1. PEOPLE TO REMEMBER KING CYRUS -EZRA 1:1(536 BC)? KING DARIUS:EZRA 1-6(538-516 BC)? ESTHER QUEEN OF PERSIA(58 YEARS)(478 BC)? ARTAXERXES:EZRA 7-10(458-457 BC)? ARTAXERXES LONGIMANUS:(465-424 BC)? ZERUBBABEL - SHESHBAZZAR - LEVITE GOVERNOR OF JUDAH HAGGAI 1:1(536 BC)? LEVITES WHO CAME WITH ZERUBBABEL NEHEMIAH - PRIESTEZRA 2:2(536 BC)? JEREMIAH - PRIESTNEHEMIAH 12:1(536 BC)? JESHUA - HIGH PRIESTNEHEMIAH 12:1(536 BC)? EZRA - PRIESTNEHEMIAH 12:1(536 BC)? HIGH PRIESTSKINGS OF PERSIASTOCK OF JUDAH SERAIAH CAMBYSESJECONIAH JOZADAKCYRUSSALATHIEL JESHUADARIUSZERUBBABEL JOIAKIMXERXESHANANIAH

2. PEOPLE TO REMEMBER NEBUCHADNEZZAR:KING OF BABYLON (498 BC)? JECONIAH:KING OF JUDAH (498 BC)? AHASUERUS:KING OF PERSIA(483 BC)? VASHTI:AHASUERUS’ EX-WIFE MORDECAI:GREAT-GRANDSON OF KISH - A BENJAMITE (A EUNUCH)? HEGAI:EUNUCH IN CHARGE OF KING’S HAREM ESTHER:FIRST COUSIN OF MORDECAI BIGTHAN & TERESH: KING’S DOORKEEPERS SHAASHGAZ :KEEPER OF THE KING’S CONCUBINES HAMAN:THE AGGAGITE - DESCEDENT OF KING AGAG HATHACH:EUNUCH THAT ESTHER SENT TO SEE MORDECAI

3. PEOPLE TO REMEMBER AHASUERUS:KING OF PERSIA 478 BC? VASHTI:AHASUERUS’ FIRST WIFE MORDECAI: (A EUNUCH)? GREAT-GRANDSON OF KISH - A BENJAMITE ESTHER:FIRST COUSIN OF MORDECAI HEGAI:EUNUCH IN CHARGE OF KING’S HAREM BIGTHAN AND TERESH: KING’S DOORKEEPERS (EUNUCHS) HAMAN:THE AGGAGITE - DESCEDENT OF KING AGAG HATHACH:EUNUCH THAT ESTHER SENT TO SEE MORDECAI

4. OUTLINE ESTHER CHAPTER FOUR ALL THE JEWS MOURN IN SACKCLOTH:V. 1-3 ESTHER INQUIRES ABOUT THEIR DISTRESS:V. 4-6 MORDECAI ASKS HER TO SPEAK TO THE KING:V. 7-9 SHE SAYS IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR HER TO DO THIS:V. 10-12 MORDECAI INSISTS THAT SHE GO ANYWAY:V. 13-14 SHE ASKS THEM TO FAST AND PRAY FOR HER:V. 15-17

5. READ:ESTHER 4:1-3 1When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 2He went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. 3And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

6. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 4:1-3 1When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. WHY IS MODECAI GREIVING? REMEMBER THE LAW OF THE MEDES AND PERSIANS READ:DANIEL 6:15 15These men approached the king, and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.“ (NKJ)

7. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 4:1-3 2He went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. 3And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. WHERE DID MORDECAI GO? WHY AT THE KING’S GATE? HOW DID THE JEWS RESPOND TO THIS?

8. READ:ESTHER 4:4-7 4Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them. 5Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was. 6Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king’s gate. 7Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews.

9. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 4:4-7 4Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them. HOW DID THIS EFFECT ESTHER? WHAT DID SHE SEND TO MORDECAI? WHAT DID SHE WANT HIM TO DO? WHY DID MORDECAI NOT ACCEPT THEM?

10. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 4:4-7 5Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was. WHO DID ESTHER SEND TO MORDECAI? WHAT DID SHE DESIRE TO KNOW?

11. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 4:4-7 6Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king’s gate. 7Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews. WHO DID ESTHER SEND TO MORDECAI? WHAT DID SHE DESIRE TO KNOW? WHAT DID MORDECAI TELL HATHACH?

12. READ:ESTHER 4:8-9 8He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people. 9Hathach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

13. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 4:8-9 8He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people. 10Hathach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai. WHAT DID MORDECAI SEND TO ESTHER? WHAT DID MORDECAI WANT ESTHER TO DO?

14. READ:ESTHER 4:10-11 10Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai: 11“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.”

15. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 4:10-11 10Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai: 11“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.” WHAT DID ESTHER TELL HATHACH? WHAT DID ALL THE PEOPLE KNOW? WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO HER? WAS SHE CONCERNED ABOUT HER SAFETY?

16. READ:ESTHER 4:12-14 12They told Mordecai Esther’s words. 13Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 14“If you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

17. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 4:12-14 12They told Mordecai Esther’s words. 13Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. HOW DID MORDECAI RESPOND TO THIS? WHY WOULD ESTHER NOT BE SPARED? DID ANYONE KNOW THAT SHE WAS A JEW?

18. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 4:12-14 14“If you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF SHE REMAIN SILENT? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO HER AND HER HOUSE? WAS THIS THE LORD’S PROVIDENCE?

19. READ:ESTHER 4:15-17 15Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: 16“Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” 17So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.

20. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 4:15-17 15Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: 16“Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” WHAT DID ESTHER WANT THE JEWS TO DO? WHAT WOULD ESTHER AND HER MAIDS DO? WHAT WAS ESTHER DETERMINED TO DO? “If I perish, I perish!”

21. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 4:15-17 WHAT DID THESE LEPERS DO?WHY? READ:2 KINGS 7:3-4 3There were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, "Why are we sitting here until we die? 4"If we say, 'We will enter the city,' the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.“(NKJ)

22. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 4:15-17 17Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him. WHAT DID MORDECAI DO? WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT THEY COULD DO?

23. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 4:15-17 WHAT WILL THE LORD DO? READ:PROVERBS 3:25-26 25Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; 26For the LORD will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught.(NKJ) READ: ISAIAH 8:10 10Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak the word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.“(NKJ) READ:ISAIAH 46:4 4Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.(NKJ)