King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Chapters: Esther 5-10
Message: Esther: The Jews Defend Themselves
Hello My Friend,
As we come to the end of the reading of Esther, we learn that pride will always lead to a fall and it is usually in the most humiliating way. There is a reason why God said this to Cain, just before he killed his brother Abel because He did not accept the offering that he had given Him, [Genesis 4:6-7 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.]
God, does not want leftover offerings, He does not want obligatory offerings, nor does He want insincere offerings, He wants the best, freewill, and sincere offerings that we have to offer, whether that be our time, tithes, or talents. Now, if we are sincere in our walk with God we will delight in doing things for Him and in turn He delights in doing things for us. Believe it or not, the key to our delighting in what we offer to God all comes by humility, when we are humble we are going to give God our very best because we come to understand that everything comes from God. However, when we are prideful, we are more concerned about what we can get from God rather than what we can give to Him.
[Luke 14:8-11 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.]
Esther’s faith in God had to be impeccable in order for her to be chosen as queen of Babylon with all the women that the king could choose, in fact, it was her humble beginnings that won her the crown. Becoming queen could have changed her disposition, but it did not, she still had the same humble spirit that she had before. We learn this when she learned of the decree that Haman had forged with the kings ring to execute all Jews, not just in Babylon, but all over the world. Esther, left them with this message before risking her life to go before the king, [Esther 4:16-17 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. 17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.]
Esther, could have stayed out of it, but that would have meant that her people would be in danger of their lives forever. She humbled herself in the most spiritual way that she could and that is really all the God asks of us. Sometimes there is no other alternative to a solution, but to submit ourselves wholly to God in fasting and prayer and I admit that I need to be doing this more often, [James 4:7-10 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.]
Now, it has been three days since Esther had told the Jews to fast and pray. It was time for her to make that climb of faith to the king, of which she had a delightful surprise, [Esther 5:1-3 Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. 2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. 3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.]
Do you know what an honor it is to have the favor of God? As long as you have accepted Christ as your Saviour and are sincere about your requests, you can stand before Him and He will listen to you with open arms, [Philippians 4:5-6 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.]
Esther, was not like any other woman to king Xerxes, she was his queen, he found delight in her, and actually loved her. I am sure that the people in the room with the queen could not fathom how this woman could just stand in the hallway without being invited and still live to tell about it, but she did and the only thing she asked for was for him and Haman to come to a banquet that she prepared for them.
[Esther 5:6-8 And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed. 7 Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is; 8 If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said.]
Why did Esther feel as though this was necessary instead of just telling him what Haman did? Since there was so many people in the room had Esther come right out and asked him to reverse the decree things would not have ended well. This was not an actual luncheon, it was only a sit down with wine, in other words, it was just a meeting, which was why the king asked her what she wanted. By her asking a second meeting it enabled her to prepare herself on how she was going to tell him, it also got him curious, especially since it was just Haman. It does us good to do our research and not be so hasty, [Proverbs 21:5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.]
On the other hand, Haman, in all his pride, could not be more ecstatic that he was the only one invited. After the banquet he ran home to tell his wife and friends of how much of an honor it was to be the only person there and was invited the next day. His joy turned into anger when he saw Mordecai.
[Esther 5:9-12 Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife. 11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. 12 Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to morrow am I invited unto her also with the king.]
You see, that is the problem with wicked people, they are never satisfied. Haman, saw Mordecai as a threat because he would not bow down to him. And after all his gloating he starts whining about Mordecai, [Esther 5:13-14 Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate. 14 Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.]
Of all the wicked people in the Bible, I believe that Haman is one of the worse, he was full of so much pride and arrogance that he thought himself above the law and untouchable and his friends and family were just as bad as he was. Well, his pride was about to take a big fall, and if you do not think that God does not have a sense of humor, think again. Haman, could not even wait until the next day to go to the king to ask him for the permission to have Mordecai executed, but at the same time the king was unable to sleep and had government records read to him and discovered the time that Mordecai had stopped the plot of the two men that were trying to assassinate him.
[Esther 6:1-4 On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. 2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. 3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him. 4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king’s house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.]
While he was talking to his servants he could hear that someone was in the hall, so when he discovered that it was Haman he figured that would have been the perfect time to ask what he would do to give honor to someone. So, here is this man getting ready to ask the king for permission to hang Mordecai when he gets sidetracked with one question.
[Esther 6:6-9 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself? 7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour, 8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head: 9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.]
This man was full of so much pride that of course he could not imagine anyone more important than him only to find out that the king was talking about his nemesis. The thing about pride is that it will take one up so far that the fall will literally break them into pieces, one humiliation at a time, [Proverbs 11:2-3 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. 3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.]
Talk about humility, the next morning, Haman, literally had to dress Mordecai in the kings apparel and parade him around town on the kings horse, [Esther 6:11-13 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour. 12 And Mordecai came again to the king’s gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered. 13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.]
Haman, reminds me of Ahab, crying to his wife because he did not get what he wanted, but in this case he was so humiliated that the only thing that would make him feel better was to see the Jews executed. Oh, and now his wife and friends want to warn him that messing with the Jews is going to come back to haunt him. They were basically saying that he better watch his back since Mordecai is a Jew and the king honored him, his plan may backfire on him. Well, that warning was about to come true when he was called for the banquet.
[Esther 7:2-4 And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom. 3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: 4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage.]
[Countervail; To act against with equal force.] Esther, was trying to convey to the king that their enemy would not profit over the loss of millions of people and that he would be the one to suffer the repercussions because his signature was on the decree. Well, after hearing that the king demanded to know who this enemy was.
[Esther 7:5-7 Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? 6 And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. 7 And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.]
At that moment Haman was deathly afraid and now here is this conceded fool once boasting of all his riches and power in the nation begging for his life to be spared. In fact, he dropped to his knees and threw himself over the lounger chair the queen was sitting on, begging for his own life to be spared. However, when the king saw him draped over her he was about to tear him into pieces.
[Esther 7:8-10 Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon. 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.]
Oh, it was over for him at this point, the king could not even stand to look at him. Not only was he angry with him over putting his wife in danger, he was also angry at him for deceiving him. You know, the wicked are strong until they get exposed for who they truly are, they never prosper, and those who do, only do for a season until God sees His plan through. The wicked will always suffer in their sin, but God’s people will always prevail in their faith, [1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.]
Now, after Haman was hung by the very gallows that he had made for Mordecai, the king asked Esther what else he could do to make things right, [Esther 8:1-4 On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews’ enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her. 2 And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. 3 And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king,]
Esther, asked him to allow the Jews to defend themselves of the decree that Haman had forged concerning that all Jews be executed. While the decree could not be broken, but the king wasted no time in making a new decree that allowed them to defend themselves should anyone attempt to come after them. In fact, he had Mordecai write up the decree and gave him his ring to certify it.
[Esther 8:7-8,11 Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. 8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse. 11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,]
The king not only made the decree allowing the Jews to protect themselves, he also gave Haman’s house, all the goods in it, and the estate belonging to it, to Esther, who then appointed Mordecai as the steward and he made Mordecai his second in command, [Esther 8:15-17 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. 16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour. 17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.]
Mordecai, was no longer seen as a Jew, he was seen as a humble, noble man, and was honored by the people and not like they did with Haman in bowing down to him. This is also where the Jewish religion began, and the Jews were no longer seen as a family of descendants of their father Israel (Jacob), they were now a group of people who followed God. It is that fear that we all need to realize that unless we are converted we too will die. And guess what? The second we accept Christ as our Saviour, He will protect us for eternity, [Romans 6:22-23 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (23) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.]
Now, the day of execution of the decree to kill all Jews had come, whether or not anyone attacked the Jews, they had the power to defend themselves and were armed and ready. And as you can Imagine, there were some foolish people who did try to kill them, even in Shushan, but it was pointless because they lost their lives.
[Esther 9:1-3 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;) 2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people. 3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.]
In other words, they now respected Mordecai. On this day, five hundred people in Babylon were killed, but just to make sure his queen was appeased, the king asked her if there was anything else she would like.
[Esther 9:12-14,17 And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done. 13 Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day’s decree, and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged upon the gallows. 14 And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman’s ten sons. 17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.]
Seventy-five thousand people set out to destroy the Jews were slain within three days time. After the third day Jews from all over the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces rested and held a special holiday to observe what took place, and became a yearly observance that is still held today, called Purim.
[Esther 9:20-22,26 And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far, 21 To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, 22 As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor. 26 Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them,]
The festival was appointed by authority, yet under the direction of the Holy Spirit. It was called the feast of Purim, from the Persian word, which signifies a lot. The name of this festival would remind them of the almighty power of the God of Israel, who served His own purposes by the superstitions of the heathen. During the feast, the king also laid a tribute to the town and Mordecai.
[Esther 10:1-3 And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea. 2 And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.]
We can learn a valuable lesson in all this, God is on His throne, watching over His people no matter where they are. We do not need four walls and a steeple to get His attention, we do that my humbling ourselves to Him and He will give is the means to defend ourselves, even in death. Jesus, simply said it this way, [Matthew 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.]
Today’s Prayer: God, As I look back on my life I can see all the difficulties that You have allowed and just how much Your hand played a part in my enduring them, even when I was not always faithful to Your will for my life. I thank You for the cross that You took that I should have bore, and how You saved my soul. I also thank You for the life that You have given me. Lord, lead me and guide me, let me be a witness to the amazing life that You provide when I put my faith and trust solely upon You. Let me be as faithful as Esther, willing to always give my life as a living sacrifice to be used for Your glory, and let me not become boastful or proud, and think of myself anything other than a sinner saved by grace through my faith in Your Son alone. I love You and ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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