Esther-Lesson Nine - Day 1

A Resounding Victory

Esther 9:1—19

Last week in review

Haman, the enemy of the Jews, was hung high upon the gallows he intended for his enemy Mordecai.  But Esther 8 showed us that this was a bittersweet victory.  Esther informed Ahasuerus of the relationship between herself and Mordecai, Ahasuerus promoted him, and he was placed over the house and position of Haman.  In the midst of this, Esther became overcome with grief.  Despite Haman’s demise, his plans were still in effect to destroy the Jewish people.  She once again pleaded with the king to do something about it, but his law couldn’t be revoked.  Instead, he suggested that Esther and Mordecai write another law in the king’s name that would help the Jews, and so they did, authorizing the Jews to defend themselves against the attack of those who allied with Haman in his hatred of them.  This all truly was a reversal of fortune, and Mordecai was lifted up in the sight of the people.  There was joy, gladness, and celebration among the Jews for probably the first time since their Babylonian captivity.  Even many Persians converted to Judaism, at least superficially, because of this.

So the author of Esther left us in suspense.  Would this plan work out?  Would the Jews survive the date chosen by lot, the thirteenth day of the month of Adar?  The story quickly turns to the resolution of this problem in this week’s study of Esther 9:1—19.  In our final lesson (Lesson Ten), we will see how the Feast of Purim was officially established and how things turned out for the heroes of our story.

DAY ONE: The Tables are Turned

Please carefully read Esther 9:1—3 and answer the following questions.

1.  There is no question that in the Book of Esther we see God’s hand of providence at work like nowhere else in the Bible.  How does v. 1 all the more confirm this?

NOTE: The allies of Haman had longingly hoped and waited for this chance to have their way and mastery over the Jews.[i]  Yet the opposite happened, because “the tables were turned” (niv) on them.

2.  What was the awesome result on that day (v. 2)?

3.  The Hebrew word for fear meant terror, dread, awe, or even panic.[ii]  This was not the first time that God showed Himself strong on behalf of His own like this, and just like elsewhere in the Old Testament, it confirms this was all due to a supernatural influence.[iii]  What do the following passages also record about some other times God put this supernatural fear and panic into Israel’s enemies?

Genesis 35:5

Deuteronomy 2:25; 11:25
Joshua 2:9—11

4.  What further amazing thing happened, and why (v. 3)?

Scripture Memory:  This week we will be memorizing Esther 9:1.  Review the passage several times throughout the day each day this week, and by the end of the week, you should have it memorized completely.

Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, the time came for the king's command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them (Esther 9:1, NKJV).