ESTHER LESSON 4


     We will begin this lesson in Esther 4:1 "When Mordecai perceived
all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth
with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a
loud and a bitter cry;"

     Haman made sure that the king did not know what the edict said,
until it was too late to stop it. Now, it seems to be common knowledge
even to the Jews themselves. When Mordecai heard of this, he went out
in the middle of the street so all could see, and rent his clothes,
and threw ashes upon his head in mourning. Either thing that he had
done would have revealed mourning, but this is a very deep type of
mourning. He cried out with a loud voice as well, which drew the
attention of the people to him. However, he was crying to God, as
well.

     Esther 4:2 "And came even before the king's gate: for none
[might] enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth."

     He had, possibly, gone all over the town in this manner. He lived
in the palace, so he had come back there, still mourning. He might
arouse the attention of Esther with his cries. No one could come
inside the gate in mourning clothes, so he must stay outside the gate.

     Esther 4:3 "And in every province, whithersoever the king's
commandment and his decree came, [there was] great mourning among the
Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth
and ashes."

     There was no way to stop this, but by God. They were fasting,
praying, and mourning in hope the LORD would see their problem, and
come to their rescue.

     Esther 4:4 "So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told
[it] her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment
to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he
received [it] not."

     The chamberlains, here, were the eunuchs who served Esther. The
queen had many maids who helped her. One of the jobs the eunuchs did,
was to keep Esther in touch with what was happening outside the palace
walls. They ran errands for her, and did things that her maids could
not do. One of them took clothing out to Mordecai for her. Modecai was
so grieved, he would not be comforted, or take the clothing.

     Esther 4:5 "Then called Esther for Hatach, [one] of the king's
chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a
commandment to Mordecai, to know what it [was], and why it [was]."

     Esther wanted to hear from Mordecai exactly what this was all
about, and how this edict was made.

     Esther 4:6 "So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of
the city, which [was] before the king's gate." Esther 4:7 "And
Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of
the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for
the Jews, to destroy them."

     Mordecai did not know that Haman had tricked the king into this
edict. The king had not written this, Haman had. The mistake the king
had made was to let Haman use his signet ring.

     Esther 4:8 "Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the
decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew [it] unto
Esther, and to declare [it] unto her, and to charge her that she
should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make
request before him for her people."

     This was a big load to put on the head of Esther. If the edict
was carried out, she would die the same as all of the other Jews,
however.  The king did not know that she was a Jew. Haman did not know
that at this point, either. Mordecai sent her a copy of the edict, so
she would know in detail what it said. Mordecai knew that the king
loved Esther. He felt if anyone could sway him to stop this senseless
murder of the Jews, it would be Esther.

     Esther 4:9 "And Hatach came and told Esther the words of
Mordecai."

     Hatach must have suspicioned that Esther, too, was a Jew. He was
her servant, so it was not likely he would tell anyone.

     Esther 4:10  "Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him
commandment unto Mordecai;"  Esther 4:11 "All the king's servants, and
the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether
man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is
not called, [there is] one law of his to put [him] to death, except
such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may
live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty
days."

     Esther explained to Mordecai, that if she went in to the king,
when he did not call for her, he would have the right to kill her.
There was one exception to the rule. If the king reached out his
scepter to her she could live and have audience with him. She knew if
she went in, it could mean her death.

     Esther 4:12 "And they told to Mordecai Esther's words."

     The messenger took the message to Mordecai and waited for his
answer to take back to Esther.

     Esther 4:13 "Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not
with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all
the Jews."

     It would make no difference at all, that she was the queen. If
they killed the rest of the Jews, they would kill her, also. Someone
would tell the king that she was a Jew and he would have to kill
Esther along with all the rest, because it was the law.

     Esther 4:14 "For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this
time, [then] shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews
from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be
destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for
[such] a time as this?"

     Mordecai was sure that God would stop the murder of the Jews. If
Esther did not do what she could, God would do it another way. There
had been many people who had given their lives to save their
fellowman.  This was what Mordecai was asking Esther to do, here. If
it was the will of God for Esther to do this and she did not, God
might destroy her himself. Mordecai, now, believed that was why Esther
was chosen by the king. He believed that God placed her there to help
her people.

     Esther 4:15  "Then Esther bade [them] return Mordecai [this
answer]," Esther 4:16 "Go, gather together all the Jews that are
present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink
three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise;
and so will I go in unto the king, which [is] not according to the
law: and if I perish, I perish."

     Esther had gathered up all the courage she had. She decided to go
ahead and speak to the king, even if it meant her death. She did want
them to fast and pray for her safety. She would do the same with her
maids. It was almost as if she was saying I might perish either way,
so what do I really have to lose. We are all going to die sometime.
The important thing is to make our lives have a purpose. She had
realized that the life of all the Jews was worth taking the risk.

     Esther 4:17 "So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all
that Esther had commanded him."

     This was saying he gathered the Jews together and proclaimed a
three day fast. Many of the Jews realized the seriousness of the
edict, and they would have gladly fasted with him to try, to get help
from God.












                          Esther 4 Questions


1.  When Mordecai heard the edict, what did he do?
2.  Where did Mordecai do this?
3.  Why did he choose the place for this show of mourning?
4.  Why could he not enter the king's gate?
5.  Who was mourning, besides Mordecai?
6.  What was the Jew's only help?
7.  Who told Esther about Mordecai?
8.  What did she send to Mordecai?
9.  Would he take it?
10. Who were the chamberlains, here?
11. Who did she send to ask Mordecai, what the problem was?
12. Who had promised to pay money to have the killing done?
13. Mordecai did not know that Haman had _________ the king into
    getting this sealed with his ring.
14. What did Mordecai give to Esther's chamberlain?
15. What did Mordecai ask Esther to do to stop this?
16. The king did not know that she was a ________.
17. Why did Mordecai want Esther to speak to the king?
18. What law did Esther remind Mordecai of?
19. How is the only way she could keep from being killed?
20. How long had it been, since she had been called to the king?
21. What word did Mordecai send Esther in verse 13?
22. What was Mordecai sure that God would do?
23. Why did Mordecai believe that Esther had become queen?
24. What did she insist Mordecai do. if she agreed to go in to the
    king unannounced?
25. Who fasted with Esther?