Skip to contentEsther Bible Study | SOAP Method
The book of Esther is filled with a lot of drama, it captures your attention from start to finish. I'll give you 4 Biblical lessons from the book of Esther that I learned during my Esther Bible study using the SOAP method.
My Bible study will be focused on Esther chapter 4:1-17 but I will give you an overview of the entire chapter for those of you who don't know the story of Esther.
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Book Of Esther Summary
Vashti was the queen at the time, and she refused to follow the orders of her husband the King, of course, that was not allowed, and she was banished from the kingdom. The King set out to find a new Queen to fill Vashti’s place.
The King sent out a decree to get all the beautiful young women in the empire and bring them into the royal harem and Esther was one of the chosen. Esther was a young Jewish woman, and she was beautiful. The King was pleased with her and made her Queen.
I believe that her being chosen was all part of God’s plan because He knew what was in store for the Jews. Mordecai was Esther’s older cousin, and he became a government official, and he prevented an assassination plot. Let's move on to Haman, he was second in command in the empire, and he hated Mordecai.
Mordecai refused to bow down and reverence Haman and because of that Haman was determined to destroy Mordecai and all the Jews. Haman decided to come up with a plan.
I told you this story was filled with drama. Haman deceived the King and persuaded him to issue an official order condemning the Jews to death. I will stop here because this is where my Bible study begins.
Let’s begin this Esther Bible study using the SOAP Bible study method.
Before I begin my Bible study, I always say a prayer based on Colossians 1:9-10.
I say Heavenly Father, fill me with the knowledge of your will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that I may live a life worthy of you Lord and please you in every way bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of You.
In Jesus’ name Amen.
Remember to record in your SOAP Bible study journal.
Bible Study On Esther
Esther 4 NLT
When Mordecai learned about all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and went out into the city, crying with a loud and bitter wail.
2 He went as far as the gate of the palace, for no one was allowed to enter the palace gate while wearing clothes of mourning.
3 And as news of the king’s decree reached all the provinces, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and many people lay in burlap and ashes.
4 When Queen Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was deeply distressed. She sent clothing to him to replace the burlap, but he refused it.
5 Then Esther sent for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs who had been appointed as her attendant. She ordered him to go to Mordecai and find out what was troubling him and why he was in mourning.
6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the square in front of the palace gate.
7 Mordecai told him the whole story, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.
8 Mordecai gave Hathach a copy of the decree issued in Susa that called for the death of all Jews. He asked Hathach to show it to Esther and explain the situation to her. He also asked Hathach to direct her to go to the king to beg for mercy and plead for her people.
9 So Hathach returned to Esther with Mordecai’s message.
10 Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai:
11 “All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.”
12 So Hathach[a] gave Esther’s message to Mordecai.
13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed.
14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
16 “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”
17 So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
Observation
- The purpose of Esther is to demonstrate God’s sovereignty and his loving care for His people
- Who wrote the book of Esther in the Bible? - Author is unknown, but some think it may be Mordecai others suggest Ezra or Nehemiah, but no one knows.
- Written to the people of Israel in 470 BC
- Set in the Persian Empire
- They immediately turned to God in fasting and prayer
- They were in deep mourning
- Esther was afraid
- She did not want to approach the King because she could die
- Mordecai talked some sense into Esther
- Perhaps she felt that because she was Queen she would have been spared
- Mordecai spoke in faith, he told her that if she didn’t do it another deliverer would be raised to do it
- Esther requested that all the Jews of Susa fast for her for 3 days
- Mordecai’s response worked
- Esther stepped up and was courageous
- God must have put her in the Palace for this specific time
- God always has a plan and his plan is always good
- She put the welfare of her people before her own
- She put her faith in God
- She used her power and influence for good
- Bold in the face of opposition
- She didn’t procrastinate she acted quickly
- She realized her purpose
- She took the steps that she needed to help others
- She didn’t get stuck in her despair and troubles she took the initiative
- “pray as it all depended on God, and act as if it all depended on us, avoid the two extremes – doing nothing and feeling we should do everything” – NLT Study Bible
Application
- Be courageous
- Stand up for what is right
- Continually ask God for direction
- Don’t be selfish
- Look out for the well-being of others
- Don’t get stuck in your troubles
- Fast and pray
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I ask that you help me to always trust and put my faith in you. But to remember that faith without works is dead.
Direct my steps each day and help me to stay in your plan. Give me boldness and the courage to stand for what is right and to look out for and love others as you have commanded me to in your word.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
Simple Story Of Esther
The story of Esther ends in great triumph for the Jewish people. Everything that Haman planned for the Jews was turned around on him. The same gallows that Haman had built that he intended to kill Mordecai on were the same gallows that he died on.
Haman’s wicked and evil intentions turned around on him. God is our deliverer, and He always takes care of His children.
What Do We Learn From Esther In The Bible?
Esther leadership qualities:
- Bold and courageous
- Trusted God
- Looked out for the well of others
- Acted quickly – did not procrastinate
In this online Bible study, you can see who Queen Esther was in the Bible. She was bold and courageous in the face of adversity.
Although she knew that it was dangerous for her to approach the King since he did not call for her, she still took the chance because she knew that their lives were in danger.
She trusted that God would deliver her, which is why she told them all to fast and pray for her for 3 days because she knew that God would answer their prayers.
She was not just concerned about herself, but she looked out for all of her people and would not allow them to be destroyed by the enemy.
Bible Study Lessons From The Book Of Esther
The biggest lesson that I took away from this Esther Bible study was that God has a plan for our lives. He knows the beginning to the end, and He works things out for us when we have no idea what's coming.
Mordecai was an official that saved the King from assassination. Esther became Queen. That was no coincidence. God knew what was ahead for the Jews, so He set Mordecai and Esther in the right place at the right time.
We must always seek to know the plan that God has for our lives, we need His direction and guidance. According to Jeremiah 29:11, He said that the plans that He has for us are for good and not for evil, to give us hope and a future.
That’s the plan that I want for my life…is that the plan that you want?
Seek Him and find out the good plan that He has for your life!
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