Week 25: Esther 1-10, Job 1-5

THE BOOK OF ESTHER AND JOB 1-5 STUDY GUIDE

We can date Esther’s story by the Persian ruler mentioned, King Ahasuerus (also given as Xerxes I) who ruled 486-465 B.C. We remember that the first Jews returned to Jerusalem from Persia in 536 B.C. and completed the temple in 516; Ezra returned in 457 and Nehemiah in 445. So Esther and Mordecai’s story occurs in the midst of that period of history.

1:1-4 – King Ahasuerus displayed his wealth and the splendor in a great banquet.
1:5-9 – Another banquet was given for the common people, with Queen Vashti hosting one for the women.
1:10-12 – The king commanded Queen Vashti to come and display herself before the people. Note the kind of
state the king was in when he made this order (10). Vashti refused to expose herself before what was likely
hundreds of drunken men, enraging the king.
1:13-22 – The king’s advisers fear that her example of disobedience might spread among other women in the
kingdom. She is to be deposed.
2:1-4 – A plan is developed to choose a new queen. Beautiful young virgins from throughout the kingdom are to
be brought to the king’s harem. The one who pleases the king will be the new queen.

2:5-11 – One of the virgins brought to the harem was Hkadassah (“Esther” in Persian). She was Jewish, adopted
daughter of the Jew Mordecai. Mordecai advised Esther not to reveal her Jewish background. She pleased the
eunuch in charge and advanced in the selection process. Mordecai was concerned for her and watchful (11).
2:12-14 – The selection process. Once they had “seen” the king the women were placed in a harem for concubines
(secondary wives), never to come to him again unless specifically called.
2:15-18 – Esther was chosen and crowned as queen, a special banquet held and a general holiday proclaimed.
2:19-23 – Mordecai revealed through Esther a plot against the king’s life. Ths good act was recorded in official
records.
3:1-6 – Mordecai refused to bow down before Haman, a high government official. Haman was incensed and,
learning that Mordecai was a Jew, plotted in revenge to destroy all Jews in the kingdom (not knowing that Esther
the queen was a Jew, see 2:20).
3:7-15 – The king’s approval was received and the death and plundering of the Jewsscheduled. To choose a
“lucky day” they cast the “pur” (or “lot”, using a pebble or small stone). The date chosen was the 13th day of Adar
(the 12th month, about our Feb/Mar).
4:1-8 – The Jews were understandably upset, including Mordecai. Mordecai informed Esther of the decree and pled with her to approach the king.
4:9-17 – Esther explained the danger of approaching the king without having been summoned by him. She was
challenged (13,14). Esther agreed to act and asked that the other Jews join her in fasting. She will venture before
the king – “if I perish, I perish.”
5:1-14 – Esther planned carefully and began to work her plan: a banquet for the king and Haman, then a second
banquet for them the next day. Haman was elated and in his pride even ordered a gallows prepared on which he
planned to have Mordecai hanged.
6:1-13 – The night before the second banquet, the king discovered how Mordecai had saved his life and yet the
king had not honoured him for it. Haman was given the humiliating “privilege” of honouring Mordecai.
6:14 – 7:-10 – At the second banquet Esther pled for her people, revealing Haman’s plot. The king ordered
Haman hanged on the very gallows he prepared for Mordecai (the “hanging” was very likely impalement on a
pole, the Persian method of execution).
8:1-2 – Esther was given the house of Haman. Mordecai was exalted in the kingdom and placed over Haman’s
house.
8:3-17 – Esther pled for the law against her people to be revoked. But a law of the Medes and Persians, once
made, could not be revoked. So another law was enacted, allowing the Jews to defend themselves on the 13th day
of Adar, the day they were to be attacked.

9:20-32 – The feast of Purim (v. 26) was established to commemorate this event – the 14th and 15th of Adar (in
2017 the 11th and 12th of March). The book of Esther is read as a part of Purim and it is traditional for the con
gregation to shout and boo and stamp their feet whenever the name of Haman is read!
10:1-3 – The advancement of Mordecai, who “sought the good of his people and interceded for the welfare of his descendants.”
King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) was assassinated by servants in 465 B.C. The next ruler was Artaxerxes I, stepson to Esther. It was he who allowed Ezra (457 B.C.) and Nehemiah (445 B.C.) to return to Judah and Jerusalem.

As our readings move into JOB we enter a different type of literature. Rather than history we find ourselves reading WISDOM LITERATURE. That is how Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes are classified. Wisdom literature is essentially practical, a matter of applying truth to a person’s life, struggling “to reach certain conclusions about human life and the world in general.” We also enter the world of HEBREW POETRY in Job, Psalms, Proverbs, parts of Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and portions of Old Testament prophetic books. Hebrew poetry does not ordinarily rhyme, being more like our free verse. A main feature is parallelism, repetition of the same thought in parallel lines, or sometimes presenting contrasting thoughts in parallel lines. Hebrew poetry abounds in figurative expression: hyperbole (purposeful exaggeration) is common; metaphor is often found (mountains may “skip like rams”[Ps. 114:4] and God is a shepherd, fortress, shield, or rock). In reading poetry we need to beware of taking figurative language literally.
JOB: We don’t know for sure when Job lived, though the Patriarchal Age would be a good guess (the time of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. etc.). Job is named as an historical person along with Noah and Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14,20). In the NT Paul quotes from the book (1 Cor. 3:19) and James refers to “the endurance of Job.” The issue Job deals with is ever with us: The problem of suffering and the righteousness of God.

1:1-5 – Job was: morally correct, religiously upright, materially prosperous, domestically happy.
1:6-12 – “Sons of God” = angels. Satan = “the accuser.” Satan is the supreme cynic. He believes nothing to be
genuinely good, neither God nor man. He accuses Job of being only a hierling. He accuses God of having bought
Job’s loyalty, and if these blessing are taken away Job will curse God rather than honour Him. The LORD al
lows Satan to test Job’s loyalty by removing those blessings, but not to touch Job himself. Notice that it is God
who is in control and that God is confident in Job’s loyalty. PLEASE NOTE: JOB DOES NOT KNOW, NOR
DO HIS FRIENDS, OF THE “BEHIND THE SCENES” REASONS FOR WHAT HAPPENS
TO HIM. WE ARE PREPARED FOR WHAT HAPPENS BUT JOB IS NOT.
1:13-19 – Disaster after disaster strike Job, in one day, in increasingly painful losses. Satan hides behind second
ary causes – the Sabeans, lightning strikes, Chaldeans, a great wind.
1:20-22 – Job’s reaction to these disasters. All he had came from God –could not God take what was rightfully
His? Job is proved genuine in his worship of God. He praises God in poverty as he had in wealth. Satan’s slan
der of Job and God is shown to be untrue.
2:1-6 – Satan again appears before the LORD and argues that if Job himself is touched he will cave in (“Every
man has his price”). Satan is allowed further testing.
2:7,8 – Job’s physical punishment. “…loathsome (painful) sores” – a distressing skin eruption. Other references to his ailment: 7:3-5; 19:17,20; 30:17,30. He sits at the local garbage dump and scrapes himself with a broken piece of pottery, away from society.
2:9,10 – Job’s wife is no help. Her faith does not stand it –think what she has lost. To her perhaps the best thing
for Job would be to curse God and die – getting the suffering over with.
2:11-13 – Job’s friends come and sit with him seven days and nights, stunned and speechless. They didn’t know

what to say and perhaps waited for Job to speak. And (take note): “the ministry of silence helped Job much
more than the ministry of words.” When they do begin to speak we learn what they were thinking: that this
great suffering was the result of great sin on Job’s part, and that he needs to confess, repent, and ask God’s for-
giveness.

REMEMBER THAT NEITHER JOB NOR HIS FRIENDS ARE INSPIRED. WE KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING THAN THEY DO. AND WHAT IS HAPPENING DOES NOT MAKE SENSE IN
REFERENCE TO THEIR BELIEF: BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO BAD PEOPLE; GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE. He believes the same things they believe, but he knows he is not the “chief of sinners” they assume he must be.

3:1-31:40 – Job’s exchanges with his three friends. “Job is not arguing a point; he is trying to understand his experience. Hence he often talks to himself, struggling in his own mind. He is also trying to retain (or recover) his lost friendship with God. Hence he appeals to God again and again….His friends talk about God. Job talks to God” (Anderson).
3:1-26 – Job’s lament. Why was I born? Note the cries of WHY? in this chapter (11,12,20,23). Why wasn’t I born dead? Why can’t I die now? or Why should a suffering man live? Some people think Job sinned in this speech; others think not. He will admit he has been rash (see 6:3). He is profoundly honest. He does not curse God; nor does he commit suicide, though he does think death better than this life of suffering. He tells God just how he feels and what he thinks; good things to do in prayer.
4:1-5:27 – Elphaz replies. He is sure he has the answer, radiating superiority.
4:1-5 – He compliments Job for seeking to advise others then chides him for impatience and being unable to take his own medicine.
4:6 – No need to lose heart, for the innocent never finally suffer (Job suffers now for his sins, though, he thinks).
4:7-8 – His false premise. He would never understand a martyr (John the Baptist, Stephen, the Apostle Paul, etc.). v. 8 is generally true (Gal. 6:8,9), but does not apply in Job’s case.
4:12-21 – A vision and an experience; a presence felt and heard. Again the inference is wrong in regard to Job.
5:1 – Who would answer Job’s call for help? Who will arbitrate between Job and God?
5:4 – We wince at his insensitivity in the light of the loss of Job’s children.
5:8 – Appeal to God. That is one piece of advice that Job does follow.
5:17,18 – That God chastises is true, but this is not what is happening now with Job!
5:25 – Hardly comfort to a person who has just lost all his children.
5:27 – We are assured of the authority of his words! Eliphaz has some correct things to say and is trying to be helpful, but he is ignorant of Job’s true situation and so misses the mark.