WEBVTT 00:00:01.300 --> 00:00:01.643 Thank you. 00:00:01.643 --> 00:00:05.517 I love you too. 00:00:05.517 --> 00:00:08.990 Alright, wow, where'd y'all come from? 00:00:08.990 --> 00:00:18.673 Good evening, brothers and sisters, and welcome to the next episode in the Route 66 series. 00:00:18.673 --> 00:00:26.420 Tonight we're going to be looking at the Book of Esther, and it is an honor and a privilege to serve the Lord in this manner. 00:00:26.420 --> 00:00:28.304 But before we get started, let's pray. 00:00:28.304 --> 00:00:32.173 Heavenly Father, we thank you. 00:00:32.173 --> 00:00:36.247 We thank you for your word, which is a lamp for our feet and a light on our path. 00:00:36.247 --> 00:00:49.752 We thank you for the rich lessons we will learn tonight as we study this book, that it may help us to examine our hearts and to lead us to a greater relationship with you, and we pray this in the name of your precious son, amen. 00:00:51.820 --> 00:00:55.148 The book of Esther takes place during the Persian Empire. 00:00:55.148 --> 00:01:07.340 Now the authorship is unknown, although whoever wrote Esther had a knowledge of Persian customs and history and would have been familiar with the king's palace. 00:01:07.340 --> 00:01:15.734 The story of Esther specifically covers the time period of 483 to 473 BC. 00:01:15.734 --> 00:01:22.332 Now, because the author is unknown, it is difficult to determine when it was actually written. 00:01:22.332 --> 00:01:33.688 Determine when it was actually written it could have been as early as 450 BC or as late as 331 BC, when the Persian reign came to an end. 00:01:33.688 --> 00:01:36.820 It probably is one of the last books written in the Old Testament. 00:01:38.522 --> 00:01:44.912 When people think of the book of Esther, the first thing they ask is why is God not mentioned in the text? 00:01:44.912 --> 00:01:53.414 Now, esther is one of only two books in the Bible that make no reference to God, the other being the Song of Solomon. 00:01:53.414 --> 00:01:56.043 Now, it does not mean that he's not in it. 00:01:56.043 --> 00:01:59.653 In fact, his hands are all over the story. 00:01:59.653 --> 00:02:06.453 Another question that is asked is since God is not in it, why is it even in the Bible at all? 00:02:07.861 --> 00:02:13.832 Now, the canonicity of Esther has been debated for centuries and the evidence against it is strong. 00:02:13.832 --> 00:02:29.403 The historical arguments against it include the absence of any physical evidence, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and Melito's Canon, and the absence of any records for most of the characters outside of the Bible. 00:02:29.403 --> 00:02:42.784 Theological arguments against it include the absence of God in the text, no mention of the Old Testament law and the absence of any reference to the book in the New Testament. 00:02:42.784 --> 00:02:49.104 Now, on the flip side, there are strong arguments to consider the book authentic. 00:02:49.104 --> 00:02:55.204 Although the author is unknown, the events in the book give us reason to believe he was a Jew. 00:02:55.204 --> 00:03:12.781 Now, the Jews regarded all of their books as holy and accurate and for the book to be viewed as scripture meant that it met both definitions and, for me, the most compelling argument that Esther being in the canon is that it is actually there. 00:03:12.781 --> 00:03:15.165 Who is the author of the Bible? 00:03:15.165 --> 00:03:16.829 It's the Holy Spirit. 00:03:16.829 --> 00:03:23.289 Would God have allowed this book to be included if it was not inspired by the Holy Spirit? 00:03:23.289 --> 00:03:24.633 I think not. 00:03:24.633 --> 00:03:33.572 Now, another interesting fact about the book of Esther is that it is part of the Megillah, or five scrolls. 00:03:34.514 --> 00:03:42.901 Now, rabbis read these books in the synagogue during specific festivals, with Esther being read at the festival of Purim. 00:03:42.901 --> 00:03:54.233 The celebration of Purim and the reading of Esther takes on a carnival-like atmosphere, with people dressed in costumes and lots of shouting and audience participation. 00:03:54.233 --> 00:04:09.431 The Book of Esther has been described as a Jewish novella, which is a Spanish word to describe a soap opera or a drama, and we'll explore the Festival of Purim in more detail later in our discussion. 00:04:09.431 --> 00:04:17.545 As we go through the book, we're going to weave our way through a series of twists and turns, almost like a chess match. 00:04:17.545 --> 00:04:22.791 Just when we think the plot goes one way, it turns and goes another. 00:04:22.791 --> 00:04:29.185 But despite its literary form, there are biblical lessons to be learned from this book. 00:04:29.185 --> 00:04:36.124 So, as the chain of events unfold, we'll unpack these lessons and see how God shows up in the book. 00:04:36.124 --> 00:04:42.363 It makes for a good story and, like any good story, there are a cast of characters. 00:04:43.247 --> 00:04:46.920 We're going to start with the king and ruler of the Persian Empire. 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:52.769 His name was Xerxes and he came to power in 486 BC. 00:04:52.769 --> 00:05:03.651 He was the son of Darius and the grandson of Cyrus, who we know from the book of Daniel as the leader of the Medes and the Persians that conquered Babylon. 00:05:03.651 --> 00:05:14.800 Some translations use his Hebrew name, ahasuerus, but for the purpose of tonight's talk, we will refer to him simply as Xerxes. 00:05:14.800 --> 00:05:24.853 Now, at the time, the Persian Empire stretched as far as India to the east, turkey to the west and Egypt to the south. 00:05:24.853 --> 00:05:36.394 It covered 20 regions and 127 provinces, each with its own governor, and what we now know as Israel was right in the middle of it. 00:05:38.321 --> 00:05:44.992 The story of Esther takes place in the city of Susa, which was the administrative capital of the Persian Empire. 00:05:44.992 --> 00:05:53.454 Today, that location would be in western Iran, near the border of Iraq and just north of the Persian Gulf. 00:05:53.454 --> 00:06:05.190 So, as we pick up the story, xerxes has been in power for three years and, despite his vast kingdom, his quest for power had his eyes on Greece. 00:06:05.190 --> 00:06:14.130 So he called all his nobles officials and military leaders to the city for a six-month conference, as he planned his invasion of Greece. 00:06:14.130 --> 00:06:23.670 At the conclusion of this conference, there was a seven-day banquet at the king's palace, where all his wealth and splendor was on display. 00:06:23.670 --> 00:06:29.403 His wife, Queen Vashti, gave a banquet for the women at the same time. 00:06:30.485 --> 00:06:33.232 So let's look at chapter 1 and verses 10 to 12. 00:06:33.232 --> 00:06:46.822 It says On the seventh day, when the king was feeling good from the wine, xerxes commanded the seven eunuchs who personally served him to bring Queen Vashti before him with her royal crown. 00:06:46.822 --> 00:06:59.399 He wanted to show off her beauty to the people and the officials because she was very beautiful, but Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command, and that was delivered by his eunuchs. 00:06:59.399 --> 00:07:04.103 The king became furious and his anger burned within him. 00:07:04.103 --> 00:07:13.353 Now Xerxes consulted with his officials and their advice to him was to demote Vashti on the basis of insubordination. 00:07:13.353 --> 00:07:25.699 Their fear was that if the queen can get away with disobedience to the king, that all the women in the kingdom would be empowered to do the same. 00:07:25.699 --> 00:07:29.607 Now Xerxes liked that idea and the decree was passed that she would never be in his presence again. 00:07:30.870 --> 00:07:32.913 This is where God makes his first appearance. 00:07:32.913 --> 00:07:39.653 Here is an example of God using evil for good, even though it is not apparent at the time. 00:07:39.653 --> 00:07:47.473 He uses a pagan king and a wicked council to make a decision that will alter the course of human history. 00:07:47.473 --> 00:07:50.725 The officials had their own agenda. 00:07:50.725 --> 00:07:56.730 Their motives were selfish, the king was easily swayed and bound by emotion. 00:07:56.730 --> 00:08:07.673 And here is our first biblical lesson that God wants to teach us when there is a decision to make, seek the counsel of God and not the advice of man. 00:08:07.673 --> 00:08:13.533 Could you imagine how a government would run if the leader truly sought God's wisdom? 00:08:13.533 --> 00:08:27.261 James, chapter 1 and verse 5, clearly tells us now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given to him. 00:08:27.261 --> 00:08:36.943 The counsel of God is his word, his instruction is our best course of action, and he wants us to seek it, amen. 00:08:39.488 --> 00:08:45.166 As we move on to chapter 2, there is a three to four year period which is not accounted for in the Bible. 00:08:45.166 --> 00:08:58.614 It was during this time that Xerxes fought a two-year campaign to take over Greece, and even with 250,000 soldiers, the invasion failed and he retreated back to Susa. 00:08:58.614 --> 00:09:07.114 Now that he was back in his palace, xerxes began to feel lonely and a search for a new queen was proposed. 00:09:07.114 --> 00:09:15.134 So the king appointed commissioners to bring the most beautiful young virgins from their territory and place them into the king's harem. 00:09:15.134 --> 00:09:21.793 There were 400 women in total from the 20 regions and 127 provinces. 00:09:23.282 --> 00:09:31.190 At this time we are introduced to the two main characters in their story, two Jewish cousins that lived in the city of Susa. 00:09:31.190 --> 00:09:38.511 They are descendants of the original Jewish exiles that were taken by Nebuchadnezzar in the Babylonian captivity. 00:09:38.511 --> 00:09:50.331 The older of the two is a man named Mordecai, and he is roughly 15 years older than his younger cousin, an orphan, named Esther, who was likely a teenager. 00:09:50.331 --> 00:10:01.714 Chapter 2 and verse 7 says Mordecai was the legal guardian of his cousin Hadassah, that is, esther, because she had no father or mother. 00:10:01.714 --> 00:10:06.051 The young woman had a beautiful figure and was extremely good-looking. 00:10:06.051 --> 00:10:11.692 When her father and mother died, mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. 00:10:11.692 --> 00:10:16.230 Now, the fact that Scripture describes her in this way is a telling point. 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:38.413 She was noticed by the king's officials based only on her looks, so she was collected as part of the group that went into the king's harem for an intensive year-long training and at the end of the 12 months, each of these 400 women would have one opportunity to make an impression on the king to be selected as queen. 00:10:38.413 --> 00:10:52.663 The day after being presented, each of the women would go back into the pool of waiting ladies, other concubines and members of the royal harem until the king had worked his way through the 400 and made his choice. 00:10:52.663 --> 00:10:59.801 Now, once Esther completed the year-long order, it was her turn to appear before Xerxes. 00:10:59.801 --> 00:11:04.745 Verse 17 says the king is chosen to be the queen. 00:11:04.745 --> 00:11:29.386 She has gone from being an obscure Jewish orphan girl to being the queen, and it is all driven by her physical beauty and her charm. 00:11:29.386 --> 00:11:33.101 But she kept the fact that she was Jewish a secret. 00:11:34.585 --> 00:11:48.230 Now, because of her newfound fame, her uncle Mordecai was given a job in the palace and because of this special access he is able to overhear two of the royal officials plot to assassinate the king. 00:11:48.230 --> 00:11:53.025 He reported this to Esther, who in turn told the king. 00:11:53.025 --> 00:11:59.268 Well, the king was quite furious about that and the two officials were executed by hanging. 00:11:59.268 --> 00:12:03.860 And all of this was recorded in the Book of Chronicles in the presence of the king. 00:12:03.860 --> 00:12:05.663 And all of this was recorded in the book of Chronicles in the presence of the king. 00:12:05.663 --> 00:12:20.778 So let's file that away in our memory as we go to chapter 3, where we meet our next character, a man named Haman, the Agagite, who was honored and elevated above all the other royal officials. 00:12:20.778 --> 00:12:26.783 All in the kingdom were required to kneel down and pay him honor, and all did, except Mordecai. 00:12:27.784 --> 00:12:34.110 Apparently there was a long, smoldering feud between the Agagites and the Jews, dating back almost a thousand years. 00:12:34.110 --> 00:12:41.976 That feud was not forgotten by either side, hence the disobedience of Mordecai. 00:12:41.976 --> 00:12:50.070 This enraged Haman to the point of wanting to kill Mordecai, and he was so angry that he wanted to kill all the Jews across the Persian Empire. 00:12:50.070 --> 00:12:57.955 So he went to King Xerxes with a plan to wipe out the Jewish race and to plunder the spoils of the people. 00:12:57.955 --> 00:13:00.744 The king agreed and he made a decree. 00:13:00.744 --> 00:13:12.525 Lots were cast and on a day, 11 months ahead, the king would release the people from the provinces to attack the Jews and kill all of them. 00:13:12.525 --> 00:13:26.471 So the decree was spread throughout the empire that on the 13th day of the 12th month that the people were ordered to annihilate all the Jews, young and old, male, female and children. 00:13:27.836 --> 00:13:30.942 So here is the second lesson that God is trying to teach us. 00:13:30.942 --> 00:13:34.676 He shows us how anger can lead to murder. 00:13:34.676 --> 00:13:40.192 How much anger could a person have In a day where murder was commonplace? 00:13:40.192 --> 00:13:44.561 Haman could have killed Mordecai right on the spot and it would have been forgotten quickly. 00:13:44.561 --> 00:13:49.090 But his fury was so great that he wanted all the Jews killed. 00:13:49.090 --> 00:13:53.466 You could say he was the Old Testament version of Adolf Hitler. 00:13:53.466 --> 00:14:00.120 In Ecclesiastes, chapter 7 and verse 9, solomon warns us about anger, he says. 00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:06.826 He says don't let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools. 00:14:06.826 --> 00:14:12.611 And, as we'll see later, the murder of the entire Jewish race was never in God's plan. 00:14:12.611 --> 00:14:20.955 Haman's anger would prove him to be a fool. 00:14:23.375 --> 00:14:25.035 Moving on to chapter 4, we find Mordecai weeping bitterly about the decree. 00:14:25.035 --> 00:14:33.221 When the news reached Esther, she reached out to Mordecai and he sent her a copy of the decree telling her to go to the king and plead with him for mercy. 00:14:33.221 --> 00:14:39.706 And this brings us to the defining moment in the book, as the fate of the Jewish race was at stake. 00:14:39.706 --> 00:14:43.587 But Esther was afraid, and with good reason. 00:14:43.587 --> 00:14:50.312 The law condemned to death anyone who approached the king without being summoned, even the queen. 00:14:50.312 --> 00:14:59.495 Her response to Mordecai was this, in chapter 4 and verse 11. 00:14:59.495 --> 00:15:16.620 All the royal officials and the people of the royal provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner courtyard and who has not been summoned the death penalty unless the king extends the gold scepter allowing that person to live. 00:15:16.620 --> 00:15:23.198 I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the last 30 days Now. 00:15:23.198 --> 00:15:26.063 Mordecai replied in verses 13 and 14. 00:15:27.647 --> 00:15:37.115 Mordecai told the Messer to reply to Esther don't think you will escape the fate of all the Jews because you are in the king's palace. 00:15:37.115 --> 00:15:43.600 If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jewish people. 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:46.743 Now here is God showing up again. 00:15:46.743 --> 00:16:00.381 Mordecai seems biblically sound. 00:16:00.381 --> 00:16:11.086 He knows from Scripture that the Jewish race will be preserved, because God says it numerous times in the Old Testament, and he seems right that Esther was chosen for this moment. 00:16:11.086 --> 00:16:12.475 But chosen by who? 00:16:12.475 --> 00:16:18.028 Because it could only be God who arranged for her to be queen. 00:16:18.028 --> 00:16:23.418 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai in verse 16. 00:16:24.780 --> 00:16:28.928 Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. 00:16:28.928 --> 00:16:32.664 Don't eat or drink for three days, night or day. 00:16:32.664 --> 00:16:37.566 I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. 00:16:37.566 --> 00:16:42.186 After that, I will go to the king, even if it is against the law. 00:16:42.186 --> 00:16:48.456 If I perish, I perish to the king. 00:16:48.456 --> 00:16:49.658 Even if it is against the law, if I perish, I perish. 00:16:49.658 --> 00:16:52.043 So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther's instructions. 00:16:52.062 --> 00:16:55.369 So it says that Esther and her servants fast for three days. 00:16:55.369 --> 00:16:58.880 Now, before we continue, it says they fasted. 00:16:58.880 --> 00:17:00.784 It does not mention prayer. 00:17:00.784 --> 00:17:06.144 Now, in the Bible, prayer is commonly mentioned when people fast, but not here. 00:17:06.144 --> 00:17:13.457 Some people say that prayer is implied, but there is nothing in the book of Esther that gives me confidence about that. 00:17:13.457 --> 00:17:19.215 If they fasted and prayed, I believe that the Bible would say that, but it does not. 00:17:19.215 --> 00:17:30.675 In fact, esther appears ready to save her own life at the expense of her people and acts only after realizing that she too would be destroyed. 00:17:30.695 --> 00:17:35.240 Anyway, after the third day, esther put on her royal robe and entered the king's court. 00:17:35.240 --> 00:17:46.288 Her fate hinged on the mood of the Persian ruler, but the king was pleased with her and, judging by his track record, it was nothing more than her beauty that got his attention. 00:17:46.288 --> 00:17:51.491 He offers her the gold scepter and asks her what is her request? 00:17:51.491 --> 00:17:58.575 Anything up to half the kingdom. 00:17:58.575 --> 00:18:00.820 Now don't think for a minute that if she requested half the kingdom, that he would have given it to her. 00:18:00.820 --> 00:18:03.103 That's just foolish ruler talk. 00:18:03.103 --> 00:18:09.681 But she makes it easy for him, inviting him and Haman to a private banquet that afternoon. 00:18:09.681 --> 00:18:13.328 The king was delighted and granted her petition. 00:18:13.328 --> 00:18:21.128 At the banquet, the king again asks her what her request is, offering her half the kingdom. 00:18:21.128 --> 00:18:40.451 And Esther replies in chapter 5 and verse 8, if the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them. 00:18:40.451 --> 00:18:43.269 Then I will answer the king's question. 00:18:45.461 --> 00:18:49.971 Now, this might seem odd to most, but to the king another banquet was a great way to spend the day. 00:18:49.971 --> 00:18:57.085 And as for the egotistical Haman, to be the only guest with the king and the queen only puffed him up even more. 00:18:57.085 --> 00:19:02.000 So Haman exits the king's court reveling in his good fortune. 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:03.644 And who does he see at the gate? 00:19:03.644 --> 00:19:04.827 Mordecai. 00:19:04.827 --> 00:19:11.084 And once again, mordecai neither rose nor showed him honor, and Haman was enraged. 00:19:11.084 --> 00:19:21.432 Nevertheless, he restrains himself, he goes home, but despite all his good fortune, he can't get over the fact that Mordecai refuses to honor him. 00:19:22.836 --> 00:19:24.721 In Job, chapter 5 and verse 2,. 00:19:24.721 --> 00:19:30.391 Scripture states for anger slays the foolish man and jealousy kills the simple. 00:19:30.391 --> 00:19:33.847 Again, god is warning us about the dangers of anger. 00:19:33.847 --> 00:19:37.281 Haman seems to have no desire for this wisdom. 00:19:37.281 --> 00:19:47.228 So his wife comes up with this great idea have a pole set up 50 cubits high and then ask the king to have Mordecai impaled on it. 00:19:47.228 --> 00:19:50.034 Then go enjoy yourself at the banquet. 00:19:50.034 --> 00:19:52.144 It seemed like a great solution. 00:19:52.144 --> 00:19:54.650 So Haman slept soundly that night. 00:19:55.711 --> 00:19:58.986 But back at the castle the king had a terrible night's sleep. 00:19:58.986 --> 00:20:02.534 So what do we do sometimes when we can't sleep? 00:20:02.534 --> 00:20:03.721 We read a book. 00:20:03.721 --> 00:20:06.969 But when you're a king, you don't have to read. 00:20:06.969 --> 00:20:17.028 You can have someone read to you, and, for whatever reason, the chosen book was the royal records of his reign, the book of Chronicles, mentioned back in chapter 2. 00:20:17.028 --> 00:20:19.550 And what was recorded there? 00:20:19.550 --> 00:20:24.016 The account of Mordecai saving the king's life from an assassination plot. 00:20:24.016 --> 00:20:30.479 It was discovered that nothing had been done for Mordecai, and the king wanted to rectify that. 00:20:30.479 --> 00:20:36.961 So now this is where the story gets fun, and God is about to turn things in his favor. 00:20:37.923 --> 00:20:50.621 Morning came and Haman showed up to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up, and at the same time, the king is looking for advice on how to honor Mordecai for his service. 00:20:50.621 --> 00:20:54.487 Now, I don't know about you, but I'm waiting to see how this conversation goes. 00:20:54.487 --> 00:21:00.355 So the king says to Haman what shall be done for the man the king delights to honor? 00:21:00.355 --> 00:21:03.909 Now Haman is thinking that must be for me. 00:21:03.909 --> 00:21:08.362 So he forgets about Mordecai and instead figures out how to honor himself. 00:21:08.362 --> 00:21:21.323 And here is a third lesson that God teaches us, and that is about the sin of pride and the sin of blowing your nose. 00:21:21.323 --> 00:21:28.189 Proverbs 16 and verse 18 is the perfect verse for this situation and it is advice for all of us to take heed of. 00:21:28.189 --> 00:21:32.291 It says Pride and arrogance, along with intense anger. 00:21:32.291 --> 00:21:44.542 It's about to get interesting for our friend Haman, but he doesn't quite know that yet. 00:21:44.542 --> 00:21:50.814 So, in thinking that it is he that the king wants to honor, he comes up with an elaborate celebration for himself. 00:21:56.819 --> 00:22:06.746 In chapter 6 and verse 9, haman says let them robe the man the king delights to honor and lead him on a horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him this is what is done for the man the king delights to honor. 00:22:06.746 --> 00:22:09.712 So let's see a royal robe. 00:22:09.712 --> 00:22:18.602 The king has worn a royal horse that the king has ridden a noble prince to lead him around through the streets. 00:22:18.602 --> 00:22:20.366 What a fitting honor. 00:22:20.366 --> 00:22:22.893 The king is in high agreement. 00:22:22.893 --> 00:22:26.422 Here he is still taking counsel from man. 00:22:26.422 --> 00:22:28.945 But again, god uses evil for good. 00:22:28.945 --> 00:22:38.028 So the king exclaims Go at once and do what you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew and don't neglect anything you have suggested. 00:22:38.028 --> 00:22:47.549 So Haman himself had to put the robe on Mordecai and lead the parade around the city proclaiming the very words he thought were for himself. 00:22:47.549 --> 00:22:49.304 What a turn of events. 00:22:49.304 --> 00:22:51.230 And it was still just the morning. 00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:57.563 Now, after the parade, mordecai returned to the king's gate and Haman went home in shame. 00:22:57.563 --> 00:23:12.786 His wife, who until this point had been giving him some bad advice, reminds him that if the king is honoring Mordecai a Jew and you are looking to wipe out the entire Jewish race, you will surely come to ruin. 00:23:12.786 --> 00:23:20.387 But it was time for the banquet, and at that moment the king's eunuchs arrived to escort Haman to the palace. 00:23:20.387 --> 00:23:29.248 At the banquet, the king again asked Esther for a third time what her petition was up to half the kingdom. 00:23:29.248 --> 00:23:32.094 And now was the moment of truth. 00:23:32.861 --> 00:23:42.992 In chapter 7, verses 3 and 4, queen Esther finally answered If I have found favor with you, your majesty and, if it pleases you, grant me my life. 00:23:42.992 --> 00:23:46.565 This is my petition and spare my people. 00:23:46.565 --> 00:23:53.913 This is my request, for I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. 00:23:53.913 --> 00:23:57.723 Now the king was furious that someone would threaten the queen. 00:23:57.723 --> 00:24:01.972 Who is this and where is the one who would devise such a scheme? 00:24:01.972 --> 00:24:07.289 When Esther pointed out that it was Haman, the king left the table in a rage. 00:24:07.289 --> 00:24:11.768 The Bible says he was so angry that he even left his wine. 00:24:11.768 --> 00:24:17.546 Now Haman knew he was in trouble and he fell at the feet of the queen begging for mercy. 00:24:17.546 --> 00:24:28.561 When the king returned, he perceived this as another threat and he became more enraged when his officials informed him that Haman had set up a pole to execute Mordecai. 00:24:28.561 --> 00:24:32.949 The king ordered that Haman be impaled on that very pole. 00:24:32.949 --> 00:24:36.615 It was only then that his fury subsided. 00:24:36.615 --> 00:24:42.969 As we move to chapter 8, the king gave Haman's estate to Esther. 00:24:42.969 --> 00:24:49.467 It is now finally revealed to the king that his queen was a Jew and that Mordecai was her cousin. 00:24:49.467 --> 00:24:53.753 But the execution of Haman didn't solve the dilemma. 00:24:57.940 --> 00:24:59.241 What of the edict in chapter 3 to wipe out the Jews? 00:24:59.241 --> 00:25:12.613 Persian law dictated that no decree signed by the king could be revoked, but it was suggested that a counter decree could be written At once. 00:25:12.613 --> 00:25:32.844 The king drafted a new decree, so in chapter 8 and verse 13, the king's edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves, to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and their children, and to plunder the property of their enemies. 00:25:32.844 --> 00:25:36.272 The city of Susa held a joyous celebration. 00:25:36.272 --> 00:25:43.191 Things had turned in favor of the Jews and many people now lived in fear of them because of the king's new edict. 00:25:43.191 --> 00:25:52.529 And on the 13th day of the 12th month, the month of Adah, the king's original edict was scheduled to be carried out. 00:25:52.529 --> 00:25:57.571 But the enemies of the Jews were overpowered and struck down by the sword. 00:25:57.571 --> 00:26:09.180 Over 500 men in the city of Susa alone were killed, including the ten sons of Haman, but the Jews did not plunder the spoils of their enemies. 00:26:09.180 --> 00:26:11.865 In the rest of the provinces. 00:26:11.865 --> 00:26:16.653 It was estimated that over 75,000 enemies of the Jews were killed. 00:26:16.653 --> 00:26:20.450 Again, they never laid a hand on the plunder. 00:26:20.450 --> 00:26:33.640 The king asked Esther if she had any other requests, and she asked for an additional day to carry out their defense in the city of Susa and also that Haman's ten sons be impaled. 00:26:33.640 --> 00:26:45.452 So the king issued another decree and on the following day another 300 men were killed in Susa and Haman's ten sons were impaled on poles. 00:26:47.780 --> 00:26:57.891 After the events, on the 13th and the 14th, the Jews rested, and on the 15th of Adah and made it a day of joy and feasting. 00:26:57.891 --> 00:27:10.069 Mordecai recorded these events and sent them to the Jews through the provinces so that they could celebrate this event annually, and that event continues to the present day. 00:27:10.069 --> 00:27:28.311 On the days of Purim, chapter 9 and verse 28 says these days should be remembered and observed in every generation and by every family and in every province and in every city, and these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews. 00:27:28.311 --> 00:27:32.960 Nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants. 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:34.780 Should the memory of these days die out among their descendants? 00:27:34.780 --> 00:27:40.666 Now, long after the king's edict was carried out, mordecai and Esther continued to flourish in the royal house. 00:27:40.666 --> 00:27:46.991 The king exalted Mordecai to second in command and Esther continued to be his queen. 00:27:46.991 --> 00:27:52.656 Against all odds, esther, mordecai and the Jews had been spared. 00:27:52.656 --> 00:27:59.200 Not only spared, but elevated. 00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:04.741 So as the story comes to a close, we try to answer the question of why God is not mentioned in the book. 00:28:04.741 --> 00:28:07.506 Now, it is possible that God's absence is intentional. 00:28:07.506 --> 00:28:16.655 The story of Esther is worldly and, as it is written, the characters show no signs of looking to or trusting in God. 00:28:16.655 --> 00:28:24.503 There is no mention of the law of Moses or anything pertaining to Jewish life and Jewish customs. 00:28:24.503 --> 00:28:30.921 Perhaps the writer seeks to draw out God's divine purpose in everyday life, and he does a good job of that. 00:28:30.921 --> 00:28:38.465 In addition, there are no miracles in Esther, but the whole book is a miracle of divine providence. 00:28:38.465 --> 00:28:39.946 Think about it. 00:28:39.946 --> 00:28:42.607 His providence is everywhere. 00:28:42.607 --> 00:28:46.210 Every single detail was orchestrated by God. 00:28:46.210 --> 00:28:49.372 The characters were like puppets in his hands. 00:28:50.573 --> 00:28:58.377 How is it that out of 25 million women across the Persian Empire, esther, who was a Jew, would be chosen queen? 00:28:58.377 --> 00:29:09.574 How is it that Mordecai, another Jew, would be at such a time and place in the palace to overhear a plot to assassinate the king and be able to warn him? 00:29:09.574 --> 00:29:23.094 How is it that a king who can't sleep and wants to read is given the royal records and, out of the many records, is reminded of an unrewarded servant from the plot of his assassination? 00:29:23.094 --> 00:29:34.471 And how is it that an evil Haman who sought to exterminate the Jewish race would try to kill Mordecai on the very next morning, only to have the tables turned on him. 00:29:34.471 --> 00:29:38.631 The invisible hand of God is everywhere. 00:29:39.740 --> 00:29:45.894 God has demonstrated numerous times throughout history that Israel will never cease to be a nation. 00:29:45.894 --> 00:29:54.910 No one could destroy the people of God, no one could stop the coming of Christ and no one can thwart the salvation of Israel. 00:29:54.910 --> 00:30:00.291 People have tried and will continue to try, but they cannot succeed. 00:30:00.291 --> 00:30:07.153 And how is it for us in the present day, living in a world that is worse than Sodom and Gomorrah? 00:30:07.153 --> 00:30:17.464 Well, that same God who orchestrated every detail in the book of Esther is ordaining every bit of our lives, accomplishing his perfect will. 00:30:17.464 --> 00:30:25.786 And if you belong to him, you can have confidence that he is working out every detail for our good and for his glory. 00:30:25.786 --> 00:30:33.424 Let's pray, heavenly Father, what a blessing it is that you are in control of our lives and we are not. 00:30:33.424 --> 00:30:45.756 We thank you, lord, for working out everything according to the purpose of your will, which you set forth in Christ, and we thank you that your invisible hand is everywhere, and we pray this in Jesus' precious name, amen.