“Esther’s Bravery”

Bible Bits & Bites
​Devotions for Families

Season 2: Heroes of the Bible
Episode 21: “Esther’s Bravery”
Today’s Bible Bite: Esther 4

Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JydNSlufRIs... (The Bible Project – for parents and older children)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q94wBYdMwtE (Superbook – Esther watch 12.05 – 15.55)

“Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16)

One day Queen Esther heard a disturbing report about her cousin Mordecai who had stopped coming to the palace to serve the king. In fact, he and all the Jews in the whole land were mourning and wailing. Esther sent new clothes for Mordecai to wear, but he refused them. Not knowing what was the matter, she sent one of the palace attendants, Hathak, to find out what was going on. Mordecai told him about the decree that had been sent throughout the kingdom—that all the Jews were to be killed—and even gave him a copy of the decree to give to Esther to see for herself. Mordecai told Esther that she needed to go to the king and intervene for her people.
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But Esther was frightened. No one was allowed to go see King Xerxes unless he specifically asked for them to come…and he hadn’t asked to see her for a whole month. If she went uninvited she would die unless the king extended his royal scepter to her! That was a pretty big gamble to take with this king whom everyone knew had a habit of making some really bad decisions. However, Esther knew what she had to do. She told Mordecai to have everyone fast (go without eating) and pray for three days. Afterward she would go to the king…and if she died, she died!

Think about it...
• All the Jews in the kingdom were mourning because of the decree. What was the decree?
• Mordecai knew that he and his whole family, including Esther, would die. What did he want Esther to do?
• Esther hadn’t seen the king for nearly a month. As the queen, why couldn’t she just go see King Xerxes?
• Esther did go to see the king, but she didn’t tell him why immediately. What did she do instead?

Prayer: Thank you, God, for Esther’s bravery. She knew, however, that she alone couldn’t change the king’s mind. She needed your help and so she prayed and her whole family with her. Thank you for saving her life and making the king happy to see her. Thank you that we have you to help us do difficult things too; help us to always remember to pray like Esther did.