Esther Study - Week 2

WoW... our first week is complete.  Don't know about you all but I thought it was pretty darn awesome!  And I'm sure looking forward to our continuing study :D  I love the way that everyone followed through on the posts and comments.  That system seems to be working well even though our posts didn't actually display until Tuesday - Saturday for Monday - Friday.  But in reality (there is that word again) it worked perfectly... what we read on Monday was talked about Tuesday and Tuesday's reading was addressed on Wednesday, etc..so its great!  The most wonderful thing is how we are discussing what we are learning!  From young to old(er) and from coast to coast... Esther is awesome.  

On to Video 2.... ENJOY

Return to Fairy Tales

As I studied this lesson (day four) what hit me is how much this part reminded me of fairy tale living.  The men seemed to live in a fairy tale land where they expected the women to do what they wanted... when they wanted it.  They go on to think that making a decree would make it so.  Somehow I seriously doubt their drunken decree worked out for them!  Maybe outwardly, but not in places (like the bedroom for example - sorry Janie) where their real worlds existed.

And back to reality, it made me think about how I'll make up a fairy tale ending for situations of my life as well.  I can issue a decree; "oh it will be so much fun!" or "oh, that sounds scary!" or "I couldn't do that!" only to find out it turns out differently than I'd planned.  And I am usually sober :-0 So, guess I can't fault the guys so much.

What is coming, I think, is that we are going to see how God makes a fairy tale life to a real life and writes the story with His love entwined in every line.

Our Reality

One of the neat things about doing this study on-line as opposed to going to meet with others in a physical location like a church, is that we can move at our own pace through the study.  With all the things we all having going we may not be able to post exactly on our assigned day and that is perfectly ok!  While its important to follow through as much possible week to week there will be times when each of us may not "geterdone" on the exact day that we were given. What is most important is that we continue in the study and connect as we can about how what we learn is impacting our lives.  As Beth stays on page 21 "One goal of  our study is to let God heal our world-torn souls and make us experience His security in our reality."  This study is only going to work if we do it within the limits of our reality!  So lets keep it stress free while making the most of it...

Since she is moving, Cara has no internet until next week!  So in her place, to address the issue of Queen Vashti's decision, here are some insights from the Bible Knowledge Commentary.... 

1:10-12. Xerxes told his seven eunuchs (cf. 6:14) to bring . . . Vashti into his banquet hall so that her beauty could be admired by the male guests. But she refused to come. One of the eunuchs named here is referred to later (Harbona in 7:9). This order was given on the seventh day, that is, the last day of the feast which had turned into a drunken party. The mention of ”seven eunuchs“ serving the king fits the era in which the account took place. It was a well-known practice then for young men who served the king to be castrated so they would have no illusions of starting their own dynasties.

Vashti’s refusal is not explained by the author. There is no implication that the king wanted her to do anything immoral or to expose herself. Perhaps she simply did not wish to be in mixed company at that time. It has been suggested that if this queen was Amestris, perhaps she refused to go to the banquet because she was pregnant with Artaxerxes, who was born in 483. Regardless of the reason for her refusal, her action was a breach of etiquette. The king was used to getting whatever he desired whenever he desired it. Therefore her response made him furious (cf. 7:7).

1:13-15. The king consulted wise men about what he should do. These seven men had special access to the king and were the ones who knew the law well. Herodotus has confirmed the fact that this use of wise men was a feature of ancient Near Eastern courts. Throughout the ancient Near East wise men played important roles in governments (e.g., Daniel’s position in the Babylonian and Persian Empires). The crime the queen had committed was that she disobeyed a command of the king. Obviously the king and queen did not share an emotionally intimate relationship. This was true of Xerxes and the women in his harem. This is again apparent later when Esther noted to Mordecai that she had not even seen the king for a month and was afraid to ask to see him (4:11).

1:16-22. Memucan, one of Xerxes’ wise men, suggested that he have the queen deposed (v. 19) so that other noble women (v. 18) of the empire (and in fact all the women, v. 20) would not follow Vashti’s example and despise their husbands (v. 17) and the empire be filled with female disrespect and marital discord (v. 18). It is difficult to see how this punishment would cause the women of the empire to respect their husbands but that was the idea behind the decree. This is partially explained by the fact that the men had been drinking heavily (v. 10). (The words ”if it pleases the king“ occur nine times in the OT, seven of them in the Book of Es.: Neh. 2:5, 7; Es. 1:19; 3:9; 5:4, 8; 7:3 [”your majesty“ is lit., ”the king“] 8:5; 9:13.)

The idea pleased the king and his nobles so an edict was sent throughout the empire in various languages (cf. 3:12), stating that every man should be ruler over his own household. A vast relay communications system, something like an ancient pony express, made it possible to spread news throughout the empire quickly (cf. 3:13; 8:10). This bit of information helps set the stage for the rise of Esther.

Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:702-703

No show ...

You think I am talking about the queen, but no, just giving everyone a heads up that Cara will be slow to post because she is moving!  So watch for her... she is just gonna be a bit late. 

is it a party?

This is my very first bible study so bare with me. In day 2 study she say that it is a story of a party...and me having plenty of experiences with parties i think this suits me. Esther 1:1-8 says that the drinking was according to law. does that mean it was against the law? and then it says that no one was compelled to. But the king ordered all the officers that they should.

So to me its like an under age party where the kids know they are not suppose to drink but there is the temptation and the abundance. Its like peer pressure.

But then again it could be that no one wants to get drunk on wine to quickly because its a party that will last 7 days. They don't want to appear weak, or miss out on the feast.

Reading psalm 49:6-20 tells you not to be afraid of those with riches, but then reading psalm 96:4-6 tells you that the Lord is great and is to be feared above all gods. that strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. So could the guest at this party be mistaking the king for their Lord and are in fear?

Ester Study day One Discussion - the first thoughts

Happy tuesday,

My first thoughts about this study and the book of Ester have defiantly been how fairy tale like it is and how Beth Moore really calls your attention to that. So I am thinking what where some of my stories as a kid? What did those stories teach me? I don't think that i actually ever learned a single thing from one of the stories that ever stuck with me over time. They where just stories something to sooth me, entertain me, not develop me.

Beth Moore made a bit of a side note of Romans 15:4. Did you read it? I hope so. I pray that as we go through this study that Ester doesn't become just a fairy story to entertain us but that we allow it to sink deeply into the pores of our heart and truly changes our lives. I pray that each of us find hope and peace in the pages of God's fairy story and that we take the bits of truth he has placed before us. My heart has been revisiting a bible memory verse from years ago. Look at James 1:22, and allow it to be a goal and a challenge to you.

One last thought for me for today. Look at the passages from Ezra. Have you ever been far from home for a long time like the Israelites? I remember being far from home and missing everything that makes home home. Not so much the people but the relationships, the places, the memories everything that I knew and loved was many miles away. It made me feel lost inside and gave me such a longing that truly made my days uncomfortable. I remember coming home and seeing everything i loved again and it was a wonderful feeling. I hope that as we go along we look at every opportunity to relate our own lives to the story and make it real for us so that in turn we are truly motivated for change.

Did everyone get the answers to the questions in the study book?

What do u hope for this study?

Did anything really make you think?

This weeks challenges

What is facing you this week?

Little projects?  Big projects?  School, work and paying bills?  Dealing with the last weeks of a pregnancy for Jen!  Dealing with the results of pregnancies for some others ;-)  lol

For some of us it will be doing the 1st week of the Esther study and figuring out just how to "get together" across the miles to discuss what we learn.  Any one who has suggestions on solving that....Please comment any ideas you have below!

Wishing you all the best blessings this week,
M

Don't read your Bible?!

This is a very good encouragement!  Check it out.

Esther Study... Ready, Set, Go!

Hi Gals,

The time to start the study has arrived .. is everyone ready?  Start by watching the1st video sometime this week.  We can all start the workbook on Monday and check in with one another via email/blog during the week, with the start of the next video on Saturday or Sunday.  There are 5 days of homework for each session so by viewing the video on the weekends it should be relatively smooth to get through each segment week by week.  Sound like a plan?

I am soooooo looking forward to spending this time with you all :D

Many Blessings!
M

the breaking point

It is finally all getting to me! It is the breaking point, my grandfather is not doing well and the whole family expects me to help everyone get though this. Yes, I maybe one of the strongest women in my family, but I cant do it all..I'm about to pop with baby Mason any day now and can't take anymore stress or pressure. All I want to do is crawl in bed and be a hermit for a week. Yesterday was the first day I just broke down and cried and probably freaked the heck out of my husband and son. I need to get away for a day..any ideas ladies??

Expected to...

Do you have a friend or family member that always expects you to do something for them. How dependable can one person be? And when is enough, enough?

Now I love my brother and his son a ton but its every other weekend when he has his son, he is wanting me to watch him...I can't do it anymore. I feel that he needs to talk to his work and have the weekends he has his son off..I have my own family and I am about to have another child any time now. Not only that but we are moving at the end of next month and I will be 40 minutes from him. I refuse to come and pick up my nephew to watch him until his dad gets off at 11 at night..I need my sleep and when my baby comes even more so. But how do you let down a person you care so much about with out hurting them? Am I wrong here or is enough, enough. Its not that he asks me or pays me, he expects me to watch him because he is my nephew..Now I have never done this to him. I have always asked him with enough notice if he could watch my son, and that has probably only has been 3 or 4 times and my son will be 4 in August. I have watched his son to many times to count and he is only 4 and 1/2 months old..

Favorites

Hi Gals,
Lets start getting to know one another!  In the comment area below this post write in some of your favorites... books, movies, flavor of ice cream, color, whatever.  I'll start and you can join in whenever :-)  

When you click comments below you'll get to see the answers.  Have fun!