Esther - Lesson Three

Day Three: A Proposed Plot

Please carefully read Esther 3:7–9 and answer the following questions.

1. How does verse 7 provide us with another historical link, verifying that these were actual events, not fiction?

Note: The nlt tells us that casting the lot (Pur) in April 484 BC would have meant the day for the Jews’ destruction would be March 7, 483 BC, about one year later.

2. To do anything like this, though, Haman would have to have the king’s permission. How did he twist the story to try to convince the king to let this be done (v. 8)?

Note: Notice that Haman never even mentions who the people are whom he thought worthy for the king to destroy! The phrase their laws are different means that theirs were changed from the laws the Persians set up, and implies that they have done this repeatedly; not fitting means to not be like or equal to, not being on the same level or worth comparing to themselves.[vii]

3. How did Haman really sweeten the deal for the king to destroy these people (v. 9)?

Note: This was no small chunk of change that Haman offered the king. Ten thousand talents of silver was quite a bit, considering that the total annual income of the Persian Empire was 15,000 talents of silver.[viii] Ten thousand talents of silver would be 375 tons, or 750,000 pounds; in today’s value for silver, about $8.00 an ounce, that would be worth around $96 million![ix]

4. As Charles Swindoll pointed out, Haman knew which buttons to push to sway the king, for this presentation appealed to his superstition, conceit, and greed.[x] As we read in Lesson One, how does this further demonstrate the power of the world to destroy rather than to build our lives (1 John 2:15–17)?

5. Of whom does Haman also serve as a type (1 John 2:18, 22), and how does he reflect the one who inspired him (John 8:44)?

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.

But Mordecai would not _____________ or pay homage. Now it happened, when they ______________________ to him __________________ and he would not ___________________ to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai's ___________________ would ______________________; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. Esther 3:2b, 4 (nkjv)

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Esther - Lesson Three - Day 3