Cornerstone Class: Esther 2:12-18

Cornerstone Class Outline for 4/28/19

·         Announcements, praises and prayer requests—Joe and Vicki Kerns

·         Introduction:

o   Good morning! I hope you’ve enjoyed the sunny weather. I’ve been trying to get out for a couple hours per sunny day to get yardwork and gardening done.

·         Quick review. Two weeks ago we covered Esther 2:1-11

o   Following the advice of his advisors, King Xerxes began a search for the most beautiful woman in the empire to be the new queen. This would be accomplished through a giant beauty pageant where the contestants were forced to participate

o   We were introduced to Mordecai and his adopted daughter Esther. They were part of the Jewish remnant from the Babylonian exile who remained in Persia, rather than return to Israel.

o   Esther was “taken to the king’s palace” where she was placed in the king’s harem as a contender for queenship. She began 12 months of beauty treatments and a diet of special foods 

·         Let’s read Esther 2:12-18 NIV:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HNQKB1L

12 Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. 13 And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. 14 In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.

15 When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. 16 She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.

·         QUESTIONS on verses 12-18

o   Physical beauty was the main requirement to become Xerxes’ queen. Today, women experience more pressure than men to maintain an attractive appearance. Why does the culture expect women to enhance their physical appearance more than men?

o   Why don’t men feel as much pressure to look good?

o   According to the Torah (Deut. 7:3), Jews were not allowed to marry Gentiles. Why didn’t Esther refuse to become queen to Xerxes, a Gentile?

§  As long-term exiles, Mordecai and Esther may have blended in with the Persian culture, so strict adherence to the Torah might not have been a priority for them.

§  There are many examples of OT heroes of the faith who had significant flaws. Abraham, David, the judges

o   As modern-day Christians living in a secular culture, how do we partake in aspects of the culture without compromising our faith?

§  Don’t participate in those aspects of the culture that violate scripture.

§  Be led by the Spirit

§  Listen to your conscience

·         Application/Conclusion

·         Closing prayer