Esther 1-4
When Cyrus was king of Persia, he sent some of God’s people back to Judah to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. God’s people were called Jews because they were from Judah. Though some Jews returned to Judah to rebuild the temple, many Jews were still in Persia when Ahasuerus (uh haz yoo EHR uhs) became the new king of Persia. When the king’s wife did not listen to him, he decided to not let her be queen anymore. The king of Persia needed a queen. He chose Esther to be queen. Esther was very beautiful. She was a Jew and had been raised by her cousin Mordecai (MAWR duh kigh). Esther did not tell the king that she was a Jew. One day, Mordecai heard that Haman, a very important leader who worked for the king, was planning to kill all the Jews. Mordecai was upset! He was a Jew; he did not want all the people he loved to be killed. Mordecai and all the Jews cried. Esther did not know what was wrong. She sent a messenger to ask Mordecai why all the Jews were upset. Mordecai told Esther about Haman’s evil plan. “You have to do something!” Mordecai said. “You are the queen. Ask the king to stop Haman. Ask him to save the Jewish people.”
Esther sent a message back to Mordecai. “No one can approach the king unless the king calls for that person first,” Esther said. “The punishment is death—unless the king holds out his scepter; then you may live.” Mordecai encouraged Esther to think about it. “You are a Jew,” he said. “If you do not stop Haman, he will kill you too. Maybe this is why you are the queen.” Maybe God put Esther in the palace to save her people! Esther asked Mordecai to gather the Jewish people and to fast. They would not eat or drink for three days. They would pray to God for help. Then Esther would go to the king. She was willing to die to save the Jews.
Christ Connection: God’s plan all along was to send the Messiah through Abraham’s family. Haman’s evil plan might have stopped God’s plan, but God was in control. He was working out a plan to use Esther to rescue His people and make the way for His Son, Jesus, to come into the world.
**This is a Lifeway Lesson**
When Cyrus was king of Persia, he sent some of God’s people back to Judah to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. God’s people were called Jews because they were from Judah. Though some Jews returned to Judah to rebuild the temple, many Jews were still in Persia when Ahasuerus (uh haz yoo EHR uhs) became the new king of Persia. When the king’s wife did not listen to him, he decided to not let her be queen anymore. The king of Persia needed a queen. He chose Esther to be queen. Esther was very beautiful. She was a Jew and had been raised by her cousin Mordecai (MAWR duh kigh). Esther did not tell the king that she was a Jew. One day, Mordecai heard that Haman, a very important leader who worked for the king, was planning to kill all the Jews. Mordecai was upset! He was a Jew; he did not want all the people he loved to be killed. Mordecai and all the Jews cried. Esther did not know what was wrong. She sent a messenger to ask Mordecai why all the Jews were upset. Mordecai told Esther about Haman’s evil plan. “You have to do something!” Mordecai said. “You are the queen. Ask the king to stop Haman. Ask him to save the Jewish people.”
Esther sent a message back to Mordecai. “No one can approach the king unless the king calls for that person first,” Esther said. “The punishment is death—unless the king holds out his scepter; then you may live.” Mordecai encouraged Esther to think about it. “You are a Jew,” he said. “If you do not stop Haman, he will kill you too. Maybe this is why you are the queen.” Maybe God put Esther in the palace to save her people! Esther asked Mordecai to gather the Jewish people and to fast. They would not eat or drink for three days. They would pray to God for help. Then Esther would go to the king. She was willing to die to save the Jews.
Christ Connection: God’s plan all along was to send the Messiah through Abraham’s family. Haman’s evil plan might have stopped God’s plan, but God was in control. He was working out a plan to use Esther to rescue His people and make the way for His Son, Jesus, to come into the world.
**This is a Lifeway Lesson**