Daniel and Queen Esther (two short studies)

Two short little studies today.

Daniel

 

The prophet Daniel was taken into captivity when Babylon conquered Israel,  Most people do not realize that the prophet Daniel was the son of David and his wife Abigail:

1 Chronicles 3:1  Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess:

Daniel 1:3  And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;

Daniel 1:6  Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

Ezra 8:2  Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David;

This is interesting in the light of how Daniel is a type of Messiah in the events that happened to him.

Queen Esther

 

There is no hard facts on this one.  Many consider Ahasuerus mentioned in Esther the same as Artaxerxes mentioned in Nehemiah.  Some believe Artaxerxes is a title for many kings.  Either way, both ruled in Shushan and it is clear from the context that Nehemiah was after Haman tried to exterminate the Jews in Esther.

I believe that Artaxerxes in Nehemiah in Esther is either the king Esther married or her son.  It makes sense since the king in Nehemiah allowed Nehemiah to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the city and even paid for the rebuilding and there was no mention of Haman.  Nehemiah was in a high position which would not have been the case if this was before Esther and Haman would have have tried to prevent the king from allowing Jerusalem to be rebuilt.  The queen was sitting next to Artaxerxes when the request was made and that could have been queen Esther (either wife or mother of the king)  There is very good reason to believe the queen mentioned in Nehemiah was Esther.   The king had no second thoughts about granting the request and no reason he would have done so if Esther was not his wife or his mother.   If  Artaxerxes is the husband or son of Esther, then Esther not only saved the lives of the Jews at the hand of Haman, she was also the reason Jerusalem was rebuilt by Nehemiah (about 17 years later if Artaxerxes is indeed Ahasuerus or a little longer if Artaxerxes was her son)

Esther 1
1  Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
2  That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
3  In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:

Nehemiah 2
1  And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
2  Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
3  And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?
4  Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
5  And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.
6  And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.
7  Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;
8  And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
9  Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.