1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:10,720 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters 3 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: dot com. You're listening to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. 4 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:20,160 Speaker 1: I'm John Stanghy, and today we're in Esther chapter one 5 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the contemporary English version. King 6 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: Xerxes of Persia lived in his capital city of Sousa 7 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: and ruled one hundred twenty seven provinces from India to Ethiopia. 8 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: During the third year of his rule, Xerxes gave a 9 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: big dinner for all his officials and officers. The governors 10 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: and leaders of the provinces were also invited, and even 11 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,879 Speaker 1: the commanders of the Persian and Median armies came. For 12 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: one hundred eighty days. He showed off his wealth and 13 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: spent a lot of money to impress his guests with 14 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: the greatness of his kingdom. King Xerxes soon gave another 15 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: dinner and invited everyone in the city of Sousa, no 16 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:08,320 Speaker 1: matter who they were. The eating and drinking lasted seven 17 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: days in the beautiful palace gardens. The area was decorated 18 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: with blue and white cotton curtains tied back with purple 19 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: linen cords. That ran through silver rings fastened to marble columns. 20 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: Couches of gold and silver rested on pavement that had 21 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 1: all kinds of designs made from costly bright colored stones 22 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: and marble and mother of pearl. The guests drank from 23 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,959 Speaker 1: gold cups, and each cup had a different design. The 24 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: king was generous and said to them, drink all you want. 25 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 1: Then he told his servants keep their cups full. While 26 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: the men were enjoying themselves, Queen Vashti gave the women 27 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: a big dinner inside the royal palace. By the seventh day, 28 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: King Xerxes was feeling happy because of so much wine, 29 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: and he asked his seven personal servants Meehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abigtha, 30 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: Zephyr and Kharkas to bring Queen Vashti to him. The 31 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: king wanted her to wear her crown and let his 32 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: people and his officials see how beautiful she was. The 33 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 1: king's servants told Queen Vashdi what he had said, but 34 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 1: she refused to go to him, and this made him 35 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 1: terribly angry. The king called in the seven highest officials 36 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 1: of Persia and media. They were Karshina, shethhar Admatha, Tarsish Maries, 37 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: Marsna and Memucan. These men were very wise and understood 38 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: all the laws and customs of the country, and the 39 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: king always asked them what they thought about such matters. 40 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,399 Speaker 1: The King said to them, Queen Vashti refused to come 41 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,519 Speaker 1: to me when I sent my servants for her. What 42 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 1: does the law say I should do about that? Then 43 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 1: Memucan told the King and the officials, your majesty, Queen 44 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 1: Vashiti has not only embarrassed you, but she has insulted 45 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 1: your officials and everyone else in all the provinces. The 46 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: women in the kingdom will hear about this, and they 47 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: will refuse to respect their husbands. They will say, if 48 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: Queen Vashti doesn't obey her husband, why should we. Before 49 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: this day is over, the wives of the officials of 50 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: Persia and media will find out what Queen Vashti has done, 51 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: and they will refuse to obey their husbands. They won't 52 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: respect their husbands, and their husbands will be angry with them. 53 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: Your majesty, if you agree, you should write for the 54 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: Medes and Persians a law that can never be changed. 55 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: This law would keep Queen Vashti from ever seeing you again. 56 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: Then you could let someone who respects you be queen 57 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: and her her place. When the women in your great 58 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: kingdom hear about this new law, they will respect their husbands, 59 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 1: no matter if they are rich or poor. King Xerxes 60 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 1: and his officials liked what Memuchan had said, and he 61 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: sent letters to all his provinces. Each letter was written 62 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: in the language of the province to which it was sent, 63 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: and it's said that husbands should have complete control over 64 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 1: their wives and children. Let's pray, Lord, we thank you 65 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: for your word, and we thank you for the privilege 66 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 1: of being able to look at it together today. And Lord, 67 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:39,680 Speaker 1: as we look at this portion of scripture, we could 68 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: see that some things are stirring here in the lives 69 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 1: of the people of Persia, and among the king in particular. 70 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: We see events starting to transpire that we know you're 71 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: going to sovereignly direct and work your will in the 72 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 1: midst of And Lord, we're grateful that that's how you operate, 73 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 1: that you have a plan, and that you're working all 74 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 1: things together for good. And we certainly know that that's 75 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: true in our lives as well. Lord. When we read 76 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:11,159 Speaker 1: through these Old Testament portions of scripture, we realize that 77 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: the ultimate narrative that's being communicated when we take these 78 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: as a whole is the redemption of mankind through faith 79 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: in your son Jesus Christ. So Lord, we thank you 80 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: that that has been your plan for mankind from eternity past, 81 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 1: and that we have the privilege to be the beneficiaries 82 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: of new life and salvation through your son Jesus Christ. 83 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: Thank you, Lord for including us in your plan. Thank 84 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 1: you Lord for blessing us as you choose to bless us. 85 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 1: And we commit this day to your care, and we 86 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:42,280 Speaker 1: thank you for your presence in it. We pray this 87 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:45,599 Speaker 1: all in Jesus' name. Amen.