Esther 6 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study
Esther 6 Short Summary:
Esther 6, God’s providence is on full display as He thwarts the plan of Haman to kill Mordecai. Rather than getting to kill Mordecai, King Ahasuerus makes Haman parade Mordecai through the streets in honor as a reward for saving him from the violent plot of Bigthan and Teresh (2:19-23).
Esther 6 Bible Study
WHEN:
538 BC – Cyrus the Great of Persia frees the Jews from their Babylonian captivity.
516 BC – The rebuilding of the Temple is completed in Jerusalem.
483 BC – The story of Esther begins in the 3rd year of Ahasuerus’ reign.
479 BC – Esther becomes queen of Persia.
457 BC – Ezra arrives in Jerusalem.
444 BC – Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem.
KEY CHARACTERS:
King Ahasuerus – Also known as Xerxes. Reigned as king of Persia from 486-464 B.C.
Esther – A young Jewish woman who was chosen by Ahasuerus to become queen of Persia. She was an orphan who was raised by her cousin Mordecai.
Mordecai – A Jew who lived in Susa. He raised Esther after her parents died.
Haman – An Agagite. He was a vengeful man who King Ahasuerus elevated to high authority.
Zeresh – Haman’s wife.
WHERE:
Susa – The capital of the Persian Empire. The location of the palace of Ahasuerus.
OUTLINE:
A SLEEPLESS NIGHT AND THE BOOK OF MEMORABLE DEEDS (6:1-3):
Haman was planning to kill Mordecai in the morning, but that night, the king couldn’t sleep, so he asked someone to read to him.
The chosen book was the “book of memorable deeds, the chronicles” (6:1).
In the book was a record of how Mordecai had saved King Ahasuerus from a violent plot devised by two of his eunuchs, Bigthana and Teresh (2:19-23).
Ahasuerus asked his servants what reward Mordecai had received for saving him. The servants responded that Mordecai had not received a reward.
MORDECAI IS HONORED (6:4-13):
Not long after the king was reminded of Mordecai’s noble deed, Haman entered the court of the king to ask for permission to hang Mordecai on his new gallows.
Ahasuerus asked Haman, “What should be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?”
Thinking that the king was talking about him, Haman replied, “Let the royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown is set. And let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. Let them dress the man whom the king delights to honor, and let them lead him on the horse through the square of the city, proclaiming before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor” (6:8-9).
The king liked this idea, and he told Haman to go at once and do all of these things for Mordecai, because Mordecai was the man who the king wanted to honor.
Haman, unable to do otherwise, followed the kings instructions, dressed Mordecai in royal robes and paraded him through the square of the city in honor. Afterwards, he went home to his wife to pout.
ESTHER’S SECOND FEAST (6:14):
While Haman was talking with his wife and friends, the servants of the king came to collect him to attend Esther’s second feast (5:8).
APPLICATION
This chapter is one of the best and clearest displays of providence in the Bible.
When we speak about providence, usually we aren’t referring to something that is obviously miraculous, but rather an event where God’s steers a situation through the natural elements of the world. It’s not observably supernatural, but it’s obviously God directed.
Esther and Mordecai’s story is obviously intended to be understood as God directed. The feasts of Esther, the uncovering of the plot by Mordecai, the sleepless night of the king, the specific book read to the king, and the failed plot of Haman were all ordered with precision on God’s timeline.
This makes it all the more interesting that God is never mentioned in the Book of Esther. You won’t find the term “God” anywhere in Esther.
Yet, that doesn’t mean God wasn’t present! He was very much present even though He didn’t announce Himself.
I hope that this book gives you confidence that God is working in your life even though He doesn’t announce Himself.
When God works in our lives providentially, there isn’t a voice from heaven that announces that God took a specific action, but just as in the story of Esther, we can be confident that He is working amongst us and that He will work all things for the good of His people.
