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STUDIES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

—INTERNATIONAL S.S. LESSONS—

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS DESIGNED TO ASSIST THOSE OF OUR READERS WHO ATTEND BIBLE CLASSES WHERE THESE LESSONS ARE USED; THAT THEY MAY BE ENABLED TO LEAD OTHERS INTO THE FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL. PUBLISHED IN ADVANCE, AT THE REQUEST OF FOREIGN READERS.

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ESTHER BEFORE THE KING

I. QUAR., LESSON XI., MARCH 12, ESTHER 4:10-17; 5:1-3

Golden Text—”Judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.”—Prov. 31:9

In the story of the book of Esther we have a glimpse of the condition of the Jews under the dominion of Persia. From chapter 3:8,9 we learn that they were scattered all over the Persian provinces and were living in a measure of temporal prosperity, and that their destruction and the confiscation of their property and goods would be a large acquisition to the king’s treasury, since ten thousand talents of silver were willingly appropriated to accomplish this end.

The incident of this lesson furnishes also an instance of the Lord’s providential care over them and his preservation of them as a people when their destruction was threatened by a wicked and capricious king. And this marked providence is specially noteworthy in view of the fact that these were the descendents of those Jews who failed to go up to Jerusalem to restore and to build it, when Cyrus issued the decree that all who desired might do so. They had not been zealous for the Lord, but nevertheless his loving kindness did not forsake them, and when they cried unto him he heard and answered their prayer.

The special feature of this lesson is God’s providential care over those who trust in him.

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— March 1, 1893 —