The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1905-11-03
Esther Pleading
for Her People
Sunday School Lesson for Nov. 5. 1905
Specially Prepared for This Paper
Specially Prepared for This Paper

LESSON TEXT-Esther 4;lO-5:3. Mem
DRY Verses 49, H.
GOLDEN TEXT.-''The Lord preserveth
all them that love Him."-Psalm 145 20
TIME.-Forty-three years after the COM
pietion of the temple in b. c. 5l6. and 10
years before Ezra came to Jerusalem. The
dates of interest I'm connection with the
lesson are: Reign OF Ahasuerus (Xerxes)
II. G, 4s5-465 The great feast Il. G. 4S3.
Esther made queen. b. G. 479. Esther saves
her nation, Il. c. 473.
PLACE.-Shushan, the winter palace OF
the Persian empire, about 200 miles south
Of east from Babylon.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
INTRODUCTORY.-The Book OF
Estner.-The author is unknown but
must have been some one Giving in
the heart of Persia, a man who was
intimately acquainted with the seem
cry he describes. Prof. Adeney.
The date of writing is also unknown.
Prof Sayce places it at b. G. 425.
He says that the minuteness of de-
fore the overthrow of the Persian
power, b. c. 331. Some place the date
still later. The Great Feast at
| Substantive Ahasuerus Of Esther
has been identified almost beyond
doubt with XerXes, the famous son
and successor Of Darius Hystaspes OF
our last lesson. He reigned over near
ly all Asia, and in his first years, 485,
asa, he conquered Egypt. But Greece
was still unconQuered. XerXes, there
fore, determined Ito lay a bridge over
the Hellespont, and TO transport an
army into Greece to punish the
Athenians' for their defeat of his ia
Their Darius at Marathon For this
purpose XerXes, according TO Herodo-
tus, held a great assembly of the
noblest Persians, TO arrange for the exe
petition against Greece. It is prob.
able that this was the feast described
in the first chapter of Esther as TAX
ing place in Susa. 1t was at this
feast that Ahasuerus. in his drunken
excitement, insultingly commanded
his queen Vashti TO come into this
reckless assembly of men to show
off her royal beauty, thus outragine
the most sacred rules of oriental ETH
quette She refused to obey, and as
a consequence, the king deposed her
from being queen.
V. Il. "Whosoever shall
come unto the king into the inner
court, who is not called, there is one
law of his to put him TO DEATH"
Rather, there is one law for him"
Whoever he be, there is one and the
same law regarding him-he must
suffer death. Except such to whom
the king shall hold out the golden
scepter:" There was, therefore a pos.
sibility of Esther's reaching the ears
of the king, but with the greatest UNI
certainty As 10 how such caDricious
king would act especially as his love
for her had cooled. The mission
Mordecai committed to Esther was
one of great danger and difficulty.
V. Is. "Then Mordecai command
ed TO answer Esther" He gives four
reasons why Esther should undertake
the mission. Cd She could not escape
the massacre, even if she should re-
fuse 10 undergo this danger. CD She
was providentially endowed with
beauty and raised TO her position as
queen for this very purpose If this
was true. God would make her sue
cessfsl 1t is blessed thing to find
out what one is sent into this world
for go All her relatives would be
destroyed Every motive Of patriotism
and religion urged her on. (4) Then
great privilege was presented TO her,
such an opportunity as seldom falls
10 the lot of anyone. The work is
certain to be accomplished in some
way but the JOY and blessing Of doing
lit is offered to Esther.
Is. Then Esther babe them re-
turn answer" She accepted
the dangerous mission, but she went
about her work in the wisest and most
skillful way CD Religious prepare
ton. 16 Neither eat nor drink
three days" Fasting implies prayer,
earnestness. confession Of sin be-
lief in God an intense desire 10 be
fitted to obtain the right spirit. This
was on the same principle as Christ's
promise to His disciples when two or
three agreed together touching any
luluE lutN o4Idll doh -'lANb' 90 - -
(2) She used every means within her
power.
Oh. ;, V. l. Esther put on her royal
apparel" She was a sensible, practical
woman, and used her beauty and
charm of person and of dress to ac-
complish her object.
V. 2. "The king held out E.
the golden scepter:" The sign that
he received her, and that the most
dangerous part Of her mission was
over. But the most difficult was yet
to come. CD She was very wise in
her method of asking her favor, by a
feast, by delays that keyed up the
kings curiosity to the highest pitch,
and gave her and Mordecai time to
make the wisest plans for overcoming
the Interchangeable law of the Modes
and Persians. (G She was aided by
the strange providence of the kings
sleepless night, and the consequent be-
havior of Hannah.
Application.
Great crises, great trials. great dan
gers, have a mission in the building
nm of everv nation They awakan