His Words Are Life

Esther 5:3 - Esther 9:4

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Kelly Mowrer

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Series Code: HWAL

Program Code: HWAL000587


00:16 Hello, and welcome to His Words are Life.
00:18 I'm Kelly Mowrer, and today we're going to be continuing
00:21 in the book of Esther. But before we start,
00:23 Let's pray together. Dear God, thank you for the story of
00:28 Esther and for the lessons that you have for each of us.
00:32 As we hear now, please send the Holy Spirit to bring comfort
00:37 to our hearts that you have the power to deliver us
00:39 even from the darkest of circumstances. Thank you so much
00:43 for loving us and we love you. Amen.
00:46 We're reading in the story of Esther about how a decree has
00:51 gone out that all of the Jews should be murdered.
00:54 And Mordecai has told Esther that she needs to go in before
00:59 the king and plead for the life of her people;
01:02 even though the king has not yet, up unto this point realized
01:06 that his queen is a Jew. And as I thought about this story
01:10 of Esther and what we're read so far, it occurred to me that
01:14 there are lessons for us - many wonderful lessons for us in the
01:19 story, even though in our times the role of women and the
01:23 practices of the court of the king seem foreign to us, or
01:27 seem something unreal. In Esther's life, she sought
01:33 council from wise councilors and she followed it.
01:36 And that's an example for us. And even more importantly we're
01:40 right up to the point we're going to pick up this story
01:42 just before Esther went in before the king
01:45 without permission, which is punishable by death,
01:48 unless the king extended his sceptre. Before taking this
01:52 step, Esther prayed and she asked her people to pray
01:56 with her. And that is also a lesson that each of us can take
02:00 into our lives that in whatever we're facing, make it a matter
02:03 of prayer before we take that bold step. Esther and
02:07 the Israelites fasted and prayed for three days.
02:10 And then she went before the king and the king did extend
02:14 her favor and his sceptre, and were going to pick up the story
02:18 now in the book of Esther, chapter 5, verse 3.
02:22 This is the King James Version. Then said the king unto her,
02:27 What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request?
02:31 it shall be given thee, even to the half of the kingdom.
02:34 And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king
02:40 and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared
02:44 for him. Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste,
02:48 that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman
02:53 came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
02:55 And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine,
03:00 What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee:
03:03 and what is thy request? even to half of the kingdom it shall be
03:06 performed. Then answered Esther and said, My petition and my
03:12 request is; If I have found favor in the sight of the king,
03:16 and if it please the king to grant my petition and to perform
03:19 my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I
03:24 shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king
03:27 hath said. Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with
03:32 a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate,
03:37 that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full
03:41 of indignation against Mordecai. Nevertheless Haman refrained
03:45 himself and when he came home, he sent and called for his
03:48 friends, and Zeresh his wife. And Haman told them of the glory
03:53 of his riches and the multitude of his children, and all the
03:56 things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had
03:59 advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.
04:02 Haman said moreover, Yea Esther the queen did let no man come in
04:07 with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself
04:10 and tomorrow am I invited unto her also with the king.
04:13 Yet all this availeth me nothing so long as I see Mordecai
04:18 the Jew sitting at the king's gate. Then said Zeresh his wife
04:23 and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of
04:28 fifty cubits high, and tomorrow speak thou unto the king
04:32 that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily
04:37 with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman;
04:40 and he caused the gallows to be made.
04:43 Continuing in Esther, chapter 6, and this is the
04:46 King James Version. On that night could not the king
04:51 sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the
04:55 chronicles; and they were read before the king.
04:57 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana
05:02 and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the
05:05 door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
05:08 And the king said, What honor and dignity hath been done
05:13 to Mordecai for this? Then said the kings servants that
05:17 ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.
05:20 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come
05:26 into the outward court of the king's house to speak unto the
05:28 king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared
05:31 for him. And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman
05:35 standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
05:39 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be
05:43 done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor?
05:46 Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight
05:51 to do honor more than to myself? And Haman answered the king,
05:56 For the man whom the king delighteth to honor,
05:59 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear,
06:03 and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal
06:08 which is set upon his head: And let this apparel and horse be
06:12 delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes,
06:15 that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth
06:20 to honor, and bring him on horseback through the street
06:24 of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done
06:28 to the man whom the king delighteth to honor.
06:31 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel
06:37 and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai
06:43 the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail
06:47 of all that thou hast spoken. Then took Haman the apparel
06:53 and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on
06:57 horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before
07:01 him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth
07:05 to honor. And Mordecai came again to the king's gate.
07:09 But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head
07:14 covered. And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends
07:18 everything that had befallen him. Then said his wise men
07:22 and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of
07:27 the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not
07:32 prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.
07:37 And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's
07:40 chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet
07:44 that Esther had prepared. Continuing to read the story of
07:47 of Esther, chapter 7. This is the King James Version.
07:50 So the king and Haman came
07:53 to the banquet with Esther the queen. And the king said again
07:57 unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine,
07:59 What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted
08:03 thee: and what is thy request? it shall be performed
08:07 even to the half of the kingdom. Then Esther the queen answered
08:12 and said, If I have found favor in thy sight, O king,
08:15 and if it please the king, let my life be given me
08:20 at my petition, and my people at my request: For we are sold,
08:24 I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain,
08:28 and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and
08:32 bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not
08:35 countervail the king's damage. Then the king Ahasuerus answered
08:40 and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he,
08:44 that durst presume in his heart to do so?
08:47 And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman.
08:54 Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. And the king
09:00 arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the
09:04 palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life
09:07 to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined
09:11 against him by the king. Then the king returned out of the
09:14 palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine;
09:17 and Haman had fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was.
09:20 Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me
09:25 in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth,
09:29 they covered Haman's face. And Harbonah,
09:32 one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also,
09:36 the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made
09:39 for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king,
09:41 standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him
09:46 thereon. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had
09:51 prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.
09:55 Continuing with Esther, chapter 8.
09:58 On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of
10:02 Haman the Jew's enemy unto Esther the queen.
10:05 And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told
10:08 what he was unto her. And the king took off his ring,
10:12 which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai.
10:16 And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. And Esther spake
10:20 yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet,
10:23 and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman
10:26 the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.
10:30 Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther.
10:33 So Esther arose, and stood before the king, and said,
10:37 If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight,
10:40 and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing
10:44 in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised
10:48 by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to
10:51 destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces:
10:54 or how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my
10:57 people? or how can I endure to see the destruction
11:00 of my kindred? Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther
11:04 the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther
11:08 the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows,
11:11 because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Write ye also for the
11:15 Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it
11:18 with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the
11:21 king's name, and sealed with the kings ring, may no man reverse.
11:25 Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the 3rd
11:29 month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth
11:33 day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai
11:36 commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants and the deputies
11:40 and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto
11:43 Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces,
11:46 unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto
11:49 every people after their language, and to the Jews
11:51 according to their writing, and according to their
11:53 language. And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name,
11:57 and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts
12:01 on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young
12:05 dromedaries: Wherein the king granted the Jews which are in
12:09 every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their
12:14 life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish all the power
12:18 of the people and province that would assault them,
12:21 both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them
12:24 for a prey, upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus,
12:29 namely, upon the 13th day of the 12th month, which is the month
12:33 Adar. The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given
12:36 in every province was published unto all the people, and that
12:40 the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves
12:43 on their enemies. So the posts that rode upon the mules and
12:48 camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's
12:52 commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.
12:56 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal
13:00 apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold,
13:03 and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of
13:06 Shushan rejoiced and was glad. The Jews had light and gladness
13:12 and joy, and honor. And in every province, and in every city,
13:17 withersoever the king's commandment and his decree came,
13:21 the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day.
13:26 And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear
13:30 of the Jews fell upon them. Continuing to read in Esther,
13:34 chapter 9. This is the King James Version.
13:37 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the 13th
13:42 day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree
13:45 drew near to be put in execution in the day that the enemies
13:51 of the Jews hoped to have power over them, though it was turned
13:55 into the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them
13:59 that hated them; the Jews gathered themselves together
14:02 in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king
14:05 Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man
14:11 could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all
14:14 people. And all the rulers of the provinces,
14:18 and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the
14:22 king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon
14:26 them. For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame
14:30 went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai
14:34 waxed greater and greater. Until we come again, Goodbye.


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Revised 2014-12-17