1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters 3 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: dot com. You're listening to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. 4 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: I'm John Stangi, and today we're in Esther chapter five, 5 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:26,600 Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the English Standard version. On 6 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: the third day, Esther put on her royal robes and 7 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:32,919 Speaker 1: stood in the inner court of the King's Palace in 8 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 1: front of the King's quarters, while the King was sitting 9 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 1: on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the 10 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: entrance to the palace. And when the King saw Queen 11 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 1: Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, 12 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that 13 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the 14 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 1: tip of the scepter, and the King said to her, 15 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: what is it, Queen Esther, what is your request? It 16 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: shall be given you even to the half of my kingdom. 17 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: And Esther said, if it pleased the King, let the 18 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:11,680 Speaker 1: King and Haman come today to a feast that I 19 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: have prepared for the King. Then the King said, bring 20 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther has asked. 21 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: So the King and Haman came to the feast that 22 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,400 Speaker 1: Esther had prepared, and as they were drinking wine after 23 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: the feast, the King said to Esther, what is your wish? 24 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: It shall be granted you, and what is your request, 25 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled. 26 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: Then Esther answered, my wish, and my request is if 27 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 1: I have found favor in the sight of the King, 28 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: and if it please the King to grant my wish 29 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 1: and fulfill my request. Let the King and Haman come 30 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 1: to the feast that I will prepare for them, and 31 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 1: tomorrow I will do as the king said. And Haman 32 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But 33 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he 34 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,920 Speaker 1: neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with 35 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: wrath against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Hamon restrained himself and went home, 36 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 1: and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zaresh, 37 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: and Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, 38 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: the number of his sons, all the promotions with which 39 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: the king had honored him, and how he had advanced 40 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: him above the officials and the servants of the king. 41 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: Then Hayman said, even Queen Esther, let no one but 42 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 1: me come with the king to the feast she prepared. 43 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with 44 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: the king. Yet all this is worth nothing to me 45 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 1: so long as I see Mordecai, the Jew, sitting at 46 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: the king's gate. Then his wife Zaresh and all his 47 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 1: friends said to him, go gallos fifty cubits high be made, 48 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai 49 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the King to 50 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 1: the feast. This idea pleased Haman, and he had the 51 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: gallows made. Let's pray, Lord, we thank you for your word, 52 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: and we thank you for the privilege of being able 53 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: to look at it together today. And Lord, as we 54 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: look at this portion of scripture, we can see how 55 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 1: filled with conceit Haman truly was, how he loved himself, 56 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: how he hated Mordecai, but how he esteemed himself in 57 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: his own eyes and in the eyes of his friends. Lord, 58 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 1: we could see how it grated on him that Mordecai 59 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: wouldn't bow and wouldn't tremble before him, and how he 60 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: conspired to have Mordecai killed. Likewise, Lord, we can see 61 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 1: esther come before the king, recognizing that in doing so 62 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: she was risking her life. By your grace, the king 63 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: showed her favor. He extended the scepter, and she was 64 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: allowed to walk in before him and live. Lord. We 65 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: know that this gives us a picture of a spiritual 66 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: reality that you have orchestrated, that we are allowed to 67 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: come before your throne, that you extend the scepter and 68 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:22,200 Speaker 1: welcome us into your presence on the basis of the 69 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 1: work of your son Jesus Christ, who took our sin 70 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 1: upon himself, and now through faith in him, were cleansed, 71 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: were made righteous, and were welcomed into your presence. Lord. 72 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: We're grateful for this reality, and we're so thankful for 73 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: your favor that you bestow upon us. Lord. We're grateful 74 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 1: for your presence with us today, and we commit this 75 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 1: day to your care. And we pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.