Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual

Contents
Old Testament Lessons
Title Page
Lessons 1–2
Introduction to the Teacher Manual
- Lessons 1–2
  Welcome to the Old Testament
- Lessons 3–6
  Moses 1; Abraham 3
- Lessons 7–9
  Genesis 1–2; Moses 2–3; Abraham 4–5
- Lessons 10–12
  Genesis 3–4; Moses 4–5
- Lessons 13–15
  Genesis 5; Moses 6
- Lessons 16–18
  Moses 7
- Lessons 19–21
  Genesis 6–11; Moses 8
- Lessons 22–24
  Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2
- Lessons 25–28
  Genesis 18–23
- Lessons 29–32
  Genesis 24–33
- Lessons 33–34
  Genesis 37–41
- Lessons 35–37
  Genesis 42–50
- Lessons 38–40
  Exodus 1–6
- Easter
- Lessons 41–44
  Exodus 7–13
- Lessons 45–47
  Exodus 14–18
- Lessons 48–51
  Exodus 19–20; 24; 31–34
- Lessons 52–55
  Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1; 4; 16; 19
- Lessons 56–57
  Numbers 11–14; 20–24; 27
- Lessons 58–60
  Deuteronomy 6–8; 15; 18; 29–30; 34
- Lessons 61–64
  Joshua 1–8; 23–24
- Lessons 65–67
  Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16
- Lessons 68–70
  Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–7
- Lessons 71–73
  1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–16
- Lessons 74–76
  1 Samuel 17–18; 24–26; 2 Samuel 5–7
- Lessons 77–80
  2 Samuel 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 6–9; 11
- Lessons 81–82
  1 Kings 12–13; 17–22
- Lessons 83–85
  2 Kings 2–7
- Lessons 86–89
  2 Kings 16–25
- Lessons 90–91
  2 Chronicles 14–20; 26; 30
- Lessons 92–93
  Ezra 1, 3–7; Nehemiah 2; 4–6; 8
- Lessons 94–96
  Esther
- Lessons 97–99
  Job 1–3; 12–14; 19; 21–24; 38–40; 42
- Lessons 100–103
  Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46
- Lessons 104–106
  Psalms 49–51; 61–66; 69–72; 77–78; 85–86
- Lessons 107–108
  Psalms 102–103; 110; 116–119; 127–128; 135–139; 146–150
- Lessons 109–112
  Proverbs 1–4; 15–16; 22; 31; Ecclesiastes 1–3; 11–12
- Lessons 113–116
  Isaiah 1–12
- Lessons 117–118
  Isaiah 13–14; 22; 24–30; 35
- Lessons 119–122
  Isaiah 40–49
- Lessons 123–125
  Isaiah 50–57
- Lessons 126–129
  Isaiah 58–66
- Lessons 130–133
  Jeremiah 1–3; 7; 16–18; 20
- Lessons 134–137
  Jeremiah 31–33; 36–38; Lamentations 1; 3
- Lessons 138–141
  Ezekiel 1–3; 33–34; 36–37; 47
- Lessons 142–145
  Daniel 1–7
- Lessons 146–148
  Hosea; Joel
- Lessons 149–151
  Amos; Obadiah; Jonah
- Lessons 152–154
  Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah
- Lessons 155–157
  Haggai 1–2; Zechariah 1–4; 7–14
- Lessons 158–160
  Malachi
Lessons 166–170
Life Preparation Lessons
- Doctrinal Mastery: Finding Answers to My Questions
- Lessons 166–170
  Scripture Study Skills
- Lessons 171–176
  For the Strength of Youth Guide
- Lessons 177–180
  Building Self–Reliance
- Lessons 181–187
  Physical and Emotional Health
- Lessons 188–191
  Preparing for Future Education and Employment
- Lessons 192–195
  Succeed in School
- Lessons 196–200
  Missionary Preparation
- Lessons 201–204
  Temple Preparation
- Lessons 205–208
  Teachings of Church Leaders
Appendix

Esther, Part 1: For Such a Time as This

“Esther, Part 1: For Such a Time as This,” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual (2026)

“Esther, Part 1: For Such a Time as This,” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual

Esther: Lesson 94

Esther, Part 1

For Such a Time as This

Mormon Messages: Having Courage & Trusting the Lord: Stand Up for What You Believe In

Have you ever wondered why Heavenly Father has led you to this place, at this time, and what work He has for you to do? An orphaned Jewish woman named Esther might have had similar questions. Esther’s captivity in Persia placed her in a position to assist the Lord in saving His people, the Jews. This lesson can help students recognize how Heavenly Father places us in situations to help Him accomplish His work.

Student preparation: Consider asking students to prayerfully ponder how Heavenly Father might accomplish His work through them in this seminary class or their ward or branch, school, city, or family

Possible Learning Activities

Divine design

Consider beginning class by showing a chessboard and pieces or a picture of a chessboard. Invite students to share what they know about the game of chess. If needed, explain that the game works as players move their pieces into strategic positions to win the game. You could ask students what they think makes a skilled chess player. If students do not mention it, consider sharing that skilled players map out their winning strategy several moves ahead as the game progresses. You could then ask students to think about how our lives could be like a game of chess, sharing Elder Rasband’s explanation.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

Our lives are like a chessboard, and the Lord moves us from one place to another—if we are responsive to spiritual promptings. Looking back, we can see His hand in our lives. (“By Divine Design,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 55)

Why do you think it can be easier to notice God’s influence in our lives looking into the past, rather than right now?

The account of Esther demonstrates how God’s influence in Esther’s life put her in a position to accomplish His work. In this lesson, you will study the first part of this account. As you study, prayerfully seek the Holy Ghost to help you recognize how Heavenly Father may be placing you in situations to help Him accomplish His work.

For such a time as this

After the Persians conquered Babylon, many Jews remained in Persia, including Esther and her guardian, Mordecai. The king of Persia, Ahasuerus, became dissatisfied with his wife Vashti and sent her away (see Esther 1:1–12). Seeking a new bride, Ahasuerus called for all the women of Persia to be brought before him (see Esther 2:1–4).

To help students understand the story of Esther, you could organize students into small groups to study one of the following scripture blocks. Invite groups to summarize their part of the story for the class. You may want to think of an interesting way students could summarize their account. They could draw a symbol on a sheet of paper to represent the story (for example, a crown or wedding veil, a royal ring, a sword, or a weeping emoji). Students could act out the story while others narrate it.

Read your assigned passage looking for the difficult circumstances Esther and Mordecai faced.

Esther 2:5–11, 15–17

Esther 3:1–13

Esther 4:1–9

As students share, be conscious of time so that students do not spend too long summarizing these accounts.

How do you think Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ felt about the events in these verses? About Mordecai? About Esther?

Read Esther 4:10–14, looking for how Mordecai helped Esther see the influence Heavenly Father may have had on the circumstances of her life.

You may want to have students mark the question “who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (verse 14).

Elder Rasband testified that God does influence the circumstances of our lives to accomplish His work.

I know that the Lord will move us on that seeming chessboard to do His work. What may appear to be a random chance is, in fact, overseen by a loving Father in Heaven who can number the hairs of every head. Not even a sparrow falls to the ground without our Father’s notice. The Lord is in the small details of our lives, and those incidents and opportunities are to prepare us to lift our families and others as we build the kingdom of God on earth. …

Heavenly Father can put us in situations with specific intent in mind. He has done so in my life, and He is doing so in yours. (“By Divine Design,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 55–56)

What truths can we learn about Heavenly Father from the account of Esther and Elder Rasband?

As students share their responses, write a truth on the board using students’ words like Heavenly Father places us in situations where we can help accomplish His work.

Note: Esther’s courage to go before the king to save her people will be studied in Lesson 95: “Esther, Part 2.”

Recognizing Heavenly Father’s guidance

How has the Lord given you or someone you know an opportunity to be an instrument in His hands?

Consider sharing an experience when you have recognized opportunities Heavenly Father has given you to help accomplish His work.

To help students reflect on how Heavenly Father has placed them in situations to accomplish His work, you could give them time to silently ponder their answers to the following question. They could record their thoughts in their study journal.
How do you think Mordecai’s statement in verse 14 might describe you?

If you feel students need more help to recognize these opportunities in their lives, you could instead have students complete the following activity.

In your study journal, write down the name of someone in your life (family, school, church, or other setting). Then answer at least one of the following in your journal.

What evidence have you seen that Heavenly Father has placed that person in your life “for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)?
When have you seen Heavenly Father’s hand placing you around specific people or in certain situations “for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)?

As appropriate, you might invite willing students to share what they wrote with the class. Consider encouraging students to act on any spiritual impressions they may have had during the lesson.

Additional Resources

How does the Lord’s divine influence work with the principle of agency?

Sister Wendy W. Nelson reminded us:

My dear friends, premortally you and I were each given wonderful missions to fulfill while we are here on earth.

We have opportunities to fulfill our mortal missions, but we don’t have to. No one will make us. We have our agency to choose how we spend our time and energy, our talents and resources. In fact, what we choose to do is actually part of our testing.

The choice is yours and mine. Will we choose to do whatever it takes to fulfill the wonderful missions for which we were sent to earth? …

My dear brothers and sisters, these are indeed the latter days! There has never been a time like this in the history of this world. Never! Premortally, you and I committed to do a great work while we are here on earth. And with the Lord’s help, we will do it! (“Hope of Israel” [worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018], Gospel Library)

How can I be an instrument in the Lord’s hands?

Elder Carlos A. Godoy of the Presidency of the Seventy said:

Brothers and sisters, would you be willing to be an instrument in the Lord’s hands? Would you be willing to be one of these angels? To be an emissary, sent from God, from this side of the veil, for someone He is worried about? He needs you. They need you. …

Brothers and sisters, I believe in angels! We are all here today, a giant army of angels set apart for these latter days, to minister to others as extensions of the hands of a loving Creator. I promise that if we are willing to serve, the Lord will give us opportunities to be ministering angels. He knows who needs angelic help, and He will put them in our path. The Lord puts those who need angelic help in our path daily. (“I Believe in Angels,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 87, 88)

Elder Ciro Schmeil of the Seventy explained how we can better recognize opportunities to accomplish the Lord’s purposes:

Just as He did with Esther, the Lord puts us where we can help to fulfill His purposes. For this reason, we must be ready and worthy when faced with the opportunities He presents.

Opportunities to be instruments in the hands of the Lord are all around us. Our responsibility is to be prepared to act. Often we do not know when or how those opportunities will present themselves. We need to live worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost and have a willing heart. Then the Lord will guide us to do what He needs us to do. (“An Instrument in the Hands of the Lord,” Liahona, July 2022, 43)

Supplemental Learning Activities

Each piece of the puzzle matters to God

To help students recognize the important part they can play in Heavenly Father’s plan, you could cut a picture into puzzle pieces, enough for each student. Invite students to write their names on the puzzle piece. Then students could complete the puzzle. You might invite a discussion with a question like the following:

What does this activity teach us about the importance of each member of this seminary class?

Esther’s story video supplement

As students study the story of Esther, it may be helpful to supplement the scripture block with the video of the story. After groups share their part of the story of Esther, you could show the following segments of “For Such a Time as This”:

Part 1: Time code 00:00 to 01:50.

Part 2: Time code 01:51 to 05:08.

Part 3: Time code 05:09 to 11:10.

13:44

The end of Esther’s story (time code 11:10 to 13:44 will be covered in Lesson 95: “Esther, Part 2”).

Others who were sent to help the Lord accomplish His work

Students might benefit from seeing other scriptural examples of the Lord’s hand in people’s lives to accomplish His work. One way to do this is to invite students to select someone from the scriptures or Church history whose story they feel demonstrates the Lord’s divine influence. If students need guidance, you might select some of the following to share with students:

Ruth and Naomi: Ruth 1:14–19
Mother in Zarephath and Elijah: 1 Kings 17:8–16
Little maid and Naaman: 2 Kings 5:1–3
Abish and the Lamanites: Alma 19:16–17
Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith—History 1:66–67

Students could prepare a short presentation on the person they selected and how they see Heavenly Father having placed this person in circumstances to accomplish His work.

The Lord invites us to serve others in His name

To help students see how we can help the Lord accomplish His work as we minister to others, you could show the video “One-on-One (Ministering with Love)” from time code 1:21 to 5:55.

13:2

President Nelson shares examples of Heavenly Father’s divine placement in his life in “Sweet Power of Prayer” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2003, 8) from time code 4:21 to 8:21 and “A Plea to My Sisters” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 96) from time code 8:28 to 10:52.

16:47

15:33