Mordecai

the forgotten man is honoured

Est. ch.5 & 6

Heb.11 v.8 – 10 & 13 - 16

Jer.29 v.1 & 4 - 14

Heb.11 v.8 – 10 By faith Abraham, when

called to go to a place he would later

receive as his inheritance, obeyed and

went, even though he did not know where

he was going. By faith he made his home

in the promised land like a stranger in a

foreign country; he lived in tents, as did

Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him

of the same promise. For he was looking

forward to the city with foundations,

whose architect and builder is God.

Heb.11 v.13 – 16 All these people were

still living by faith when they died. They

did not receive the things promised; they

only saw them and welcomed them from a

distance. And they admitted that they

were aliens and strangers on earth. People

who say such things show that they are

looking for a country of their own.

If they had been thinking of the country

they had left, they would have had

opportunity to return. Instead, they were

longing for a better country – a heavenly

one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be

called their God, for he has prepared a city

for them.

Lev.25 v.23 “The land must not be sold

permanently, because the land is mine

and you are but aliens and my tenants.”

Est.2 v.5 – 7 Now there was in the citadel

of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin,

named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of

Shimei, the son of Kish, who had been

carried into exile from Jerusalem by

Nebuchadnessar king of Babylon,

Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah,

(Esther) whom he had brought up

because she had neither father nor

mother.

aliens and strangers on earth

Jer.29 v.1 This is the text of the letter

that the prophet Jeremiah sent from

Jerusalem to the surviving elders among

the exiles and to the priests, the prophets

and all the other people Nebuchadnessar

had carried into exile from Jerusalem to

Babylon.

v.4 – 14 This is what the Lord Almighty,

the God of Israel,

says to all those I carried into exile from

Jerusalem to Babylon.

“Build houses and settle down; plant

gardens and eat what they produce. - - - -

-. Increase in number there; but do not

decrease.

Jer.29 v.7 Also, seek the peace and

prosperity of the city to which I have

carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for

it, because if it prospers, you too will

prosper.”

Est,2 v.21 – 23 During the time Mordecai

was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana

and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who

guarded the doorway became angry and

conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.

But Mordecai found out about the plot

and told Queen Esther, who in turn

reported it to the king, giving credit to

Mordecai.

And when the report was investigated and

found to be true, the two officials were

hanged on a gallows.

All this was recorded in the book of the

annals in the presence of the king.

Jer. 29 v.10 This is what the Lord says:

“When seventy years are completed for

Babylon, I will come to you, and fulfil my

gracious promise to bring you back to this

place.

v.11 For I know the plans I have for you,”

declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you

and not to harm you, plans to give you

hope and a future.

Est.3 v.1/2 After these events, King

Xerxes honoured Haman, son of

Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him

and giving a seat of honour higher than

that of all the other nobles. All the royal

officials at the king’s gate knelt down and

paid honour to Haman, for the king had

commanded this concerning him. But

Mordecai would not kneel down or pay

him honour.

v.5/6 When Haman saw that Mordecai

would not kneel down or pay honour, he

was enraged. Yet having learned who

Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the

idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead

Haman looked for a way to destroy all

Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout

the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

v.13 Dispatches were sent by couriers to

all the king’s provinces with the order to

destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews –

young and old, women and little children

– on a single day, the thirteenth day of

the twelfth month, the month of Adar,

and to plunder their goods.

Est.4 v.1 -3 When Mordecai learned of all

that had been done, he tore his clothes,

put on sackcloth and ashes, and went

into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. -

- - - There was great mourning among the

Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing.

Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

v.14 “if you remain silent at this time,

relief and deliverance for the Jews will

arise from another place, but you and

your father’s family will perish.

And who knows but that you have come

to royal position for such a time as this.”

v.9 – 11 Esther explains the difficulty of

her situation.

Esther’s reply (ch.4 v.16)– “Go, gather

together all the Jews who are in Susa,

and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for

three days, night or day. I and my maids

will fast as you do.”

Jer 29 v.12/13 Then you will call upon me

and come and pray to me, and I will listen

to you. You will seek me and find me

when you seek me with all your heart. I

will be found by you,” declares the Lord,

Answers to prayer

Est.5 v.1 - On the third day

v.2/3 When the king saw Queen Esther

standing in the court, he was pleased

with her and held out to her the gold

sceptre that was in his hand. - - - Then

the king asked, “What is it, Queen

Esther? What is your request?

4 v.8 Go into the king’s presence to beg for

mercy and plead with him for her people.

v.4 “If it pleases the king” replied Esther,

“let the king, together with Haman, come

to the banquet I have prepared for him”

v.6 As they were drinking wine, the king

again asked Esther, “Now what is your

petition? It will be given you.”

v.7 Esther replied, “ - - - - if it pleases the

king to grant my petition and fulfil my

request, let the king and Haman come

tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for

them.”

v.9 Haman went out that day happy and in

high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at

the king’s gate and observed that he

neither rose nor showed fear in his

presence, he was filled with rage.

v.11 Calling together his friends and

Zeresh, his wife, Haman boasted to them

of his vast wealth, his many sons, and all

the ways the king elevated him above the

other nobles.

v.12 I’m the only person Queen Esther

invited to accompany the king to her

banquet.

v.13 But this gives me no satisfaction as

long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at

the king’s gate.

v.14 His wife Zeresh and all his friends

said to him, “have a gallows built seventy-

five feet high and ask the king in the

morning to have Mordecai hanged on it.

Ch.6 v.1 That night the king could not sleep;

so he ordered the book of the chronicles - -

to be brought in and read to him.

v.3 What honour and recognition has

Mordecai received for this?

v.6 When Haman entered, the king asked

him, “What should be done for the man

the king delights to honour?”

v.10 “Go at once,” the king commanded

Haman. “get the robe and the horse and do

just as you suggested for Mordecai the Jew,

who sits at the king’s gate.”

v.11 So Haman got the robe and the horse.

He robed Mordecai and led him on

horseback through the city streets,

proclaiming before him, “This is what is

done for the man the king delights to

honour!”

v.13 Haman rushed home, with his head

covered, in grief, and told Zeresh, his wife,

and all his friends everything that had

happened to him.

His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to

him. “since Mordecai, before whom your

downfall has started, is of Jewish origin,

you cannot stand against him – you will

surely come to ruin.

aliens and strangers on earth

For I know the plans I have for you,”

declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you

and not to harm you, plans to give you

hope and a future.

Then you will call upon me and come and

pray to me, and I will listen to you. You

will seek me and find me when you seek

me with all your heart. I will be found by

you,” declares the Lord,