The Outline of the Book of Esther
The basis for this commentary is taken from Ariel Ministries in San Antonio, Texas.
I. THE BOOK OF ESTHER FROM A MESSIANIC JEWISH PERSPECTIVE (Ac)
A. The Historical Accuracy of Esther (Ad)
B. The Place of Esther in the Canon of Scripture (Ae)
C. Ancient Storytelling and the book of Esther (Af)
D. Literary Themes in Esther (Ag)
E. The Theology of the book of Esther (Ah)
II. ESTHER PLACED IN A POSITION OF PROMINENCE (Ai) 1:1 to 2:20
A. Queen Vashti deposed by King Ahasuerus (Aj) 1:1–22
1. The King Gave a Grand Banquet in Susa, and Displayed the Vast Wealth (Ak) 1: 1-9
2. When Queen Vashti Refused to Come, The King Became Furious (Al) 1: 10-22
B. Esther Elevated to Queen of Persia (Am) 2:1-20
1. Esther Was Taken to the King’s Palace and Entrusted to Hegai (An) 2: 1-11
2. Now the King was Attracted to Esther More Than Any of the Women (Ao) 2: 12-20
III. HAMAN PLOTS TO DESTROY ALL THE JEWS (Ap) 2:21 to 4:3
A. Haman the Agagite: The Enemy of the Jews (Aq) First Samuel 15: 1-9
B. Mordecai Uncovers a Plot to Kill King Ahasuerus (Ar) 2:21 to 3:6
1. But Mordecai Found Out About the Plot and Told Esther (As) 2: 21-23
2. Haman was Honored, But Mordecai would not Kneel Down Him (At) 3: 1-6
C. Haman’s Plan to Annihilate All the Jews (Au) 3: 7-15
1. The Lot Fell on the Twelfth Month in the Presence of Haman (Av) 3: 7-9
2. The King Gave His Signet Ring to Haman (Aw) 3: 10-11
3. Kill all the Jews on a Single Day, the Twelfth Month of Adar (Ax) 3: 12-15
D. Mordecai Put On Sackcloth and Ashes (Ay) 4:1-3
IV. CALAMITY AVERTED BY ESTHER (Az) 4:4 to 9:19
A. I Will Go to the King: If I Perish, I Perish (Ba) 4: 4-17
B. The Plot Exposed by Esther (Bb) 5:1 to 7:10
1. Let the King and Haman Come Tomorrow to the Banquet I Will Prepare (Bc) 5: 1-8
2. Haman’s Rage Against Mordecai (Bd) 5: 9-14
3. That Night the King Could Not Sleep (Be) 6: 1-14
4. So They Impaled Haman on the Pole He Had Set Up for Mordecai (Bf) 7: 1-10
C. The Jews Were Delivered from Haman’s Evil Plot (Bg) 8:1 to 9:19
1. The King Gave His Signet Ring to Mordecai (Bh) 8: 1-2
2. Now Write a Counter-Decree in the Kings’ Name on Behalf of the Jews (Bi) 8: 3-14
3. The Jews Rejoiced (Bj) 8: 15-17
4. The Triumph of the Jews (Bk) 9: 1-19
a. The Fear of Mordecai Seized Them (Bl) 9: 1-4
b. The Jews Struck Down All Their Enemies with the Sword (Bm) 9: 5-19
V. THE FEAST OF PURIM (Bn)
A. The Names of the Feast (Bo)
B. The Five Step Process to Confirm the Feast of Purim (Bp) 9:20-32
1. Mordecai Told Them to Celebrate Annually the 14th and 15th of Adar (Bq) 9:20-22
2. So the Jews Agreed to Continue the Celebration They Had Begun (Br) 9: 23-25
3. Therefore, These Days Were Called Purim, From the Word Pur (Bs) 9: 26a
4. These Days of Purim Should Always be Celebrated by the Jews (Bt) 9: 26b-28
5. Esther and Mordecai Wrote a Second Letter to Confirm the Feast (Bu) 9: 29-32
C. The Feast of Purim in Judaism (Bv)
1. The Fast of Esther (Bw)
2. The Seven Jewish Traditions of Purim (Bx)
2. The Susa Purim (By)
3. Other Purim Customs (Bz)
4. Purim Pranks (Ca)
5. Purim Plays (Cb)
6. Purim Parodies (Cc)
7. Special Purims (Cd)
D. The Messianic Implications of Esther (Ce)
VI. THE GREATNESS OF MORDECAI (Cf) 10: 1-3
NEXT PAGE: Ac – The Book of Esther From a Jewish Perspective
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