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Esther Saved Her PeopleDear Parents,
Thank you for continuing this journey of The Gospel Project® for Kids. Let’s set the scene for the story of how Esther saved her people. The Babylonian captivity had ended while Cyrus was king. Some of God’s people—now referred to as Jews (people from Judah)—traveled back to Judah to rebuild the temple, the city, and their lives. Others, however, stayed in Persia where life among the pagans was relatively comfortable. Ahasuerus (uh haz yoo EHR uhs), also known by his Greek name, Xerxes (ZUHRK seez), was the king of Persia. Esther was a young Jewish girl who became queen by winning a beauty contest of sorts. Before becoming queen, Esther was an orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai. Mordecai had an enemy, Haman the Agagite (a descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites). The king gave Haman an important position in the kingdom; people were supposed to bow down to Haman when he passed by. Mordecai refused. Infuriated, Haman wanted to destroy not only Mordecai but all of the Jews in the kingdom. Mordecai turned to Esther for help. After all, she was in a position of power; and the Jews were her people. The stakes were high, but Esther approached the king and explained her people’s plight. God was in control over Haman’s evil plan to destroy the Jews. Like Haman, Satan wants to destroy believers. He thought he had won when Jesus died on the cross, but God raised Jesus from the dead and defeated Satan once and for all. (Heb. 2:14-15) |
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Esther Saved Her People
Esther 1–10
King Ahasuerus (uh haz yoo EHR uhs) was the king of Persia. Many years earlier, when Cyrus was king, he sent some of God’s people back to Judah to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. So some of God’s people went to Judah, but some of them stayed in Persia. God’s people were called Jews because they were from Judah.
The king of Persia needed a queen. He chose Esther to be queen. Esther was very beautiful. She was a Jew and had been raised by her cousin Mordecai (MAWR duh kigh). Esther didn’t tell the king that she was a Jew.
One day, Mordecai heard that Haman, a very important leader who worked for the king, was planning to kill all the Jews. Haman didn’t like the Jews. Mordecai was upset! He was a Jew; he didn’t want all the people he loved to be killed. Mordecai and all the Jews cried.
Esther didn’t know what was wrong. She sent a messenger to ask Mordecai why all the Jews were upset. Mordecai told Esther about Haman’s evil plan.
“You have to do something!” Mordecai said. “You’re the queen. Ask the king to stop Haman. Ask him to save the Jewish people.”
Esther sent a message back to Mordecai. “No one can approach the king unless the king calls for that person rst,” Esther said. “The punishment is death—unless the king holds out his scepter; then you may live.”
Mordecai encouraged Esther to think about it. “You’re a Jew,” he said. “If you don’t stop Haman, he will kill you too. Maybe this is why you are the queen.” Maybe God put Esther in the palace to save her people!
Esther asked Mordecai to gather the Jewish people and to fast. They would not eat or drink for three days. They would pray to God for help. Then Esther would go to the king. She was willing to die to save the Jews.
Mordecai, Esther, and the Jewish people fasted for three days. On the third day, Esther went to the king. The king was sitting on his throne. He saw Esther and held out his golden scepter. Esther walked toward him and touched the tip of the scepter.
“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king asked. “What do you want to ask me? I’ll give you anything—up to half of my kingdom.”
Esther said, “Would you and Haman come to a feast today? I have prepared it.”
So Haman and the king went to Esther’s feast. As they sat after eating, the king said, “What do you want, Queen Esther? I’ll give you anything—up to half of my kingdom.”
“Please come to my feast tomorrow, you and Haman,” Esther said.
The king agreed. That night Haman went home and had gallows made where he could hang Mordecai. Haman often saw Mordecai sitting outside the palace, and Haman hated him.
The next day, Haman and the king went to Esther’s feast. As they sat after eating, the king said, “What do you want, Queen Esther? I’ll give you anything—up to half of my kingdom.”
Esther spoke up, “There is a plan to kill me and my people.” The king replied, “Who is responsible for this plan?”
“This evil enemy—Haman!” Esther said.
The king was angry! He ordered for Haman to be hanged on the
gallows Haman had built to kill Mordecai. Haman was hanged, and the king wasn’t angry anymore. He made a law to keep the Jewish people safe from their enemies.
Christ Connection: God was in control over Haman’s evil plan to destroy the Jews. Like Haman, Satan wants to destroy believers. He thought he had won when Jesus died on the cross, but God raised Jesus from the dead and defeated Satan once and for all.
Esther 1–10
King Ahasuerus (uh haz yoo EHR uhs) was the king of Persia. Many years earlier, when Cyrus was king, he sent some of God’s people back to Judah to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. So some of God’s people went to Judah, but some of them stayed in Persia. God’s people were called Jews because they were from Judah.
The king of Persia needed a queen. He chose Esther to be queen. Esther was very beautiful. She was a Jew and had been raised by her cousin Mordecai (MAWR duh kigh). Esther didn’t tell the king that she was a Jew.
One day, Mordecai heard that Haman, a very important leader who worked for the king, was planning to kill all the Jews. Haman didn’t like the Jews. Mordecai was upset! He was a Jew; he didn’t want all the people he loved to be killed. Mordecai and all the Jews cried.
Esther didn’t know what was wrong. She sent a messenger to ask Mordecai why all the Jews were upset. Mordecai told Esther about Haman’s evil plan.
“You have to do something!” Mordecai said. “You’re the queen. Ask the king to stop Haman. Ask him to save the Jewish people.”
Esther sent a message back to Mordecai. “No one can approach the king unless the king calls for that person rst,” Esther said. “The punishment is death—unless the king holds out his scepter; then you may live.”
Mordecai encouraged Esther to think about it. “You’re a Jew,” he said. “If you don’t stop Haman, he will kill you too. Maybe this is why you are the queen.” Maybe God put Esther in the palace to save her people!
Esther asked Mordecai to gather the Jewish people and to fast. They would not eat or drink for three days. They would pray to God for help. Then Esther would go to the king. She was willing to die to save the Jews.
Mordecai, Esther, and the Jewish people fasted for three days. On the third day, Esther went to the king. The king was sitting on his throne. He saw Esther and held out his golden scepter. Esther walked toward him and touched the tip of the scepter.
“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king asked. “What do you want to ask me? I’ll give you anything—up to half of my kingdom.”
Esther said, “Would you and Haman come to a feast today? I have prepared it.”
So Haman and the king went to Esther’s feast. As they sat after eating, the king said, “What do you want, Queen Esther? I’ll give you anything—up to half of my kingdom.”
“Please come to my feast tomorrow, you and Haman,” Esther said.
The king agreed. That night Haman went home and had gallows made where he could hang Mordecai. Haman often saw Mordecai sitting outside the palace, and Haman hated him.
The next day, Haman and the king went to Esther’s feast. As they sat after eating, the king said, “What do you want, Queen Esther? I’ll give you anything—up to half of my kingdom.”
Esther spoke up, “There is a plan to kill me and my people.” The king replied, “Who is responsible for this plan?”
“This evil enemy—Haman!” Esther said.
The king was angry! He ordered for Haman to be hanged on the
gallows Haman had built to kill Mordecai. Haman was hanged, and the king wasn’t angry anymore. He made a law to keep the Jewish people safe from their enemies.
Christ Connection: God was in control over Haman’s evil plan to destroy the Jews. Like Haman, Satan wants to destroy believers. He thought he had won when Jesus died on the cross, but God raised Jesus from the dead and defeated Satan once and for all.