Esther - Lesson One

Lesson One: A Providential Divorce
DAY FOUR: Proposing Foolish Solutions

Please carefully read Esther 1:13–18 and answer the following questions.

1. Ahasuerus was humiliated in front of all the people by this, and he was angry! What help did he seek in deciding what to do about this (vv. 13, 14)?

NOTE: This inner circle reminds us of Daniel and others who served a similar purpose as the wise men of Babylon. Interestingly, these seven men had instant access to the king, while even Queen Esther couldn’t appear before him without being summoned, at risk of death (we’ll see this in Esther 4, 5).

2. What did Ahasuerus really want to find out, and how did Memucan, one of these men, respond to this (vv. 15, 16)?

3. What did Memucan assume would happen if no action was taken against the queen because of this (vv. 17, 18)?

4. Daniel was the ultimate example of giving godly counsel to a king. It makes us wonder what his counsel would have been if he were faced with this situation. These men sought to oppress and control their women so they wouldn’t be despised, and to avoid excessive disrespect and discord spreading throughout the land. Sinful anger will always lead to foolish decisions and proposed solutions in which someone is either hurt or denigrated. Thankfully, the pages of Scripture do much to dispel this kind of treatment of women as mere property or sex objects to be kept under a man’s control. The battle of the sexes began after the fall of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:16), and will continue until Christ returns and sets things right! But what must we all remember about our position in Christ, and treat each other accordingly (Galatians 3:26–29)?

5. Husbands and wives have specific roles in marriage, but the husband’s role is never to dominate or think he has to force respect from his wife. Men cannot force honor and respect. It must be earned through a respectful, godly attitude. What are some ways we men are to live this out (Ephesians 5:25–33)?

Scripture Memory: Try to fill in the missing words in the blanks below, by memory if at all possible, and then review the passage several times today.

Do not _______________ the world or the _________________________ in the world. If anyone _______________________ the ____________________, the love of the _______________________ is not in him. For all that is in the world — the lust of the ________________________, the lust of the ____________________, and the ___________________ of life — is not of the ___________________ but is of the world.
1 John 2:15–16 (nkjv)

Click here for Day Five

Esther - Lesson One - Day 4