MEET THE PEOPLE
She was the queen who refused to obey King Xerxes and was removed from her position.
Who is Vashti?
Esther became queen after this woman was removed.
Who is Vashti?
Mordecai challenged Esther with the famous words, “for such a _____ as this.”
What is time?
This word means “God is in control.”
What is sovereignty?
Complete the big contrast from our lesson: Haman had a plan, but God had a ______.
What is a purpose?
He was Esther's cousin and the man who raised her.
Who is Mordecai?
Mordecai refused to do this for Haman, causing Haman to become furious.
What is bow down to him?
Esther's position as this gave her a unique opportunity to help her people.
What is queen?
This word describes God working through people and circumstances to accomplish His purposes.
What is providence?
According to Proverbs 19:21, many plans may be in a person's mind, but this is what will stand.
What is the purpose of the LORD?
This man became angry when Mordecai refused to bow to him and eventually plotted against all the Jews.
Who is Haman?
Esther showed courage by doing this even though it could have cost her life.
What is approaching King Xerxes without being summoned?
Why couldn't Esther simply walk into Xerxes' presence whenever she wanted?
Approaching the king without being summoned could result in death.
What is unusual about the way the book of Esther talks about God?
God is never explicitly named in the book.
Which statement better explains Esther: God prevented every difficult situation, or God worked through difficult circumstances to accomplish His purpose?
God worked through difficult circumstances to accomplish His purpose.
This person discovered a plot to assassinate Xerxes, but was not immediately rewarded for it.
Who is Mordecai?
DAILY DOUBLE
Mordecai once helped save Xerxes' life, but nothing happened immediately. Explain why that “forgotten” event became important later.
It was recorded, and Xerxes later learned/remembered that Mordecai had never been rewarded and honored him.
When Mordecai said Esther may have reached her royal position “for such a time as this,” what did he want her to consider?
That her position as queen may have given her a special opportunity/purpose to help save her people.
Esther becomes queen, Mordecai's actions are recorded, Xerxes later remembers him, and Haman's plan collapses. What concept do these events together demonstrate?
What is God's providence?
Why is the fact that God's name isn't explicitly mentioned in Esther actually important to the lesson we learned?
Because even though God isn't explicitly named, His work/providence can still be seen throughout the story.
Match each person with the correct role: Esther, Mordecai, Haman, Xerxes — queen who risked her life, guardian who uncovered a plot, enemy who plotted against the Jews, Persian king.
Haman prepared a scaffold for Mordecai. Explain how that became one of the greatest reversals in the story.
Haman himself was eventually put to death on the scaffold he had prepared for Mordecai.
Which is the better explanation of Esther's courage: she knew everything would work out, or she chose to act even though the outcome was uncertain and dangerous? Explain.
She chose to act even though the outcome was uncertain and dangerous.
DAILY DOUBLE
Explain the difference between sovereignty and providence using what we learned from Esther.
Sovereignty means God is in control. Providence is God working through people and circumstances to accomplish His purposes.
Haman was powerful, Esther was in danger, and the Jews faced destruction. Yet Haman's plan ultimately failed. What does this teach us about human plans and God's purposes?
Human plans cannot overthrow/prevent God's purposes from standing.