27 - Fasting - Esther

In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen

Lesson No. ( 27 )

References 

 The book of Esther. 

Notes for Servants 

i David says, "When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles." (Psalms 34:17) Can you apply these words to your spiritual life? 

i By fasting and prayers, you strengthen your worship, you gain the support of the Lord in your service and even demons are cast out. 

Objectives  

General: The Blessings of fasting in our life. 

Specific: The children will be able to: 

1. Learn that Esther could not deliver her people except by fasting and prayer. B. Know that he who digs a hole for his brother falls into it. 
2. Offer a special fast and pray when they are facing troubles in their life, and when the whole church is in trouble. 

Bible Verse 

“Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly.” 

(Joel 1:14) 

Teaching Aids 

A picture of the cross on which Mordecai was going to be hanged on when he was planned to hang Haman. 

Instruction 

(1) Review last week's lesson. 

(2) Who remembers the verse? 

(3) Remind the children about the church occasions for the coming week. 

(4) Teacher should prepare the appropriate questions to emphasize the objectives during the lesson. 

(5) Encourage the students to fast the regular fasts as well as Wednesdays and Fridays.

Story Time 

Ahasuerus, king of India and Persia wanted to get married. The king then made a search to find some beautiful young virgins to choose one of them to be queen. Mordecai, a good Jew, brought Esther, his cousin to the king who admired her beauty and chose her to be queen. 

Meanwhile, two of the palace eunuchs were plotting to assassinate the king. Mordecai found out, and told the queen of the plot. Then Queen told the king. This good deed of Mordecai was written down in the official records of the empire. 

Haman was a minister the king had appointed. Previously, the king ordered all his officials in his service to show their respect for Haman by kneeling and bowing to him. Mordecai, however, refused to bow down to Haman, because the Persians considered their royalty to be gods. Thus, by bowing to them, it would be as if Mordecai was worshipping them. This made Haman furious. Mordecai’s action led Haman to make the decision to kill all the Jews. Haman also took permission to do that. 

A proclamation was soon sent to all rulers, governors and officials. It contained instructions that on a single day, all Jews were to be killed. WhenMordecailearned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes in anguish. Then he dressed in sackcloth, covered his head with ashes and wailed loudly and bitterly in repentance. There was loud mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept and wailed. Mordecai explained the situation to Esther and asked her to go and plead with the king and beg him to have mercy on her people. Esther advised Mordecai and the Jews to fast and pray for her, and not to eat or drink anything for three days and nights. Esther entered the king's room and invited the king and Haman to a banquet she was preparing for him. The king and Haman accepted the invitation. Meanwhile, Haman had gallows built to have Mordecai hanged on it. 

Later on that night, the king could not sleep, so he ordered that the official records of the empire be brought so that someone could read them to him. The part read included the account of how Mordecai had uncovered a plot to assassinate the king. When the king was reminded of this, the king ordered Haman to get the royal robes, a horse and the royal crown and provide these honours to Mordecai. So Haman got the robes, the crown and the horse, and he put the robes on Mordecai. Mordecai got on the horse, and Haman led him through the city square announcing to the people as they went, "See how the king rewards a man he wishes to honour."  

Esther invited the king and Haman to another banquet. The king said to Esther, "Tell me what you want and you shall have it. I will even give you half the empire." Esther told the king about what Haman wanted to do with her and her people. The king was furious and ordered that Haman would be hanged on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai. The king gave his ring with the seal on it to Mordecai who quickly wrote letters and sent them to all towns ordering rulers and governors to protect the Jews and not to destroy them. The Jews observed the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar as holidays every year. These were the days on which the Jews had rid themselves of their enemies. 

Discussion 

1 - Follow up the story by talking about it with the children. 

2 - Continue the discussion while they do the activity. 

Learning Activities 

Activity Sheet.