LISTEN to the Spirit
Under God’s New Edict, what have I gained mastery [power] over?
Respond, LIVE It Out!
Don’t skip this part. This is what takes us into a deeper relationship with our Creator!
As we see the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them, what does hated mean?
HATED, s;ānē’ ânê’, saw-nay´; A verb meaning to hate, to be unwilling, to be hated. This verb is the antonym of the Hebrew verb ’âhab (157), meaning to love. The verb means to hate God or persons.
-God punishes children for the sins of their fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Him, but He shows kindness instead of punishment to those who love (’âhab) Him (Ex 20:5).
– God hates as His enemies those who love cruelty and wickedness (Ps 11:5); they do not keep His covenant and are not loyal to Him (Ex 20:5).
– God’s people were not to become allied to those who hated the Lord (2Ch 19:2; Ps 139:21).
The word describes the haters or enemies of persons.
– David’s enemies were those whom his soul hated (2Sa 5:8);
– The enemies of Rebekah would be those who might hate her descendants (Ge 24:60).
– Absalom hated his brother Ammon for humiliating his sister and planned his death because he hated him (2Sa 13:22).
The negative rendition of love your neighbor as yourself asserted that you should not hate your brother in your heart (Lev 19:17).
The word means to dislike, to be hostile to, or to loathe someone or something.
LISTEN to the Spirit
Who or what do I hate? Why?
Who hates me? How do I deal with those who hate me?
Respond, LIVE It Out!
Yes, chat with God!
You Might Do a Word Search on ‘hate’, ‘hated’, ‘hates’.
Discover what the Lord hates; what we are to hate and/or not to hate.
Let’s dig a bit to understand this hatred for the Jews.
Check Out the Cross-References
Who hated the Jews in Esther’s day? Why?
How does this compare to today?
What is the future for the Jews?
1. What is the opposite of hate? What does God command us to do?
1Jo 4:7, 16; Mar 12:31
2. Why are the Jews so hated, even today?
THINK and REASON
a. What do you learn about the Lord and Israel, the Jews?
Deut 14:2
Rom 9:3-5
Joh 4:22, 42
b. The Lord’s enemy is the devil. What do you learn about him as he relates to Israel, the Jews?
Rev 12
TIME OUT! These are not in GODcha’s Cross References, but these Truths might be helpful to your understanding.
Eze 28:12-19
Isa 14:12-14
c. What else do you learn about God’s enemy, the devil?
2Co 4:4
Eph 2:2
1Jo 5:19
d. What does Jesus do?
Heb 2:14
3. Even though Israel is intensely hated, what will God do?
Rom 11:1-6, 26-32; 9:27
LISTEN to the Spirit
Do I love the Jews; or hate the Jews?
Have I been taught replacement theology – that the church has replaced Israel? What will I do?
Respond, LIVE It Out!
Share your heart and mind with God, He is waiting!
What Did You LEARN
Sum It Up!
We LEARN:
Now in the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on the 13th day when the king’s command and edict were about to be executed, v1.
We Discover:
Finally, the day had come. An appointed day. Almost 9 months have passed since Mordecai issued his decree.
When both Haman’s and Mordecai’s decrees would come to a head-on collision as both would be executed this day.
We See: God’s hand orchestrating this date, seeing it is all according to God’s timing.
We LEARN:
On this day the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain mastery over them, but it was turned to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them, v1.
We Discover:
Another huge reversal. God turned the tables. Why?
God said He would bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel, Gen 12:3.
That day set for evil was turned by God for good, Gen 50:20.
We must remember if God be for us, who can be against us, Rom 8:31
THINK and REASON
Out of a hopeless situation, there is an about-face.
This is how God always works. He is almost always late. Why? Perhaps to deepen our trust in Him and know who it is who did the impossible! Out of the unattainable odds, God brings redemption and reversal.
THINK and REASON a bit more.
How God turned the tables for others in the Bible.
God turned the barren wombs of Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Hannah to bear children.
God turned the tables:
– On Pharoah who would not comply to God’s command through Moses and Aaron.
– For Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers, but became Prime Minister.
– For a young shepherd boy with a slingshot and 5 stones who came in the name of the LORD against the giant, an experienced warrior.
– For His only Son Jesus who died on the cross, but was Resurrected!
– For sinners and makes them righteous!
THINK and REASON
What reversals has God accomplished in your life?
Let this strengthen you and encourage you.
We LEARN:
The Jews gained mastery over those who hated them, v1.
We Discover:
Mastery means to dominate, rule, have power over.
Thus the Jews gained power and rule over their enemies.
We Discover:
Hate is the opposite of love. God is love, and commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves, 1Jo 4:7, 16; Mar 12:31.
In Esther’s Day
‘Those who hated the Jews‘ refers to the peoples in the 127 provinces of this king’s empire, and the hatred was widespread.
Today
Israel has been the most hated nation throughout history, and today we are seeing that hatred increase day after day.
Why such hatred?
We Discover:
Israel
– Was chosen by the LORD to be His own possession out of all the peoples on the earth, Deut 14:2.
– To Israel belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, the promises, the patriarchs, and they gave us Christ who came to redeem the world of sin; the Savior of the world, Rom 9:3-5; Joh 4:42.
The Lord God Has an Enemy
– Satan, the Devil, the Serpent of old, the Dragon, deceives the whole world, Rev 12:9.
The Enemy The Devil/Satan Rebelled
– Satan was God’s anointed cherub in heaven.
– Satan who was behind the king of Tyre had the seal of perfection; was perfect in beauty. But there was a huge conflict in heaven between God and His anointed cherub, who was cast down to this earth because his heart was lifted up (pride) and unrighteousness was found in him, he sinned Eze 28:12-19.
– Satan who was behind the king of Babylon fell from heaven, was cut down to the earth because he sinned, wanting to be like the Most High. Rather than worship God, he wanted to replace God, Isa 14:12-14.
– Satan, the dragon, when cast from heaven, swept away 1/3 of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth (angels who chose to rebel with him – demons), Rev 12:3-4, 9.
– Satan was thrown down contaminating this earth with sin, entering the garden, successfully tempting Adam and Eve to sin, bringing sin to all mankind. But God had a plan of redemption, stepping in to save sinners by sending His Son to die on a cross on their behalf.
– Satan, the dragon stood before the woman (Israel) who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child, which is Christ, Rev 12:3-4.
Understand: Satan has tried to wipe out the Jews and prevent God’s plan of salvation to the world from the very beginning.
– Satan is the god of this world, who blinds the minds of the unbelieving, and deceives the whole world, initiating the hate toward the Jews, 2Co 4:4.
– Satan is the prince of the power of the air, working in the sons of disobedience, Eph 2:2.
– And the whole world lies in the power of the evil one, 1Jo 5:19.
– Satan is the accuser of the brethren, who knows he has only a short time and will persecute the woman (Israel) who gave birth to the child (Christ), Rev 12:12-13.
– But God has prepared a place for her where she will be nourished for 1,160 days, so the devil will go off and make war with her children who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus, Rev 12:6, 14.
– God has not, will not ever reject His people, Israel. The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. They will be shown mercy, and a remnant will be saved, Rom 11:1-6, 26-32; 9:27.
We See: Satan, the devil, the evil one is the cause for the intense hatred toward Israel, having tried to wipe them out over and over, but has failed every time. Ultimately, God will save a remnant. No one can thwart His plan for His people!
Jesus defeated the devil, having rendered Him powerless, Heb 2:14.
LISTEN to God Speak
And LIVE it out!
Check out the #6 LIVE Questions.
#6. What must I do to patiently wait for God’s plan to unfold?
a. Why does God almost always show up late for me? What does this make me do?
b. When and how has God’s unseen hand turned the tables, showing up for me so I could gain mastery over those who hate me?
Don’t Forget
Respond to God, LIVE It Out!
Oh, chat with God, your Creator who loves you! He is waiting, desiring this intimate communication with you.
GODcha Helps Us Think
We’ll look at the rest of this paragraph tomorrow, but for now, aren’t you amazed at what all you discovered as you LOOKED at just 1 verse?
As we LOOK at God’s Word and LEARN, do you see there is no guessing?
No ‘I think‘, or ‘I believe‘.
We answered the LEARN questions straight from the text.
Don’t you love it!
I sure do!
I want you to see there is no need for guessing!
God has spoken very clearly.
So we sheep can see His Word and come to understand it!
Oh, you all just Discovered Truth for Yourself!
I am so so excited!
That’s It For Today!
Soak in all God is saying and teaching you about an incredible reversal between the wicked and the righteous.
Chat with God about it! Have that constant, conscience, communion with God all day today!
NOTE Your Discovery!
You’ll be glad you did!
Video Tutorial> Notes Tutorial >
Take the time to journal your discovery. And if you can, jot some notes in your hardbound Bibles. You will be so glad you did.
If you have any questions,
write them down,
God will answer them.
Also, enter the personal things God has touched you with.
Let’s Bow Before the Father
OH HEAVENLY FATHER, BLESSED LORD JESUS, and HOLY SPIRIT – GOD in three persons, we so praise You! Oh Father, may we grasp and understand Your Truth. Help us to ponder everything You are trying to show us. As we look at this incredible reversal from death to life, may we understand the about-face that takes place in our own lives after You change our hearts. Oh, thank you for the hope and encouragement You are giving us as we see You turning the tables for Your people. Help us to understand there is an appointed time for everything! Thank you Father God for Your Word to all of us that You will take care of the ungodly in Your timing. Help us not to become impatient and frustrated, but to cling to You and depend on You as we wait for You. And Father God, may we have a heart that would love and pray for Israel. May we stand firm and be bold to speak Truth in love to those who have a hatred for the Jews. May we be used to turn hearts, and see a reversal in many lives. We praise You and thank you for all You do! We ask this in Your name Lord Jesus, our God, and Savior. Amen.
Awesome! Do you realize you are doing the one thing that is necessary, that matters – you are learning to sit at the feet of Jesus, letting Him explain Truth to you by the power of His Spirit?
Next: We’ll look at this paragraph, Esther 9:1-10.
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