WEBVTT - Esther 4

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your

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<v Speaker 1>walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters

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<v Speaker 1>dot com. You're listening to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm John Stangey, and today we're in Esther chapter four,

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<v Speaker 1>and we'll be reading from the New English translation. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>when Mordecai became aware of all that had been done,

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<v Speaker 1>he tore his garments and put on sackcloth and ashes.

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<v Speaker 1>He went out into the city, crying out in a

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<v Speaker 1>loud and bitter voice. But he went no further than

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<v Speaker 1>the King's gate, for no one was permitted to enter

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<v Speaker 1>the King's gate clothed in sackcloth. Throughout each and every

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<v Speaker 1>province where the king's edict in law were announced, there

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<v Speaker 1>was considerable mourning among the Jews, along with fasting, weeping,

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<v Speaker 1>and sorrow. Sackcloth and ashes were characteristic of many. When

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<v Speaker 1>Esther's female attendance and her eunuchs came and informed her

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<v Speaker 1>about Mordechai's behavior, the queen was overcome with anguish. Although

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<v Speaker 1>she sent garments for Mordecai to put on so that

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<v Speaker 1>he could remove his sacloth, he would not accept them,

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<v Speaker 1>So Esther called for hathak one of the king's eunuchs

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<v Speaker 1>who had been placed at her service, and instructed him

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<v Speaker 1>to find out the cause and reason for Mordechai's behavior.

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<v Speaker 1>So Hathak went to Mordecai at the plaza of the

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<v Speaker 1>city in front of the King's gate. Then Mordechai related

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<v Speaker 1>to him everything that had happened to him, even the

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<v Speaker 1>specific amount of money that Hayman had offered to pay

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<v Speaker 1>to the King's treasuries for the Jews to be destroyed.

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<v Speaker 1>He also gave him a written copy of the law

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<v Speaker 1>that had been disseminated in Susa for their destruction, so

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<v Speaker 1>that he could show it to Esther and talk to

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<v Speaker 1>her about it. He also gave instructions that she should

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<v Speaker 1>go to the king to implore him and petition him

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<v Speaker 1>on behalf of her people. So Hathak returned and related

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<v Speaker 1>Mordechai's instructions to Esther. Then Esther replied to Hathak with

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<v Speaker 1>instructions for Mordecai. All the servants of the King and

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<v Speaker 1>the people of the King's provinces know that there is

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<v Speaker 1>only one law applicable to any man or woman who

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<v Speaker 1>comes uninvited to the King in the inner court. That

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<v Speaker 1>person will be put to death unless the King extends

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<v Speaker 1>to him the gold scepter, permitting him to be spared. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>I have not been invited to come to the king

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<v Speaker 1>for some thirty days. When Esther's reply was conveyed to Mordecai,

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<v Speaker 1>he said to take back this answer to Esther. Don't

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<v Speaker 1>imagine that because you are part of the king's household,

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<v Speaker 1>you will be the one Jew who will escape if

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<v Speaker 1>you keep quiet. At this time, liberation and protection for

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<v Speaker 1>the Jews will appear from another source while you and

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<v Speaker 1>your father's household perish. It may very well be that

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<v Speaker 1>you have achieved royal status for such a time as this.

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<v Speaker 1>Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai. Go assemble all

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<v Speaker 1>the Jews who are found in Sousa and fast in

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<v Speaker 1>my behalf. Don't eat and don't drink for three days

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<v Speaker 1>night or day. My female attendants and I will also

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<v Speaker 1>fast in the same way. Afterward, I will go to

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<v Speaker 1>the king, even though it violates the law. If I perish,

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<v Speaker 1>I perish. So Mordecai set out to do everything that

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<v Speaker 1>Esther had instructed him. Let's pray, Lord, we thank you

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<v Speaker 1>for your word, and we thank you for the privilege

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<v Speaker 1>of being able to look at this portion of scripture today,

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<v Speaker 1>and Lord, we could see some things at work here

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<v Speaker 1>that took great faith in you and also give evidence

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<v Speaker 1>to the fact that you had in mind to protect

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<v Speaker 1>the Jewish people in the midst of this time of adversity. Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>you raised up Esther to be in the position that

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<v Speaker 1>she was in at a particular time, in a particular context,

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<v Speaker 1>so that your people could be protected. You showed her favor,

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<v Speaker 1>and you caused the king to be favorably disposed to her.

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<v Speaker 1>And Lord, it's also fascinating to see this portion of

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<v Speaker 1>scripture speak about how people were not generally welcomed into

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<v Speaker 1>the king's presence and that they could die if they

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<v Speaker 1>entered into the king's presence without specific permission. And yet

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<v Speaker 1>here we are, Lord, coming into your presence, being welcomed

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<v Speaker 1>into your presence right now. Even though you are holy

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<v Speaker 1>and by nature we are sinful. You welcome us into

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<v Speaker 1>your presence on the basis of the work of your

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<v Speaker 1>son Jesus Christ and the fact that through faith in

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus we have been granted his righteousness, and now we

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<v Speaker 1>can come before you. And in fact, in your word

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<v Speaker 1>it tells us that we can even come before you,

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<v Speaker 1>boldly confidently entering into your presence, knowing that we are

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<v Speaker 1>welcomed here. So Lord, we're grateful for that fact. We're

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<v Speaker 1>grateful for your love. We're grateful for the righteousness of

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<v Speaker 1>Christ that we've been granted through faith. And we commit

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<v Speaker 1>this day to your care, Lord, and we thank you

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<v Speaker 1>for your presence with us in it. We pray this

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<v Speaker 1>all in Jesus' name. Amen.