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Speaker 1: Let us pray, and the king Assurius laid a tribute

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Speaker 1: upon the land and upon the isles of the sea.

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Speaker 1: Ester ten one give me this day, Lord, the wisdom

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Speaker 1: of Esther and Mordecai allow me to gain strategic and

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Speaker 1: insightful strategies to protect your children against the plot of

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Speaker 1: the enemy. Like the story in Esther, equip me and

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Speaker 1: those in my circle with the right solutions needed to

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Speaker 1: solve the problems of your children and business, education, finance, technology,

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Speaker 1: and every other industry you've led us to inherit. Thus

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Speaker 1: I declare myself as a problem solver. I am a

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Speaker 1: master when it comes to solutions, because the wisdom of

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Speaker 1: your Holy Spirit rests on my mind and heart. The

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Speaker 1: day of salvation and breakthrough come. The hand of the

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Speaker 1: oppressor has been lifted, and we are free to defend

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Speaker 1: our lands and our destinies through the decree of your

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Speaker 1: Holy Word. Thank you, my God, that we are free. Indeed,

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Speaker 1: in Jesus' name, Amen, thank you for making prayer a

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Speaker 1: priority in your day. To learn more about the Bible,

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Speaker 1: stay tuned for today's story, brought to you by Bible

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Speaker 1: in a year dot com.

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Speaker 2: Esther saves her people in our last story, Esther was

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Speaker 2: taken to be groomed as the next queen of Persia.

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Speaker 2: She gained favor with the king, as did her uncle Mordecai. However,

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Speaker 2: a wicked noble had the King's power, Aman Haman, sent

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Speaker 2: out a decree for every Jew in the nation to

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Speaker 2: be killed. The time was drawing near and the Jews

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Speaker 2: were in great danger. Esther learned of Haman's plot and

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Speaker 2: now had to risk her life by approaching the king.

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Speaker 2: Now we learn of Esther's plan to expose Haman and

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Speaker 2: save her people. Inspired by the Book of Esther.

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Speaker 3: Hello, this is Pastor Jack Graham with another episode of

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Speaker 3: the Bible in a Year podcast. In our last episode,

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Speaker 3: we learned how Esther was made queen one of the

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Speaker 3: wives of the unpredictable and cruel King Xerxes. God was

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Speaker 3: working through her, however, and her uncle Mordecai, to pave

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Speaker 3: the way for a rescue of the Jews from the

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Speaker 3: hand of Hayman, a hateful man one of Xerxes' evil counselors.

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Speaker 3: And so when Hayman convinced Xerxes to issue a decree

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Speaker 3: to kill all the Jews in the capitol, Esther is

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Speaker 3: faced with a decision to remain silent and watch as

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Speaker 3: her Jewish kin or slaughtered, or speak up and risk

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Speaker 3: angering Xerxes and endangering even ending her own life. For Esther,

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Speaker 3: the choice was clear. She had to act, and in

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Speaker 3: today's reading, we'll see how God works through the wisdom

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Speaker 3: of Mordecai and the courage of Esther to save his

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Speaker 3: people from certain annihilation. Here is the word of God

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Speaker 3: for today.

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Speaker 2: Esther dressed herself quietly in her room. She draped herself

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Speaker 2: with royal robes and held her head up high. This

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Speaker 2: was no time for groveling or flirting. She had to

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Speaker 2: walk into the presence of King Xerxes as a strong leader.

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Speaker 2: To enter into the King's courts uninvited meant certain death,

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Speaker 2: but she was prepared to die if it meant protecting

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Speaker 2: her people. She walked to the halls. The sound of

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Speaker 2: her footsteps echoed as she walked with purpose. She stopped

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Speaker 2: outside the doors of the royal throne room, took a

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Speaker 2: deep breath, and stepped inside. The halls were laced in

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Speaker 2: gold and ivory. Pillars held up the high ceiling. In

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Speaker 2: the middle of the throne room, the king sat with

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Speaker 2: his commanders facing him. The king looked surprised to see Esther,

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Speaker 2: but not angry. He raised his golden scepter towards her

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Speaker 2: and smiled, my queen, He said, please come in. What

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Speaker 2: can I do for you? Esther was surprised at the

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Speaker 2: favor the king was displaying. He was joyful and sober.

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Speaker 2: It was almost as if his heart and mind had

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Speaker 2: been softened before she came in. Esther bowed and said,

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Speaker 2: if it pleases you, my king, I would love for

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Speaker 2: you and Haman to come to night for a banquet.

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Speaker 2: I have prepared a fine array of food for you.

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Speaker 2: The king was elated at her request and immediately sent

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Speaker 2: for Haman. Later that night, Esther was dining among Xerxes

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Speaker 2: and the wicked man Haman. While they were drinking and

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Speaker 2: enjoying their meal, the king asked, is there anything you

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Speaker 2: need of me, my queen? I will give you anything

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Speaker 2: up to half my kingdom. Esther smiled at the gesture

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Speaker 2: and simply asked that he and Haman returned the next

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Speaker 2: day for another banquet. Esther was careful to gain more

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Speaker 2: favor from the king before requesting something so large, plus,

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Speaker 2: she wanted Haman to feel safe with her. Later that night,

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Speaker 2: Hamman was walking back from the banquet. He saw Mordecai

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Speaker 2: in the streets and scoffed at him. Have you no respect?

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Speaker 2: He spat, Still, you don't bow to me, Hamman yelled.

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Speaker 2: So Hamman gathered his servants to prepare a large wooden pike.

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Speaker 2: Tomorrow he would find Mordecai and impale him on the end.

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Speaker 2: That same night, the king tossed and turned in his bed.

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Speaker 2: He was uneasy and his heart felt heavy. He called

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Speaker 2: for one of his servants to tell different stories and

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Speaker 2: recount good events. The servant read out loud tales of

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Speaker 2: military exploits, successful building projects, and good works the king

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Speaker 2: was a part of. Xerxes began to drift as the

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Speaker 2: servants sang his praises. Then the servant recounted noble acts

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Speaker 2: done for the king by others. He spoke of Mordechai

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Speaker 2: saving him from assassination. At these words, the king leapt

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Speaker 2: out of his bed. He had forgotten to reward Mordechai

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Speaker 2: for his loyalty. The next morning, Xerxes ordered Haman to

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Speaker 2: parade Mordechai around in the city streets and sing his praises.

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Speaker 2: Haman held the reins of the horse Mordechai sat on. Haman,

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Speaker 2: to his shame, was forced to praise the man he

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Speaker 2: planned to kill. He was forced to celebrate his sworn enemy.

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Speaker 2: Mordechai was the reason Haman wanted the Jews executed. He

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Speaker 2: would dance on Mordechai's corpse once the Jews were exterminated

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Speaker 2: for good. Later that night, Haman and Xerxes joined Esther

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Speaker 2: for another banquet. Hamman stowed in bitterness as he sees

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Speaker 2: his wine. He had hated the events leading up to

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Speaker 2: the banquet. The king laughed with his queen and asked,

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Speaker 2: once again, how can I bless you, my love? What

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Speaker 2: is it that you would ask of me? Esther looked

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Speaker 2: deeply into the King's eyes. Her seriousness caught him off guard.

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Speaker 2: She sighed and held his hand. Have I found favor

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Speaker 2: in your sight? She asked? Of course, what is it?

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Speaker 2: The king responded, I have been told that one of

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Speaker 2: your men has sent a decree for the Jews in

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Speaker 2: the land to be slaughtered. But they are my people.

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Speaker 2: I am a Jew. Her comment surprised the king, not

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Speaker 2: because Esther was a Jew, but because such a hideous

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Speaker 2: decree was made in his name. Who would do such

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Speaker 2: a thing, He demanded, who would dare lay a hand

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Speaker 2: on my queen's people without my permission? The King's rage boiled,

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Speaker 2: and Haman shrunk where he sat, and then attempted to

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Speaker 2: slip out of the room silently. Esther saw Haman making

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Speaker 2: an escape and said, this man before you was the one.

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Speaker 2: He is a wicked man and your adversary. The king

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Speaker 2: turned to Haman, his eyes were red with rage. The

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Speaker 2: king stepped outside for a moment to yell at the stars.

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Speaker 2: While the king was outside, Hamman fell onto Esther's lap

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Speaker 2: and begged for mercy. The king stepped back inside and

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Speaker 2: found Haman on top of Esther. You dare touch my wife,

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Speaker 2: he yelled. Haman's eyes widened, he could not speak. The

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Speaker 2: king gestured for his guards to take Himan. Without a word,

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Speaker 2: he was taken and thrown onto the wooden pike. He

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Speaker 2: set up for Mordechai. Yet the decree to kill the

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Speaker 2: Jews could not be reversed. The decree was final. The

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Speaker 2: day was fast approaching, and Serxes had no idea how

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Speaker 2: to save the people from certain death. However, Mordecai and

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Speaker 2: Esther had a plan. If Xerxes would allow for the

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Speaker 2: Jews to defend themselves. Then they could battle against Haman's nobles.

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Speaker 2: This would protect the Jews and get rid of the

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Speaker 2: men loyal to Haman. So the decree was sent out

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Speaker 2: and the Jews were armed with swords and sheelds. The

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Speaker 2: day came when the nobles sent their men to slaughter

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Speaker 2: the Jews, where they were met with strong defenses. Together,

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Speaker 2: the Jews were able to defend themselves from the onslaught.

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Speaker 2: Victory was shouted in the streets of Susa. Families shouted

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Speaker 2: for joy. Not only were they spared, but they were

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Speaker 2: able to play a role in their own liberation. They

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Speaker 2: were afforded the opportunity to defend themselves. They felt empowered

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Speaker 2: for the first time since captivity. This was all thanks

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Speaker 2: to the noble character of Esther. She would remain in

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Speaker 2: the palace and watch over her people. She would create

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Speaker 2: a legacy of kindness and establish a kingdom that looked

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Speaker 2: towards Jerusalem with favor.

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Speaker 3: In today's scripture, Esther is preparing for the most important

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Speaker 3: meeting of her life. On her shoe rests the fate

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Speaker 3: of the Jews in the capital region of Susa. At least,

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Speaker 3: that's what it surely must have felt like to this

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Speaker 3: young woman. But I imagine that Esther also understood that this

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Speaker 3: was much bigger than her, much bigger. Her fate and

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Speaker 3: that of her people rested not on her shoulders, or

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Speaker 3: in the hands of Xerxes or even hateful Hayman, but

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Speaker 3: the most High God, who placed her there by his

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Speaker 3: providences and in his plan. Esther made herself beautiful, appealing

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Speaker 3: to the desires of Xerxes. She was young, but not foolish.

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Speaker 3: She was never to approach the king without being summoned,

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Speaker 3: but she dared, for the sake of her people to

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Speaker 3: approach him. She boldly approaches the throne room, to his

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Speaker 3: great surprise. It bears mentioning what a sharp contrast this

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Speaker 3: scene draws to our situation. Esther was the wife of Xerxes,

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Speaker 3: a human ruler in a kingdom that, in the timeline

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Speaker 3: of humanity was just a blip on the radar, and

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Speaker 3: she had to coach him, yet with caution and fear.

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Speaker 3: Any request could not only be denied, but met with

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Speaker 3: harsh punishment, even capital punishment. When you think about this,

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Speaker 3: we have an even greater promise when we approach our

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Speaker 3: king Jesus, through our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, we

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Speaker 3: come to the throne room of God. He has made

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Speaker 3: it available to us. We come to his throne with boldness,

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Speaker 3: as the scripture says, and we have access to him

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Speaker 3: because of what Christ has done for us. We can

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Speaker 3: go at any time and pray and ask God for

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Speaker 3: what we need. What a wonderful promise. So Esther enterserks

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Speaker 3: these throne room, and he expects her to make a request.

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Speaker 3: Rather than ask for something, She tells the king she

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Speaker 3: wants to throw a banquet for him and Haymon. No

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Speaker 3: doubt this would appeal to both men's pride and sense

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Speaker 3: of superiority. They both gladly attended the banquet, eating and

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Speaker 3: drinking their fill. A pleasured king and then asked Esther

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Speaker 3: what she wanted. No request would be denied her, he promised,

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Speaker 3: but she knew this trap needed to be set with care.

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Speaker 3: She proposed a second feast, another night of honoring these men.

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Speaker 3: Later that same night, Haman saw Mordecai, who refused still

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Speaker 3: to bow down before him. So Hamon ordered a gallows

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Speaker 3: built on which he would hang Mordecai. He had had enough,

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Speaker 3: He thought of this Jew's disrespect, and as Xerxes slept

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Speaker 3: that night, he was troubled, so he called a servant

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Speaker 3: in to tell him stories and soothe them. One of

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Speaker 3: the stories that was read to him recounted how Mordechai

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Speaker 3: saved him from assassination. At that moment, the king remembered

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Speaker 3: he had never rewarded Mordecai, so he called Hayman and

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Speaker 3: asked what should be done to honor someone the king

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Speaker 3: wished to honor. Hamon, of course, thought it was him.

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Speaker 3: The king wanted to honor, so he proposed a lavish display,

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Speaker 3: then watched as all he had proposed was given to Mordecai.

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Speaker 3: That next night, Esther held another feast, and this time,

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Speaker 3: when she was asked what she wanted, she spoke clearly

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Speaker 3: and forthrightly. She told the king that she had heard

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Speaker 3: of the decree to exterminate the Jews, then revealed that

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Speaker 3: she was Jewish herself. Xerxes was livid and wanted to

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Speaker 3: know who wished harm upon his wife. Esther pointed to

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Speaker 3: Hayman and told the king it was all his idea.

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Speaker 3: So we read in Ester seven and verse ten a

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Speaker 3: bit of biblical poetic justice. Powerful poetic justice. So they

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Speaker 3: Hayman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.

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Speaker 3: Then the wrath of the king abated. Here you have

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Speaker 3: the story of the horrible hanging of hateful Hayman. Haymon

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Speaker 3: was dealt with, but the decree still stood and couldn't

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Speaker 3: be retracted. But Xerxes allowed the Jews to defend themselves

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Speaker 3: and fight. To commemorate their rescue from annihilation, Mordecai and

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Speaker 3: all the Jews inaugurated the festival known as Purim, still

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Speaker 3: observed to this day. Though it may seem at times

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Speaker 3: that evil has its way, God's justice will always be satisfied.

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Speaker 3: He had worked through Esther and Mordecai to bring rescue

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Speaker 3: to his people, but there was an even greater rescue coming,

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Speaker 3: not just for the Jews, but for all the world.

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Speaker 3: Dear God, we thank you for the faith and the

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Speaker 3: witness of Esther and Mordecai. What a tremendous story. Thank

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Speaker 3: you for including it in God's word. We see your providence.

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Speaker 3: And even though your name is never mentioned in the

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Speaker 3: book of Esther, your hand is at work, Your providence

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Speaker 3: is sure, and your judgments are given. Lord, you are

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Speaker 3: always present. Your invisible hand is always working. Your invisible

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Speaker 3: hand of providence is always working. And for this we

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Speaker 3: praise you in Jesus' name. Amen. Once again, thank you

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Speaker 3: for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm

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Speaker 3: pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Let me encourage you

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Speaker 3: to download the pray dot com app and make Bible

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Speaker 3: study and prayer a real priority in your life. And

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Speaker 3: if you are enjoying this podcast, share it with someone

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Speaker 3: you know, someone you care about, because sharing God's word

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Speaker 3: has a powerful impact upon people's lives. And if you

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Speaker 3: want more resources as to how you can find faith,

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Speaker 3: grow in your faith, develop as a disciple and follower

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Speaker 3: of Jesus, be sure to visit me at Jack Graham

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Speaker 3: dot org. We have plenty of resources that will encourage

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Speaker 3: you and equip you for life. God bless you.