Week of November 27th, 2013

Esther Chapters 6-8

Pride goes before a fall

Special thanks to Grace W. for doing our wrap up talk this week!  What a blessing!!

The king cannot sleep.  He calls for the royal diary to be read to him.  This is when he is reminded of the incident where Mordecai saved his life, and he learns that nothing had been done to reward Mordecai.

Then he asks his closest advisor, Haman, to help him plan a way to properly honor Mordecai, without revealing who the honors were for, so actually Haman, being selfish and prideful, believes it must be for him!

How ironic then, when Xerxes demands that all the rewards be done unto Mordecai!  Can you picture Haman's reaction!?

And then Esther reveals the edict to the king and reveals her identity as a Jew.

The king is outraged, and then finds Haman fallen upon Esther, taking the scene to mean he had assaulted her as well.  Enraged he demands that Haman be impaled on the pole he had erected for Mordecai, when one of the kings eunuchs explains that a gallows had been built at Haman's house. Again, an ironic turn of events!

A new edict is passed and the Jews celebrate!!

In Chapters 6 to 8 God's sovereignty is powerfully evident.  We see that Mordecai finally receives honor for his role in saving the king's life.  We see Haman get what he deserves, and that his pride in hoping for glories and honors for himself actually cause him to present those honors upon Mordecai!  Xerxes clearly was unaware of the feud/hatred between Haman and Mordecai. Esther's position enables her to influence the king through her courageous and brave approach to make her request and eventually save her people.  Wherever we are, we are of use to God.  How will God use you today?

Some questions for optional further consideration:
Scripture tells us that "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6 quoting Prov 3:34).  How do you see this principle in Esther 6-8?  How have you seen this principle work out in your life and the lives of those around you?
These chapters of Esther portray a sudden reversal in the lives of the Jews, from dispair and distress to dancing, feasting and celebrating.  How have you seen God turn grief into joy in your life or in others you know? 

Week of Nov 18th - ESTHER CHAPTER 5

Esther's Request to the King
Esther Chapter 5

This chapter is the turning point in our story.
Chapter 4 ended grimly....Esther is ready to risk her life, going unannounced into the presence of the king, to plead the king to help save her people.
And that is where we pick up our story - in verse one chapter 5 - we see Esther bravely and courageously approach the king:

"On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. 2 When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

3 Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.”

AH!!  We can all take a deep breath - she has been received with pleasure.  If we are honest with ourselves, I believe that many of our greatest fears are never realized.  We cannot allow fear to grip and disable us, and the Bible warns us about worry (Phil 4:6-7  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus).  Esther acted bravely and did not dwell in her fear.

Not only has the king received her graciously, but beyond that, he offers to give her almost anything she requests!!

Will she immediately demand that Haman be punished and that the decree he established be overturned??  Read on:

4 “If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.”

5 “Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.”

So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. 6 As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”

7 Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: 8 If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”

No, Esther does not make a hasty request, in fact, to our surprise she doesn't make her request AT ALL.  Do we too often rush into things, especially when things are tough or we are frustrated or upset?  I know that I certainly do.  I immediately want to complain.  Often times it is my own family who receives my complaints and nagging.  Perhaps I can learn from Esther, and offer my children a snack before I proceed to kindly ask them to focus on their homework, clean up their rooms, do their chores, etc.  

But why does Esther delay her request until the next day?  I believe when we read chapter 6, we will see it is all part of God's plan.

And why does she invite Haman to her banquet?  Isn't he the enemy?!

Let's see, in these next verses, how he responds to Esther's actions:

9 Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.

Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, 11 Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. 12 “And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. 13 But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.”

14 His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.

Haman, the evil character in this story, can easily be the target of our greatest disgust.  And yet, if I am honest with myself, do I also not seek man's approval, instead of Gods?  Do I not find it easy to see my pride grow when things are going well?  Do I sometimes allow something simple, which I am unpleased with, to wreck what would have been a perfectly lovely day?  HMMMM....if I am truly honest with myself, yikes, I am much like Haman myself.  It is an ugly admission.  One that I would prefer not to face.  Yet so true, and what a warning here.

Some extra optional questions to consider regarding chapter 5:

Why do you think Esther delays her request to the king?

What might be the benefits of delaying an important decision or pausing during a critical moment?
Why do you think Haman's bitterness towards one person prevents him from enjoying all his blessings?

If you reflect back on your life to times when you struggled, faced hardship or very difficult times, can you see in hindsight that God was indeed at work?  What lessons of God's faithfulness did you experience in emerging from those hard times?  How can those times encourage you to face difficulties which may be in your future?

Week of November 11th

Threat to the Jews

Study 7

Esther 3&4

In this part of our study we meet the wicked Haman.  We learn about his background (from the province of Agag in Media) and know that there is a long standing hatred between his ancestry and the ancestry line of the Jews.  Haman, with his manipulative and self-serving ways, has become elevated above all the nobles in the kingdom and is now 2nd only to the king himself!

Mordecai refuses to pay such a man honor, and will not obey the law in bowing down to him.  Thus begins the seed of fury in Haman whose wrath reaches the point in which he decides he wants to wipe out all of Mordecai's people.  He has the king sign a decree to wipe out all the Jews.  The king trusts him completely and doesn't even inquire about WHO it is that Haman is ordering to be destroyed (3:10).

Now Mordecai learns of this decree.  In the beginning of Chapter 4 we see how he puts on sackcloth and ashes, wails loudly throughout the city and goes to the gate of the palace.  The whole city is "bewildered" (3:15) by the decree, clearly this seems irrational.  And yet as we know, kings could do what they wished, and often did destroy people even within their own kingdoms.

Wearing sackcloth was customary in Judea and the East; tearing of one's clothes and wearing sackcloth and ashes is mentioned in Genesis 37:34 and Ezekiel 27:30:33.

Eventually he is able to communicate with Esther and they are able to discuss this crisis.  Mordecai urges her to act in 4:14 "and who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this".   What makes her jump to action in the next section?  What courage and bravery is this, in this humble queen, to say, "if I perish, I perish".  In verses 15-16 in Chapter 4 we suddenly see a determined, wise woman with a plan:

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

After taking guidance from Mordecai all these years, she is now going to guide him - she will help lead him to help her try to save their people.

During the wrap up talk Jill stated "God puts people in positions to do his work" and "God puts people in positions to get on their knees for him".  Beautiful calls to us to SEEK to examine just where in our own lives does God want us working on his behalf?  For whom do we need to be in prayer and TO whom do we need to be sharing God's love and salvation?

For further thought:
In what ways do you see God giving free reign to evil in Esther?  in our world today?
In what ways do you see God exercising control over evil in Esther?  in our world today?
Would your faith grow stronger or weaker in Esther's situation? 
How difficult is it to trust God that he is in control over your circumstances?
How do you respond in times of crisis?

Homework for next week:
read the commentary on pp 37-38; complete the questions on pp 39-40

THANKFULNESS in November

An extra post - remembering to be intentional about being grateful in November.

We are grateful to all the service men and women who serve to protect, secure and defend our countries.  I say countries because we are such a diverse group of women - many of our class members have more than one "home" country.  May God bless and protect all those who are in the line of duty and may we remember to pray for them regularly, not just at this time of year.  May peace and comfort be upon all those who have family members and loved ones serving actively.  And may we honor those who have fallen while in duty on our behalf.

As November tends to carry a theme of gratitude around the globe, what are some ways you seek thankfulness in your life?  Please share ideas in the comments if you would like!

Recently my sister shared this great idea from a website:

http://www.aholyexperience.com/free-tools-for-you/
click on "When You're Tired of Missing Jesus"

http://www.aholyexperience.com/free-tools-for-you/

It's a beautiful idea of creating a "Thanksgiving Tree" from branches and printable leaves with Bible verses.

Week of November 5th

Esther 2:12-23

Although I usually dive right into the topic covered during classtime, today I'd like to start off by expressing my gratitude to all the members of our Community Bible Study and especially to the Servant Team.

This new Bible Study group in Northwest London is truly a testament to God working in the lives of the women in this area!  Each week, as we gather in worship, prayer, and learning together, we see God at work.  Every week we sense his presence and his call and his everlasting love.  There are stories of answered prayer and fellowship in examining God's word together.  We laugh, we ponder, and we cry together.

THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THIS GROUP!! 

We feel very strongly that this is God's class and He is our ultimate teacher.

This week's passage was brief - only 11 verses.

We picked up with Esther in the harem.   She receives 12 months of "treatments" which included 6 months of oil treatments and then 6 months of perfumes and cosmetics.  What was this, a spa??
When she is called to spend the night with the king, she could take anything she wanted.  Esther, wise and humble, asks Hegai, the king's principal eunuch, for suggestions.  She wins the favor of the king, and he prefers her over all the other young women.  She is crowned queen, and there is a great banquet.
Some time afterwards, Mordecai, ever faithful at the gate of the palace, perhaps holding a rank in the government or public office, overhears a plot to murder the king.  He tells Esther, who tells the king, and they investigate to confirm the findings.   The two men plotting to murder the king are then killed.

There is so much we want to know!  So many missing details!!  My husband sometimes gets frustrated because I get caught up in details.  It's true - I want to know it all!  Was she nervous?  Did she pray?  Was she scared?  How did she win everyone's favor?  Was she happy to be queen?

For us as believers, what kind of "treatments" might make us more favorable to God?

Have we specifically asked for God's favor in our lives?

Was it right for her to hide her faith and background?  

Do we sometimes need to "hide" our faith and background, in order to be in situations where God can use us?  Think of missionaries working in anti-Christian countries.  Probably they cannot be very overt about their faith, and often need to keep their following "underground" or "undercover".

Week of October 30th, 2013

God Wants YOU!!

Esther 1-2:11

In today's class we launched into our study of Esther.
Now I have to confess, I was a bit surprised as I read the opening to Esther in the first two chapters.  There were some issues - such as seven days of feasting and drinking by Xerxes and his pals, Xerxes summons of the queen to come and "display her beauty" for all these men, then her refusal to do so, and then this kingdom-wide search for the most beautiful virgins to choose a new queen - these issues make me a bit uncomfortable.  I squirm in my chair as I read this stuff. Why?  I guess it's the treatment of women here.  Yet, this is a real portrait of this time and this culture and it is real history.  I think the problem is that the children's version has been my past experience.  This is the real deal.  And God doesn't sugar coat anything.  And God sometimes gives us stories and situations that make us uncomfortable.  And it's in this uncomfortable place where we learn, grow, understand, and appreciate....

We spent time placing the book of Esther on the map and on the timeline:  Persian Empire, and probably about 479BC.

Then we took a small diversion.  We must take a moment to compare Ruth and Esther.  We just finished Ruth.  And we're beginning Esther.... and there are very big differences between the two!!  

Check this out:
In the Book of Ruth, there are at least 37 references to God.

In the Book of Esther, there are none.

In the Book of Ruth, we see famine, harvests and life in a simple rural community.

In the book of Esther, we see life in a Royal Palace where oppulence and luxury and excess rule.

The book of Ruth begins with famine and 3 deaths, and ends with the birth of King David.

The book of Esther begins with a King’s Feast, and ends with the death of 75,000 enemies of the Jews.

The book of Ruth features a Gentile woman who marries a Jewish man - and who is then used by God in the ancestry of Israel’s greatest king, king David, and she then becomes part of the genealogy of Jesus.

The Book of Esther features a Jewish woman who marries a Gentile and ends up preserving the Jewish race.

The 2 books in the Bible named after women.  2 very different stories - different times - different settings and very different plots!  

Whether we are simple rural women or women in palaces, GOD IS AT WORK.

Whatever your circumstances, whatever YOUR situation, God wants to use you.  God wants to impact others through you.  God can even use you to change the course of history.  

Even Vashti is important here. Did you know she is seen by many as a heroine for women's rights?

Vashti's refusal to obey the summons of her drunken husband has been admired as heroic in many interpretations of the Book of Esther. We admire Vashti's principle and courage. Even Harriet Beecher Stowe called Vashti's disobedience the "first stand for women's rights."  

Now onto Esther. Chapter 2

The kingdom-wide search for the most beautiful virgin to become the new queen end with Esther. A Jewish orphan girl who is being raised by her cousin Mordecai. Mordecai, and the fact that Esther is a Jew, will be important as we move ahead in this story.

v11 “Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her”.

As we leave Esther today, I hope you see WOMEN - despite not being in the forefront of ancient history and arguably in many parts of the world today not having the same rights or positions of authority as men - we can take hope!  

NO MATTER WHAT OUR POSITION….be it queen, widow, farm girl, housewife, banker, lawyer, actress, doctor, it doesn’t matter what your profession or situation is - YOU ARE IMPORTANT and GOD WANTS TO USE YOU FOR HIS KINGDOM GOOD.  God has a plan for you!  

In this first part of Esther, we see a Greedy, selfish, arrogant king...Yet WE HAVE a humble, loving compassionate God - the one true God….our God is good and holy and righteous.  And God can use any of us to change the course of history.  We are that important.  

Some extra questions for thought:

How do you feel as you read this first part of Esther?

Why do you think Queen Vashti refused to obey the King's command? Do you feel it was disobedience to the King or protection for herself of simply her own stubbornness?

Do you know what happens to Vashti after this? Is she banished from the kingdom forever? Or does she retain some power, and how?

How do you feel about the King and his advisors plan to find a new queen?

What do we know about Ether so far in this story?

How might God use events or circumstances in your life for his greater good?

God is our Redeemer - week of October 16th

Lesson 4

Ruth Marries Boaz

NO CLASS NEXT WEEK ON OCT 23rd!!

We will see you on October 30th as we begin Esther.

We have completed the book of Ruth!  This short love story is so much more than meets the eye.  Is it short, but there is SO much in this story.  It appears to be a love story, but there is SO much more than a love story going on!!

We began by briefly discussing "the encounter" on the threshing floor.  There's a bit of mystery here.  It seems so strange for us, from our cultural point of reference and our time in history.  However, for THIS time and THIS culture, it was completely acceptable and part of a plan that Naomi had been contemplating for some time.  

A couple of reasons why this encounter not only makes sense but also was not of a physical nature:

First, Boaz is an older man.  He probably does not see Ruth as "in his league" (v10 "you have not run after the younger men"). He often remarks on her "noble character".

And, he knew of the 1st in-line kinsman - he obviously has given this some thought and has been contemplating Ruth and a potential relationship with her.

For Ruth, she is a widow.

She has been married before, and any woman who finds herself either divorced or widowed and interested in marrying again will certainly look at marriage with different eyes, not the fleeting attraction that youth might seek.  

She has seen the beautiful caring protection and provision that Boaz can provide, and felt flattered and honored (2:10 "why have I found such favor in your eyes?")

These reasons are part of the picture of how this encounter on the threshing floor makes sense.  Naomi wanted Ruth to be very clear to Boaz about her desire.  Boaz had already shown his wilingness to provide for Ruth when she was in his fields. Boaz probably finds Ruth to be out of his league, and knows that there is a kinsman redeemer 1st in line before him.  Also, it has been threshing time, so he would not have been able to deal with this matter.

So, Ruth is there, very clear about her intentions - saying, "I am interested in you"….what courage that must have taken.  She waits for the response.  Will he reject her or redeem her?

NOW setback.  v12 There is another who is closer than I.  Boaz commits by oath to redeem her and to follow the law and even supplies her with grain (a generous gift).

Honorable MAN, that Boaz! I don't think this scene would play out in much popular culture, which makes it all the more precious.  Which is why anytime a man says, we can wait, THAT is the kind of guy you want - not a yes, now, me first, my needs kind of guy....

I wonder if you have ever experienced setbacks or times when God has said WAIT.  It is for our blessing.  And it is for our protection.  Our good.  Can you think of times in your life when you have had to wait or had a setback, but later you see God's blessing in that?  Maybe you feel like God has you in a waiting period right now!!  Can you trust him with his perfect timing???

On to Chapter 4: Ruth did not have to wait long.  The very next day, as promised, Boaz went to the town gate (which was the place of all formal business, the town hall so to speak, for business and legal transactions).

Naomi needs a male family member to "redeem" her land - and the closest male relative to Elimelech is the first in line to do so.  He does not have a name, but in v 4 "I will do it" but when he learns about Ruth the Moabite, he then says I cannot redeem it, for fear of endangering my own estate"v6.  So Boaz, who apparently has no hiers or members of his family who would be displaced, perhaps he lost his wife and children (not unusual in those times) gets his chance.  Then they do the sandal thing/in front of witnesses/etc  and the people pronounce their blessing upon the transaction:  may you be like Rachel & Leah, Perez etc..

And who do we see a picture of at the end of this story?  Naomi.  Yes, Naomi is the one perhaps whose joy is most complete "Naomi has a son"! verse 4:16

Now the theme here: Redemption.  Let's talk a bit more about this idea of "redeeming Ruth".  Just what is it to redeem a person?  For Ruth, it saved her, gave her new life, gave her family - including Naomi - new life and property rights, continued the line of Elimelech and Naomi.

The idea of a kinsman redeemer is directly connected to the idea of Redemption in the NT.

Redeem=

verb  Always takes an object.  You can't just say "I redeem".  We redeem SOMETHING>

1 compensate for the faults or bad aspects of:

2gain or regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment:

3fulfil or carry out (a pledge or promise):

Well, When we were in Sainsburys this past weekend, after checking out with our groceries, my receipt said I had a certain amount of Nectar points and I could redeem them for more than 40£ of value.  I thought, I’d better redeem these points soon.  I had not even realized I had those points!

If I gave you all a voucher today, and said this voucher is good for a free meal in the cafe.  Now, that is a nice gift.  You’d think, great, a free meal!  I don't have to cook.  Wonderful.  

But is the end?  NO.  You must take action.  You have to physically GO to the cafe, present the voucher, and the person at the counter must accept it.  It is a transaction.  It is not passive.  Some people might not redeem their voucher for the free lunch.  Some people might be too busy.  Some people might say, I'm not hungry.  Some people might be too proud (I dont need a lunch, I have my own lunch thank you).  Some people might go and look at the menu and decide they don't like the offerings.

All of these people then, have something that goes to waste.

And so it is with Christ.  

He has given each of us a voucher.

Each of you has that voucher.  All of us have the opportunity to redeem it.  But we must feel the need to do so. You must take action!

John 1:12 To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

2 Corinthians 5:17 Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being, the old is gone, the new has gone!

Ephesians 2:8-10 For it is by God's grace that you have been saved, through faith.  It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it"

Each of us has a free voucher from God.  We can present it to him, admitting our need (that we are sinners) and humbly coming to his feet, like Ruth did to Boaz.  It takes courage to do this.  Pride must be put aside.  The action must come from YOU.  Otherwise God doesn't know you are interested!  

Boaz redeems Ruth.  Through their marriage, Naomi is also redeemed, because now she has gone from emptiness to fullness, she has gone from destitution to security and hope.  Ruth's great-grandson, The Great King David, redeems Israel to peace and prosperity in the early days of Solomon.  The ultimate redeemer, we know, follows this genealogy and is called "Son of David" - he fulfilled prophecy and will to bring US to rest.  To redeem us.  To redeem you and Me!!

Have you redeemed your voucher?

Have you been humble enough to lay at the feet of Jesus and ask him to redeem you?

If yes, then thank him!! Thank him for being your redeemer!  For filling your emptiness, for protection and provision!!  If not, I say, do it today!!  Do not let that voucher go unredeemed.  Do not wait any longer.

I hope that you can see now, at the end of Ruth, that ALL of Ruth was more than a love story.  It was about redemption for us.