1) Mordecai, a Jew living in Persia, refuses to bow down to Haman, who is later promoted to a high position. Haman plots to kill all Jews in retaliation against Mordecai. 2) Esther, Mordecai's cousin whom he raised, is queen of Persia. Mordecai convinces her to go before the king to plead for her people, the Jews. 3) At a banquet, Esther reveals she is Jewish and that Haman plotted to kill her and her people. The king has Haman hanged for his plot against the Jews. Mordecai is honored in Haman's place.

1. Mordecai
the forgotten man
is honoured
Est. ch.5 & 6
Heb.11 v.8 – 10 & 13 - 16
Jer.29 v.1 & 4 - 14

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.”

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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,

17. 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.

18. 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.”

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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?”

22. 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!”

23. 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.

24. 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,