Participants: Kelly Mowrer
Series Code: HWAL
Program Code: HWAL000587
00:16 Hello, and welcome to His Words are Life.
00:18 I'm Kelly Mowrer, and today we're going to be continuing 00:21 in the book of Esther. But before we start, 00:23 Let's pray together. Dear God, thank you for the story of 00:28 Esther and for the lessons that you have for each of us. 00:32 As we hear now, please send the Holy Spirit to bring comfort 00:37 to our hearts that you have the power to deliver us 00:39 even from the darkest of circumstances. Thank you so much 00:43 for loving us and we love you. Amen. 00:46 We're reading in the story of Esther about how a decree has 00:51 gone out that all of the Jews should be murdered. 00:54 And Mordecai has told Esther that she needs to go in before 00:59 the king and plead for the life of her people; 01:02 even though the king has not yet, up unto this point realized 01:06 that his queen is a Jew. And as I thought about this story 01:10 of Esther and what we're read so far, it occurred to me that 01:14 there are lessons for us - many wonderful lessons for us in the 01:19 story, even though in our times the role of women and the 01:23 practices of the court of the king seem foreign to us, or 01:27 seem something unreal. In Esther's life, she sought 01:33 council from wise councilors and she followed it. 01:36 And that's an example for us. And even more importantly we're 01:40 right up to the point we're going to pick up this story 01:42 just before Esther went in before the king 01:45 without permission, which is punishable by death, 01:48 unless the king extended his sceptre. Before taking this 01:52 step, Esther prayed and she asked her people to pray 01:56 with her. And that is also a lesson that each of us can take 02:00 into our lives that in whatever we're facing, make it a matter 02:03 of prayer before we take that bold step. Esther and 02:07 the Israelites fasted and prayed for three days. 02:10 And then she went before the king and the king did extend 02:14 her favor and his sceptre, and were going to pick up the story 02:18 now in the book of Esther, chapter 5, verse 3. 02:22 This is the King James Version. Then said the king unto her, 02:27 What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? 02:31 it shall be given thee, even to the half of the kingdom. 02:34 And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king 02:40 and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared 02:44 for him. Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, 02:48 that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman 02:53 came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 02:55 And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, 03:00 What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: 03:03 and what is thy request? even to half of the kingdom it shall be 03:06 performed. Then answered Esther and said, My petition and my 03:12 request is; If I have found favor in the sight of the king, 03:16 and if it please the king to grant my petition and to perform 03:19 my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I 03:24 shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king 03:27 hath said. Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with 03:32 a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, 03:37 that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full 03:41 of indignation against Mordecai. Nevertheless Haman refrained 03:45 himself and when he came home, he sent and called for his 03:48 friends, and Zeresh his wife. And Haman told them of the glory 03:53 of his riches and the multitude of his children, and all the 03:56 things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had 03:59 advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. 04:02 Haman said moreover, Yea Esther the queen did let no man come in 04:07 with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself 04:10 and tomorrow am I invited unto her also with the king. 04:13 Yet all this availeth me nothing so long as I see Mordecai 04:18 the Jew sitting at the king's gate. Then said Zeresh his wife 04:23 and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of 04:28 fifty cubits high, and tomorrow speak thou unto the king 04:32 that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily 04:37 with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; 04:40 and he caused the gallows to be made. 04:43 Continuing in Esther, chapter 6, and this is the 04:46 King James Version. On that night could not the king 04:51 sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the 04:55 chronicles; and they were read before the king. 04:57 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana 05:02 and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the 05:05 door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. 05:08 And the king said, What honor and dignity hath been done 05:13 to Mordecai for this? Then said the kings servants that 05:17 ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him. 05:20 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come 05:26 into the outward court of the king's house to speak unto the 05:28 king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared 05:31 for him. And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman 05:35 standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in. 05:39 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be 05:43 done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor? 05:46 Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight 05:51 to do honor more than to myself? And Haman answered the king, 05:56 For the man whom the king delighteth to honor, 05:59 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, 06:03 and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal 06:08 which is set upon his head: And let this apparel and horse be 06:12 delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, 06:15 that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth 06:20 to honor, and bring him on horseback through the street 06:24 of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done 06:28 to the man whom the king delighteth to honor. 06:31 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel 06:37 and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai 06:43 the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail 06:47 of all that thou hast spoken. Then took Haman the apparel 06:53 and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on 06:57 horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before 07:01 him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth 07:05 to honor. And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. 07:09 But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head 07:14 covered. And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends 07:18 everything that had befallen him. Then said his wise men 07:22 and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of 07:27 the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not 07:32 prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him. 07:37 And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's 07:40 chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet 07:44 that Esther had prepared. Continuing to read the story of 07:47 of Esther, chapter 7. This is the King James Version. 07:50 So the king and Haman came 07:53 to the banquet with Esther the queen. And the king said again 07:57 unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, 07:59 What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted 08:03 thee: and what is thy request? it shall be performed 08:07 even to the half of the kingdom. Then Esther the queen answered 08:12 and said, If I have found favor in thy sight, O king, 08:15 and if it please the king, let my life be given me 08:20 at my petition, and my people at my request: For we are sold, 08:24 I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, 08:28 and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and 08:32 bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not 08:35 countervail the king's damage. Then the king Ahasuerus answered 08:40 and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, 08:44 that durst presume in his heart to do so? 08:47 And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. 08:54 Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. And the king 09:00 arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the 09:04 palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life 09:07 to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined 09:11 against him by the king. Then the king returned out of the 09:14 palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; 09:17 and Haman had fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. 09:20 Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me 09:25 in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, 09:29 they covered Haman's face. And Harbonah, 09:32 one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, 09:36 the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made 09:39 for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, 09:41 standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him 09:46 thereon. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had 09:51 prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified. 09:55 Continuing with Esther, chapter 8. 09:58 On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of 10:02 Haman the Jew's enemy unto Esther the queen. 10:05 And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told 10:08 what he was unto her. And the king took off his ring, 10:12 which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. 10:16 And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. And Esther spake 10:20 yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, 10:23 and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman 10:26 the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews. 10:30 Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. 10:33 So Esther arose, and stood before the king, and said, 10:37 If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, 10:40 and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing 10:44 in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised 10:48 by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to 10:51 destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces: 10:54 or how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my 10:57 people? or how can I endure to see the destruction 11:00 of my kindred? Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther 11:04 the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther 11:08 the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, 11:11 because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Write ye also for the 11:15 Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it 11:18 with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the 11:21 king's name, and sealed with the kings ring, may no man reverse. 11:25 Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the 3rd 11:29 month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth 11:33 day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai 11:36 commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants and the deputies 11:40 and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto 11:43 Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, 11:46 unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto 11:49 every people after their language, and to the Jews 11:51 according to their writing, and according to their 11:53 language. And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, 11:57 and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts 12:01 on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young 12:05 dromedaries: Wherein the king granted the Jews which are in 12:09 every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their 12:14 life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish all the power 12:18 of the people and province that would assault them, 12:21 both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them 12:24 for a prey, upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, 12:29 namely, upon the 13th day of the 12th month, which is the month 12:33 Adar. The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given 12:36 in every province was published unto all the people, and that 12:40 the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves 12:43 on their enemies. So the posts that rode upon the mules and 12:48 camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's 12:52 commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace. 12:56 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal 13:00 apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, 13:03 and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of 13:06 Shushan rejoiced and was glad. The Jews had light and gladness 13:12 and joy, and honor. And in every province, and in every city, 13:17 withersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, 13:21 the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. 13:26 And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear 13:30 of the Jews fell upon them. Continuing to read in Esther, 13:34 chapter 9. This is the King James Version. 13:37 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the 13th 13:42 day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree 13:45 drew near to be put in execution in the day that the enemies 13:51 of the Jews hoped to have power over them, though it was turned 13:55 into the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them 13:59 that hated them; the Jews gathered themselves together 14:02 in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king 14:05 Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man 14:11 could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all 14:14 people. And all the rulers of the provinces, 14:18 and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the 14:22 king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon 14:26 them. For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame 14:30 went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai 14:34 waxed greater and greater. Until we come again, Goodbye. |
Revised 2014-12-17