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Mordecai is today’s hero because he shows us the importance of Loyalty
Essential Teachers notes:
The story of Mordecai’s loyalty comes in 2 parts, this is the first and the kings response is the second. They are designed to be used over 2 weeks or over one longer lesson. Mordecai’s gift of loyalty links up with the Kings gift of Honouring.
Main Passage : Esther 2
Additional Passages : Esther 6 and the whole book!
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Mordecai sat by the kings gate in the Persian palace, he often sat there. There were lots of people who passed through that gate, scribes, servants and advisor’s to the king. Mordecai would sit in the shade of the wall and watch as the people passed by going home or arriving for work. Sometimes he would spot one of cousin Esther’s servants. Esther had been taken over a year ago from Mordecai’s home to join the other beautiful young girls living in the palace, girls taken so the king could chosen a new queen. Esther had been chosen and so she would never come home.
Today it was hot and dusty sitting by the gate. There were lots and lots of people and the noise made Mordecai think how his house felt so quiet and empty now Esther had left. There were two men arguing about how clean the sheets were, and another two laughing about a scribe with hiccups. There was one man who looked really grumpy and was trying to push people out of his way, Mordecai wondered what has made him so miserable but decided it wasn’t a very wise thing to ask.
As the crowd moved on Modechai noticed that the kings officers who should have been guarding the gate were both standing at the same side. ‘That’s foolish’ thought Mordechai, ‘people could slip by on the opposite side un-noticed’. Moderdechai moved a little closer, the officers were so busy talking to each other they didn’t seem to be noticing anyone.
“perhaps poison, it would be easy to bribe the kings food taster” said the taller one
“No, I don’t like that idea, everyone will suspect him and he’ll not keep quiet about who paid him,” said the shorter one “but his cup bearer may be better, poison in the wine may work?”
“the king does drink dark wine so it wouldn’t be easily seen” said the taller one.
Mordecai moved back to where he had been sitting before. He didn’t want the officers to notice he was listening. What was he to do, the King would be killed… The king who has stolen the beautiful Esther from his house. Mordecai didn’t like this king much but he knew that he has to tell him of the plot to kill him. He got a small scroll of parchment from his bag and opened it. It was his daily message to Esther, reminding her to keep her Jewish family a secret, telling her a story of a neighbour, and sending his love. He now added a message at the end.
“send word to the king, the two officers at his gate are planning to kill him, they were talking of poison”
He rolled up the scroll just in time. Coming through the crowd from the city was one of Esthers servants. He ran up to them and gave them the scroll and a small gold coin. “hurry” he whispered, “this is urgent”. The servant nodded and moved into the palace.
The next day different officers were at the gate. Mordecai knew he had done the right thing, but, he still didn’t like the king. And soon he liked him even less, because the king appointed a new man as his second in command, Haman. Whenever Haman came through the gate he would tell all the people they must bow down before him. Haman was a bad man, he and all his people hated the Jewish people and so when he came through the gate Mordecai would not bow. Mordecai knew that God’s word told him to only bow to God and to men who he respected. Haman soon hated Mordecai.
Mordecai is today’s hero because he shows us the importance of Loyalty
