Quiz and Bible Study From The Book of Esther

I created this Bible quiz a while ago and it got me thinking that it would be great to turn it into a study session. The Book of Esther is one of the books in the Bible that tells a story around a central Bible character, and other key characters from beginning to end of the book. Just like every book in the Bible, it is a powerful book that gives you an understanding of what God can do for His people.

If you are saved (have surrendered your life to Jesus and made Him the Lord and saviour of your life), you are God's "people". God will fight for you, make a way of escape from danger, and give you open victory.

When some people think of the book of Esther, they assume it is a Bible study for women. No its not! In the same way that the book of Jonah, and the book of Nehemiah are not just for men, the book of Esther is for everyone. There is a lot of symbolism in Book of Esther and everyone can gain from studying the Book and applying the Word in it to their lives.

This Bible quiz centres on The Book of Esther. Read the entire Book of Esther and ask God to give you insight into His Word, and understanding as you do. Then try to answer the quiz questions and look at the answers provided to each question and approach it as a Bible Study session.

Quiz

Background: The beauty preparations and treatments given to Esther and the women to get them ready to come before the king comprised of:

Oil of Myrrh for the first 6 months. and sweet spices and perfumes for the next 6 months. (found in Esther 2:12)

Questions:

1a. What is the spiritual significance of the myrrh, sweet spices, and perfumes?

1b. How does it relate to our preparation to meet our soon coming King?

Question 2a.

What was the full process which Queen Esther and the Jews used to reverse Haman’s evil decree against the Jews?

Question 2b.

How can children of God apply this process today to reverse evil decrees?

Answers

Question 1a and 1b:

The Bible records in John 19 verses 38 to 40 that myrrh and aloes were the spices used to treat Jesus’s body during His burial in accordance with Jewish burial customs.

"38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs". (John 19: 38 – 40. New International Version)

The Bible also records in Exodus 30 verses 20 to 29 that God told Moses to use myrrh and some fragrant spices with oil to create a holy anointing oil. The anointing oil in question was to be used to anoint the articles to make them most Holy. The Word of God says in Exodus 30 verse 29:

“You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy”.

So we can infer that the spiritual significance of the treatments of myrrh, sweet spices, and perfumes was for the purpose of burial and consecration. Burial in the sense of dying to the flesh and crucifying the flesh in order to be alive with Christ, and consecrating them to make them most holy in preparation to meet the King of Kings, Jesus.

When we surrender our lives to Jesus and become born again, the old person and its nature dies. We then become brand new in Christ. Colossians 3:5-11 says:

"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." New International Version (NIV)

This indicates that there must be a process of practically putting to death your earthly nature and the old self, and take on a new nature. The beauty treatments given to Esther and the other women can be said to be for that purpose, and to make them Holy.

Jesus is our soon coming King, and He will return for people who are holy, consecrated, sanctified; who are without spot or wrinkle. Read Ephesians 5:26 – 27. It therefore means that as Christians and followers of Jesus we need to die to self, kill the flesh, and come alive in the spirit, and become holy to prepare to meet the King. Glory to God!

Question 2a: The full process which Queen Esther and the Jews used to reverse Haman’s evil decree against the Jews can be found from Esther 4 verse 15 till the end of the book of Esther.

To summarize, the process they used was as follows: 1. Esther and the Jews fasted and prayed for a turnaround. 2. Esther requested for favour and made a specific request to the king. 3. Esther asked the king to counteract the evil scheme that Haman had devised against the Jews. Then the king asked Esther and Mordecai to write a decree in the king’s name and seal it with his signet ring. 4. They wrote a decree in the king’s name. The order was that the Jews were to protect their lives and fight back against any assault. In addition, the king provided reinforcements; all the officials of the provinces, governors, satraps, and those doing the King’s work helped the Jews. 5. The Jews fought back and defeated their enemies.

Question 2b: Christians can use the process used by Esther and the Jews in their own lives and it will counteract evil schemes devised by their enemy the devil, and all his human agents. The process includes the following steps:

1. Prayer and fasting for a turnaround. 2. Making specific requests to God to change the situation. 3. Writing an order in the King’s name means making decrees and declarations in the Name of Jesus. The Name of Jesus is the name above every name.

"that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.". (Philippians 2:10-11. New King James Version)

When you make a decree in the Name of Jesus, it is obeyed in the Heavens, on earth, and underneath the earth

4. Fight back against assaults by using the weapons at our disposal including the Sword of the spirit (Ephesians 6:17), the arrows of God's deliverance (prayer and fasting; II Kings 13:17), and the full armour of God (Ephesians 6:10 – 18).

5. Obtain reinforcements from God which comprises of the Angels of God because Angels are ministering spirits sent to minister to the redeemed (Hebrews 1:14). Children of God can ask God to send angels to reinforce them to help them win every battle they face (Matthew 26:53, Matthew 7:7 - 11).

About the Author

Edikan Uko is an entrepreneur, and management consultant focusing on strategic management and innovation. She is also a Bible teacher, speaker, Founder and President of Judah Global Intercessors, and editor of LoveFaithandMiracles.com

Twitter: @IAmEdikanUko

Email: edikan@lovefaithandmiracles.com