The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-10-31
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR NOVEMBER 5.

Subject: Esther Pleading For Her People.
Essh. w., 40 to ", s-GoIden Text
Pisa. cxlv., 2O--NEemory versos, 1914
commentary ON tho Days lesson.
/. Mordecai and Esther Tvs. 1O.14l
Mordecai learned of this terrible de.
cree and sent word to Queen Esther
and asked her to intercede with the
king for the preservation Of her race
TO- "Hatach." An officer appointed 3
wait on the queen. IL. "All-do !
know" etc. It was universal rule
known by ALL The object of this law
was to maintain both the dignity ann
safety of the king. Golden sceptre.''
Persian monarchs are always repre-
sented as holding long tapering star
in the right hand. Have not been
called" She therefore had just cause
to fear that the kings affections were
alienated from her. land that neither,
her person or her petition would be ac-
ceptahle to him. Oriental m0narchs
were tickle and despotic In attempt-
ing to save her people the queen must
risk everything. The ardOr for the
king had for the time cooled toward
Esther, and she feared she had lost
her influence with the monarch, and
il so how could she hope to influence
him for the salvation of the despised
Jews. We must not be surprised that
Esther shrank from obeying the sum-
mons of Mordecai. She proved her he
roism by deciding to go in unto the
king, knowing as she did the danger
to which she was exposed. Let us
learn ~ that 1t is right to carefully
estimate difficulties; ~ that we should
never be discouraged because there
are difficulties; 90 that those who go
at the call of duty, ia the face of diff
culties may expect divine support
10. Think not" etc. 1t seems that
Esther had not been known as a Jew.
but the fact would be brought to light
and in the general slaughter she would
perish with her people. II. 'Then will
relief and deliverance arise" (R Wy
.Mordecais had strong faith that God
would not allow the Jewish nation to-
he destroyed. "But thou" etc You
VIII not escape destruction, but you
will lose an opportunity of saving your
people. WHO knoweth." God may
have put you in your present position
that you might be the means Of saving
your people in this hour of darkness.
1t is a great blessing to have some
work assigned us by God, and to see
Gods hand in our lives, accomplishing
that work. This makes us strong, and
renders life glorious, since it is a PLAN
of the almighty and ali-wise God. Sew
eral motives influenced Esther in this
hazardous undertaking: i. She was
in danger. 2. MOrdecai's words that
deliverance would come from some
other source and that she would LOSE
the opportunity of saving her people,
3. The suggestion that God had
brought her tohcr present position that
she might be deliyerer in this terrible
hour. A.. The assurance she. had that
God would give her success.
IL The three days fastfkvs. r76-17l.
16 "Fast We for Me" In My behalf&n
Fasting implies humiliation, repent :
ance, conservation to Cod faith in
God, prayer to God. 1t was the ex-
preston, outwardly, Of the intense de-
sires Of the heart. Only God could
give success to her efforts. Three
days" 1t has been supposed that =
Esther could not have meant an abso.s
lutte fast-c0mplete abstinence from
both food and drinlS-f0r so long a
period as three days; but the time in
tended, from the evening of the first to
have much exceeded thirty-six hours.
my maidens.p They were probably
either Jews or proselytes to that re!
ligion and thus would be in sympathy
with her. If perish {" | will put
forth every possible effort to save my
people even though | perish in the at
tempt. The great danger to which
Esther was exposed will be seen more
clearly when we consider the despotic
nature of Xerxes. When he was on
his way to Greece he halted at Cell
aeliae, a city of Phiygia where he was
entertained by Pythias with Incredible
magnificence. Pythias even offered to
contribute some millions of dollars TO-
ward the expenses of the war, bue
when Pythias begged as favor that
of his five sons in the kings army, the
eldest might be left with him In ms
old age, the brutal monarch went into
rage, and caused the son to be slam
in the presence of his father the body
to be divided into two parts, ana
placed the one part on one side OF the
road, and the other on the other. ana
ordered the whole army to march PEI
tween them. IT. sMordecai went MS
way" He went 81 believing, 81 obey
ing. 81 praising. :.
III. Esthar's success Tvs l-5). H
eThe king sat- The position OF the
King was such that he could see an
who came into the court s.
2. saw Esther" As the KING ~
mon the throne the two were race 70
face though there WAS quite = dlstaI.co
between them. 1t was q efitea e .l'o,
ment. though Esther did not iorget
That ssthe heart of the king Was ~ tne
hand Of the Lord, ioheheu-
s seen, mis- was, no doubt. the usual
s ~ o +. accentine the kings favor. "As
the sceptre was the ensignoi the hignes'
and most absolute authority in the king,
81 ~ tl,a nueen's touching it, or as some
% kissing 1t. was token Of her SUBJ
s sestion and thanlfulness for his favor.
INNS Fsther's mission was so far sue
cessflil. At this time she invited the
King and Haman to a banquet, though
fhe king doubtless understood that this
was preliminary to a request Of greater
Importance The banquet was held;
and yet Esther did not dare to present
her real request She simply asked
her guests to CONC again the next day.
Then follows Haman's downfall and
death and Mordecais elevation to
power. The remaining chapters Of the
book OF EsthRr tell us how the Jews
were saved from destruction.