ESTHER: God's Secret Weapon

By Rebecca Nevin

Long ago, a young girl was orphaned in a land of her people's enemies. She lived through the deaths of not one, but both of her parents - parents who taught her to love God and who faithfully modeled his ways to her. Had God forgotten her? Abandoned her? Never. Instead, God had an amazing plan for her life that included helping rescue her people from certain destruction. Come on the amazing journey of her life, from orphan to queen of ancient Persia, and discover how God faithfully led his daughter through valleys and heartache to victory and joy. The story of Esther is a historic account that contains the plot line of the entire Bible in just ten short chapters. Through this study you'll also learn of Satan's ancient hate against God and how it originated. You'll visit the courts of heaven and the Garden of Eden and trace Satan's advance upon God's kingdom as he moves through the men and women of this earthly domain with his lust for power, to kill God's people and ultimately establish his own worldwide reign. The account of Esther is an ancient story that is more relevant than ever. It's lessons and insights will give you a new perspective on the earthly battles God's people must engage in today just as his people of yesterday did. No matter what situation you face personally or what situation God's people face collectively at this time in our history, this study will reveal God's amazing power and faithfulness to bring all of us into full deliverance and joyful victory.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9781640033986

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Esther

God’s Secret Weapon

Rebecca Nevin

ISBN 978-1-64003-397-9 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64003-398-6 (Digital)

Copyright © 2019 Rebecca Nevin

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

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www.covenantbooks.com

Introduction to Esther

The book of Esther in the Bible was written in the Old Testament times during Israel’s exile from Jerusalem to Babylon (today’s Iraq), which was the capital of the kingdom of Persia at that time. Esther and her family were descendants of those exiled and, as a result, lived in Persia at the time of its writing.

The story of Esther is a historical fact and is recorded in the annals of Persian history. However, God has many messages and hidden gems within this book that the Holy Spirit has drawn out over the many years, as needed, to guide and nourish God’s people as they journey on toward their heavenly home.

The book of Esther contains the famous line, for such a time as this, within its pages. If ever there was such a time as this in our country (America) and around the world, it is now. The book of Esther is aimed at God’s own people in their times of great distress. It reveals powerful spiritual tools God’s people must wield in order to defeat the powers of darkness working through human actors in each age. Ages may change, but the spiritual battle and the tools to defeat it have remained the same, as have the goals of those who oppose the kingdom of Christ.

Within the book of Esther, the entire plotline of biblical history is hidden and exposed to those who seek to find it. As spiritual orphans, we start out in life in need of a solution. We, who believe, are led into a glorious journey that begins with our entry into the family of the King. We live in the palace as God changes us into his likeness; furthermore, we are invited and expected to take up our efforts in his Name in the spiritual battle that rages and threatens all humanity. Through our efforts with the King and with his authority, we overcome and reign with him forever.

Will we do what it takes in this generation to quell the spiritual battle and release the captives? Will we devote ourselves, as Esther did, to God’s purposes and intercede devotedly until the battle is under control? Or will we get ourselves entangled with the world we live in, watching TV, focusing on our career and our families while others remain trapped in dungeons of despair and anguish as evil advances?

This ancient challenge is ours’ today. The power is here for us. We must dedicate ourselves to God’s purposes for this time on earth, for it is indeed such a time as this.

Rebecca L. Nevin

How to Use This Study

This study has been designed with all stages of spiritual growth in mind. As infants (and unborn), we need basic information to help us grow. As growing Christians, we need more challenging material that takes us deeper into God’s truth. As mature believers, we need new insights and new pastures in which to graze. The wonderful news is that God always has new truths for us to learn. Our adventure of discovering God’s truth with him never runs dry.

Sometimes, it’s hard to find a study that goes into all these levels to challenge and feed everyone that participates. This study has been designed for all stages.

Are you a new believer? Then take in what you can, enjoy it, and don’t worry about the rest. God will unlock your understanding to these passages at a later date when you’re ready for them. Are you a more seasoned and mature believer? I hope you will find new discoveries here for yourself to enjoy and delight in, and you can help those who don’t understand the more complicated material, to understand it or to simply enjoy the new insights they have received through the study. Overall, don’t stress. There’s no test. Just take in what you can and leave the rest. The Lord will keep teaching you as you grow in him.

Quick Study

Like anything in life, you will get the most out of something when you give the most to it. This study has been designed to get you into the Word, receiving it and absorbing it for yourself. It has also been designed to take you from Genesis to Revelation and everywhere in between, allowing you to see that the Bible is one long story as well as help you to see where Esther fits into the timeline. One of the goals of this study is to get you into the Bible, by turning through it and reading it for yourself.

There is no way to learn or master any subject without getting thoroughly immersed. Therefore, each lesson will have you look up Scriptures and read them for yourself, think about them and write down what you’ve read. However, today’s people are busy! Do not worry! The questions have been structured for depth. If you don’t have time to look up all the verses associated with one question, just answer the first one and that will give you enough information to answer the question. The remaining look-ups go deeper and provide additional information on the subject. You’ll get an even deeper understanding of the subject at hand if you look them all up, but if you don’t have time, the first verse will be enough for your study.

I am aware that I have provided a lot of information. While I want you to get the most out of this study, I don’t want you to feel daunted or overwhelmed. Finding a way to deliver value to you and keeping it just right for everyone is challenging. Take this study and make it yours. Make it beneficial to you, and do the best that you can with the time you have and all will be well.

Bible Study Leaders or Self-Studiers

1. If you have never led a study, just follow the outline of the study and let everyone take turns reading and answering questions as they see fit. Some people are shy or may feel embarrassed or uncertain about this; so let them ease into the study, and they will gain confidence in time.

2. Whether you are a Bible Study Leader or a Self-studier, you can go to my website (rebeccanevin.com) and download a free weekly wrap-up that summarizes the messages of that chapter. Go to my website rebeccanevin.com and download the free teacher’s kit. That kit will have a weekly wrap up for you to use in summarizing and explaining each week’s lesson. Once again, this has been designed to accommodate all levels of experience leading a study. So even if you have never done it before, you’ll be fine! And if you want to change it up a bit, that’s fine too. Feel free to print out a copy for everyone in your group so they will have a copy to follow and engage with. Each group should do what works best for them while still working to ensure that the information God is providing is taken in and digested. If one area of teaching is more important to your group, spend more time on that and less on the other areas, as God’s Spirit leads you. No one will get everything, so it is important that you get what the Spirit emphasizes to you out of the teaching that week.

3. And by all means pray! Open your meeting with prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual ears, eyes, and soften your heart to accept his Word and then to obey it! Also, pray for each other during the week as the Spirit leads you to. If you are the leader, pray for each person in your group as you go.

Adam’s Lament

The King of the Universe sat down to play

A king and a queen, he fashioned that day

And gave them a world to live in and play

And to rule as he would in his own royal way.

He brought them to life, one by one

Adam was first, and when he was done

He breathed in him life and made him his son.

But kept Eve a secret ‘til playing was done.

He played with his son on their grand estate

Until Adam began to feel a mistake

For all of the animals each had a mate

But for Adam there was no acceptable date.

Don’t worry, Adam, God said with a smile.

"You needed some time to grow up for a while.

There’s someone I’ve made on this grand estate

To be fit just for you—there is no mistake.

"But from your own body, this person will come

You’ll love and protect her, and you’ll both become one.

As my Image, you’ll both rule this estate

Just as I would. You’ll reign in my place.

"The setting I’ve made here is like Paradise.

A temple I’ve fashioned for you and your wife

To seek me and dwell in my Garden divine

‘Til you’re both with me at the end of time.

"Adam, I charge you with keeping my Garden

For a threat here is hiding as it was up in heaven.

The battle has moved from heaven to earth

And a dragon is waiting, his plans to give birth.

"To seize your estate and make it his own

And wipe out my Image from among men.

For it’s his sacred plan to become King

And give them his image and evil to bring.

"The woman I give you is not just for loving,

But a partner she’ll be in guarding the Garden."

So he put Adam to sleep and took out his bone

Gave Eve her body and breathed in her some.

Eve breathed in his breath and then came to life

So Adam and Eve were the first husband and wife.

They loved and played in that world without care

And with God they lived and worshiped him there.

One day, he planted two trees in the garden

And then he told Adam and Eve all about them.

"This is my tree, the Tree of Life.

Its fruit will not hurt you or your wife.

"The other offers you nothing but Knowledge

Of Good and Evil which you have no need of.

I warn you most solemnly that if you succumb

The fruit will destroy you, and you’ll be undone."

And after a while, it came time for the test

For God had to see who they would love best.

And who they believed and which side they would take

Knowing full well the choice they would make.

So off God went and his Nemesis came, and

Day after day, it was more of the same

"Oh, this fruit you see won’t cause you to die.

I think God is telling a little white lie!

"He knows the fruit will open your eyes

And show you things that will make you wise.

God doesn’t want you to have that information

For he doesn’t want to have more competition!"

Is that right? Adam thought, while Eve got to lookin’

Hmmm, that fruit does look luscious and might work for cookin’.

So Adam watched while Eve took a bite

And watched as she swallowed, in case it just might…

But it all seemed to go down smooth and fine

He waited a minute, and she didn’t die.

So he took a bite, swallowed, and thought,

We’ve disobeyed God, and we haven’t been caught!

But all of the sudden as he looked around,

Thorns began growing, and green became brown

Eve’s face became different and needed some makeup

And Adam looked down and saw he was naked!

"You, Wicked Old Snake! You said you’d help us out,

That God couldn’t be trusted and that he’d sold us out.

But look what you’ve done and look at us here!"

But the Wicked Old Snake did not shed one tear.

"Ha! Ha! You fools! You were supposed to be one,

But I came between you, and you’ve come undone!

You stupid humans, you should have known

There was nothing you needed but God alone!

"Looks like you’ve lost your golden crowns

I guess they fell off when you tumbled down!

Oh well, that’s okay. I’ll take over the kingdom

After all, you weren’t able to keep these gold things on.

But don’t worry, Adam, Satan said with a smile.

"You’ll be getting to do things my way for a while.

And you’ll both have to learn the hard way

Who you should trust at the end of the day."

Just then, they heard a sound near the water.

God came to check on his son and daughter.

"What’s this that has happened—what have you done?

Adam, I put you in charge as my son!"

Well, said Adam, "when you were by the water

I looked at the tree, and well there goes your daughter!

Eating the fruit that you warned her about

I could hardly get over there to pull it out!"

Well, what about it, Eve? said the Lord.

"I just couldn’t help it; I was gettin’ so bored!

And this snake with his cute little legs came a’walkin,

And next thing I knew, we just got to talkin’.

"He said the fruit was luscious, and we just outa’ try it!

And that if we did, we’d never have to diet!"

And next thing I knew, I became an old hag,

And Adam left me holding the bag."

So God said to Satan, "You’re losing your legs!

"And you’ll have to slither the rest of your days.

And Adam, your work will be hard from now on

And Eve will have pain when she bears you a son.

For evil has entered the earthly sphere

And my Image on earth has been polluted here

No longer will my Image be pure

But good with evil alongside will appear."

A dual Image on earth and two kingdoms inside it

Is now how we live and we finish by dying

But God in his goodness made a vow

To end the curse that we live under now.

"A Seed I’ll send to crush your ugly head

His heel you’ll bite, but you’ll die instead

For the curse you brought on my paradise,

Can never subdue my obedient Christ.

"Through the woman you worked to own the earth

Through the woman I’ll come and descend through birth

To this realm that you’ve turned to your hellish glee

And take as sons all who’ll worship me.

"With the tree that you used to commit your curse,

I’ll fashion a cross to save the earth

And on it I’ll die for the sins of man

And you’ll never lead them astray again.

"But with me, they’ll live eternally free

In beauty and splendor unheard of

And no one will hurt my earth ever again

Because evil, I’ll make an end of.

Rebecca Nevin

Lesson One

You’re Invited!

Read Esther 1:1–9

¹Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. ² Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance. ³Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, According to the faithful mercies shown to David, (Isa. 55:1–3).

Day One

There’s a party going on in Susa and you’ve been invited! It’s been going on for six months now, as you well know, because you’ve seen the carriages of royal officials and their wives arriving from all over the kingdom with trunks of clothes and other provisions they’ll need for the duration. No one has said what the affair is all about, but even the military leaders and their wives have been invited, so it must be extremely serious. At any rate, you’ve been learning that some discussions are going on over fine dining and wining. Nobody has been able to find out what the discussions are about, though.

This week, that might all change, because all the people, like you, living inside the fortressed city have been invited to a week-long conclusion to the grand affair. Venture into the first chapter of Esther and find out what took place. First, you’ll read about the initial banquet of six months. Then, you’ll read about the banquet you’ve been invited to.

Read Esther 1:1–9 and answer the following questions.

1. Who is the king?

2. How big was his kingdom, and what stretch of land did it cover?

3. Where did the king have his fortress and royal throne?

4. When did he decide to give a banquet?

5. Who did he invite?

6. Who came with the leaders to the celebration? (v. 9)

7. How long did it last?

8. Why do you think God chose to include these details in this account?

9. Who is the author of this book? Does the text say?

10. Look up these verses and record what you learn.

a. II Timothy 3:16–17

b. II Peter 1:16, 21

c. II Timothy 2:15

Nevertheless, what did Jesus think of the scripture that was written prior to his birth? Did he validate the scriptures as being true? Let’s find out.

11. Look up these verses and record what you find:

a. Matthew 11:13–14

b. Matthew 22:39–40

c. Luke 24:44

12. Who does the scripture say is the unseen author of every book in the Bible?

Historicity of the Bible

Many people today like to discount and disregard what the Bible has to say by using the phrase that they don’t believe in fairy tales.The Bible doesn’t contain fairy tales. Its accounts are firmly rooted in Jewish history. The first half of the Bible is called the Hebrew Scriptures, because they faithfully record God’s actions on behalf of his chosen people in Israel. Jewish people recognize these books, including the people and events recorded in them as being true Jewish history. Christians refer to that half of the Bible as the Old Testament. The second half of the Bible was written by Jesus’ apostles or close associates of the same. They are historically accurate recordings of Jesus life on earth and the spread of the new faith of the early church. Before the writings of the New Testament were added to the Bible, they were widely read and accepted by the Christians of the day and known and understood to be true. But the Word of God isn’t full of fairy tales. Its accounts are firmly rooted in history. The nation of Israel is a historic nation whose beginnings are recorded in the first five books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch. The Jews of today, like the Jews of yesterday, claim these books as a historical factual record of their earliest beginnings as a nation. Their national heroes, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Jacob, Moses and King David, just to name a few, are firmly rooted in their history and in the Bible. The first half of the Bible records that nation’s inception, infancy, development, fall away from God, God’s punishment, and his promises of future restoration. The book of Esther is included in that half of the Bible and was written during the time of Israel’s exile, which you’ll learn more about later.

God is as real as we are. He’s entered into the same world that we live in, and he’s acted in our history. Through the people of Israel, his prophets, apostles, and disciples of the early church era, God has created a historical record from actual events and living witnesses that we can still access today. The book of Esther took place in a real place and at a real time.

Here is a map of Persia at the time of the life of Esther when the events recorded took place. The darkened section shows how large the kingdom was at that time.

Authorship of Esther

The human author of the Book of Esther is unknown to us, and that’s very apropos because the name Esther itself means hidden. God is the hidden author, but the account of Esther’s life in Persia includes many hidden gems that must be mined out and studied to see them. As we journey through the book of Esther together, I hope you’ll take joy in seeing the hidden gems scattered throughout the book.

The Lord wants you to be nourished and encouraged through his Word. He wants to take you through it and show you all that he has put for you there. His Word is a banquet for us to sit at and drink in; recording what he shows you about himself, his Word or yourself is important to your spiritual growth. Having a special journal to record those things daily will increase your intimacy with him