BIBLE
WOMEN
LESSON
29
Of the Old
Testament
The Jewish Age
Captivity to Christ
583 Years; 2
Kings 25 to Mat 1
(References in
Esther)
PERIOD
OF CAPTIVITY
VASTHI—BEAUTIFUL
OR EXCELLENT
1.
She was queen and wife of whom
(1:9)?
A.
She made a feast for whom (1:9)?
B.
*Describe the feast of Ahasuerus
(1:1-8).
2.
During the height of the feast,
the king sent for someone. Who was
it (1:10-11)?
A.
Why did he want her to appear
before the nobles (1:11)?
B.
What did he want her to wear?
C.
Some people teach that the king
asked her to appear naked before the nobles.
Is there any indication of that in these verses?
“With the crown royal…” seems to indicate that she was to dress in
her royal apparel to have a show of power as well as beauty before the nobles.
At least the crown would be beautiful on a beautiful queen.
D.
What did Vashti do (1:12)?
1.
What about the king’s fury
(1:12)?
2.
What about Isaiah’s description
of vain women (Isa. 3:16-17)?
3.
How does the apostle Peter
describe a beautiful woman (I Pet. 3:1-4)?
4.
To what extent is the woman to
obey her husband (Eph. 5:22)?
5.
If Ahasuerus did not ask Vasthi to
sin, was she justified in her disobedience?
3.
The king planned to take Vashti
from the throne. What counsel was
asked (1:13, 15)?
4.
Tell what the counselors thought
should be done (1:16-22) Why?
5.
What was their main concern
(1:17)?
ESTHER
means star—the planet Venus;
HADASSAH
means myrtle—a flower.
1.
After the queen was deposed, what
plans were made (2:1-4)?
2.
Esther was an orphan, reared by
whom (2:7)?
A.
Who was her father (2:15)?
His name means father of strength in Hebrew.
B.
What was her Persian name (2:7)?
C.
What was said of her beauty (2:7)?
3.
In keeping with the king’s plan,
where was she taken (2:8)?
A.
What favor did she gain from the
keeper and maids (2:9)?
B.
Why were all these plans kept from
her people (2:10)? (It was not a
credit before the Persians to be a Jew.)
C.
Who always kept watch over Esther
(2:11)?
4.
*Relate how she found favor and
became the queen (2:12-18).
A.
Who always controlled the conduct
of Esther (2:20)?
B.
How did Mordecai save the king
through Esther (2:21-23)?
C.
Who sought to kill all the Jews
because of envy (3:6)?
5.
How did Esther seek to make
Mordecai happy (4:1-4)?
A.
Through Esther, how did Mordecai
plan to save the Jews (4:4-8)?
B.
How did she plead her case
(4:9-12)?
C.
Fitting in with the plan of God,
how did Mordecai persuade Esther to act (4:13-17)?
D.
Did Mordecai tell Esther that she
only could save the Jews (4:14)?
E.
Some people preach that God cannot
get His work done unless we do it. They
say, “God has no hands but our hands, no feet but our feet,” etc. Read Isa.
55:10, 11 and Luke 19:35-40 to see if this is true.
6.
Finding favor before the king, for
what did Esther ask (5:1-4)?
A.
*Tell of the planned feast and of
the deferred petition (5:5-8).
B.
*Describe Haman’s inflated pride
and his envious plan (5:9-14).
C.
*How was his pride deflated
(6:1-14)?
7.
Describe the favorable petition
and the hanging of Haman (7:1-10).
8.
How was Esther honored with
Mordecai (8:1-2)?
A.
How did she move the king to alter
his decree (8:3-8)?
B.
Mordecai is honored and the Jews
are made happy. Tell about it
(8:15-17).
C.
*Describe how the Jews were
completely avenged (9:14-16).
D.
*Tell of the institution of the
feast of Purim (9:17-19).
E.
*How was this feast further
confirmed (9:29-32)?
ZERESH
means gold.
1.
She was the wife of what evil man
(5:10)?
2.
Joining with her husband’s
friends, what evil did she suggest (5:14)?
A.
After that, what was her husband
to do (5:14)?
B.
How did this appeal to him (5:14)?
3.
Even though she gave evil advice
to her husband, she also gave him a warning?
What was it (6:13)?
A.
Give the fulfillment of this
prediction (7:5-7).
B.
How was this so completely
climaxed (7:9, 10)?