Esther 9:20-25 MSG 20-22 Mordecai wrote all this down and sent copies to all the Jews in all King Xerxes’ provinces, regardless of distance, calling for an annual celebration on the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar as the occasion when Jews got relief from their enemies, the month in which their sorrow turned to joy, mourning somersaulted into a holiday for parties and fun and laughter, the sending and receiving of presents and of giving gifts to the poor. 23 And they did it. What started then became a tradition, continuing the practice of what Mordecai had written to them. 24-25 Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the archenemy of all Jews, had schemed to destroy all Jews. He had cast the pur (the lot) to throw them into a panic and destroy them. But when Queen Esther intervened with the king, he gave written orders that the evil scheme that Haman had worked out should boomerang back on his own head. He and his sons were hanged on the gallows. Esther 1:1 NIV This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush: Esther 1:2 NIV At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, Characters of the Book of Esther named Xerxes 1:1-8 Esther 1:2-8 NIV 2 At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, 3 and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present. 4 For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. 5 When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa. 6 The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. 7 Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality. 8 By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished. called Vashti Esther 1:9 Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes. named Haman Esther 3:1 After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. named Mordecai Esther 2:5-6 5 Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, 6 who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah. named Esther/Hadassah Esther 2:7 Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died. : The One behind-the-scenes When the world feels out of control… God is at work behind the scenes… Therefore, we don’t need to be afraid “the occasion when Jews got relief from their enemies, the month in which their sorrow turned to joy, mourning somersaulted into a holiday for parties and fun and laughter” Esther 9:22 MSG Questions for Discipleship Group and/or personal study: Opener: Does God ever seem silent or absent to you? Go to the Source: Read Esther 9:20-25 This two-day Purim festival celebrates the great reversals in the book. How do you recall God’s deliverance and rescue in your life? Live it out: How can you elevate your spiritual senses this week to be on the look-out for God’s presence more?