Steve Webb: I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that I agree
with Paul.
It's the Lifespring! One Year Bible coming to you from
Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004. I'm your
OG Godcaster. Steve Webb. It's history Tuesday. and our reading
is Esther one through five. The website is Lifespringmedia.com.
and contact information will be at the end of today's show.
Before we read, let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we love you and
we thank You for Your Word. We pray God that as we read you
would bless us. Teach us today we pray in Jesus name. Amen. All
right, are you ready? Let's begin.
Esther is the final book of history in the Bible. We'll read
about a character by the name of King Ahasuerus. He's better
known as Xerxes to students of history. and he was the son of
Darius the first whom we read about in the books of Ezra,
Daniel and Haggai. It's interesting to note that the
ruins of Ahasuerus' palace in which the events of this book
took place have been unearthed by archaeologists, as the events
of this book take place, Ahasuerus' is the largest
empire, the Persian empire the world had ever seen up to that
point, spanning modern Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Jordan,
Lebanon, Israel and parts of Egypt, Sudan, Libya, and Arabia.
So yeah, it was big. As the book takes place, Ezra had returned
to Jerusalem, and 30 years before the temple had been
rebuilt. 40 years later, under a hazard awareness, his successor
or desert sees the first Nehemiah would return to
Jerusalem to rebuild the walls.
Esther chapter one. The following events happened in the
days of a heavy Waris, I'm referring to that A has you
heiress who used to rule over 127 provinces, extending all the
way from India to Ethiopia. In those days as Kenya has you era
sat on his royal throne and Susa the Citadel. In the third year
of his reign, he provided a banquet for all of his officials
and his servants. The army of Persia and Media was present, as
well as the nobles and the officials of the provinces. He
displayed the riches of His royal glory in the splendor of
His majestic greatness for a lengthy period of time. 180 days
to be exact. When those days were completed, the king then
provided a seven day banquet for all the people who were present
in Susa, the Citadel for those of highest standing to the most
lowly. It was held in the court located in the garden of the
Royal Palace. The furnishings included white linen, and blue
curtains hung by cords of the finest linen, and purple wool on
silver rings, alabaster columns, gold and silver couches
displayed on a floor made of valuable stones of alabaster,
mother of pearl and mineral stone. drinks were served in
Golden containers, all of which differed from one another. Royal
wine was available in abundance at the Kings expense. There were
no restrictions on the drinking for the king had instructed all
his supervisors that they should do is every one so desired.
Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in Kenya has you
Waris, his royal palace on the seventh day is King has you Aris
was feeling the effects of the wine he ordered me human because
the heart Bona big fo a bag the Z Thor and carcass the seven
Unix who attended him to bring Queen Vashti into the king's
presence wearing her royal high turban. He wanted to show the
people and the officials her beauty for she was very
attractive. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's
bidding conveyed through the Unix. Then the king became
extremely angry and his rage consumed him. The king then
inquired of the Wiseman who were dissenters of the times for it
was the royal custom to confer with all those who were
proficient in laws and legalities. Those who were
closest to him were car Sheena sheath are at Mesa Tarshish me
res Martina and memudahkan these men with the seven officials of
Persia and Media who saw the king on a regular basis and had
the most prominent offices in the kingdom. The king asked by
law what should be done to Queen Vashti in light of the fact that
she is not obey the instructions of King a has you Eros conveyed
through the Unix mum you can then reply to the king and the
officials. The rung of Queen Vashti is not against the king
alone but against all the officials and all the people who
are throughout all the provinces of Kenya has you whereas, for
the matter concerning the queen will spread to all the women
leading them to treat their husbands with contempt, saying
when King has you Eros gave orders to bring Queen Vashti
into His presence she would not come and this very day the noble
ladies of Persia in media who have heard the matter concerning
the queen will respond And in the same way to all the royal
officials, and there will be more than enough contempt and
anger. If the king is so inclined, let a royal edict go
forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia
and Media that cannot be repealed that Vashti may not
come into the presence of King has you, Eris, and let the King
convey her royalty to another who was more deserving than she
and let the king's decision that he will enact be disseminated
throughout all his kingdom vast though it is, then all the women
will give honor to their husbands from the most prominent
to the lowly. The matter seemed appropriate to the king and the
officials. So the king acted on the advice of mucus and he sent
letters throughout all the royal provinces to each province
according to its own script, and to each people according to its
own language that every man should be ruling his family and
should be speaking the language of his own people.
Esther chapter two. After these things when the wrath of King
has us subsided, he remembered Vash tie what she had done, and
what had been decreed against her. Then the king servants who
attended him said, Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the
king, and let the King appoint officers in all the provinces of
his kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young
virgins to Sham the Citadel into the women's quarters under the
custody of Haggai the Kings unic custodian of the women, and let
beauty preparations be given them. Then let the young woman
who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti this thing
please the king and he did so. In Shu Shan, the Citadel there
was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair the son
of shimmy AI the son of Kish, a Benjamites. Kish had been
carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been
captured with Jack Enya, king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the
king of Babylon had carried away. and Mordecai had brought
up a dasa that is estar, his uncle's daughter, for she had
neither father nor mother, the young woman was lovely and
beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her
as his own daughter. So it was when the king's command and
decree were heard. and when many young women were gathered at Shu
Shan, the Citadel under the custody of Haggai, that Esther
also was taken to the king's palace into the care of Haggai,
the custodian of the women. Now the young woman pleased him and
she obtained his favor, so he readily gave beauty preparations
to her besides her allowance. Then seven choice maid servants
were provided for her from the king's palace, and he moved her
and her maid servants to the best place in the house of the
women. Esther had not revealed her people or family for
Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it. and every day
Mordecai paste in front of the court of the women's quarters to
learn investors, welfare and what was happening to her. Each
young woman's turn came to go into King a has us after she had
completed 12 months preparation. According to the regulations for
the women. For the US were the days of their preparation
apportioned six months with oil of Morocco, and six months with
perfumes and preparations for beautifying women Thus prepared,
each young woman went to the king, and she was given whatever
she desired to take with her from the women's quarters to the
king's palace. In the evening she went and in the morning, she
returned to the second house of the women to the custody of che
ash gas, the king's unit who kept the concubines, she would
not go into the king again unless the king delighted in her
in called for her by name. Now, when the turn came for Esther,
the daughter of Abba Hale, the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken
her as his daughter to go into the king, she requested nothing
but what Haggai the Kings unit, the custodian of the women
advised and Esther obtain favor in the sight of all who saw her.
So Esther was taken to King Ahaz you Eros into his royal palace
in the 10th month, which is the month of tea Beth in the seventh
year of his reign. The king loved Esther more than all the
other women and she obtained grace and favor in his sight
more than all the virgins, so he set the royal crown upon her
head and made her Queen instead of Vashti. Then the king made a
great feast, the Feast of Esther for all his officials and
servants, and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and
gave gifts according to the generosity of a king. When
virgins were gathered together a second time, Mordecai sat within
the Kings gate. Now Esther had not revealed her family and her
people just as Mordecai had charged her for Esther obeyed
the command of Mordecai is when she was brought up by him. In
those days while Mordecai sat within the king's gate, to have
the king's Unix big fun and Tirosh doorkeepers became
furious in sought to lay hands on King as you heiress. So the
matter became known to Mordecai who told Queen Esther and Esther
informed the king and mortar guys name and women inquiry was
made into the matter. It was confirmed and both were hanged
on a gallows. and it was written in the book of the Chronicles in
the presence of the king.
Esther chapter three. After these things King a has you Eros
promoted Haman, the son of hammer data, the aggregate and
advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were
with him. and all the king's servants who were within the
Kings gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had
commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay
homage. Then the king servants who were within the king's gate
said to Mordecai, why do you transgress the king's command?
Now it happened when they spoke to him daily and he would not
listen to them that they told it to Haman to see whether Mordecai
his words would stand for Mordecai had told them that he
was a Jew. When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him
homage, Haman was filled with wrath, but he disdained to lay
hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people
of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews
who were throughout the whole kingdom have a has you Eris, the
people of Mordecai in the first month, which is the month of
nice and in the 12th year of Kinga has you Waris, they cast
pure that is the lot before Haman to determine the day and
the month until it fell on the 12th month, which is the month
of ADR. Then Haman said to King has you Eris, there is a certain
people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the
provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from all
other peoples and they do not keep the king's laws. Therefore,
it is not fitting for the King to let them remain. If it
pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be
destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents of silver into the hands
of those who do the work to bring it into the king's
treasuries. So the king took his signet ring from his hand and
gave it to Haman, the son of hammer data, the aggregate the
enemy of the Jews, and the king said to Haman, the money in the
people are given to you to do with them as seems good to you.
Then the king scribes were called on the 13th day of the
first month, and a decree was written according to all that
Haman had commanded to the kings satraps to the governor's who
were over each province, to the officials of all the people to
every province according to its script, and to every people in
their language. In the name of King it has us it was written
and sealed with the king's signet ring. and the letters
were sent by couriers into all the king's provinces, to
destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both
young and old, little children and women in one day on the 13th
day of the 12th month, which is the month of a dar and to
plunder their possessions. A copy of the document was to be
issued as law in every province being published for all people,
that they should be ready for that day. The couriers went out,
hastened by the kings command, and the decree was proclaimed in
Shu Shan, the Citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to
drink, but the city of Shu Shan was perplexed.
Esther chapter four. When Mordecai learned all that had
happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes
and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a
loud and bitter cry, he went as far as the front of the king's
gate, for no one might enter the king's gate close with
sackcloth, and in every province where the Kings commanded decree
arrived, there was great morning among the Jews with fasting,
weeping and wailing, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. So
Esther's maids in Unix came and told her and the Queen was
deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and
take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept
them. Then Esther called haystack one of the kings Unix
whom he had appointed to attend her. and she gave him a command
concerning Mordecai to learn what and why this was so hate
that went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of
the kings gate, and Mordecai told him all that had happened
to him and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into
the Kings treasuries to destroy the Jews. He also gave him a
copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was
given at Shu Shan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it
to her, and that he might command her to go into the king
to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people.
So hey, Thach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
Then Esther spoke to hate back and gave him a command for
Mordecai. All the king's servants and the people of the
kings provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the
inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one
law put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out
the golden scepter that he may live, yet I myself have not been
called to go into the king these 30 days. So they told Mordecai
Esther's words, and Mordecai told I'm to answer Esther, do
not think in your heart that you will escape in the king's palace
any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain
completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will
arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's
house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the
kingdom for such a time as this? Then Esther told him to reply to
Mordecai, go gather all the Jews who are present in Shu Shan and
fast for me, neither eat nor drink for three days, night or
day, my maids and I will fast likewise. and so I will go to
the king which is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.
So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther
commanded him.
Esther chapter five. On the third day Esther put on her
royal robes, she stood in the courtyard of the king's palace
facing the king's throne room. The king was sitting on the
royal throne inside the palace facing the entrance. When the
king saw Queen Esther standing in the entrance, she won his
favor. So the king held out the golden scepter that was in his
hand to Esther. Esther went up to him and touched the top of
the scepter. Then the king asked her, What is traveling you Queen
Esther? What would you like? Even if it is up to half of the
kingdom it will be granted to you. So Esther answered, If it
pleases you, Your Majesty come today with Haman to a dinner
I've prepared for you. The king replied, bring him in right away
and do whatever Esther asks. So the king and Haman came to the
dinner that Esther had prepared while they were drinking wine.
The king asked Esther, what is your request that will be
granted to you? What would you like? Even if it is up to half
of the kingdom? It will be granted. Esther answered my
request. What would I like? Your Majesty come with him into a
dinner I will prepare for you and tomorrow I will answer you,
Your Majesty. If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty,
and if it pleases you, Your Majesty, may you then grant my
request and do what I would like. When Haman left that day,
he was happy and feeling good. But when Haman saw Mordecai at
the king's gate, neither getting up nor trembling in His
presence. Haman was furious with Mordecai, however, Heyman
controlled himself, he went home and sent for his friends and his
wife Zeresh. Then Haman began to relate in detail to them how
very rich he was, the many sons he had, and all about how the
king promoted him to a position over the officials in the Kings
advisors. Haman went on to say, what's more Queen Esther allowed
no one except me to come with a king to the dinner she had
prepared. and again tomorrow I am her invited guest together
with the king. Yet all this is worth nothing to me. Every time
I see Mordecai, the Jews sitting at the king's gate, then his
wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, have a pole setup
75 feet high, and in the morning asked the king to have
Mordekaiser dead body hung on it. Then go with the king to the
dinner in good spirits. Haman liked the idea, so he had the
pole set up.
Well, how's that for a cliffhanger? What will happen to
Mordecai Tune in next week to find out well today in chapter
one out of pride has he Where is held to different banquets.
First, there was a six month long banquet for all of his
officials and servants. He was the ruler of the largest empire
in the world and he wanted to show off and by the way, in all
likelihood this lavish celebration was paid for from
the taxes he collected. The word tells us that it was his own
expense. But where do you suppose he got the money in the
first place? Yeah, taxes. Go figure. The second banquet was
for all the residents of the capital city Shu Shan this
celebration was much more modest, of course lasting only
seven days. Drink was abundant at both banquets, but at the
second it was not compulsory. Well, in chapter one, we were
introduced briefly with a has us his wife, Queen Vashti. She also
had a banquet for the women in the palace. and on the seventh
day of the second banquet, a hazard awareness was drunk, and
he ordered that Vashti should come to him at his banquet
because he wanted to display her beauty. and commentators believe
that it's implied that the king wanted her to appear without her
clothes on, which is the reason she refused to go. Well, in his
drunken condition, the king became enraged and he asked his
advisers what he should do in response to this
insubordination. They said he should remove her as Queen
because she was a bad example to all the other women in the
kingdom. Find a replacement they said, or wives everywhere will
disrespect their husbands. In the New Testament, in Ephesians,
chapter five Paul says that wives should respect their
husbands. Well, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that I
agree with Paul. Respect is the greatest gift a wife can give to
her house. Bend, but a husband cannot demand respect. Well,
that's not entirely true, though is that I mean, a husband can
demand respect and many husbands have cruel ways to do that. But
respect given as a result of mistreatment is not true
respect, is it? Let's look at what exactly Paul said there in
Ephesians. It's in verse 33. of chapter five, he said, each one
of you is to love his wife as himself, and the wife is to
respect her husband. So that brings a bit more perspective
into the equation, doesn't it? and then earlier in the chapter
in verse 25, Paul made it even more clear, he said, Husbands,
love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave
Himself for her. Well, that really drives at home, a husband
that loves his wife, just as Christ loved the church will, in
almost every case, be rewarded with respect and love from his
wife. If a has you, whereas had loved Vash Thai with this kind
of love to begin with, he would have never made such a request
of her and he would have had her respect. But of course, if that
had happened, then we wouldn't have had the rest of the story
with Esther would we don't miss next week's conclusion? If you
have thoughts or questions, I'd love to hear it said the
Boostagram love to get those call the Lifespring family
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things at the end of the show. Tomorrow will be Psalms
Wednesday, we'll read chapters 146 through 148. and we'll also
have a time of prayer.
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