Esther

OBJECTIVE

In this module we will learn about how God gave those who were true to His name bravery and strength to stand up for what is right.

In this lesson, children will learn about Esther's courage, trust in prayer and fasting and how God used her to save His people. The time of Esther comes during the time of captivity, where the Jews were held as captives by many different nations. The Jews were the minority in these nations, so they were often treated badly. Esther, the fatherless Jewish girl, becomes queen in this foreign land and defends God's people from those who wish to kill them.

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 5-7 Minutes

Please review the previous week's lesson. (5 minutes)

Has anyone asked you about your background? Where you are from, your nationality, your religion?

Do you feel excited to tell others that you are Coptic and what that means?

Today we will learn about a woman who became queen in a country that wasn't her own.

Another hook option would be to ask about ever being in a big problem and not knowing what to do? How did you react to the problem?

Today we will learn about a queen who had a very big problem.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Memory Verse

"...fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day." (Esther 4:16)

Other options:

"Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 15 Minutes

Today we will learn about a young woman who found herself queen but didn't know that God planned to use her to save all the Jewish nation. At this time, the Jews were in Captivity-- they were not in their homeland of Jerusalem and away from their temples and places of worship. People like Daniel and the three Holy Youth lived in captivity like Esther; at this time, God chose people like them to show the Isrealites the way of repentance and returning to Him as many of them lost their faith from being away from their homeland.

After King Nebuchadnezzarr had carried away many of the Jews back to Babylon, many continued to live in the land. Later on, another king named Ahasuerus reigned Persia (Persia conquered Babylon). During a banquet one day, he called for his queen who was named Queen Vashti to come from her palace so he could show her beauty to all the princes, but she refused. The king was upset that she did not do as he asked so he took away her position as queen and held a beauty pageant (explain to children further) for all the young women in the land and the one whom he saw most beautiful he would choose as the next queen.

There was a man named Mordecai who was a Jew and lived in the city whose great grandfather was among those captives brought back in the war. Mordecai had a cousin whose name was Esther (another name was Hadassah) whose parents both died and he took her and raised her as his daughter.

When they took all the young women, Esther was taken among them and she pleased the king the most and was chosen to be the queen. However, she did not reveal to anyone that she was a Jew nor that she was related to Mordecai.

Mordecai would sit in the court of the palace to inquire of Esther's news and heard of a plot by two men to kill the king so he told Esther and she told the king on Mordecai's behalf and the king recorded it in the country's records.

One day a man named Haman was appointed above the princes with the king and everyone had to bow to him but Mordecai would not.

Haman was mad that Mordecai would not bow to him so he made a plan to convince the king that the Jews do not abide by the king's laws and the king signed a decree that all the jews must be destroyed.

Mordecai sent a message to Esther that it was time to tell the king that she is a Jew and plead before him for her people.

Consider reading with students Esther Ch 4 11-17 as part of telling the story.

Esther sent a message to Mordecai that only one who is called to go see the king or else they would die unless the king held out the sceptre to them and the king had not called for her for thirty days.

She asked him to have all the Jews fast and pray for three days along with her and her maids and after that she would go to the king.

On the third day Esther went to the king and he held out the sceptre to her and she asked him to come to her palace with Haman and she would prepare a banquet for them. She asked them to come a second night.

Now Haman was so upset that Mordecai standing outside the palace would not stand or fear him and made a gallows for Mordecai and planned to have the king hang Mordecai on it.

Recommend reading Esther ch 5:9 -6:14 to illustrate God's work against Haman's pride.

On the second night Esther asked the king for her life and for the life of her people from the plot against them. When the king was told of this plot he asked who plotted and she told him it was Haman.

The king ordered Haman hanged on the gallows which he had made for Mordecai and gave Mordecai, Haman's place and allowed them to write a decree with his signet ring to protect the Jews and give power to the Jews over their enemies.

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 10 Minutes

  • What was Esther's response to the challenge facing her (potentially losing her life)
    • Prayer and fasting
  • Can we think of other examples from the Bible of fasting and prayer for 3 days?
  • How did God reward Esther's prayer and fasting and trust in His will and power?
  • What was Haman's biggest problem?
    • His pride
  • How did God see this pride and what was the end result?
  • Can we see God's plan unfolding piece by piece in the story?
    • Allowing Esther to be taken as queen
    • The timing in between the two banquets so that the king would read the chronicles and reward Mordecai
    • The favor He gave in the king's eyes
    • The final outcome for Esther and the Jews (God's people)

LIFE APPLICATION - 5-10 Minutes

  • What do we do when we face a problem?
  • Can we use fasting and prayer to get God's help?
  • How can we avoid pride in our lives? We need to identify it (wanting more things, showing off what we have, wanting others to treat us a certain way)
  • We can fight pride by thinking of others, helping and praying for those in need

ACTIVITY - 15 Minutes

Superbook Episode --Esther

Option 1: Skit

  • Have the students put on a skit of the story of Esther

Option 2: Worksheet

  • Using the attached worksheet below, have the students write out ways that God provided for Esther, and ways He provides for us.

Option 3: Crowns Craft

  • Students may make crowns with the memory verse written on them out of paper and glue on jewels, or use kits (see link)
  • Mosaic Crown Craft Kit

SERVANT RESOURCES

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

Practice making a prayer list and consider fasting for any large problem together as a family.

LESSON ATTACHMENTS

Old Testament Song.pdf

Old Testament Timeline & Summary.pdf