This lesson covers chapter seven of a ten part series from the book of Esther. It can be used for Children’s Church or Sunday School. Though God’s name is never mentioned in this book, this lesson helps to see how God uses people to bring about His will. This lesson provides a framework for teaching from Esther chapter 7.
Note: The book of Esther can be difficult to relate back to Jesus and his Good News. One clear connection is the promise that the Savior would be born from the family of Abraham. The plot to eliminate the Jews (the promised family) was a threat to God’s promise. When God saved Esther and the Jews in Persia, he was also protecting the future birth of Jesus according to his promises. The saving work of Christ was directly tied to God’s saving work in the book of Esther.
Bible Story: Esther’s Request and the End of Haman’s Evil Plan
Scripture: Esther 7:1-10
Target Age Group: Age 7 – 12 (U.S. 1st – 6th Grade)
Time: 20 Minutes
Learning Context: Children’s Church
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Learning Objectives: After this lesson…
- Children express their knowledge of the key people and event in this chapter of Esther.
- Children express what they understand about the way in which Esther brought her concern before the king.
- Children express how Haman’s plan backfired on him.
Materials needed:
- Bible: Esther 7:1-10. Prepare beforehand a copy with the important parts of the lesson highlighted to ensure specific explanations on them.
- Visual Aids: Pictures of Haman, King Ahasurus (Xerxes), and Esther (at banquet if possible), picture of a gallow (if available)
Children’s Church Teaching Plan
Begin with a brief overview of how Esther became queen and her family lineage kept secret until this chapter. Review the hatred that Haman had for not only the Jews, but especially Mordecai, and the reason the king had Haman honor Mordecai. See if the children remember the reason Esther took a risk with her life to ask the King for the first banquet.
Establish this lesson by briefly explaining the key people to this chapter with the pictures of Haman, King Xerxes, and Esther. Make sure the children repeat their names.
Prior to reading the chapter, divide the children into two groups and ask one half to listen for what they learn about the way Queen Esther revealed Haman’s evil plan. Ask the other half of the children to identify the full extent of how Haman’s plan to kill Mordecai and the Jews failed.
Read (and Recap) Esther 7:1-10. Read with different voice inflections and stop to involve the children into the story. Reinforce the lesson by asking questions. What does the king promise Esther about her request? She could ask for anything up to half of the kingdom. Does the king know what Esther means when she says that her people are to be killed, destroyed, and completely annihilated? No. What does Haman attempt to do when the king leaves the banquet for a time? He tries to beg Esther to save his life and approaches her too closely which looks like an assault when the king returns. What happened to Haman? He was hung on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai.
When you’re finished reading the story, use the pictures to review the important people and events in this chapter.
Ask for a response from the children about their listening assignment. What did they learn about Esther’s approach to the king? How did Haman’s plan backfire?
Select 3 volunteers to help retell this chapter by assigning the part of Haman, Queen Esther, and King Xerxes.
Children’s Church Lesson Evaluation:
Ask for a volunteer to explain the way Queen Esther approached the king and how Haman’s plan backfired.
Have 3 children re-enact the story. Remember to prompt the children by asking, “What happened next?”
Give a list of possible lessons from the chapter and ask the children to raise their hand to choose whether it was part of this chapter or not.
- Haman paraded Mordecai through the city on one of the king’s horse. True, but not part of this chapter.
- Haman approached Esther in an inappropriate manner. Yes.
- The king became angry when he found out Queen Esther was a Jew and Haman planned on killing her people. Yes.
- Haman’s wife and friends suggested to Haman to make a gallow. True, but not part of this chapter.
- Esther was being raised by Mordecai , because she was an orphan. True, but not part of this chapter.
- Esther told the king at the second banquet what was troubling her. Yes.
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