Bible Discussion — Esther 6-8

July 16, 2008, 12:00 pm; posted by
Filed under Bible, Chloe, David, Josh J, Steve  | 7 Comments

This week, Bweinh.com continues in Esther by discussing the next three chapters!

PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS:
Genesis: 1-4 | 5-9 | 10-14 | 15-18 | 19-22 | 23-26
27-29 | 30-32 | 33-36 | 37-39 | 40-43 | 44-46 | 47-50
Exodus: 1-4 | 5-8 | 9-11 | 12-14 | 15-18
19-22 | 23-26 | 27-30 | 31-34 | 35-40
Romans: Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7 | Ch. 8 (I)
Ch. 8 (II) | Ch. 9 | Ch. 10 | Ch. 11 | Ch. 12 | Ch. 13 | Ch. 14 | Ch. 15-16
Luke: 1:1-38 | 1:39-2:40 | 2:41-3:38 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
11 | 12 | 13 | 14-15 | 16-17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24
Esther: 1-2 | 3-5

 
INTRODUCTION:
David:
When God begins to deliver His people, it all starts with a King having a sleepless night, courtesy of the King of Kings, the One who watches Israel, who never slumbers nor sleeps.

 
SOMETHING YOU’D NEVER NOTICED BEFORE:
Josh:
I don\’t think I\’d noticed that the honoring of Mordecai came after the edict to destroy the Jews. Did the king just not read the edict, or was he really that impulsive?

Connie:
At the end of chapter 8, many of the people of the land became Jews because fear of the Jews fell upon them. This was the only way to salvation at the time, so this was not just a plan to save Esther’s people, but also their friends and neighbors. This is what we’re supposed to be doing now as well.

Steve:
This whole situation came about because of the king’s insomnia, and his desire to be put to sleep by a happy story from his archives. How would God have worked deliverance had Unisom been available?

David:
When the decree went out to reverse the fortunes of the Jews, many of the other inhabitants of the empire suddenly became Jews. Can they do that?

 
BEST BAND NAME FROM THE PASSAGE:
Josh: King’s Delight
Chloe: Rather Than Me
Steve: Royal Crest
Connie: Harbonah’s Irony
David: Big Thana

 
STORY IT REMINDS YOU OF:
Josh:
Haman\’s hope for honor reminds me of every time elected officials vote to give themselves a raise.

Steve:
All those awful things that happen to Haman remind me of the plot of some silly movie or animated feature. Well, of course the king wants to honor ME — wait, what?? Him?? Quick, I’d better go beg the queen for my life — no, I’m NOT attacking her; let go of me!! Stop, no — those gallows aren’t for ME!!

Connie:
When Haman answered the king about what honor should be given to someone deserving of his honor, he accidentally treated Mordecai exactly like Jesus said to in the Golden Rule. “Do unto others as you would like like others to do unto you.” Fascinating.

 
WHERE IS JESUS IN THIS PASSAGE?:
Connie:
Jesus is in the justice administered by the king. Sometimes we have to wait for our justice, like Mordecai had to wait for his reward for saving the king from the eunuchs’ plot, but the timing couldn’t have been better. God knows when Jesus is returning and the timing will be perfect. We just need to trust Him for justice in this world until then.

David:
Haman plotted to kill Mordecai, yet in the end, Mordecai was lifted up to reign over Haman\’s household — perhaps a foreshadowing of the stone that the builders rejected becoming the chief Cornerstone.

 
DEEP THEOLOGICAL MEANING:
David:
The deepest theology of this book is God\’s undying love and care for his people. In the grand scheme of things His people were called, placed in the promised land, rejected Him, and then were scattered among the nations. Yet here is a small snapshot from those long, toilsome years where God says, “Though you take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall My hand lead thee, and My right hand uphold thee.”

Steve:
The oft-noted point that the name of God is never mentioned in this book is further evidence that though his chosen people are faithless, He ever remains faithful.

 
RANDOM THOUGHT:
Chloe:
Haman “covered his head in grief” after being humiliated by the king’s order to honor Mordecai. How interesting that in this culture, women covered their heads at all times, while it was a disgrace for men to do so, unless in mourning or in prayer.

David:
The deliverance had many effects on the Jews, including causing them to have “a good day” (8:17). I\’d say so.

 
VERSE TO REMEMBER:
Josh:
7:3 — “Then Queen Esther answered, ‘If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life””this is my petition. And spare my people””this is my request.’ ”

Chloe:
6:10 — ” ‘Go at once,’ the king commanded Haman. ‘Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.’ ”

Connie:
8:17 — “And in every province and city, wherever the king\’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them.”

Steve:
6:11 — “So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!’ ”

 
PORTION YOU WOULD MOST LIKE EXPLAINED IN HEAVEN:
Josh:
This passage brings me back to some questions I have even now about the relationship of God and the Jews today in post-Messianic times. The Jews of Esther’s day were likewise a people who had missed out on God\’s plan for their time, with no mention of His name even recorded, and yet they were delivered.

Connie:
Why couldn’t they just rescind the orders? What’s with all the counter-orders and such? Wasn’t there anyone around who could write a decent contractual counter-order?

 
LESSON TO TAKE AWAY:
David:
As Mordecai foretold, God did deliver His people, and how much better for Esther that she was allowed to play a part in it.

Connie:
A lesson for Haman would have been to listen more carefully. He had advisors and wise men, but they didn’t give him the best advice — tone down the ambition and self-serving attitude.

Josh:
Before you put your name on something, make sure it truly represents you.

 
GENERAL RESPONSE TO THE PASSAGE:
Josh:
The last sentence of the passage jumps out at me a bit. “Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them.”

The idea that they became “Jews” to avoid getting overrun, or that their example of Judaism was a people who had failed to return to the Promised Land, seemingly settling for a watered-down version of their true inheritance, leaves me with very little faith in these converts.

Connie:
This whole passage walks a fine line of patience and trust. Esther had to do things, but there was also a lot of waiting involved for the proper timing to act. I think we’ve all had times where we’ve struggled to find this balance.

 
CONCLUSION:
Connie:
In my Apprentice analogy, Haman’s out and Mordecai’s in. But this reality show is a killer.

Steve:
This story may lack explicit references to the hand of God, but it is clearly visible in the fascinating and circuitous route that led to the deliverance of the Jews.


Comments

7 Comments to “Bible Discussion — Esther 6-8”

  1. Connie Maxon on July 17th, 2008 2:37 pm

    What’s the deal? I was the only submitee last week, and I’m not even here?

  2. Connie Maxon on July 17th, 2008 2:40 pm

    Not that I’m whining. Did that sound like I was whining? Or bragging? Cause I totally wasn’t like bragging either…

  3. Connie Maxon on July 17th, 2008 2:44 pm

    It’s because I went to Wanted isn’t it? Because I totally apologized for that! Come on guys! Am I being shunned? Send me my pennances!

  4. David on July 17th, 2008 3:33 pm

    The name of Steve wasn’t explicitly mentioned in any of those posts and yet clearly she is trusting to his merciful intervention.

  5. Steve on July 18th, 2008 10:22 am

    I emailed you and said I lost your submission!! Yet you never replied by re-sending it!

  6. Connie Maxon on July 18th, 2008 1:12 pm

    Whew! The old I emailed you guise! Always use hotmail in a pinch, friend. I only use gmail for submissions.

    Well at least all is well here.

    I still have to deal with the fact that my satellite dish got struck by lightning Wednesday at noon – two days before the Monk/Psych premieres – and the repairman doesn’t come until Saturday between 4 -8 PM.

    I detest Channel 7!

  7. Steve Carroll on July 24th, 2008 11:53 am

    It is so good to be back reading the bible discussion again. After my move to Southern New England! The SNE Salvation Army had Bweinh blocked as a “social Networking site” I had to threaten to storm threaten to banish the IT manager to the Island of “perpetual tickling” * before he would unblock it.

    *Referance to Veggie tales take on Esther in a weak attempt to make my post somewhat relevant to the discussion.

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