Theme Verses
When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. 6Yet having learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead, Haman looked fora way to destroy all Mordecai's people, the Judahites, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes. (Esther 3:5,6)
Goal
The Powers That Be are allied willingly and unwittingly against the people of God.What's Going On Here?
Deprived of his bestowed honor given by Xerxes, Haman seeks to exterminate Mordecai, who refuses to deny his faith by a show of reverence for Haman, and his Mordecai's fellow Judahites. Haman approaches Xerxes for official sanction to enact his scheme, even willing demonstrating a will to finance a portion of the cost. The edict is published empire-wide, and Xerxes and Haman celebrate their plan even as Susa is bewildered at the event.Searching the Scriptures
1. Palace intrigue. The words bring to mind betrayal, secrets, and scheming. Though already informed of Mordecai's position and Esther's "secret" identity, how are both unfolded in Mordecai's discovery of the
assassination attempt? How will this serve to "advance" the story? For what purpose was God using Mordecai's position at the gate? For what purpose is God employing our temporal positions and accomplishments?
2. Genealogies have another purpose beside revealing the family tree; they reveal connections that are important for the development of the narrative. So far Mordecai's ancestry was traced back to Kish, the
father of Saul; if Agagite refers to Agag, the king of the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:20), what conflict might be forthcoming between Mordecai and Haman? See also Exodus 17:16.
3. Word and rite are intimately intertwined in the Old Testament faith. How is this evident in Mordecai's non-compliance to public reverence demanded by Haman? What was the lack of reverence declaring?
4. Read Exodus 12:1-11. What is ironic about the timing of the casting of the pur (3:7)? What might be foreshadowed?
5. The Old Testament is replete with the persecution of the godly. Who are some people of faith who have been persecuted for the faith? In which instances has the government been involved? When the people of
faith have stood resolute, what was the official reaction of the government to the confession?
6. Why was it supposedly in the best interest of Xerxes to obliterate the Judahites? Why spend the detail on the edict in 3:12-14? Why was Susa bewildered (3:15) about the incident?
7. From the Old Testament evidence read so far, it seems that the status quo is opposed to the Kingdom of God. How did the status quo react when our Lord Jesus confessed? How does our Lord react to persecution? Can
the kingdoms of man and the Kingdom of God coexist in peace?
8. What is the contrast between what happens in 2:13-15 and 3:1-3?
The Word For Us
1. How do our rites, as well as our words, proclaim the faith? How do our rites and words challenge the world's rites? In what sense are our rites different?
2. Though Americans often refer to the founding documents of this country as testimony to her godliness, in what ways can the government infringe upon the practice of the faith?
3. What obligation do we have to the government? How do church and state work for the common good of God?
4. What options are open before us when Christians are persecuted by the government, both in this country and throughout the world?
5. The struggle between Mordecai and Haman manifests what greater struggle? Another perspective on this is found in Daniel 2 and climactically portrayed in Revelation 18. In what ways do we encounter this battle?
6. How do 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Romans 8:17 and 2 Corinthians 4:7-5:6 put persecution into its Christological perspective?
Closing
