Homework

I will be posting the questions for each session here. We will use these in place of the weekly 5-day homework that was in the Beth Moore workbook. If you'd still like to answer the workbook questions, please do! The Esther questions in the workbook are a little different than the ones in Daniel, so you might like them better. Most of the questions I post on here will come from the workbook, but we'll just focus on 5 or 10 of them rather than trying to do all 5 days.

Week 1: Introduction
Read Ezra 1:1-2:1.
1. What had happened to the Israelites according to Ezra 2:1?
2. Who had prophesied this event earlier?
3. Who is the king identified and quoted in Ezra 1?
4. Who was present at the banquet in Esther 1:1-8?
5. Why are do we as women tend to judge other women harsher than a man would?
Beth Moore describes the situations that Esther goes through. The first being "It's tough being a woman in another woman's shadow."
6. Why would it be tough for a woman to be in Vashti's shadow?
7. Who did Xerxes send for Vashti? What happened when they went to her?
8. Why do you think Vashti refused? What would be your reasoning if you did the same thing?
9. What effects did the men believe Vashti's refusal would have on their surroundings?
10. What was Vashti's punishment for refusing Xerxes?


Week 2: A Contest for a Queen
1. When did the king "remember" Vashti? (Esther 2:1)
2. What did the king's personal attendants suggest he do to fix his situation?
3. According to Esther 2:2, what kind of women were sought out to receive these treatments?
4. What was Esther's nationality? Why do you think Mordecai wanted to keep it a secret?
5. What does Esther 2:11 imply to you about Mordecai?
The situation described in this session is "It's tough being a woman in a world where beauty is a treatment."
6. How can you expound on this statement?
7. What was the troubling process for each girl's try-out?
8. How long did Esther wait for her presentation to the king?
9. What does Esther 2:15 tell us about Esther in contrast to the others?
10. Describe what qualities a woman must possess to win the favor of other women in spite of her appeal to men.
11. In verses 19 and 21 of chapter 2, where was Mordecai?
12. What did Mordecai find out about the chamberlains?
13. Who did Mordecai go to with this news?
14. What happened when Esther told the king about the plot?
15. How were the men killed?


Week 3: A Raging Passion for Honor
1. What did Mordecai refuse to do for Haman?
2. Haman's rage turned into careful calculation. How did Haman choose a day for Jewish destruction?
3. What does Proverbs 16:33 say about casting lots?
4. What ways did Haman manipulate Xerxes to get what he wanted?
5. What does Ephesians 4:26-27 discuss concerning anger?
The situation described in this session is "It's tough being a woman in a mean world."
6. What was the lineage of Haman?
7. What word does the name "Haman" resemble in Hebrew?
8. What did Haman bribe the king with?
9. According to Esther 3:10, what did Haman receive from Xerxes that was valued more than money?
10. What does Esther 8:8 say about the signet ring?
11. What permission did Xerxes give Haman?
12. What did Haman and Xerxes have in common with Joseph's brothers in Genesis 37:12-25?
13. On what exact day were the royal secretaries summoned to draft the edict and deliver the news? (Esther 3:12)
14. What did Haman and Xerxes do after the letters were delivered? (Esther 3:15)
15. Is meanness curable? (Romans 12 17:21)