Esther 1-4: For Such a Time as This

We read Esther 1–4 and trace a path from a royal refusal to a national threat, and from hidden identity to public courage. We reflect on providence working without being named, and why “for such a time as this” still calls us today.

• the fall of Vashti and a search for a queen
• Esther’s rise through favor and restraint
• Mordecai’s vigilance and the uncovered plot
• Haman’s promotion, pride, and genocidal decree
• public mourning, fasting, and Esther’s dilemma
• “for such a time as this” as a call to risk
• courage and providence when God feels silent

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Chapters

• 0:23 Welcome And Review Request
• 1:16 Why Esther Now And Timeline Setup
• 2:17 Jews In Exile Under Persia
• 3:21 Ahasuerus Or Xerxes Explained
• 4:14 Casting Esther’s Voice And Setup
• 4:59 Banquet, Vashti’s Refusal, Edict
• 7:12 Esther Chosen As Queen
• 9:17 Mordecai Uncovers A Plot
• 10:25 Haman’s Rise And Deadly Decree
• 12:15 Mourning, Esther’s Dilemma, Resolve
• 13:48 Cliffhanger And Theme Of Hidden Providence

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:12

Hey, welcome back to the Out Loud Bible Project Podcast. This is Mike. Hey, I got a quick favor to ask you. If you've got 37 seconds to spare, would you mind giving a review on your podcast app for this podcast? That will help other people have the confidence that their time will be well spent if they listen to this podcast when they come across it. And if you're willing to share it with a friend too, I know people have have told me that they've been in conversations where someone they know says, I know I should read the Bible more, but I just have a hard time reading it, have a hard time understanding it, hard time getting into it. Uh, well, then that that is an opportunity for them to say, Hey, have you tried listening to it? I listened to this podcast, and that gives them a chance to share this. And who knows the impact that uh the word of God spoken can have on people's lives, and uh we get to be partners in that. Thank you so much for supporting the podcast in that way. So today I'm excited we're starting a new book. That's always fun. We're starting the book of Esther. Now, I know if you're like, hey, we're just in the minor prophets, and you look at the table of contents in your Bible, like, that's not what's next. I know we're going a little bit out of order, but the order we're we're sticking with in general is uh kind of chronologically through these prophets and through um these books of of Ezra, Esther, Nehemiah. Um, because up till now, the minor prophets that we've been reading have been warning of the exile of Israel and Judah, which is God's punishment for their unfaithfulness. And at this point, the Assyrians took away Israel a while ago, and the Babylonians took away Judah. Judah was able to live in their land a little bit longer because they were a little bit more faithful, but they went downhill. And so the Babylonians took Judah away, and now the land is gonna lie empty for 70 years. That's what God said to Jeremiah. And the so the Jews have been living in Babylon now for a while. That's where we saw Daniel. That that puts Daniel in the timeline there. And when the Jews will return to live in their land after the 70 years are up, they'll start to return. There will be more prophets raised up to speak in that situation. Uh, and we have more minor prophets to study at that time. But until then, in those 70 years that uh the land is lying empty, we've got Jews who are living abroad in the Babylonian region. And then Babylon is conquered in that time by Persia. But there's still a large remnant of Jews living in that land. Not all the Jews go back to live in the land when it becomes available anyway. A lot just like, you know, hey, I got a job here, I've got my home, I got my family, uh, or some. It's like I've never even been in Israel, like this is my home. And and so Esther is one of those Jews who's living in Persia uh as a result of the exile and has just developed a family and a community there. And so we get to pick up the story of Esther today. Uh one quick note as we read the story of Esther, I'm reading in the New English translation, which I have been for a while, and the name of the Persian king, as translated in the New English translation, is Ahasuerus. If you're familiar with the story of Esther, that might sound unfamiliar to you because in a lot of translations it's translated King Xerxes. Now, Ahasuerus and Xerxes are two different pronunciations of the same king. Ahuaris is the Hebrew pronunciation. Xerxes is actually the Greek pronunciation of his name, which actually would be different in Persian. I'm not exactly sure what that is, but we're gonna go with Ahuaris today because that's the translation I'm reading. But if you go and read it on your own and you see Xerxes, that just explains the discrepancy there. Not a big deal, but I thought it was worth mentioning in case uh it caused any confusion early on. I'm also excited to read through the book of Esther over the next couple episodes because my wife Kelsey is gonna be playing the voice of Esther here in the story. And uh I was reluctant to cast Kelsey as the voice of Esther for this because frankly, Kelsey's too pretty to play Esther. Uh, but I figured since it's only audio, we could probably get away with it. So uh you'll hear her come in later on in this episode. Esther gets her voice here uh toward the end of this episode, and then she will definitely make more of an appearance in the next couple episodes here in the Book of Esther. So enjoy the story of Esther. It's a beautiful narrative, a lot of great principles to draw from, which we'll talk about later. Really well written, plays out really dramatically, and uh. I know you'll enjoy it. So here's the book of Esther, chapters one through four today in the New English Translation. The following events happened in the days of Ahjuaris. I'm referring to that Ahuerus who used to rule over 127 provinces extending all the way from India to Ethiopia. In those days, King Ahjuarus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, in the third year of his reign. He provided a banquet for all his officials and his servants. The army of Persia and Medea was present as well as the nobles and the officials of the provinces. He displayed the riches of his royal glory and 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 the 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 king's expense. There were no restrictions on the drinking, for the king had instructed all his supervisors that they should do as everyone so desired. Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in King Ahwerus's royal palace. On the seventh day, as King Ahjuarus was feeling the effects of the wine, he ordered Mahuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs 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 eunuchs. Then the king became extremely angry, and his rage consumed him. The king then inquired of the wise men who were discerners of the times, for it was the royal custom to confer with those who were proficient in laws and legalities. Those who were closest to him were Karshina, Shaythar, Admatha, Tarshish, Maris, Marcina, and Memukin. These men were the seven officials of Persia and Medea 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's not obeyed the instructions of King Aharus conveyed through the eunuchs? Memekin then replied to the king and the officials, The wrong of Queen Vashti is not against the king alone, but against all the officials and all the people who are throughout the provinces of King Ahjuarus. For the matter concerning the queen will spread to all the women, leading them to treat their husbands with contempt, saying, Well, when King Ahus gave orders to bring Queen Vashti into his presence she wouldn't come. And this very day the noble ladies of Persia and Medea who have heard the matter concerning the queen will respond 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 Medea that cannot be repealed, that Vashti may not come into the presence of King Ahjuarus, and let the king convey her royalty to another who is more deserving than she. And let the king's decision that he will enact be disseminated throughout all his kingdom, vast though it is, and then all the women will give honor to their husbands, from the most prominent to the lowly. The king's servants who attended him said, Let a search be conducted on the king's behalf for attractive young women, and let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa, the citadel, to the harem, under the authority of Hegi, the king's eunuch, who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire. Let the young woman whom the king finds most attractive become queen in place of Vashti. Well, this seemed like a good idea to the king, so he acted accordingly. Now, there happened to be a Jewish man in Susa, the citadel, whose name was Mordecai. He was the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite, who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried into exile, with Jeconiah, king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken into exile. Now, he was acting as the guardian of Hadassah, that is, Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for neither her father nor her mother were alive. And this young woman was very attractive and had a beautiful figure. When her father and mother died, Mordecai had raised her as if she were his own daughter. And it so happened that when the king's edict and his law became known, many young women were taken to Susa, the citadel, to be placed under the authority of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the royal palace to be under the authority of Hegai, who was overseeing the women. This young woman pleased him, and she found favor with him. He quickly provided her with cosmetics and her rations. He also provided her with the seven specially chosen young women who were from the palace. He then transferred her and her young women to the best quarters in the harem. Now, Esther had not disclosed her people or her lineage, for Mordecai had instructed her not to do so. And day after day Mordecai used to walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem in order to learn how Esther was doing and what might happen to her. At the end of the twelve months that were required for the women, when the turn of each young woman arrived to go to King Ahjuaris, for in this way they had to fulfill their time of cosmetic treatment, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfume and various ointments used by women, the women would go to the king in the following way. Whatever she asked for would be provided for her to take with her from the harem to the royal palace. In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to a separate part of the harem to the authority of Shashgaz, the king's eunuch who was overseeing the concubines. She would not go back to the king unless the king was pleased with her, and she was requested by name. When it became the turn of Esther, daughter of Abbail, the uncle of Mordecai, who had raised her as if she were his own daughter, to go to the king. She did not request anything except what Hegai the king's eunuch, who was overseer of the women, had recommended. Yet Esther met with the approval of all who saw her. Then Esther was taken to King Ahuerus at his royal residence in the tenth month, that is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she met with his loving approval more than all the other young women. So he placed the royal high turban on her head and appointed her queen in place of Vashti. Then the king prepared a large banquet for all his officials and his servants. It was actually Esther's banquet. He also set aside a holiday for the provinces, and he provided for offerings at the king's expense. Now, when the young women were being gathered again, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate. Esther was not divulging her lineage or her people just as Mordecai had instructed her. Esther continued to do whatever Mordecai said just as she had done when he was raising her. In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Big Then and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs who protected the entrance, became angry and plotted to assassinate the king, Hajiarus. When Mordecai learned of this conspiracy, he informed Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in Mordecai's name. The king then had the matter investigated, and finding it to be so, had the two conspirators hanged on a gallows. It was then recorded in the Daily Chronicles in the king's presence. Sometime later, King Ahazuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hamadatha, the Agagite, exalting him and setting his position above that of all the officials who were with him. And as a result, all the king's servants who were at the king's gate were bowing and paying homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded. However, Mordecai did not bow, nor did he pay him homage. Then the servants of the king who were at the king's gate asked Mordecai, why are you violating the king's commandment? And after they had spoken to him day after day without his paying any attention to them, they informed Haman to see whether his attitude on Mordecai's part would be permitted. Furthermore, he had disclosed to them that he was a Jew. When Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing or paying homage to him, he was filled with rage. But the thought of striking out against Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed of the identity of Mordecai's people, so Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, that is, the people of Mordecai, who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus. In the first month, that is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahjuarus' reign, Pur, that is, the lot, was cast before Haman in order to determine a day and a month. It turned out to be the twelfth month, that is the month of Adar. Then Haman said to King Ahjuarus, There's a particular people that is dispersed and spread among the inhabitants throughout all the provinces of your kingdom, whose laws differ from those of all other peoples. Furthermore, they do not observe the king's laws. It's not appropriate for the king to provide a haven for them. If the king is so inclined, let an edict be issued to destroy them. I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to be conveyed to the king's treasuries for the officials who carry out this business. So the king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hamadatha the Agagite, who was hostile toward the Jews. And the king replied to Haman, Keep your money and do with those people whatever you wish. So the royal scribes were summoned in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month. Everything Haman commanded was written to the king's satraps and governors who were in every province, and to the officials of every people, province by province, according to its script, and people by people according to their language. In the name of King Ahazuerus it was written and sealed with the king's signet ring. Letters were sent by the runners to all the king's provinces stating that they should destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, from youth to the elderly, both women and children, on a particular day, namely the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, that is the month of Adar, and to loot and plunder their possessions. A copy of this edict was to be presented as law throughout every province. It was to be made known to all their inhabitants so that they would be prepared for this day. The messengers scurried forth with the king's order. The edict was issued in Susa, the citadel, and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in an uproar. Now when Mordecai became aware of all he had done, he tore his garments and put on sackcloth and ashes, and he went out into the city crying out in a loud and bitter voice. But he went no farther than the king's gate, for no one was permitted to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth. Throughout each and every province where the king's edict and law were announced, there was considerable mourning among the Jews, along with fasting, weeping, and sorrow. Sackcloth and ashes were characteristic of many. When Esther's female attendants and her eunuch came and informed her about Mordecai's behavior, the queen was overcome with anguish. Although she sent garments for Mordecai to put on so that he could remove his sackcloth, he wouldn't accept them. So Esther called for Hathak, one of the king's eunuchs who had been placed at her service, and instructed him to find out the cause and reason for Mordecai's behavior. So Hathak went to Mordecai at the plaza of the city in front of the king's gate, and then Mordecai related to him everything that had happened to him, even the specific amount of money that Haman had offered to pay the king's treasuries for the Jews to be destroyed. He also gave him a written copy of the law that had been disseminated in Susa for their destruction, so that he could show it to Esther and talk to her about it. He also gave instructions that she should go to the king and implore him and petition him on behalf of her people. So Hathak returned and related Mordecai's instructions to Esther. Then Esther replied to Hathak with instructions for Mordecai.

SPEAKER_01: 19:25

All the servants of the king and the people of the king's provinces know there is only one law applicable to any man or woman who comes uninvited to the king in the inner court. That person will be put to death unless the king extends to him the golden scepter permitting him to be spared. Now I have not been invited to come to the king for some thirty days.

SPEAKER_00: 19:49

When Esther's reply was conveyed to Mordecai, he said to take back this answer to Esther. If you keep quiet at this time, liberation and protection for the Jews will appear from another source while you and your father's household perish. It may very well be that you have achieved royal status for such a time as this. Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai.

SPEAKER_01: 20:32

My female attendants and I will also fast in the same way. Afterward, I will go to the king, even though it violates the law. If I perish, I perish.

SPEAKER_00: 20:47

So Mordecai set out to do everything that Esther had instructed him. Dun dun dun. We're gonna leave you on the cliffhanger. But a beautiful story so far, isn't it? Isn't it interesting? Have you noticed? One of the most fascinating things about the book of Esther is that the name of God is never mentioned in the story. Did you notice that? God has not been mentioned, and spoiler, he will not be mentioned the rest of the book. But clearly, God is actively working in and orchestrating all the events of this story to bring about his purposes to protect his people, the Jews. That's not just a fun piece of trivia about the book of Esther. This is a uh a valuable encouragement to us. There are times where we go about our lives and we don't feel like God is watching, we don't feel like he's paying attention, we don't feel like he's doing anything or saying anything, and frankly, it's hard to give him credit for anything because we don't necessarily even see it. However, we can be reminded that even though we don't see him, even though his name is not obviously in our lives, even in those seasons, he's still working, he's still orchestrating, he is just working everything out according to his will and his timing. We can take comfort in that. Let's continue to see how God continues to work sometimes behind the scenes. as we continue to read the story of Esther in the upcoming episodes. Thanks for joining me here today, and we'll see you next time.