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 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: dot com. You're listening to the chapter today Audio Bible. 4 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: I'm John Stangi, and today we're in Esther chapter six, 5 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the contemporary English version. That night, 6 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:29,479 Speaker 1: the king could not sleep, and he had a servant 7 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: read him the records of what had happened since he 8 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 1: had been king. When the servant read how Mordecai had 9 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 1: kept Big Thana and Taresh from killing the king, the 10 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: king asked, what has been done to reward Mordecai for 11 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: this Nothing, your majesty, the king's servants replied. About this time, 12 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 1: Hayman came in to ask the king to have Mordecai 13 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: hanged on the tower he had built. The king saw 14 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 1: him and ask who is that man waiting in front 15 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: of the throne room. The king's servants answered, your majesty, 16 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 1: it is Haman. Have him come in, the king commanded. 17 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 1: When Haman entered the room, the king asked him, what 18 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: should I do for a man I want to honor. 19 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: Haman was sure that he was the one the king 20 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 1: wanted to honor, so he replied your majesty, if you 21 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 1: wish to honor a man, have someone bring him one 22 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 1: of your own robes and one of your own horses 23 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 1: with a fancy headdress. Have one of your highest officials 24 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: place your robe on this man and lead him through 25 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 1: the streets on your horse, while someone shouts, this is 26 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: how the King honors a man. The king replied, hurry 27 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: and do just what you have said. Don't forget a thing. 28 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: Get the robe and the horse for Mordecai, the Jew, 29 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: who is on duty at the palace gate. Hamon got 30 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: the king's robe and put it on Mordecai. He led 31 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: him through this city on the horse and shouted as 32 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: he went, this is how the King honors a man. Afterwards, 33 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: Mordecai returned to his duties at the palace gate, and 34 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: Hayman hurried home, hiding his face in shame. Hayman told 35 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 1: his wife and friends what had happened. Then his wife 36 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: and his advisers said, if Mordecai is a Jew, this 37 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: is just the beginning of your troubles. You will end 38 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: up a ruined man. They were still talking when the 39 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: king's servants came and quickly took Haymen to the dinner 40 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 1: that Esther had prepared. Let's pray, Lord, we thank you 41 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 1: for your word, and we thank you for the privilege 42 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:48,119 Speaker 1: of being able to look at it together today. And Lord, 43 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,239 Speaker 1: as we look at this portion of scripture, we can 44 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: see that Mordecai was someone who eagerly desired to serve 45 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: the king and eagerly desired to serve the Jewish people. 46 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 1: And we get the impressed from this scripture that he 47 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: was a man who exercised humility, and that stands out 48 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 1: in great contrast to Haman, who just like to be 49 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: elevated and praised and thought well of. But Lord, you 50 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 1: tell us multiple times in your word that you oppose 51 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: the proud, but give your grace to the humble. And Lord, 52 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 1: it's clear that you were opposing Hayman. You despise pride. Lord, 53 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 1: that's something that Satan himself displays continually, and that's something 54 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 1: that we as human beings struggle with. Sometimes it results 55 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: in us being unteachable. Sometimes it results in us elevating 56 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: ourselves above others and the needs of others. Sometimes it 57 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: results in us being in a spot where the only 58 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: voice we want to listen to is our own, and 59 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: we ignore your counsel because of our own pride. But Lord, 60 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: you've shown us what true humility really looks like, and 61 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 1: we see that in your son Jesus Christ, who willingly 62 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: took on flesh even though he is one with you, 63 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: and he did so with the desire to serve us, 64 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: so that through faith in him, we could be part 65 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: of your family forever. Lord. We're grateful that you've accomplished this. 66 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: We're grateful for the privilege of being able to meditate 67 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 1: on that truth today, and we pray, Lord that you 68 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: would foster within our hearts the kind of humility that's 69 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: been modeled for us by your son Jesus Christ, and 70 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 1: that you'd be honored and glorified in all aspects of 71 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: our lives. We love you, Lord, and we just thank 72 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: you for all of these things, and we commit this 73 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: day to your care. In Jesus' name. We pray Amen.