WEBVTT 00:00:32.165 --> 00:00:32.265 Well. 00:00:32.265 --> 00:00:34.432 Good morning, Valley View. 00:00:34.432 --> 00:00:36.133 Great to be with you this morning. 00:00:36.133 --> 00:00:38.332 As you can see, we are preparing ahead. 00:00:38.332 --> 00:00:44.299 We've decorated our stage for the new senior adults event we're doing this week. 00:00:44.299 --> 00:00:48.899 No for VBS, trying to get ahead of the game a little bit because you know how it goes. 00:00:48.899 --> 00:00:53.765 If you if you wait till the last minute, run into problems, run into challenges. 00:00:53.765 --> 00:00:56.566 So this lets us get ahead a little bit. 00:00:56.566 --> 00:00:58.299 We're also prepared for this in another way. 00:00:58.299 --> 00:01:02.600 How many of our men were here yesterday for our men's event, our men's gathering out at the ball field? 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:05.599 Yeah, we had a great turnout. 00:01:06.299 --> 00:01:10.099 And, if you came, you got a free pair of sunglasses. 00:01:10.099 --> 00:01:15.165 How many of you were able to grab-- if you had known that I bet some of the men are like, I would have come if you'd have told me that. 00:01:15.165 --> 00:01:15.665 Let me tell you. 00:01:15.665 --> 00:01:18.165 Let me show you the beauty that I picked up when I was there. 00:01:18.165 --> 00:01:19.533 These are. 00:01:19.533 --> 00:01:21.332 Now I'm really ready for VBS. 00:01:21.332 --> 00:01:22.033 What do you think? 00:01:23.832 --> 00:01:26.200 Now I can't see anything. 00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:29.233 Know I won't be able to read my Bible this way, but I'm ready. 00:01:29.233 --> 00:01:32.233 But look, we're trying to get ahead of the game for VBS this week. 00:01:32.233 --> 00:01:40.200 If you have kids in that age VBS, it's the biggest event we do as a church for the year, and it's a great outreach to the community. 00:01:40.200 --> 00:01:41.433 It's such a great time. 00:01:41.433 --> 00:01:44.233 You'll want to come check it out. 00:01:44.233 --> 00:01:48.900 Now, as I said, we preparing ahead because sometimes you encounter challenges in life. 00:01:48.900 --> 00:01:53.865 In fact, sometimes it feels like all of life is stacking up against you. 00:01:54.200 --> 00:01:56.832 I thought of that this week when I ran across this image. 00:01:56.832 --> 00:01:59.832 We'll put this up on screen. 00:02:00.965 --> 00:02:07.132 Dryer, Dishwasher, Air conditioner secretly conspire in the dead of night to all break down at the same time. 00:02:08.366 --> 00:02:09.900 Does it ever seem that way? 00:02:09.900 --> 00:02:14.900 All your appliances are having secret meetings to arrange when they'll all quit. 00:02:14.900 --> 00:02:16.966 I had a friend send me a message this week. 00:02:16.966 --> 00:02:18.599 A guy here, he said. 00:02:18.599 --> 00:02:21.599 You know, we've been feeling the burden as a family to increase our giving. 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:22.733 We've been praying about it. 00:02:22.733 --> 00:02:24.866 And last week I talked about that. 00:02:24.866 --> 00:02:33.765 I gave a mid-year budget update for the church, and at the end of the service, I gave time for people to respond and I'll share the updates on that at the end of the service today. 00:02:33.765 --> 00:02:36.800 But he said, we've been feeling the burden to do that. 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:41.332 And because of your prompting, we decided, yes, now's the time for us to go ahead and increase our giving. 00:02:41.332 --> 00:02:52.066 And we get home and our microwave has quit working, and I've got multiple nails in the tires of my car, and it kind of felt that way as well, that the world is stacking up against me. 00:02:52.066 --> 00:02:54.800 The world is working behind the scenes against me. 00:02:55.800 --> 00:03:07.733 And I think as we've read through the Book of Esther, which is the passage we've been working through, the book of the Bible we've been working through, and this week we’ll be in Esther chapter seven, probably the Jews and Esther in that story felt that way. 00:03:07.733 --> 00:03:11.866 It seems like everything is at work, behind the scenes, stacking up against us. 00:03:11.866 --> 00:03:14.133 When how is this going to work out? 00:03:14.133 --> 00:03:16.133 When will it ever turn in our favor? 00:03:16.133 --> 00:03:17.566 We seem to be following God. 00:03:17.566 --> 00:03:19.733 And yet there's this one thing after another. 00:03:19.733 --> 00:03:21.165 Whether it's an appliance. 00:03:21.165 --> 00:03:26.500 I don't think they had appliances, but whatever was working against them at that time. 00:03:26.500 --> 00:03:30.566 What we're going to see today, though, is the tide begins to turn. 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:39.566 The whole story has been building to this moment when Esther comes to the king and she has worked carefully to present, to set the situation. 00:03:39.566 --> 00:03:40.900 I'm going to ask you about this. 00:03:40.900 --> 00:03:41.699 I'm going to have a feast. 00:03:41.699 --> 00:03:42.733 I'm going to have another feast. 00:03:42.733 --> 00:03:49.300 I've come in my queenly robes, I've come in official business, and today is the day where she finally presents her request. 00:03:49.300 --> 00:03:50.866 Here is the issue we're facing. 00:03:52.066 --> 00:03:57.133 And when she does this, we're going to see four outcomes here four outcomes of her request. 00:03:57.133 --> 00:04:00.765 So let's look here in Esther chapter seven and look at this first one. 00:04:00.765 --> 00:04:08.633 In fact this first outcome will be her patience rewarded, all the patience, all the waiting. 00:04:08.633 --> 00:04:12.832 And if you're not familiar with the whole story of Esther, she's a queen in ancient Persia. 00:04:12.832 --> 00:04:15.265 She gets put in this amazing situation. 00:04:15.265 --> 00:04:16.966 But her people are persecuted. 00:04:16.966 --> 00:04:27.899 In fact, likely will be killed, and she is called to act and put her own self, take her own life at risk, put her own self in danger on behalf of her people and here we are. 00:04:28.833 --> 00:04:30.266 Let's look at Esther chapter seven. 00:04:30.266 --> 00:04:35.833 And if you have a church Bible, it's on whatever page was on the screen a second ago. Page 385. 00:04:35.833 --> 00:04:37.699 We have some of these Bibles laying around. 00:04:37.699 --> 00:04:40.365 Unfortunately, we've run out, they’re on backorder. 00:04:40.365 --> 00:04:44.800 But if you have a church Bible its on page 385, Esther chapter seven, verse one. 00:04:45.932 --> 00:05:00.100 So the king and Haman went into the feast with Queen Esther, and on the second day, as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king again said to Esther, what is your wish Queen Esther? 00:05:00.100 --> 00:05:01.565 It shall be granted to you. 00:05:01.565 --> 00:05:03.399 What is your request? 00:05:03.399 --> 00:05:07.800 Even to the half of my kingdom it shall be fulfilled. 00:05:07.800 --> 00:05:12.132 Now, that phrase we've already seen a couple of times, even to the half of my kingdom. 00:05:12.132 --> 00:05:15.333 He said that a couple of times previously in a couple of previous chapters. 00:05:15.333 --> 00:05:20.132 He said to her, you ask anything of me up to half of my kingdom you can have it. 00:05:20.132 --> 00:05:25.199 But we also talked about how Esther knows he doesn't fully mean it. 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:29.932 I mean, don't take advantage of his seeming generosity. 00:05:30.065 --> 00:05:36.000 I ran across the story this week about this particular king, and it was put in the context of his Greek name. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:38.000 His Greek name, Ahaseurus, is his name. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:41.300 Here it's his Hebrew name or Persian name. 00:05:41.300 --> 00:05:42.766 His Greek name was Xerxes. 00:05:42.766 --> 00:05:44.766 And so you often hear him brought up that way. 00:05:44.766 --> 00:05:52.065 There was an ancient historian, Herodotus, and he wrote a ton about this time period, about this king, other Persian kings, about the Greek empires. 00:05:52.065 --> 00:05:56.833 If you've seen or heard of the movie 300 and the Battle of Thermopylae, he recorded that. 00:05:56.833 --> 00:05:59.165 That's part of how we know a lot of ancient history. 00:06:00.132 --> 00:06:10.132 And he wrote a story about this particular king that I'm sure Esther, maybe if she wasn't aware of, she would have known that this is part of who he was. 00:06:10.132 --> 00:06:13.365 So he was on his way to battle the Greeks. He was taking in his army. 00:06:13.365 --> 00:06:19.333 He passed through an area and he runs across this guy named Pytheas. 00:06:19.333 --> 00:06:24.165 And Pytheas was the richest man he encountered apart from himself. 00:06:24.165 --> 00:06:26.333 Pytheas says, listen, I know you're going into battle. 00:06:26.333 --> 00:06:27.632 I want to support what you're doing. 00:06:27.632 --> 00:06:29.800 You can have all my money. 00:06:29.800 --> 00:06:30.565 Take it all. 00:06:30.565 --> 00:06:31.665 I don't need it. 00:06:31.665 --> 00:06:34.000 You take it. Go into battle. 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:35.000 Flourish, prosper. 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:37.399 I'm behind you 100%. 00:06:37.399 --> 00:06:42.600 Well, Xerxes or Ahaseurus, is so moved by this, he actually gives Pytheas money. 00:06:42.600 --> 00:06:44.266 Look, I know you're on board with me now. 00:06:44.266 --> 00:06:45.966 You're kind of under my rule and reign. 00:06:45.966 --> 00:06:47.932 Here's some money to help you flourish where you are. 00:06:49.065 --> 00:06:50.600 And Xerxes goes on his way. 00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:51.466 He continues on. 00:06:51.466 --> 00:06:53.800 In fact, five of his sons. 00:06:53.800 --> 00:06:57.165 Five of Pytheas’s sons sign up for battle with Xerxes. 00:06:57.165 --> 00:06:59.199 They all take off. 00:06:59.199 --> 00:06:59.365 Now. 00:06:59.365 --> 00:07:01.132 What happens over time, though? 00:07:01.132 --> 00:07:05.533 Xerxes is traveling around visiting different cities, preparing to go into Greece in battle. 00:07:05.533 --> 00:07:09.132 He ends up back around Pytheas, his hometown. 00:07:09.533 --> 00:07:15.600 Pytheas has been thinking about this whole situation, and he's been thinking about the reality that I'm getting older. 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:20.033 All my sons have gone off with their resources into battle. 00:07:20.033 --> 00:07:23.966 He's been thinking, I really could use one son back here to take care of me. 00:07:23.966 --> 00:07:28.233 And so he comes to Xerxes and he says, I have one request. 00:07:28.233 --> 00:07:29.333 And here's what he says. 00:07:29.333 --> 00:07:30.100 He says it this way. 00:07:30.100 --> 00:07:33.300 He says, tell me whatever you ask, it's yours. 00:07:35.333 --> 00:07:38.466 Now, we've already seen some of that promising before. 00:07:38.466 --> 00:07:40.800 You know what it is coming from him. 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:43.132 We saw it with Herod. 00:07:43.132 --> 00:07:45.665 That doesn't usually work out well. 00:07:45.665 --> 00:07:48.466 Whatever you want, it's yours. 00:07:48.466 --> 00:07:54.665 Pytheas asked him, Would you just remove one of my sons from battle, the oldest son, so that he could care for me in my age? 00:07:54.665 --> 00:07:56.365 I'll be able to pass on my legacy. 00:07:56.365 --> 00:07:59.365 It seems like a reasonable request right? 00:07:59.632 --> 00:08:01.699 And this infuriates him. 00:08:01.699 --> 00:08:04.000 It enrages him. 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:04.365 He says. 00:08:04.365 --> 00:08:05.565 How dare you? 00:08:05.565 --> 00:08:08.300 He calls him, you are my slave. 00:08:08.300 --> 00:08:09.865 And here I am going into battle. 00:08:09.865 --> 00:08:11.100 I'm taking my own sons. 00:08:11.100 --> 00:08:13.565 And you're worried about your son? 00:08:13.565 --> 00:08:14.865 I'll grant your request. 00:08:14.865 --> 00:08:15.300 Sure. 00:08:15.300 --> 00:08:17.932 I'll remove your son from battle. 00:08:17.932 --> 00:08:20.399 He removes him from battle and he cuts him in half. 00:08:21.565 --> 00:08:26.632 And he puts one half on one side of the road and the other half on the other side of the road. 00:08:26.632 --> 00:08:32.600 And the whole army passes through as a reminder of how powerful he is. 00:08:33.932 --> 00:08:45.133 And so Esther is entering into bringing her request to the King, knowing, I don't know that I can fully trust this guy who knows how he'll react. 00:08:45.133 --> 00:08:48.133 This is who we're dealing with. 00:08:48.533 --> 00:08:50.566 But look at this moment. 00:08:50.566 --> 00:08:52.166 It doesn't matter. 00:08:52.166 --> 00:08:55.166 This is the moment for Esther to act. 00:08:55.666 --> 00:08:56.600 There's no longer. 00:08:56.600 --> 00:08:57.399 You can wait. 00:08:57.399 --> 00:08:58.365 She's been building. 00:08:58.365 --> 00:09:00.432 Building tension, building interest. 00:09:00.432 --> 00:09:01.299 The king is wondering. 00:09:01.299 --> 00:09:02.399 What can this be? 00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:03.865 This must be a really big deal. 00:09:03.865 --> 00:09:05.133 She comes in her royal robes. 00:09:05.133 --> 00:09:06.832 She has a feast. Has another feast. 00:09:06.832 --> 00:09:08.000 All to prepare for the moment. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:09.633 To her to ask me. 00:09:09.633 --> 00:09:11.066 She can't put it off any longer. 00:09:11.066 --> 00:09:12.566 Now is the time to act. 00:09:14.666 --> 00:09:19.365 Even if you think it may not be received, there are times where you have to act. 00:09:19.365 --> 00:09:27.832 In fact, D-Day, the anniversary of D-Day was this last week, June 6th, 80th anniversary of the invasion of Nazi occupied Europe. 00:09:27.832 --> 00:09:29.033 Were any of you there for that? 00:09:29.033 --> 00:09:29.966 Probably not here. 00:09:29.966 --> 00:09:31.432 I'm guessing there's only. 00:09:31.432 --> 00:09:36.332 I think I heard 42 veterans left from that specific day. 00:09:36.332 --> 00:09:39.265 Maybe somebody fact check me on that. 00:09:39.265 --> 00:09:39.932 Not many. 00:09:39.932 --> 00:09:42.932 How many ever it is. 00:09:43.365 --> 00:09:52.066 But what happened on that D-Day part of the challenge was many people thought, we're not sure if on the invasion we'll make it or not. 00:09:52.066 --> 00:09:56.500 We're not sure if Hitler will be able to arrange his forces against us. 00:09:56.500 --> 00:10:13.466 And many believe part of the reason why we were able to succeed is because his own army commanders were afraid of waking him up at night when the invasion started, no one wanted to stir him, rightfully so, and get his advice and say, we think this may be the invasion. 00:10:13.466 --> 00:10:15.799 We think we should step up. 00:10:15.799 --> 00:10:20.500 But look, there comes a time when you go, even if my life is at risk, now is the time. 00:10:20.500 --> 00:10:22.600 Now is the time to ask. 00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:26.432 And here's Esther and he says, what is it? 00:10:26.432 --> 00:10:28.932 Listen, your patience now is being rewarded. 00:10:28.932 --> 00:10:30.765 What is it? Please tell me. 00:10:30.765 --> 00:10:32.832 And here's what she says. 00:10:32.832 --> 00:10:33.966 Look back at verse three. 00:10:33.966 --> 00:10:36.466 Finally she's going to give him an answer. 00:10:36.466 --> 00:10:49.066 Then Queen Esther answered, if I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be granted me for my wish. 00:10:49.466 --> 00:10:50.666 This is how she starts. 00:10:50.666 --> 00:10:52.000 This is the first thing she says. 00:10:52.966 --> 00:10:58.466 My life is at stake here and my people, for my request. 00:10:59.932 --> 00:11:07.399 For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, to be annihilated. 00:11:07.600 --> 00:11:12.200 If we'd been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent. 00:11:12.200 --> 00:11:17.200 For our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the King. 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:21.865 So here's the moment where she's finally able to present her request, finally able to lay it out. 00:11:21.865 --> 00:11:28.133 This is the issue I've been building up towards, and look at some of the layers of wisdom she applies here. 00:11:28.133 --> 00:11:32.000 The first thing she says is my life is at stake here. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:33.200 She hasn't named Haman. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:35.533 She hasn't said anything about the plot against the Jews. 00:11:35.533 --> 00:11:43.166 She starts with my life's at stake, which is so wise because that's a problem for the king. 00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:49.932 If you think your Queen's life is at stake, you're your kingdom is threatened. 00:11:49.932 --> 00:11:52.932 That's as close as it can get to you. 00:11:53.133 --> 00:11:55.966 You're going to have deep interest in that. 00:11:55.966 --> 00:12:02.799 It's only after saying that that she mentions also my people are in danger. 00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:05.799 And notice she doesn't name them yet. 00:12:05.865 --> 00:12:11.365 She hasn't yet said, oh, and by the way, my people are the Jews, the ones who are likely to be killed very soon. 00:12:11.365 --> 00:12:12.500 She didn't say any of that yet. 00:12:12.500 --> 00:12:14.832 She's not getting ahead of it. 00:12:14.832 --> 00:12:20.332 It's also interesting, if you look back at chapter three, just flip back a page. 00:12:20.332 --> 00:12:24.232 Haman didn't either, by the way. 00:12:24.232 --> 00:12:27.000 He never said, oh, all this is about the Jews. 00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:27.732 Look at verse eight. 00:12:29.100 --> 00:12:35.865 Then Haman said to King Ahaseurus, this is when he was first asking the king for permission to persecute the Jews. 00:12:35.865 --> 00:12:36.365 Verse eight. 00:12:36.365 --> 00:12:41.832 Haman said to King Ahaseurus, there is a certain people scattered abroad. 00:12:41.832 --> 00:12:43.133 In fact, it literally says there, there. 00:12:43.133 --> 00:12:50.200 These one people, there's this one group of people that are giving you problem, never names them to him. 00:12:50.432 --> 00:13:01.865 She doesn't name them either, even though we know that he's favorable towards Mordecai, who he calls a Jew doesn't name them yet she's continuing to set the stage. 00:13:01.865 --> 00:13:04.865 This issue’s about me, my safety. 00:13:04.966 --> 00:13:07.966 We've been sold. 00:13:08.500 --> 00:13:11.533 Now it's important to look here at these words she uses. 00:13:11.533 --> 00:13:15.133 She's very intentional with what she says when she describes the situation. 00:13:15.133 --> 00:13:16.232 So my life's at risk. 00:13:16.232 --> 00:13:18.466 Let me tell you how it's at risk. 00:13:19.765 --> 00:13:20.966 The words she uses here. 00:13:20.966 --> 00:13:25.966 We have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. 00:13:25.966 --> 00:13:32.932 Each of those words are used very purposely, very particularly. 00:13:32.932 --> 00:13:37.299 Each has a detailed purpose here. 00:13:37.299 --> 00:13:39.432 And we're going to get a little deep in the weeds for a minute here. 00:13:39.432 --> 00:13:54.633 I'll just have to say this on the front end, this is going to get detailed into some of the language, but I think it's important because it helps us understand some of the confusing parts of this, helps us understand what's happening here in chapter seven, will help us understand what was happening back in chapter three. 00:13:54.633 --> 00:13:57.633 Provide some clarity around that. 00:13:58.033 --> 00:14:01.966 A lot of it comes back to this word sold for we have been sold. 00:14:01.966 --> 00:14:04.265 Why would she point that out to him? 00:14:05.265 --> 00:14:06.566 We have been sold. 00:14:06.566 --> 00:14:08.399 The issue is not that they've been sold. 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:11.399 The issue is they're about to be killed. 00:14:11.832 --> 00:14:14.533 But there's an interesting play on words here that is happening. 00:14:14.533 --> 00:14:18.899 And I found this dissertation from the 70s, a lady, Sandra Beth Berg, wrote. 00:14:18.899 --> 00:14:21.832 In fact, I have my chief librarian here, Mike Hampshire. 00:14:21.832 --> 00:14:24.533 He found it for me, located it, brought it to me. 00:14:24.533 --> 00:14:27.533 He works at the seminary, brought it. 00:14:27.799 --> 00:14:29.666 She pointed out a really interesting thing here. 00:14:29.666 --> 00:14:35.466 That word sold sounds the same as the word destroy in the original language. 00:14:35.466 --> 00:14:41.865 I mean, if you go back to chapter three, look, look at what he says in chapter three, verse eight. 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:43.432 Sorry. Verse nine. 00:14:43.432 --> 00:14:47.865 If it pleased the King, let it be decreed that they be destroyed. 00:14:47.865 --> 00:14:56.566 And I will pay 10,000 pounds that word destroy their sounds the same in the original language as the word sold. 00:14:56.566 --> 00:14:59.466 Now this plays out in English all the time, right? 00:14:59.466 --> 00:15:00.365 We call those homonyms. 00:15:00.365 --> 00:15:02.765 They sound the same, but they mean different things. 00:15:02.765 --> 00:15:08.865 You hear them and when you hear them, they can sound exactly the same, even if they're spelled different and have different meaning. 00:15:08.865 --> 00:15:09.832 Here's an example. 00:15:09.832 --> 00:15:13.666 Last year was Eddie Lee's last year overseeingVBS. 00:15:13.666 --> 00:15:17.600 This year, Lauren, our new children's minister, is overseeing it now. 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:21.533 I'm sure Eddie Lee would have loved to had a blowout year as her last year, right? 00:15:21.533 --> 00:15:26.600 Imagine if I came to her and said, I know this is your last year, what do you need? 00:15:26.600 --> 00:15:34.899 Eddie Lee, knowing that she likes to be as good of a steward of the church finances as she can, she would have said just a bare minimum. 00:15:34.899 --> 00:15:36.299 I just a bare minimum. 00:15:36.299 --> 00:15:39.500 Now, I'd be concerned because we don't want cut corners on our kids. 00:15:39.500 --> 00:15:40.399 This is a huge event. 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:41.166 We want to do it well. 00:15:41.166 --> 00:15:42.200 You sure? Bare minimum. Yes. 00:15:42.200 --> 00:15:43.365 That's all I need. A bare minimum. 00:15:44.765 --> 00:15:55.899 But on opening day of VBS, I would be quite shocked if on stage she came leading a grizzly bear behind her and I'd say, what are you talking about? 00:15:55.899 --> 00:15:56.799 You said a bare minimum. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:58.332 No, you said a bear is okay. 00:15:58.332 --> 00:16:01.365 I said, I want a bear, a minimum of a bear. 00:16:01.365 --> 00:16:03.466 No, no, no, we're talking about two different words here. 00:16:03.466 --> 00:16:05.732 They'll sound the same, but they mean very different things. 00:16:05.732 --> 00:16:08.033 Now, we know Eddie Lee would never do that. 00:16:08.033 --> 00:16:11.832 She would not put our kids in that kind of risk or danger. 00:16:11.832 --> 00:16:16.365 But this is a little bit of what may be happening here. 00:16:17.033 --> 00:16:21.732 Yes, we need to destroy, I say destroy you here. 00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:23.566 Sold. 00:16:23.566 --> 00:16:29.000 In fact, this makes sense of the context back in chapter three, because look at what happens right before this. 00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:30.865 The way verse eight ends. 00:16:33.133 --> 00:16:34.700 their laws are different. 00:16:34.700 --> 00:16:36.500 He points out all the problems with this. 00:16:36.500 --> 00:16:42.700 Certain people, their laws are different, they're dispersed across, they do not keep the king's laws. 00:16:42.700 --> 00:16:48.500 And then he says this so that it is not to the king's profit to tolerate them. 00:16:49.466 --> 00:16:52.966 You can see some of what the King is hearing here in the context. 00:16:52.966 --> 00:16:55.332 This isn't profiting you the way they're acting. 00:16:55.332 --> 00:16:59.600 In fact, the word there tolerated literally means to rest. 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:02.600 It's not profiting you to let them rest. 00:17:03.700 --> 00:17:05.266 Let's put them to work. 00:17:05.266 --> 00:17:07.365 Let's sell them into slavery. 00:17:07.365 --> 00:17:10.365 Let's get some profit out of them. 00:17:10.833 --> 00:17:27.500 And even though he means actually I want to murder, destroy, annihilate them, the King could be hearing in that moment in the context of everything he's saying as he's offering money, he's just talking about selling off another group of people. 00:17:27.500 --> 00:17:28.532 This helps make sense. 00:17:28.532 --> 00:17:30.732 Go back to chapter seven of Esther's response. 00:17:30.732 --> 00:17:36.599 I told you, we're going to get a little deep in the weeds here, but we're about to do it, and it's going to set up an important point. 00:17:36.599 --> 00:17:40.365 This makes sense of how she responds in verse four. 00:17:40.365 --> 00:17:44.165 We have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. 00:17:44.165 --> 00:17:45.932 And here's what she says. 00:17:45.932 --> 00:17:49.200 If we had been sold merely as slaves. 00:17:51.833 --> 00:17:57.500 If what you thought was happening was what was happening, If we were just only sold as slaves, no big deal. 00:17:57.500 --> 00:17:59.000 That happens all the time in your kingdom. 00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:01.400 You're selling people left and right as slaves. 00:18:01.400 --> 00:18:03.365 Great. I wouldn't have even bothered you. 00:18:03.365 --> 00:18:06.932 I wouldn't have taken the time to even bother you about it. 00:18:08.266 --> 00:18:10.133 But that's not what's happening. 00:18:10.133 --> 00:18:19.066 We have been sold because we've been sold to be destroyed, killed, annihilated. 00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:24.432 Those three words were chosen very specifically because go back to chapter three, verse 13. 00:18:24.432 --> 00:18:29.532 These are the words that Haman used in the written decree. 00:18:30.465 --> 00:18:31.799 Ahaseurus said, sure, go ahead. 00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:32.266 That's fine. 00:18:32.266 --> 00:18:34.400 Handle these people however you want. 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:37.066 But the written decree was very specific. 00:18:37.066 --> 00:18:42.000 Yeah, they will be destroyed, killed, annihilated. 00:18:42.165 --> 00:18:44.365 Now, what's the point of all this? 00:18:44.365 --> 00:18:50.566 The speculation about whether the word sold destroy sound the same, and how that would have misled the king. 00:18:50.566 --> 00:18:55.232 Suddenly what she's saying is what you thought was happening hasn't been happening. 00:18:55.232 --> 00:19:00.799 And the person who has been plotting has really been deceiving you. 00:19:01.732 --> 00:19:09.165 The person you thought you could trust has been working behind the scenes to carry out their own deeds, not concerned about you, only about themselves. 00:19:09.165 --> 00:19:11.532 And this has put my life at risk. 00:19:11.532 --> 00:19:15.932 You see how she set the stage here for the King to be extra invested in the issue? 00:19:18.165 --> 00:19:19.333 Now what happens? 00:19:19.333 --> 00:19:20.700 How does he respond to this? 00:19:20.700 --> 00:19:23.400 Look at verse five. 00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:27.532 Then King Ahaseurus said to Queen Esther, who is he? 00:19:27.532 --> 00:19:32.633 Where is he who has dared to do this? 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:35.266 I want to know who this is. 00:19:35.266 --> 00:19:41.700 In fact, the footnote there, if you have a ESV Bible, says something like, who has filled his heart with this plan? 00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:52.400 We already talked about how Haman had been listening to his heart rather than listening to truth, who has been plotting in his heart? 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:55.799 Who has been plotting this way against you? Against me? 00:19:55.799 --> 00:19:58.465 I need to know. 00:19:58.465 --> 00:20:05.000 This reminded me his his temperament at this moment reminded me of the whole story of David and Nathan. 00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:12.865 Do you remember that where Nathan comes to David and hey, there's this guy who has hundreds of sheep, and he goes and steals the one sheep from the poor guy. 00:20:13.700 --> 00:20:19.865 And David goes who would do that, whoever that is, they must be punished. 00:20:19.865 --> 00:20:21.165 Nathan had him. 00:20:21.165 --> 00:20:23.365 He had his heart fully engaged. 00:20:23.365 --> 00:20:25.099 Nathan says, it’s you. 00:20:25.099 --> 00:20:28.099 That was you. 00:20:28.266 --> 00:20:31.766 David wouldn’t want to hear it before then, but his heart was engaged. 00:20:31.766 --> 00:20:33.266 The king's heart is engaged. 00:20:33.266 --> 00:20:35.232 Who is it? 00:20:35.232 --> 00:20:37.532 She hasn't said who it is yet. 00:20:37.532 --> 00:20:38.900 I don't care who it is. 00:20:38.900 --> 00:20:41.465 He's not biased. 00:20:41.465 --> 00:20:43.633 I know I've got to deal with this. 00:20:43.633 --> 00:20:45.165 Whoever it is, it doesn't matter. 00:20:45.165 --> 00:20:47.865 I got to deal with this. 00:20:47.865 --> 00:20:51.732 Now here's where she finally delivers the news. 00:20:51.732 --> 00:20:52.799 Building, building, building. 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:54.766 She is finally going to tell him. 00:20:54.766 --> 00:21:02.865 In fact, I think as we look at the four outcomes today of her approaching the King, the first was that her patience was rewarded. 00:21:02.865 --> 00:21:03.566 He did receive her. 00:21:03.566 --> 00:21:05.965 But second, we're going to see here evil is exposed. 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:08.266 This is the second outcome. 00:21:08.266 --> 00:21:09.365 Evil is exposed. 00:21:09.365 --> 00:21:13.665 And here's what she says. Esther said when he asked, who has dared to do this? 00:21:13.665 --> 00:21:20.365 Esther said, A foe and an enemy, this wicked Haman. 00:21:20.365 --> 00:21:25.566 Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen. 00:21:25.566 --> 00:21:28.566 A foe, an enemy, this wicked Haman. 00:21:29.532 --> 00:21:31.365 And here we have. 00:21:31.365 --> 00:21:38.799 When the moment comes to expose evil, which is what she does, she doesn't hold back. 00:21:39.133 --> 00:21:41.865 And there's something powerful here for us to take from that. 00:21:41.865 --> 00:21:48.365 I think sometimes we're tempted when we're encountering evil to soften it a bit. 00:21:48.365 --> 00:21:54.900 It comes the moment when you need to expose it, and for whatever reason, the temptation is to go. 00:21:54.900 --> 00:21:57.865 Maybe it wasn't really that bad. 00:21:57.865 --> 00:21:59.865 Maybe this doesn't have to be addressed. 00:21:59.865 --> 00:22:02.299 Maybe it can wait a little longer. 00:22:04.532 --> 00:22:17.266 But look, as Christians, it's important to acknowledge that evil does exist and we don't go up against evil lightly when we approach it. 00:22:17.266 --> 00:22:18.099 We use wisdom. 00:22:18.099 --> 00:22:20.500 We use patience, we use care. 00:22:20.500 --> 00:22:26.099 Notice that Esther went into this fasting, praying, gathering people around her. 00:22:26.099 --> 00:22:32.165 We don't approach evil lightly, but yet we don't ignore the reality that evil exists. 00:22:33.266 --> 00:22:37.200 And part of the call as Christians is to stand up against it. 00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:41.932 That could look a lot of different ways that may take patience. 00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:47.066 But if we don't stand up against it, who will? Who will? 00:22:47.266 --> 00:22:49.766 I mean, the world is they don't even know what is evil or good. 00:22:49.766 --> 00:22:51.432 They call good evil and evil good. 00:22:51.432 --> 00:22:54.400 Who will stand up against evil if we won't? 00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:58.500 Again, we do it winsomely, we do it with patience, we do it unified. 00:22:58.500 --> 00:23:00.732 We do it trusting on Christ, not ourselves. 00:23:02.165 --> 00:23:03.165 But look with a word. 00:23:03.165 --> 00:23:05.566 Jesus cast out evil. 00:23:05.566 --> 00:23:06.365 His word. 00:23:06.365 --> 00:23:09.365 His name is power. 00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:13.532 And part of our call is to take a stand against evil. 00:23:13.833 --> 00:23:16.833 Now let me give a caveat to that. 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:21.732 Just because someone opposes you doesn't mean they are inherently evil. 00:23:21.732 --> 00:23:23.200 You know what I'm talking about. 00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:29.200 Just because your spouse or your child disagrees with you doesn't mean that you call them Satan in the flesh. 00:23:29.432 --> 00:23:30.500 They may just disagree. 00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:33.500 You might even be wrong. 00:23:34.099 --> 00:23:37.900 But yet that doesn't discount the reality that there is evil. 00:23:37.900 --> 00:23:40.900 There is evil in this world. 00:23:41.032 --> 00:23:48.465 We trust Christ to guide us how to engage with it and how to stand against evil. 00:23:48.599 --> 00:23:51.333 Esther exposes evil. 00:23:51.333 --> 00:23:52.400 She does it bravely. 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:55.365 She does it directly. 00:23:55.365 --> 00:23:57.365 But also she doesn't tell the king what to do. 00:23:59.165 --> 00:24:00.665 She didn't tell him what to do. 00:24:00.665 --> 00:24:01.333 Haman is evil. 00:24:01.333 --> 00:24:03.633 And here's exactly how you should deal with him. 00:24:03.633 --> 00:24:08.165 Now here's the facts I've laid the facts out before you. 00:24:08.165 --> 00:24:11.432 Now how is the king going to respond to this? 00:24:11.432 --> 00:24:13.066 It's a pretty big deal that's been put in front of him. 00:24:13.066 --> 00:24:14.633 How is the King going to respond to this? 00:24:14.633 --> 00:24:15.732 Let's look at verse seven. 00:24:15.732 --> 00:24:18.865 And the king arose in his wrath from the wine drinking. 00:24:18.865 --> 00:24:21.633 And he went into the palace garden. 00:24:21.633 --> 00:24:31.032 But Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm was determined against him by the king. 00:24:31.232 --> 00:24:32.266 The king does something here. 00:24:32.266 --> 00:24:38.165 I think he shows some wisdom, even as short tempered as he seems, even as rash as he seems at times. 00:24:38.165 --> 00:24:43.299 We've also seen him seek advice, seek counsel from others, and in this moment he steps out. 00:24:44.532 --> 00:24:47.299 I need some space to think about this. 00:24:47.299 --> 00:24:51.365 This is a big deal and part of it to us. 00:24:51.365 --> 00:24:57.599 In hindsight, reading this many thousands of years later, it seems obvious what to do. 00:24:57.599 --> 00:24:59.700 But put yourself in his shoes for a second. 00:24:59.700 --> 00:25:09.133 You're the king and your number two guy now has been working behind you, seemingly, but you gave him approval to do it. 00:25:09.133 --> 00:25:11.900 Any action I take against him now, how's that going to make me look? 00:25:11.900 --> 00:25:13.633 It's a lot to juggle. 00:25:13.633 --> 00:25:14.833 It's a lot to think through. 00:25:14.833 --> 00:25:21.865 And of course, somebody in his position is always thinking about power and perception and others see it and how it's going to play out. 00:25:21.865 --> 00:25:24.066 And he just says, let me take a breather. 00:25:24.066 --> 00:25:26.165 Let me just take a pause and think about this. 00:25:27.333 --> 00:25:33.799 In fact, I think the third response we see in this passage, what he needs in this moment is clarity. 00:25:34.665 --> 00:25:38.400 Clarity is needed and it will be provided. 00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:41.133 But look, when you're confused, clarity is king. 00:25:41.133 --> 00:25:42.299 That's what you're striving for. 00:25:42.299 --> 00:25:44.700 Give me clarity in this moment. 00:25:44.700 --> 00:25:50.900 I try to never move forward on big, difficult issues until I have clarity. 00:25:51.066 --> 00:25:54.465 Now, you don't always have the luxury of being able to get full clarity. 00:25:54.465 --> 00:26:04.965 I've mentioned before, our oldest son, two years ago, he had a pretty serious mountain biking accident and we were at the hospital and we really had to make a decision pretty much right away. 00:26:04.965 --> 00:26:14.165 They gave us 24 hours to decide about a surgeon surgery to start to reconstruct his face, and we had to decide, and we prayed as much as we could. 00:26:14.165 --> 00:26:21.066 We sought as much counsel as we could, but we we wanted a lot more time than 24 hours to decide about a major surgery. 00:26:21.066 --> 00:26:23.099 But you don't always get that luxury. 00:26:23.099 --> 00:26:24.432 Sometimes you got to decide. 00:26:25.365 --> 00:26:26.633 We took our best guess. 00:26:26.633 --> 00:26:31.133 We felt like we we did it with all the wisdom we could in that moment. 00:26:31.133 --> 00:26:38.200 But as much as you can pursue clarity, don't rush into big decisions showing that you're a bold decision maker. 00:26:38.200 --> 00:26:40.365 I'm the kind of person that just makes decisions. 00:26:40.365 --> 00:26:42.365 Well, okay. 00:26:42.365 --> 00:26:43.833 Seek clarity. 00:26:43.833 --> 00:26:45.400 Lean on the Holy Spirit. 00:26:45.400 --> 00:26:49.932 Gather people around you to pray and fast like Esther did. 00:26:49.932 --> 00:26:57.500 And as the King is seeking clarity, God's providential hand is working all the time, behind the scenes all along the way. 00:26:57.500 --> 00:27:00.766 In fact, our song this morning, even when I don't see it, he's working. 00:27:00.766 --> 00:27:03.133 Even when I don't feel it, he's working. 00:27:03.133 --> 00:27:03.900 He never stops. 00:27:03.900 --> 00:27:06.165 He never stops working. 00:27:06.165 --> 00:27:08.000 And here we see where clarity is provided. 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:08.732 Look at the next verse. 00:27:08.732 --> 00:27:17.732 Look at verse nine and the verse eight, and the king returned from the palace garden to the place where they were drinking wine, as Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. 00:27:19.465 --> 00:27:27.032 And the king said, Will he even assault the Queen in my presence, in my own house? 00:27:28.365 --> 00:27:33.266 As the word left the mouth of the king, they covered Haman's face. 00:27:33.432 --> 00:27:36.599 We saw the timing all along the way of the story. 00:27:36.599 --> 00:27:38.900 Haman just so happened to be in the courtyard. 00:27:38.900 --> 00:27:49.232 The King just so happened to be awake at night, just so happens to be reading the book of the accounts of what others have done, and he just so happens to then want to honor Mordecai. 00:27:49.232 --> 00:27:52.066 It's just one seeming coincidence after another. 00:27:52.066 --> 00:27:55.700 And here we have, as he's entering back in, wondering what to do. 00:27:55.700 --> 00:28:04.299 Here's Haman seeming to attack his wife, and the very words used here fulfill the prophecy that Haman’s own wife said to him. 00:28:05.500 --> 00:28:08.133 She said, this doesn't look good. 00:28:08.133 --> 00:28:12.500 In fact, more than likely you're going to fall before your foe. 00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:15.500 And here he is, falling before her. 00:28:16.965 --> 00:28:22.333 And in this moment the king says, now is the time I have clarity. 00:28:22.333 --> 00:28:25.333 I've got to act. 00:28:25.833 --> 00:28:26.633 And look at what he does. 00:28:26.633 --> 00:28:29.232 Look at verse nine. 00:28:29.232 --> 00:28:35.833 Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, moreover, the gallows that Haman had prepared for Mordecai. 00:28:35.833 --> 00:28:43.066 And by the word, that word, by the way, that word gallows really just means a stake or a pole or even a tree. 00:28:43.066 --> 00:28:46.032 It could be used usually when they hung people. 00:28:46.032 --> 00:28:48.432 It's not the kind of hanging we think of. 00:28:48.432 --> 00:28:51.432 A better word would be impale. 00:28:51.766 --> 00:28:54.766 Yeah. 00:28:55.200 --> 00:29:09.665 Haman has prepared for Mordecai the gallows whose word, Mordecai’s word saved the king, is standing at Haman’s house, 50 cubits high, and the king said, hang him on that. 00:29:11.032 --> 00:29:24.333 The very gallows that Haman, the very pole, the very stake that Haman had prepared for Mordecai, now is saved for him. 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:27.099 And the king said, hang him on that. 00:29:27.099 --> 00:29:28.066 So they hanged. 00:29:28.066 --> 00:29:31.333 They impaled Haman on that gallows that had been prepared for Mordecai. 00:29:31.333 --> 00:29:34.333 Then the wrath of the king was abated. 00:29:36.665 --> 00:29:39.932 And I think that phrase sums up the final response here in Queen. 00:29:39.932 --> 00:29:43.599 The Queen Esther, taking the step of faith to go and confront the King. 00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:46.365 The king. 00:29:46.365 --> 00:29:50.165 The response was his wrath is satisfied. 00:29:50.299 --> 00:29:53.032 There's a big fancy word for that in Scripture. 00:29:53.032 --> 00:29:54.232 2. 00:29:54.232 --> 00:29:57.165 It says propitiation. 00:29:57.165 --> 00:30:00.066 God's wrath is satisfied by a sacrifice. 00:30:00.066 --> 00:30:02.000 Big fancy word, propitiation. 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:03.165 That's all it means. 00:30:03.165 --> 00:30:06.032 When the wrath of God is satisfied by a sacrifice. 00:30:06.032 --> 00:30:11.566 Of course, you see that pattern all throughout the Old Testament sacrifices that satisfy God's wrath. 00:30:13.365 --> 00:30:19.932 One of the things I love about the Book of Esther, and this is where I think this whole story is pointing towards today. 00:30:19.932 --> 00:30:25.133 All throughout the book of Esther, we just get glimpses, pointing forward to the gospel. 00:30:25.133 --> 00:30:32.633 We get glimpses of how things work, but they point forward to how they will be with Christ. 00:30:32.799 --> 00:30:41.200 And so the king's wrath is satisfied in this story a wicked king, an unrighteous king. 00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:45.965 Maybe he's not fully wicked, but he's definitely not trying to follow God's law. 00:30:45.965 --> 00:30:57.665 This king wrath is satisfied by impaling the guilty, hanging the guilty to satisfy that wrath, that anger. 00:30:58.165 --> 00:31:10.133 But all this points forward to a day when what we have done, the wrath that God has against us because of our sin against him, that needs to be satisfied too. 00:31:11.266 --> 00:31:14.566 But it's not us that will pay for that. 00:31:14.732 --> 00:31:16.465 In fact, you can't pay for it. 00:31:16.465 --> 00:31:19.700 You can't do enough to overcome your sin against God. 00:31:19.700 --> 00:31:21.900 You can't do that on your own. 00:31:21.900 --> 00:31:26.299 You need someone else to do that on your behalf. 00:31:26.299 --> 00:31:32.599 And when we look at this, we see that's great that his wrath was momentarily satisfied in the moment by someone who sinned against him. 00:31:32.599 --> 00:31:34.066 But what do we do with that? 00:31:34.066 --> 00:31:36.333 Who do we look to? 00:31:36.333 --> 00:31:45.633 There will be a day, and there was a day that came when someone else who was perfect was impaled, was hung on a cross on our behalf. 00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:48.732 You see how the book of Esther points forward to that? 00:31:48.732 --> 00:31:51.333 It's not what we do to satisfy God's wrath. 00:31:51.333 --> 00:31:54.465 It's what he did to satisfy his own wrath on our behalf. 00:31:54.465 --> 00:31:55.200 A perfect king. 00:31:57.766 --> 00:32:05.032 I was talking with a guy this week about that in particular, about coming to know Christ, and he was sharing his spiritual journey. 00:32:05.599 --> 00:32:11.965 And he said, you know, I was going to church and I really wanted to get baptized, but I wasn't sure if God would accept me or not. 00:32:11.965 --> 00:32:13.400 I just wasn't sure yet. 00:32:13.400 --> 00:32:16.599 And I was praying about it, and I was longing to have clarity. 00:32:16.599 --> 00:32:19.232 I was hungry to know him. 00:32:19.232 --> 00:32:27.266 And one night I had a dream and he said, in that dream I was standing just outside of heaven wondering, Will God let me? 00:32:27.266 --> 00:32:30.266 And what can I do to be brought in? 00:32:31.165 --> 00:32:32.266 And here comes in the dream. 00:32:32.266 --> 00:32:34.965 Here comes Jesus walking toward him. 00:32:34.965 --> 00:32:38.299 And he says to Jesus, he says, have I done enough? 00:32:40.732 --> 00:32:44.133 And Jesus says to him, again, this is his dream. 00:32:44.133 --> 00:32:47.133 No. 00:32:47.232 --> 00:32:50.232 No, you haven't. 00:32:50.566 --> 00:32:58.333 And he reaches out his hand, and this guy in the dream puts his hand in Jesus's hand, and Jesus leads him into heaven. 00:32:58.333 --> 00:33:04.299 And as they come in, he says, but I have a place here for you. 00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:09.000 You can't do enough on your own. 00:33:09.365 --> 00:33:24.165 And like a child grabbing the hand of a trusted parent being let in not because of what he has done or not done, you can't do enough to overcome the debt of sin that is stacked against us. 00:33:24.165 --> 00:33:26.532 We trust in him alone. 00:33:26.532 --> 00:33:33.165 It is his grace, his love for us that satisfies that wrath. 00:33:33.165 --> 00:33:33.633 Let's pray.