青少年教程 (旧约人物2*第4课) | 以斯帖：勇敢的女人

​编者按
这是一套在美国很受欢迎的教材，按年龄共分三部分：0-6岁学龄前儿童教程，6-12岁学龄儿童教程，和12岁以上青少年教程。我们将陆续翻译成中文，分享给大家。
这套教材里的每一篇，无论是教程还是各种活动，都独立成篇，没有先后顺序，大家可以按需要和负担选择使用。
*更多内容：thedoorofsheep.com/青少年 

课程目的

1.让学生了解旧约人物以斯帖

2.鼓励所有学生，过一个勇敢的生活

3.挑战学生，反世俗文化，将神的事摆在世界的事之前

主题

选择、勇气、困难、正直、优先、保护、供应、纯洁、责任、牺牲、坚定

背诵经文

申命记 31:6

开头的祷告(5-10分钟)

团队建造(5分钟)

好吧，让我们玩一个快速的游戏。让我们看看谁是这里最勇敢的人。你必须诚实地回答。每个人都站起来。我会读一个需要勇气的特技表演，如果你能诚实地去做，就站着不动。如果你没勇气去做，就请坐下。每个人都可以站起来迎接新挑战。别装！开始！

• 我可以爬上 10 英尺的梯子而不会紧张

• 我可以坐在赛车里而不尖叫

• 我可以无所畏惧地骑一只公牛

• 我可以毫无问题地跳伞

• 我可以蹦极而不害怕

• 我可以扭动着过一条小隧道，而不感到幽闭恐惧

• 我可以躺在一个装满昆虫的巨大的缸里而不被吓坏

我们都害怕不同的东西。我们中的一些人很勇敢，一些人不那么勇敢。今天我们要讨论勇气，以及勇气如何出现在另一位旧约人物以斯帖的生活中。

课堂起头(10分钟)

（今天对以斯帖记的介绍很重要。以斯帖记是一本没有被广泛阅读却又很独特的书。讲讲其历史背景，对今天的学习会很有帮助。）

如果按时间顺序来读圣经，以斯帖记会是最后读到的内容之一。只有部分的以斯拉记和部分的尼希米记发生在以斯帖事件之后。

背景是在中东的波斯（现代的伊朗）。那是犹太民族当时被囚的地方。书的开头，介绍了几个犹太人。他们是末底改，他抚养了一个犹太女子，就是他的堂妹以斯帖。以斯帖的家人此前已经去世。

神的名字没有出现在以斯帖记中，这使它成为圣经中唯一没有提到神的书。然而，整本书中的一些希伯来语离合词似乎拼出了神的名字，并且在第 7 章中使用了神的另一个名字。

以斯帖记有 10 章。我们必须通过本书的一些关键事件，就是故事中的一些亮点，来总结今天的故事。

像许多旧约一样，以斯帖的故事对我们今天仍有着巨大的应用。我们将在课程的稍后部分讨论这个问题，以以斯帖的故事为出发点，鼓励更勇敢的信仰。

深入学习(30分钟)

让每个人都翻到以斯帖记。）

快快翻一下第一章。在这里我们看到一个广大的帝国，有 127 个省，从非洲延伸到印度，还有一位王，薛西斯（在某些翻译中称为亚哈随鲁），他正在为他的下属举办 180 天的筵宴。之后，他为他所有的人举办了一个为期 7 天的筵宴。（见第 1-5 节）

这里，我们面对的是一个非常富有、非常有权势的人。基本上，他掌管着世界上大部分地区。他想要的，他就能得到。

第一章的剩余部分讲述了他的妻子瓦实提王后如何激怒了王，并从他的面前被永久赶出去的故事。这就产生了一个空缺，需要有人作为皇室成员坐在薛西斯身边。第 2 章以一种竞赛形式开始，以确定该人将会是谁。

读 以斯帖记 2:5-9

在这里，我们遇到了以斯帖，一个犹太女子，由她的堂兄末底改抚养，因为她没有父母。

问题讨论：

1. 以斯帖的另一个名字是什么？（哈大沙，希伯来语的意思是“形貌美丽”。）

2. 这段经文对以斯帖作了什么描述？她是怎样的一个人？（漂亮，年轻，没有父母等。）

3. 以斯帖得到宠爱后怎样？（她有了新的住处，得到了美容润身的用品和食物，还有在首都女性中最高的地位。）

4. 有如此巨大的改变，对以斯帖意味着什么？她会有什么感觉？

读 以斯帖记 2:10

在这里，我们看到，以斯帖把她是犹太人这一事实当作秘密守着。请记住，犹太人曾经被这位王俘虏到这片土地上。虽然他们在那地已被接纳，但末底改让她从小就保密这些事情。

第二章的其余部分谈到以斯帖被选为替代瓦实提的王后。还说到，末底改无意中听到谋杀王的阴谋，他向以斯帖通报了，以斯帖因此警告了王。请记住 - 这一事件稍后对以斯帖和末底改派上了用场。

以斯帖 3 是情节开始真正变化的地方。我们遇到了一个名叫哈曼的人，他被薛西斯王任命为他的王子们的负责人。他变成了王的左右手。王宣布大家要向他鞠躬致敬。

读 以斯帖记 3:2-15

问题讨论：

1. 谁不向哈曼跪拜？（末底改）

2. 为什么末底改不跪下（见第 4 节）？（因为他是犹太人 - 他只敬拜神。）

3. 哈曼充满愤怒（第 5 节）。他决定做什么？（说服王：为了荣耀薛西斯王，每个犹太人都应该被杀。）

哈曼得到王的批准，并制定了执行法令的计划。但是以斯帖王后听说了这个计划后开始采取行动。

读 以斯帖记 4:1-16

问题讨论：

1. 末底改得知消息后有何反应？（深深地悲痛，大声哀号。）

2. 他去哪里寻求帮助？（以斯帖。）

3. 他在第 8 节要求以斯帖做什么？（去王前求情。）

4. 为什么以斯帖在第 11 节中犹豫不决？（因为任何若不蒙召就进入内院见王的人，都会被处死。）

5. 末底改给以斯帖什么难题？（她是唯一能帮上忙的人，如果她不插手，她也会被杀，而且她也许就是为“这种时候”才得到这个位置的。）

6. 以斯帖承诺做什么（见第 16 节）？（她承诺在禁食后去见王。她甚至说，“我若灭亡就灭亡罢。”）

以斯帖的勇气在这里真正起来了。她说：“我若灭亡就灭亡罢。这是件该做的正确的事。”她去见王，请他和哈曼一起参加她举办的宴会。在那里，王提议将他一半的国给以斯帖。而她只是要他第二天晚上再去参加她的另一个宴会。离开宴会时，哈曼经过末底改时，末底改仍然没有向他下拜。这更激怒了他，他准备将末底改挂在绞刑架上。

但是在第 6 章中，我们读到了一些有趣的东西。

读 以斯帖记 6:1-12

末底改在王的记事录中被认为是对王有好处的人。还记得他无意中听到暗杀阴谋而向拯救王性命的以斯帖作过报告吗？薛西斯王发现，末底改从未因此得到过回报。所以末底改在那天晚上没有被绞死，反而是从王那里得到了极大的尊荣。具有讽刺意味的是，哈曼必须执行对末底改的奖赏。

当我们来到以斯帖记 7 章时，故事的结局开始展开了。

读 以斯帖记 7:1-10

以斯帖为她本族人的性命乞求王，王就答应了她的乞求。而哈曼被揭露出想谋害以斯帖和犹太人，他被绞死在他为末底改搭建的绞刑架上。真是一波三折。但是如果……如果以斯帖没有站出来说些什么呢？如果她被恐惧挡在路上了呢？如果她没有勇气去做她所做的事呢？

很容易想到……

• 抚养她的人末底改会被杀

• 犹太民族会被消灭

• 以斯帖自己可能也会被杀

如果以斯帖不站出来，会有什么深远的影响？他们会怎样？这将如何改变几个世纪后新约的展开？我们永远不会知道这些，因为以斯帖是一个勇敢的女人。

应用(10分钟)

我们可以从以斯帖身上学到“勇气”。为了拯救本族，她冒着生命危险。很容易把这当成是一个古老的故事，但如果今天面临同样的事，你会怎么办？

（可选项：查看 www.persecution.com。这是殉道者之声的网站，该组织让全世界看到对基督徒的迫害。通过阅读网站上的几个故事，帮助学生将以斯帖的勇气与当代生活联系起来 - 仍然有人每天都面临着与她一样的决定。）

问题讨论：

1. 就你的信仰而言，你认为勇气是什么样的？

2. 今天，我提出了几个可能很可怕的挑战，问谁有足够的勇气完成这些特技。但如果我是问你勇敢的信仰行为呢？你觉得你会怎么做？

3. 老实说，你愿意为神做什么？

4. 老实说，你不愿意做什么？

++++++++++++++++++

讨论活动-可选(10分钟)

（仅限女生）

作为女性，重要的是要知道，做一个女人不光是外表。以斯帖长得很美 - 世上最有权势的男人没有选别人而选了她 - 但她比这些都要深刻得多。

1. 猜一猜：你一天花多少时间在自己的外表上？（打扮、买衣服、补妆等）

2. 你花了多少时间在你的信仰上？

3. 你可以采取哪些步骤来提高外表以外的东西？

4. 你需要谁来帮助你？

++++++++++++++++++++

勇气是一样很难在我们内心长出来的东西。事实上，能单独面对这种情况对我们几乎是件不可能的事。每个人都查一下申命记 31:6。

（让你小组的每个成员，最多六到八人，读这节经文。这可能会营造一个非常酷的气氛，看起来每个学生都在鼓励对方。这也有助于大家都记住这节经文。）

我们从不孤单。即使在最艰难的情况下，神也会为我们而战。祂会和我们在一起，这是一个应许。正如她与以斯帖在一起，今天祂也与我们同在。

读 以斯拉记 10:4

这节经文呼召我们起来行动。以斯拉被鼓励起来以代表神和犹太民族行事。而这些话同样适用于我们。（再次向你的学生读以斯拉记 10:4 。）

你起来，这是你当办的事，我们必帮助你，你当刚强行事。

问题讨论：

1. 请诚实地回答，你的信仰生活有多勇敢？

2. 在你的生活中，你有哪些事情离不开神的帮助？

3. 你需要做什么才能更勇敢地生活？

4. 本周你想“挺身而出”、“鼓起勇气”做的一件事是什么？

结束祷告(2分钟)

请学生在他们的小组中手拉手彼此代祷：他们能勇敢起来、充满信心，大胆行事，就像以斯拉一样。

**** 英文版 *******

Old Testament Heroes (Women)

Lesson 4: Esther: Woman of Courage 

LESSON OBJECTIVES

Goals

1. To educate students on the Old Testament hero, Esther

2. To inspire all students to live a life of courage

3. To challenge young women to be counter-cultural and consider the things of God before the things of the world

Topics

Choices, Courage, Difficulties, Integrity, Priorities, Protection, Provision, Purity, Responsibility, Sacrifice, Stand Firm

Scripture Memorization

Deuteronomy 31:6   

OPENING PRAYER (5 to 10 minutes)

GROUP BUILDING (5 minutes)

Alright, let’s play a quick game. Let's see who the most courageous person here is. You have to answer honestly. Everyone stand up. I’m going to read off a courageous stunt. If you would honestly do it, stay standing. If you wouldn’t have the guts to do it, sit down.  Everyone can stand up for each new challenge. Be honest! Here we go!

• I could climb up a ten foot ladder and not get nervous

• I could ride shotgun in a race car and not scream

• I could ride a bull without fear

• I could skydive without a problem

• I could bungee jump and not be terrified

• I could wiggle through a tiny tunnel and not feel claustrophobic

• I could lay down in a giant tub of insects and not get freaked out

We’re all scared of different things. Some of us are brave, some of us not so much. Today we’re going to talk about courage and how it showed up in the life of another Old Testament Hero, Esther.

GETTING STARTED (10 minutes)

(Today’s “Getting Started” sets up the book of Esther more than it does the lesson itself. Esther is a unique book that isn’t that widely read. Some background on the historical situation should prove helpful as you go through the rest of the Bible study today.)

If you were reading the Bible in chronological order, Esther would be one of the last things you read. Only parts of Ezra and parts of Nehemiah happen after the events of Esther take place. 

The setting is Persia (modern day Iran) in the Middle East. That is where the Jewish nation is (and has been) in captivity.  We are introduced to a couple of Jewish people early in the book. They are Mordecai, who is raising a Jewish girl, and Esther, his blood cousin. Esther's family has previously passed away.

The name of God does not appear in the book of Esther, making it the only book of the Bible in which God is not mentioned. However, some Hebrew acrostics throughout the book seem to spell out God’s name, and a name for God is used in chapter 7.

The book of Esther has 10 chapters. We’ll have to summarize the story today by looking at some of the key movements of the book, a sort of highlight reel from the story.

Like a lot of Old Testament books, Esther's story has a huge application for us today. We’re going to talk a lot about that later in the lesson, using the story of Esther as a launch pad into the challenge of having a more courageous faith.

DIGGING IN (30 minutes)

(Have everyone turn to the book of Esther.)

Look at chapter one briefly. It’s here that we learn of a great empire, with 127 provinces stretching from Africa to India, and a great king, Xerxes (called Ahasuerus in some translations), who is holding a 180 day party for his subordinates. After that, he holds a party for all his people for seven days. (see verses 1-5)

We’re dealing with a very rich, very powerful man here. Basically, he’s in charge of most of the world. What he wants, he gets.

The rest of chapter one tells the story of how his wife, Queen Vashti, angers the king and is kicked out of his presence permanently.  This creates the need for a replacement of sorts, someone to sit by Xerxes’s side as royalty.  Chapter 2 begins with a type of contest to determine who that person will be.

Read Esther 2:5-9

Here we meet Esther, a Jewish girl being raised by her cousin, Mordecai, because she has no parents.

Discussion Questions

1. What was Esther’s other name? (Hadassah which means “of good appearance in Hebrew)

2. What does this passage say about Esther? What was she like? (beautiful, young, has no mother and father, etc.)

3. What happens to Esther when she finds favor with the king? (she’s given a new home, cosmetics and food, and the highest place among the women of the capital)

4. What do you think it was like for Esther to make this huge change? How would she have felt?

Read Esther 2:10

Here we learn that Esther keeps the fact that she is Jewish secret. Remember, the Jews had once been held captive in this land by this king. Though they are now tolerated there, Mordecai had instructed her from a young age to keep that information to herself.

The rest of chapter two talks about Esther being selected as queen in Vashti's place. It also discusses a time when Mordecai overhears a plot to kill the king, which he reports to Esther who warns the king. Remember that—this fact comes in handy for Esther and Mordecai later.

Esther 3 is where the plot really starts to thicken. We meet a man named Haman, who is put in charge by King Xerxes over his princes. He becomes sort of a right-hand man. The King declared that people were to bow down and pay him homage.

Read Esther 3:2-15

Discussion Questions

1. Who doesn’t bow down to Haman? (Mordecai)

2. Why didn’t Mordecai bow down (see verse 4)? (because he was a Jew—he worshipped God only)

3. Haman is filled with anger (verse 5). What does he decide to do? (Convince the king that every Jew should be killed in order to bring honor to King Xerxes)

Haman gets the king to approve it and a plan is made to execute his decree. But Queen Esther hears about the plan and is moved to action.

Read Esther 4:1-16

Discussion Questions

1. When Mordecai gets the news, what is his reaction? (deep sorrow and mourning)

2. Where does he go for help? (Esther)

3. What does he ask Esther to do in verse 8? (go before the King and beg for mercy)

4. Why is Esther hesitant to do it in verse 11? (because anyone who goes to the King without an invitation is punished by death)

5. What challenge does Mordecai give Esther in response? (that she is the only one who can help, that if she doesn’t intervene she too will be killed, and that perhaps she’s come to this position “for such a time as this”)

6. What does Esther commit to doing (see verse 16)? (she commits to going to see the king after a fast. She even says, “if I perish, I perish.”)

Esther’s courage really rises up here. She says, “If I die, I die. This is the right thing to do.” She goes to the king and asks him to attend a banquet, along with Haman, that she will throw. While there, he offers to give Esther up to half his kingdom. She simply asks him to return the next night to another banquet. While leaving the banquet, Haman passes by Mordecai, who still does not bow down to him.  This angers him, and he prepares to hang Mordecai on the gallows.

But in chapter 6, we read something interesting.

Read Esther 6:1-12

Mordecai is recognized in the King’s records as someone who has done him good. Remember him overhearing the assassination plot and reporting it to Esther, who saved the King’s life? King Xerxes realizes that Mordecai was never rewarded. So instead of dying by hanging that night, he receives great honor from the King. Ironically, it is Haman who has to execute the reward for Mordecai.

When we come to Esther 7, the conclusion of the story begins to unfold.

Read Esther 7:1-10

So Esther begs for the life of her people and the king grants her request. Also, Haman is revealed as having plotted against Esther and the Jews and is hanged on the gallows which he had built for Mordecai.  Quite a turn of events. But what if…what if Esther hadn’t stepped up and said something? What if she would’ve let her fear stand in the way? What if she had not had the courage to do what she did?

It’s easy to imagine…

• Mordecai, the man who raised her, would’ve been killed

• The Jewish nation would’ve been wiped out

• Possibly Esther would have been killed as well

If Esther doesn’t step up here, what are the far reaching implications? What becomes of them? How does that change how the New Testament unfolds a few centuries later? We’ll never know, because Esther was a woman of courage.

MAKING IT REAL (10 minutes)

We can learn a lot about courage from Esther. She put her life on the line in order to save an entire population of people. It’s easy to think of this as an old story, but what if you were faced with the same thing today?

(Optional Idea, check out www.persecution.com.  This is the website for Voice of the Martyrs, an organization that makes the world aware of persecution against Christians.  By reading just a couple of stories from the website, you’ll help students connect the courage of Esther with contemporary life—there are still people who face the same decision she faced every single day.)

Discussion Questions

1. What do you consider courage, in terms of your faith, to be like?

2. Today, I brought up several potentially scary situations and asked who’d be brave enough to complete the stunt. But what if I asked you about courageous faith acts? How do you think you would do?

3. What, honestly, are you willing to do for God?

4. What, honestly, are you not willing to do?

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Optional Discussion Activity (Girls Only) 10 minutes

It’s important as females to know that there’s more to being a woman than looks. Esther was great looking—the most powerful man in the world picked her over every other woman—but she was way deeper than that.

1. Just guess: how much time do you spend on your appearance in a day? (getting ready, buying clothes, touch-ups, etc.)

2. How much time do you spend working on your faith?

3. What are some steps you can take to improve what’s under your skin?

4. Who do you need to help you?

+++++++++++++++++++++

Courage is a tough thing to grow inside ourselves. In fact, it’s probably impossible to face such situations alone.  Everyone look up Deuteronomy 31:6.

(Have each member of your group, up to six or eight people, read this verse. It will probably create a really cool situation, where it seems like each student is encouraging the other. It will also help the group memorize the verse.)

We are never alone. God fights for and with us in even the toughest situations.  He will be with us, that’s a promise. Just as He was with Esther, He is with us today.

Read Ezra 10:4 

This verse calls us to action. Ezra is being encouraged to act on behalf of God and the Jewish nation. But the words apply to us. (Read the words of Ezra 10:4 to your students again)

Rise up! This matter is in your hands. You’ll be supported, so be courageous and do something!

Discussion Questions:

1. If you’re honest, how courageous is your faith life?

2. What are you doing in your life that you could not do without God’s help?

3. What do you need to do to live more courageously?

4. What is one thing you want to “rise up,” “take courage,” and do this week?

CLOSING PRAYER (2 minutes)

Invite students to grab hands in their group and pray for one another: that they can be courageous, faith-filled, and bold. Just like Esther.

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