My Outline of Esther

The Providence of the purim:

A history of God’s invisible hand in human intrigues.

(Title's features:  Poetic, double meanings, inferred truth)

I. Preparation

·         Vashti Deposed    1                    
(with intro and overview)

·         Esther Chosen    2.1-14

Esther Endeared   2.15-23

Mordecai Endeared   2.19-23      
(God beginning to solve problems before they begin)

II. Peril

·         Haman’s Plot  3  
(Evils of bitterness and vengeance)

·         Mordecai’s Plan  4   
(Purpose in God’s preparations and our part)

·         Esther’s Presentation 5.1-8

Haman’s Presumption  5.9-14 
(contrast between Esther’s courage and Haman’s overconfidence)

III. Preservation

·         Mordecai Honored   6  
(turning point in the book, God’s hand in circumstances)

·         Haman Hanged   7  
(Poetic justice in God’s timing)

·         Mordecai’s Decree Written  8      

Jews Defended  9.1-17 
(Human effort to accomplish God’s purpose)    

IV. Praise

·         The Feast of Purim 9.18-32

Peace of the Jews  10.1-3 
(God’s work remembered and recounted)

Esther outlines continued

Sermon Titles by Iain M. Duguid in the Reformed Expository Commentary

Standing Firm against the Empire  1.1-22

Beauty and the Beast 2.1-23

Mordecai Makes a Stand 3.1-15

The Dog That Didn't Bark  4.1-17

Meekness and Subtlety  5.1-14

The Man the King Delights to Honor  6.1-14

Coming Out in Susa  7.1-10

It Ain't Over  8.1-17

A World Turned Upside Down  9.1-10.3

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I. The Jews of Persia are Threatened  1-5

   A. Life in Persia Is Dangerous  1.1-22

      1. Xerxes Is a Powerful and Dangerous King  1.1-8

      2. Queen Vashti Defies Xerxes  1.9-12

      3. The King and Nobles React to Vashti's Disobedience  1.13-22

   B. Esther, Mordecai, and Haman  2.1-3.15.

      1. Esther Is Made Queen of Persia  2.1-18

      2. Mordecai Foils an Assassination Attempt  2.19-23

      3. Haman Issues a Decree of Death Against the Jews  3.1-15

   C. Esther's Defining Moment  4.1-17

      1. Mordecai Mourns Over Haman's Decree  4.1-5

      2. Mordecai Begs Esther to Intercede  4.6-14

      3. Ether Calls a Three-Day Fast  4.15-17

   D. Esther's Intervention  5.1-14

      1. Esther Appears Uninvited Before the King  5.1-5a

      2. Ether Prepares a Banquet for the King and Haman  5.5b-7

      3. Haman Builds a Gallows to Kill Mordecai  5.8-14

II.  The Reversal of Destiny  6.1-9.19

   A. The Reversal Begins  6.1-14

      1. The King Has a Sleepless Night  6.1-3

      2. Haman Seeks the King's Permision to Kill Mordecai Immediatly  6.4-9

      3. Mordecai is Honored Instead  6.10-14

   B. Haman Is Executed 7.1-10

      1. Esthe Prepares a Second Banquet for the King and Haman  7.1-2

      2. Esther Reveals Her Jewish Identity and Accuses Haman  7.3-7

      3. The King Orders Haman Executed  7.8-10

   C. The Counter-Edict Is Issued  8.1-17

      1. Esther Introduces Mordecai to the King  8.1

      .2 Mordecai Receives the Signet Ring Previously Worn By Haman  8.2

      3. Esther Gives Haman's Property to Mordecai  8.3-8

      4. Mordecai Writes the Counter-Edict  8.9-17

   D. The Day of Conflict Arrives   9.1-19

      1. The Jews Kill Many, Including Hamna's Ten Sons  9.1-10

      2. Esther Asks for Their Bodies to Be Displayed and for a Second Day of Killing in Susa  9.11-19

III. Purim Is Established  9.20-32

   A. Mordecai Writes to the Jews of Persia  9.20-28

   B. Esther Writes to Confirm Mordecai's Letter  9.29-32

IV. Epilogue:  Mordecai Is Esteemed As National Hero  10.1-3

Karen H. Jobes in NIV Application Commentary.

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       A. Greatness of Ahasuerus  1.1-8

      B. Two Banquets of the Persians 1.1-8

     C. Esther Identifies as a Gentile  2.10-20

    D. Elevation of Haman  3.1

   E. Anti-Jewish Edict  3.12-15

  F. Fatefull Exchange of Mordecai and Esther  4

 G. First Banquet of the Threesome  5.6-8

H. Royal Procession  6

 G. Second Banquet of the Threesome  7.1-6

  F. Fatefull Exchange of Ahasuerus and Esther  7.1-6

   E. Pro-Jewish Edict

    D. Elevation of Mordecai 8.15

     C. Gentiles Identify as Jews  8.17

      B. Two Banquets of the Jews  9.20-32

       A. Greatness of Ahasuerus and Mordecai  10

Jon Levenson in The Old Testament Library (p.8).

Even more Esther outlines

God's Invisible Presence through...

I. Hard Times  1-7  (Threat and Trust)

  A. King's Banquet  1-2

     1. "There She Goes Miss Persia  1.1-2.7

     2. Queenlike Quailities of a Lovely Lady  2.8-20

  B. Hamman's Edict: An Evil Interlude  2.21-3.15

  C. Queen's Obedience  4-5

     1. To Her God: Thinking, Saying, and Doing What's Right--Regardless  4

     2. To Herself: The Beginning of a Collision Course  5

  D. God's Deliverance  6-7

     1. Mordechai Honored: Turnabout I s Fair Play  6

2. Hamman Hanged:  Ultimate Poetic Justice  7

II. During Happy Times  8-10   (Deliverance and Praise)

  A. Mordecai's Edict  8

  B. Jew's Rejoicing  8.15 - 9

     1. The Limitations of Retaliation  9.1-16

     2. After the Ache, Celebrate  9.17-32

  C. Shalom!: In the End God Wins  10.

 -----Swidoll (adapted from the study guide)

http://www.amazon.com/Esther-Woman-Such-Time-This/dp/0849984165/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303743127&sr=1-4

http://www.amazon.com/Esther-Woman-Strength-Dignity-Great/dp/B002QGSWCY/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303743127&sr=1-2  

I. The Wife Who Refused to Obey Her Husband  1

II. The Beauty Contest to Choose a Real Queen  2

III.  Haman and Anti-Semitism  3

IV.  For Sunch a Time as This  4

V. The Scepter of Grace and the Nobility of Esther  5

VI. Whe a King Could Not Sleep at Night  6

VII.  The Man Who Came to Dinner but Died on the Gallows  7

VIII. The Message of  Hope That Went our from the King  8

IX. The Institution of the Feast of Purim  9-10.
--- J. Vernon McGee 

http://www.amazon.com/Thru-Bible-1-5-5-Set/dp/078520041X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303743224&sr=1-1  

I. Esther Elevated to Queen of Persia  1.1-2.23
   A. The Great Banquets of Xerxes 1.1-9
   B. Vashti's Dethronement  1.10-12
   C. Choosing a New Queen  2.1-23
II. The Feud Between Haman and Mordecai  3.1-8.17
   A. Haman's Plot to Kill Mordecai  3.1-6
      1. Haman's anger with Mordecai  3.1-15
      2. A day of revenge chosen by lot  3.7-15
   B. Mordecai's Plan to Save His People  4.1-17
      1.  Reactin to the edict  4.1-2
      2. Mordecai's appeal to Esther  4.4-17
   C. Esther's First Banquet  5.1-8
   D. Haman's Plot Against Mordecai  5.9-14
   E. Haman's Humiliation  6.1-13
       1. Discovery of an unrewarded deed  6.1-5
       2. Mordacai honored  6.6-11
       3. Haman's wife affirms his doenfall  6.12-13
   F. Esther's Second Banquet  6.14-7.10
      1. Haman summoned to the banquet  6.14
      2. Haman exposed and executed  7.1-10
   G. Mordecai's Elevation  8.1-17
      1.  Exaltation over the house of Haman  8.1-2
      2. Reversal of Haman's decree  8.3-14
      3. Popualr reaction  8.15-17
III. The Jews' Day of Vengeance  9.1-19
   A. A Great Slaughter  9.1-10
   B. Vengeance in Susa  9.11-15
   C. Celebration in the Provinces and in Susa  9.16-19
IV.  Institution of the Feast of Purim  9.20-10.3
   A. Mordecais's Letter  9.20-28
   B.  Esther's Confirmation  9.29-32
   C. The Greatness of Mordecai  10.1-3
-----F.B. Huey, Jr. in Expositor's Bible Commentary 

http://www.amazon.com/Expositors-Commentary-Chronicles-Nehemiah-Esther/dp/0310364604/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1303742934&sr=8-4

http://www.christianbook.com/the-expositors-bible-commentary-complete-volumes/0310609038/pd/11190X?kw=expositor%27s%20bible%20commentary&event=PPCSRC&p=1018818&cm_mmc=Google-_-Academic-_-expositors%20commentary-_-expositor%27s%20bible%20commentary&gclid=CJbtp-P0t6gCFcxL2godhS2YAw