WEBVTT - Esther 7

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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 seven,

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<v Speaker 1>and we'll be reading from the New Living Translation. So

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<v Speaker 1>the King and Hayman went to Queen Esther's banquet on

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<v Speaker 1>this second occasion. While they were drinking wine, the king

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<v Speaker 1>again said to Esther, tell me what you want. Queen Esther,

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<v Speaker 1>what is your request? I will give it to you,

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<v Speaker 1>even if it is half the kingdom. Queen Esther replied,

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<v Speaker 1>if I have found favor with the King, and if

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<v Speaker 1>it pleases the King to grant my request. I asked

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<v Speaker 1>that my life and the lives of my people will

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<v Speaker 1>be spared for my people, and I have been sold

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<v Speaker 1>to those who would kill, slaughter, and annihilate us. If

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<v Speaker 1>we had merely been sold as slaves, I could remain quiet,

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<v Speaker 1>for that would be too trivial a matter to warrant

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<v Speaker 1>disturbing the king. Who would do such a thing? King

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<v Speaker 1>Xerxes demanded, who would be so presumptuous as to touch you?

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<v Speaker 1>Esther replied, this wicked Haman is our adversary and our enemy.

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<v Speaker 1>Haman grew pale with fright before the King and queen.

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<v Speaker 1>Then the King jumped to his feet in a rage

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<v Speaker 1>and went out into the palace garden. Hayman, however, stayed

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<v Speaker 1>behind to plead for his life with Queen Esther, for

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<v Speaker 1>he knew that the king intended to kill him. In despair,

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<v Speaker 1>he fell on the couch where Queen Esther was reclining.

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<v Speaker 1>Just as the King was returning from the palace garden,

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<v Speaker 1>the King exclaimed, will he even assault the queen right

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<v Speaker 1>here in the palace before my very eyes? And as

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<v Speaker 1>soon as the king spoke, his attendants covered Hayman's face,

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<v Speaker 1>signaling his doom. Then Harbona, one of the king's eunuchs, said,

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<v Speaker 1>Hayman has set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy

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<v Speaker 1>five feet tall in his own courtyard. He intended to

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<v Speaker 1>use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the

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<v Speaker 1>king from assassination, then impale Hayman on it, the King ordered,

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<v Speaker 1>so they impaled Haman on the pole he had set

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<v Speaker 1>up for Mordecai, and the King's anger subsided. Let's pray, Lord,

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

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<v Speaker 1>for the privilege of being able to look at it

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<v Speaker 1>together today. And Lord, as we look at this portion

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<v Speaker 1>of Scripture, we can see that you had shown favor

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<v Speaker 1>to Esther and that you were using her to protect

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<v Speaker 1>the Jewish people from Hayman, who had intended to kill them.

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<v Speaker 1>And Lord, as we could see by just taking a

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<v Speaker 1>quick glance at human history, seems like there's always somebody

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<v Speaker 1>trying to annihilate the Jewish people. Even in recent history,

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<v Speaker 1>we've seen that take place. And Lord, we know that

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<v Speaker 1>there's more to it than just political issues or political concerns.

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<v Speaker 1>We know, Lord, that there's a spiritual component to it,

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<v Speaker 1>because it was through the Jewish people that your son

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus Christ came into this world, and Satan has repeatedly

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<v Speaker 1>sought to attack them time and time again. Lord, we're

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<v Speaker 1>grateful for the promises of Scripture. We're grateful for the

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<v Speaker 1>fact that you tell us in your word that there's

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<v Speaker 1>going to be a great harvest of believers that come

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<v Speaker 1>from the Jewish nation, that there are many who will

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<v Speaker 1>turn to faith in your son Jesus Christ and will

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<v Speaker 1>come to know him as their savior and Messiah. We're

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<v Speaker 1>grateful for that, Lord, and we look forward to that day.

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<v Speaker 1>And we're thankful Lord for your choice to reveal to

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<v Speaker 1>us our need for Jesus Christ to be our savior

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<v Speaker 1>as well. Lord, we pray that throughout the course of

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<v Speaker 1>today and every day, that we would live our lives

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<v Speaker 1>in such a way that we bring you honor and

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<v Speaker 1>glory and we show that our faith in Jesus Christ

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<v Speaker 1>is absolutely genuine and true. We love you, Lord, and

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<v Speaker 1>we thank you for your presence with us today. We

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