The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-03
Esther Pleading
For Her People
School Lessos for Nov. S, 1911
Specially Arranged for This Paper

GOLDEN TExT-"The Lord preserveth
all them that love him."-Psa.1 1880
TIME-Accession of Xerxes. B. c. $50
xerxes conquer Egypt. 1st and I'd years.
B. C. zS. l. He repair to invade
Greece. I'd to 5th years. B. C. 4S4-4S1.
Vashu deposed In his Sd year. B. c. 49,
inVades Greece, B. c. 4S1. Defeated at
Thermopylae and salamis. B. c. B. $50.
Esther becomes Queen, B. c. 479. Ha-
mans plot and defeat by Esther occupy
ing nearly the whole year., B. c.. 4H.
PLACE-Shusan (Susa) the winter CAPT.
tai of the Persian Empire. about 200 miles
southeast from Babylon and l5 miles
north OF the Persian Gulf.
There are Two principal theories
concerning the historical nature OF
the Book Of Esther: one. that it is a
Veritable history; the other, that 1t
is a historical romance founded on
fact. like Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
n Henry VIII, or like SCOTS novels,
or Homer's great epics. While there
are a number of serious difficulties,
yet there are few II any unanswerable
arguments against it's being a true his
tory. Xerxes is the Greek shortened
form of the Ahasuerus of Esther, as
York, for instance, is a shortened form
of the Latin Eboracum. He began to
reign B. c. 4S5 and ruled for 20 years.
We can best understand Esther by
means of those parts of his history
which reveal his character. Xerxes
at the very beginning of his reign
completed the conquest of Egypt
which his father Darius had begun.
On his return he Immediately began
to prepare for the invasion Of Europe,
ord ~r-~oJlv 80 r-~~@o -rbfoH <~~-
stood. in culture, development, ability
n interest, at the head of the world.
Thus Xerxes would be master OF the
world.
To arrange for this invasion of Eu.
rope, Xerxes held a great assembly
Of the noblest Persians. 1t is prob
able that this is the banquet with
which the story of Esther opens, a
festive celebration that continued six
months, while all matters pertaining
to the expedition were being arrang-
ed.
Xerxes sought a queen in place of
the deposed Vashti. The m select
ed from the most beautiful women
of h empire was Esther, a charming
Jewess, a descendant Of one of the
exiles, her great-grandfather being
among those carried captive to Baby
Ion by Nebuchadnezzar in sos. Her
Hebrew name vas Hadassah, the
myrtle, a beautiful and favorite shrub
In the east. Esther" means "a STAR"
and many think 1t the same as Ishtar
the Babylonian equivalent of Venus.
She must have been quite young at
the time of her marriage, not over
Is years. Four or five years pass,
and then begins the tragic story of
Haman, his rise as a kings ~favorite,
his pride incensed at the conduct of
Esther's cousin Mordecai, his attempt
to bring vengeance upon the whole
Jewish race on Mordecai's account,
his success in obtaining a decree
from the king, throughout his empire,
ito destroy, to kill, and to cause to
perish all Jews, both young and old,
little children, and women, in one
day"
Great mourning and terrible dis
tress came upon the Jews all over
the empire as they learned of the de-
cree. Mordecai sem word to Esther,
now about 20 years old. asking her
to go to the king and request the de-
liverance of her people. Esther re-
piled whatsoever shall come into
the king into the inner court, who is
not called, there Is ono law of his to
put him to death. Except such to
whom the king shall hold Out the
golden scepter." There was, there
fore, a possibility of Esther's reach
ing the ears Of the king. but with
the greatest uncertainty as to how
UGH a capricious king would act, |
especially as his owe for her had
cooled. The mission Mordecai COM
mitted to Esther was one OF great
danger and difficulty. 1t required the
utmost heroism.
Esther put on her royal apparel.
She was a sensible, practical woman.
and used her beauty and charm of
person and of dress to accomplish
her object.
She waited for the fitting time.
The king held out the golden sceptre.
The sign that he received her, and
that the most dangerous part of her
mission was over. Instead of asking
her favor, where she would be sur
rounded by spies and possible enc
mics. h invited the king to a ban
quet In the seclusion of the Harem
gardens. She invited Hannah her en-
envy to join with the king and thus
ward of all suspicion, and at the
same time have him where he could
not escape.
Esther presented her petition In
wise words and pointed out Haman
as the enemy who was seeking her
life and the life of her people. The
king was very angry and immediate
ly deposed Haman, and had him
hanged on the gallows he had pre-
pared for Mordecai.
The result was a c~ounteractine de-
cree. permitting the Jews to stand
up in their own defense, and large
numbers of their enemies were slain.
The Jews were saved from destruc-
ton. and exalted before the people.
Mordecai took Humans place IN the
government. The feast of Purim was
with great feasting and
JOY. and has been celebrated annual
" ever since on the fourteenth of
Adar, February-March. one month BE-
fore Esther.