Esther
Why doesn’t the book of Esther ever mention God’s name?
This illustrates for us that even when we can’t see God at work, God is still real, and He is still protecting His people.
Why did the king call all his wise men, and why did the wise men have trouble with what the king wanted?
The king had a dream, and he wanted the wise men to tell him what the dream was before telling him what it meant.
What did King Nebuchadnezzar demand all the people to do?
He commanded all the people to worship his gold statue.
Who could interpret the dream?
Only Daniel, not the wise men. This shows that God alone knows all things and reveals knowledge to those He wishes.
Why was Belshazzar without excuse concerning his pride?
Why did the other rulers hate Daniel?
They were jealous because Daniel was so successful that the king was going to put him in charge of everyone.
What was God’s original plan for Israel?
God called them to worship Him as His kingdom of priests and holy nation.
What did the king give Ezra?
The king gave permission to any Jew who wanted to return to Jerusalem. He also gave silver and gold as an offering to God, money for offerings, and articles for temple service.
What did Nehemiah do when he heard the news about Jerusalem?
He was very sad, confessed sin, and prayed to Go for help.
Why were the people told to rejoice even though they wept over their sin?
Because it was a day to celebrate God's goodness. They also rejoiced because they understood God's law.
Why didn’t Haman and Mordecai like each other?
Since the time of Agag and Saul, their families were archenemies. Haman’s family always wanted to destroy Israel, and Mordecai’s family defended Israel.
Could any of the king’s wise men tell the king what his dream was about?
No. None of them could tell him about the dream.
Did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego worship the idol?
No. They knew that God alone is to be worshipped.
What did the tree represent?
It represented Nebuchadnezzar's reign, which was glorious but would soon be brought down.
How did Belshazzar show his pride?
He trusted himself and his idols instead of God. He made fun of God by drinking out of the cups from God’s holy temple.
How did Daniel’s enemies catch him?
They lied, made an unjust law, and made Daniel’s godliness look like a crime.
How was Solomon’s temple part of this plan?
God chose to be present at Solomon’s temple to hear their prayers and receive their worship.
What phrase repeatedly emphasizes that it was God's power that restored His people? (See Ezra 7:9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31)
The hand of our God / the LORD
Why did Nehemiah and the Jews have courage to rebuild the walls?
They knew God was with them and would help them succeed.
After the celebration, how did the people physically show their sorrow over sin?
They fasted, dressed in sackcloth, and put dust on their heads.
How did God prepare to protect His people Israel?
He put Esther on the throne and Mordecai in the record book of the king.
What did the king do because no one could tell him about his dream?
He sent out the captain of his guard to execute all the wise men.
Why did the Chaldeans speak badly against Shadrach, Mechach, and Abednego?
The Chaldeans were jealous of their position and hated them for their godliness.
Was the tree going to die?
No, its stump would be protected.
How did God reveal his judgment to Belshazzar?
Did Daniel obey the king’s law?
No. Daniel knew he had to obey God rather than men. He prayed because he trusted God.
How was Israel’s return under Cyrus a second exodus?
Like the first exodus, God brought Israel back by controlling rulers, and He brought them back so that they would worship Him.
Who was missing from the group, and why were they important?
The Levites. The Levites were the only ones who could assist in temple worship.
What did Nehemiah's enemies think about the walls being rebuilt?
They were furious.
What does their prayer show us about repentance?
It shows that repentance begins with understanding and praising God for all that He is. Then the truth about God exposes our sin but also gives us hope in His mercy.
How did Mordecai persuade Esther to speak up for her people?
He said that God did not need her, but that God had put her in a place of power and would hold her accountable to do the right thing.
What did Daniel do when he heard the news of the death sentence?
Daniel asked the king for some time before all the wise men were killed. Daniel and his friends prayed, asking God to have mercy and to reveal the dream so that they would not die.
Did Nebuchadnezzar think that the three friends would survive?
No. He did not think any god could save them from his hand.
Why was all this going to happen to Nebuchadnezzar?
This would happen so that everyone would know that the Most High rules over mankind.
Who failed to interpret the message, and who succeeded?
The wise men failed, but Daniel succeeded.
Was King Darius able to protect Daniel?
No. Even this powerful king was powerless to save him. Darius fasted because he realized only God had the power to rescue Daniel.
The land of Israel rested from 605 B.C. to 537 B.C. How many years was this?
(Haha…MATH)
605 - 537 = 68
BUT…Daniel’s exile began before the new Jewish civil year began in September of 605 B.C., and the new altar was built after the new civil year began in 537 B.C. That means 70 Jewish calendar years, thereby fulfilling the prophecy of 70 years in Jeremiah 25.11. If you got the math right, you get the points.How did Ezra find Levites willing to return?
Fasting and prayer were acts of utter dependence on God to protect them on the journey.
How did Israel's enemies first try to stop the walls from being rebuilt?
They planned to join together and fight against Jerusalem.
What does the people's recommitment to the covenant show about repentance?
Repentance is not just being sad. It is also a choice to turn away from what is wrong and toward what is right.
Name one “coincidence” that was actually God’s providence.
1. God used Ahasuerus’ passion to select a Jewish orphan out of all the women in Persia to replace Vashti as queen.
2. Esther’s cousin and adoptive father, Mordecai, overheard a plot against the king, and his loyalty was recorded in the king’s book.
3. Mordecai and Haman were arch-enemies.
4. God arranged a sleepless night for the king.
5. Mordecai’s servants happened to read the part about Mordecai.
6. The king, who failed to reward Mordecai five years earlier, asked about the reward.
7. Haman arrived early in the morning just when the king wanted advice.
8. When the king asked for advice, Haman failed to mention who was to be honored.
9. The king, having stomped off in a rage, came back just in time to see Haman standing over Esther’s couch.
How did God answer Daniel?
God revealed the king’s dream and its interpretation to Daniel.
Why did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego still refuse to bow down?
They believed that God could rescue them. Even if God didn’t, they knew God was in charge and would do what was best.
What did Daniel tell the king to do?
He told him to repent, to give God the glory, and to be kind to the needy.
According to Daniel, why was Belshazzar so foolish for mocking God?
The breath Belshazzar was using to mock God was a gift God could take away at any moment.
Was God able to protect Daniel?
Yes. God sent His angel to shut the lions’ mouths.
How did the people prioritize worship when they returned?
The first thing they did was build the altar to offer the proper sacrifices.
Why did Ezra decline the help of Artaxerxes' soldiers?
Ezra was determined to make the journey to Jerusalem without the aid of Artaxerxes' soldiers because he did not want to do anything to confuse the king concerning his trust in God's ability to protect the people on the return.
How did the people respond to Sanballat's mocking and threat of attack?
They trusted God to fight for them, and they also stood guard.
Three specific commitments the Israelites made were (1) separating from foreigners, (2) keeping the Sabbath, and (3) giving for the temple. Why were each of these important?
Separating from foreigners guarded pure worship. Keeping the Sabbath guarded true faith. Giving for the temple guarded ongoing worship.
What were some ways God paid the wicked back for their wickedness?
Haman had to honor the man he heated. Haman was hanged on his own stake. Those who planned to kill the Jews were themselves killed.
What did Daniel tell the king?
Daniel said that the God of heaven revealed the dream and its meaning. He then revealed the dream and its interpretation to the king.
What was so amazing about what Nebuchadnezzar saw?
Even though his own soldiers died from the heat, the three men were walking around in the fire unharmed, and a fourth man was with them.
Did the king listen to Daniel’s warning and humble himself before God?
No. Instead, he boasted about all that he had done.
What was God’s message to Belshazzar?
That God had numbered the days of Belshazzar’s kingdom and brought it to an end. God had weighed Belshazzar in the balances and he had been found wanting. Behshazzar’s kingdom would be divided and given to others.
What happened to Daniel’s enemies?
They received the exact punishment they had planned for Daniel. They were eaten by the lions.
Why did some men weep after the temple foundation was laid?
They saw that the new temple did not come close to the glory of Solomon’s temple.
How had the people of Israel sinned?
They married foreign women, which led them to worship foreign gods.
How did the rich Jews undermine the work?
They were oppressing the poor Jews by making them pay high interest.
Why did the Israelites need people to resettle Jerusalem?
They needed more people to live there to protect it and restore its honor as the holy city.
What were some ways God blessed His people?
God made Mordecai second in command, saved the lives of all the Jews, and caused them to be honored by the other people in Persia.
What did the king’s dream mean?
That God had given Nebuchadnezzar his kingdom, power, strength, and glory. Each of the levels in the statue represented a kingdom that would come to power after Babylon.
What did Nebuchadnezzar learn about God from this?
He learned that God is powerful to save. God is not powerless like an idol.
What happened to the king?
Nebuchadnezzar’s mind became like an animal’s, and his hair became matted like eagles’ feathers. His nails became overgrown, and he ate grass like a cow.
When was God’s message fulfilled?
That very night. Belshazzar was killed when the Medes and Persians invaded Babylon.
How did King Darius respond to Daniel’s deliverance?
The king praised God and said that others should fear Him also.
God displayed His sovereign power by using the world’s most powerful human rulers to fulfill His word. Name at least two of them.
Cyrus (Darius the Mede)
Darius I
Ahasuerus (Xerxes I)
Artaxerxes I
What did Ezra do at the evening sacrifice?
Ezra confessed the sins of the people before the Lord. He knew that God had been gracious to the people, but they had sinned against God in return.
How did Nehemiah stop the rich Jews from sinning?
He rebuked them, called them to fear God, and proved it by his own integrity.
What does the people's joy afterward show about repentance?
Repentance brings blessing because it restores us to a right relationship with God.
What is Purim?
Purim is the holiday when Jews remember how God used Esther to rescue them. It reminds us that God is faithful to save through Jesus Christ.
What did the stone represent?
The stone represented God’s kingdom that He will establish on the earth when Jesus returns.
How can you experience God’s power to save?
if you trust Jesus with all your heart, He is powerful enough to save you from sin and hell.
Did he stay that way?
No. Just as God had promised, after seven years, he lifted his eyes humbly toward heaven. His senses came back to him, and he praised God.
How did Babylon’s fall demonstrate God’s authority?
It fulfilled prophecy. God had promised to raise up the Medes to destroy the Babylonians.
Can God’s power be displayed through us like it was through Daniel? How?
Yes. When we put our trust in Jesus, He shows His power in us by rescuing us from sin and death. When we are faithful to Him, others will see His glory in our lives.
How does Israel's return and new temple encourage us today?
It shows us that we can trust God to make us His special people to worship Him forever.
How did Israel demonstrate sorrow over their sin?
The people confessed their sin and wept bitterly before the Lord. They showed their repentance by divorcing their foreign wives.
They tried to trap Nehemiah, they spread lies, and they tried to ruin his character. But God protected Nehemiah because he stayed true to God.
What does the people's failure in the end show about repentance?
True repentance requires God Himself, by the Holy Spirit, to change our hearts.