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Speaker 1: I'm John Stangey, and today we're in Esther chapter four,
Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the New English translation. Now,
Speaker 1: when Mordecai became aware of all that had been done,
Speaker 1: he tore his garments and put on sackcloth and ashes.
Speaker 1: He went out into the city, crying out in a
Speaker 1: loud and bitter voice. But he went no further than
Speaker 1: the King's gate, for no one was permitted to enter
Speaker 1: the King's gate clothed in sackcloth. Throughout each and every
Speaker 1: province where the king's edict in law were announced, there
Speaker 1: was considerable mourning among the Jews, along with fasting, weeping,
Speaker 1: and sorrow. Sackcloth and ashes were characteristic of many. When
Speaker 1: Esther's female attendance and her eunuchs came and informed her
Speaker 1: about Mordechai's behavior, the queen was overcome with anguish. Although
Speaker 1: she sent garments for Mordecai to put on so that
Speaker 1: he could remove his sacloth, he would not accept them,
Speaker 1: So Esther called for hathak one of the king's eunuchs
Speaker 1: who had been placed at her service, and instructed him
Speaker 1: to find out the cause and reason for Mordechai's behavior.
Speaker 1: So Hathak went to Mordecai at the plaza of the
Speaker 1: city in front of the King's gate. Then Mordechai related
Speaker 1: to him everything that had happened to him, even the
Speaker 1: specific amount of money that Hayman had offered to pay
Speaker 1: to the King's treasuries for the Jews to be destroyed.
Speaker 1: He also gave him a written copy of the law
Speaker 1: that had been disseminated in Susa for their destruction, so
Speaker 1: that he could show it to Esther and talk to
Speaker 1: her about it. He also gave instructions that she should
Speaker 1: go to the king to implore him and petition him
Speaker 1: on behalf of her people. So Hathak returned and related
Speaker 1: Mordechai's instructions to Esther. Then Esther replied to Hathak with
Speaker 1: instructions for Mordecai. All the servants of the King and
Speaker 1: the people of the King's provinces know that there is
Speaker 1: only one law applicable to any man or woman who
Speaker 1: comes uninvited to the King in the inner court. That
Speaker 1: person will be put to death unless the King extends
Speaker 1: to him the gold scepter, permitting him to be spared. Now,
Speaker 1: I have not been invited to come to the king
Speaker 1: for some thirty days. When Esther's reply was conveyed to Mordecai,
Speaker 1: he said to take back this answer to Esther. Don't
Speaker 1: imagine that because you are part of the king's household,
Speaker 1: you will be the one Jew who will escape if
Speaker 1: you keep quiet. At this time, liberation and protection for
Speaker 1: the Jews will appear from another source while you and
Speaker 1: your father's household perish. It may very well be that
Speaker 1: you have achieved royal status for such a time as this.
Speaker 1: Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai. Go assemble all
Speaker 1: the Jews who are found in Sousa and fast in
Speaker 1: my behalf. Don't eat and don't drink for three days
Speaker 1: night or day. My female attendants and I will also
Speaker 1: fast in the same way. Afterward, I will go to
Speaker 1: the king, even though it violates the law. If I perish,
Speaker 1: I perish. So Mordecai set out to do everything that
Speaker 1: Esther had instructed him. Let's pray, Lord, we thank you
Speaker 1: for your word, and we thank you for the privilege
Speaker 1: of being able to look at this portion of scripture today,
Speaker 1: and Lord, we could see some things at work here
Speaker 1: that took great faith in you and also give evidence
Speaker 1: to the fact that you had in mind to protect
Speaker 1: the Jewish people in the midst of this time of adversity. Lord,
Speaker 1: you raised up Esther to be in the position that
Speaker 1: she was in at a particular time, in a particular context,
Speaker 1: so that your people could be protected. You showed her favor,
Speaker 1: and you caused the king to be favorably disposed to her.
Speaker 1: And Lord, it's also fascinating to see this portion of
Speaker 1: scripture speak about how people were not generally welcomed into
Speaker 1: the king's presence and that they could die if they
Speaker 1: entered into the king's presence without specific permission. And yet
Speaker 1: here we are, Lord, coming into your presence, being welcomed
Speaker 1: into your presence right now. Even though you are holy
Speaker 1: and by nature we are sinful. You welcome us into
Speaker 1: your presence on the basis of the work of your
Speaker 1: son Jesus Christ and the fact that through faith in
Speaker 1: Jesus we have been granted his righteousness, and now we
Speaker 1: can come before you. And in fact, in your word
Speaker 1: it tells us that we can even come before you,
Speaker 1: boldly confidently entering into your presence, knowing that we are
Speaker 1: welcomed here. So Lord, we're grateful for that fact. We're
Speaker 1: grateful for your love. We're grateful for the righteousness of
Speaker 1: Christ that we've been granted through faith. And we commit
Speaker 1: this day to your care, Lord, and we thank you
Speaker 1: for your presence with us in it. We pray this
Speaker 1: all in Jesus' name. Amen.