Transcript

Executive Producer

Andy Gardner

Podcast Introduction

This is History Tuesday, and we’ll read the first half of Esther…chapters 1-5.  I’m calling today’s episode “Respect” (Respict? 😂).  

Comments on Esther 1

In chapter one, out of pride, Ahasuerus held two different banquets. First there was a six month long banquet for all of his officials and servants. He was ruler of the largest empire in the world, and he wanted to show off. In all likelihood, this lavish celebration was paid for from the taxes he collected. The second banquet was for all the residents of the capital city, Shushan. This celebration was much more modest, lasting only seven days. Drink was abundant at both banquets, but at the second, it was not compulsory. 

Ahasuerus’ wife, Queen Vashti also held a banquet for the women at the palace.

On the seventh day of the second banquet, Ahasuerus was drunk, and he ordered that Vashti should come to him at the banquet, because he wanted to display her beauty. Commentators believe that it is implied that the king wanted her to appear without her clothes, which is the reason she refused to go. In his drunken condition, the king became enraged, and he asked his advisors what he should do in response to this insubordination. They said he should remove her as queen because she was a bad example to all the other women in the kingdom. Find a replacement, they said, or wives everywhere will disrespect their husbands.

In Ephesians 5, Paul says that wives should respect their husbands. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I agree with Paul. Respect is the greatest gift a wife can give to her husband. However, a husband cannot demand respect. Well, that is not entirely true, though, is it? A husband can demand respect, and many husbands have cruel ways to do so. But respect given as a result of mistreatment is not true respect.

Let’s look at what exactly Paul said there in Ephesians. It’s in verse 33 of chapter five: “…each one of you is to love his wife as himself, and the wife is to respect her husband.” So that brings a bit more perspective into the equation, doesn’t it? Earlier in the chapter, in verse 25, Paul made it even more clear: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her…” That really drives it home. A husband that loves his wife just a Christ loved the church will, in almost every case, be rewarded with respect and love from his wife.

Had Ahasuerus loved Vashti with this kind of love, to begin with, he would have never made such a request of her, and he would have had her respect. 

But then we would not have the rest of the story with Esther, would we? Don’t miss next week’s conclusion.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1 NET; Ch. 2-4 NKJV; Ch. 5 GW

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Transcript

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STEVE WEBB – 0:00
I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that I agree with Paul.

INTRO S12E356 – 0:11
Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year and this is History Tuesday. We’ll read the first half of Esther, chapters 1 through 5. I’m calling today’s episode, “Respect”, or is that “respict”. Before we begin reading the book, I’ll give you a brief introduction. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e356. My email address is st***@*************ia.com. Let’s begin.

INTRO TO ESTHER – 0:48
Esther is the final book of history in the Bible. We will read about a character by the name of King Ahasuerus. He’s better known as Xerxes to students of history. And he was the son of Darius I whom we read about in the books of Ezra, Daniel and Haggai. It’s interesting to note that the ruins of Ahasuerus’ palace in which the events of this book took place have been unearthed by archaeologists. As the events of this book take place, Ahasuerus’ is the largest empire the Persian empire the world had ever seen up to that point, spanning modern Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and parts of Egypt, Sudan, Libya, and Arabia. So, yeah, it was big. As the book takes place, Ezra had returned to Jerusalem, and thirty years before the temple had been rebuilt. Forty years later, under Ahasuerus’ successor, Artaxerxes I, Nehemiah would return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls.

ESTHER 1 (NET) – 1:50
Esther, chapter 1. (1) The following events happened in the days of Ahasuerus. (I am referring to that Ahasuerus who used to rule over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces extending all the way from India to Ethiopia.) (2) In those days, as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa the citadel, (3) in the third year of his reign he provided a banquet for all his officials and his servants. The army of Persia and Media was present, as well as the nobles and the officials of the provinces.

(4) He displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his majestic greatness for a lengthy period of time – a hundred and eighty days, to be exact! (5) When those days were completed, the king then provided a seven-day banquet for all the people who were present in Susa the citadel, for those of highest standing to the most lowly. It was held in the court located in the garden of the royal palace. (6) The furnishings included white linen and blue curtains hung by cords of the finest linen and purple wool on silver rings, alabaster columns, gold and silver couches displayed on a floor made of valuable stones of alabaster, mother-of-pearl, and mineral stone. (7) Drinks were served in golden containers, all of which differed from one another. Royal wine was available in abundance at the king’s expense. (8) There were no restrictions on the drinking, for the king had instructed all of his supervisors that they should do as everyone so desired. (9) Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in King Ahasuerus’ royal palace.

(10) On the seventh day, as King Ahasuerus was feeling the effects of the wine, he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who attended him, (11) to bring Queen Vashti into the king’s presence wearing her royal high turban. He wanted to show the people and the officials her beauty, for she was very attractive. (12) But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s bidding conveyed through the eunuchs. Then the king became extremely angry, and his rage consumed him.

(13) The king then inquired of the wise men who were discerners of the times – for it was the royal custom to confer with all those who were proficient in laws and legalities. (14) Those who were closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. These men were the seven officials of Persia and Media who saw the king on a regular basis and had the most prominent offices in the kingdom. (15) The king asked, “By law, what should be done to Queen Vashti in light of the fact that she has not obeyed the instructions of King Ahasuerus conveyed through the eunuchs?”

(16) Memucan then replied to the king and the officials, “The wrong of Queen Vashti is not against the king alone, but against all the officials and all the people who are throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. (17) For the matter concerning the queen will spread to all the women, leading them to treat their husbands with contempt, saying, ‘When King Ahasuerus gave orders to bring Queen Vashti into his presence, she would not come.’ (18) And this very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media who have heard the matter concerning the queen will respond in the same way to all the royal officials, and there will be more than enough contempt and anger! (19) If the king is so inclined, let a royal edict go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media that cannot be repealed, that Vashti may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king convey her royalty to another who is more deserving than she. (20) And let the king’s decision which he will enact be disseminated throughout all his kingdom, vast though it is. Then all the women will give honor to their husbands, from the most prominent to the lowly.”

(21) The matter seemed appropriate to the king and the officials. So the king acted on the advice of Memucan. (22) He sent letters throughout all the royal provinces, to each province according to its own script and to each people according to its own language, that every man should be ruling his family and should be speaking the language of his own people.

ESTHER 2 (NKJV) – 6:01
Esther, chapter 2. (1) After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus subsided, he remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what had been decreed against her. (2) Then the king’s servants who attended him said: “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king; (3) and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan the citadel, into the women’s quarters, under the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, custodian of the women. And let beauty preparations be given them. (4) Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.”

This thing pleased the king, and he did so.

(5) In Shushan the citadel there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite. (6) Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been captured with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. (7) And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

(8) So it was, when the king’s command and decree were heard, and when many young women were gathered at Shushan the citadel, under the custody of Hegai, that Esther also was taken to the king’s palace, into the care of Hegai the custodian of the women. (9) Now the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor; so he readily gave beauty preparations to her, besides her allowance. Then seven choice maidservants were provided for her from the king’s palace, and he moved her and her maidservants to the best place in the house of the women.

(10) Esther had not revealed her people or family, for Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it. (11) And every day Mordecai paced in front of the court of the women’s quarters, to learn of Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her.

(12) Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after she had completed twelve months’ preparation, according to the regulations for the women, for thus were the days of their preparation apportioned: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women. (13) Thus prepared, each young woman went to the king, and she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the women’s quarters to the king’s palace. (14) In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who kept the concubines. She would not go in to the king again unless the king delighted in her and called for her by name.

(15) Now when the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king, she requested nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the custodian of the women, advised. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her. (16) So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. (17) The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. (18) Then the king made a great feast, the Feast of Esther, for all his officials and servants; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the generosity of a king.

(19) When virgins were gathered together a second time, Mordecai sat within the king’s gate. (20) Now Esther had not revealed her family and her people, just as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai as when she was brought up by him.

(21) In those days, while Mordecai sat within the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, doorkeepers, became furious and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. (22) So the matter became known to Mordecai, who told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name. (23) And when an inquiry was made into the matter, it was confirmed, and both were hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.

ESTHER 3 (NKJV) – 10:17
Esther, chapter 3. (1) After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. (2) And all the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage. (3) Then the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king’s command?” (4) Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. (5) When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled with wrath. (6) But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.

(7) In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, the lot), before Haman to determine the day and the month, until it fell on the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.

(8) Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain. (9) If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”

(10) So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. (11) And the king said to Haman, “The money and the people are given to you, to do with them as seems good to you.”

(12) Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman had commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province according to its script, and to every people in their language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring. (13) And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions. (14) A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province, being published for all people, that they should be ready for that day. (15) The couriers went out, hastened by the king’s command; and the decree was proclaimed in Shushan the citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed.

ESTHER 4 (NKJV) – 13:15
Esther, chapter 4. (1) When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. (2) He went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. (3) And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

(4) So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them. (5) Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was. (6) So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king’s gate. (7) And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews. (8) He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people. (9) So Hathach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

(10) Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai: (11) “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.” (12) So they told Mordecai Esther’s words.

(13) And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. (14) For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

(15) Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: (16) “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”

(17) So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.

ESTHER 5 (GWT) – 15:51
Esther, chapter 5. (1) On the third day Esther put on her royal robes. She stood in the courtyard of the king’s palace, facing the king’s throne room. The king was sitting on the royal throne inside the palace, facing the entrance.

(2) When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the entrance, she won his favor. So the king held out the golden scepter that was in his hand to Esther. Esther went up to him and touched the top of the scepter.

(3) Then the king asked her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? What would you like? Even if it is up to half of the kingdom, it will be granted to you.”

(4) So Esther answered, “If it pleases you, Your Majesty, come today with Haman to a dinner I have prepared for you.”

(5) The king replied, “Bring Haman right away, and do whatever Esther asks.” So the king and Haman came to the dinner that Esther had prepared.

(6) While they were drinking wine, the king asked Esther, “What is your request? It will be granted to you. What would you like? Even if it is up to half of the kingdom, it will be granted.”

(7) Esther answered, “My request? What would I like? (8) Your Majesty, come with Haman to a dinner I will prepare for you. And tomorrow I will answer you, Your Majesty. If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, Your Majesty, may you then grant my request and do what I would like.”

(9) When Haman left that day, he was happy and feeling good. But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, neither getting up nor trembling in his presence, Haman was furious with Mordecai. (10) However, Haman controlled himself. He went home and sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh.

(11) Then Haman began to relate in detail to them how very rich he was, the many sons he had, and all about how the king promoted him to a position over the officials and the king’s advisers. (12) Haman went on to say, “What’s more, Queen Esther allowed no one except me to come with the king to the dinner she had prepared. And again tomorrow I am her invited guest together with the king. (13) Yet, all this is worth nothing to me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

(14) Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, 75 feet high, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai’s dead body hung on it. Then go with the king to the dinner in good spirits.”

Haman liked the idea, so he had the pole set up.

COMMENTS – 18:24
Well how’s that for a cliffhanger? What will happen to Mordecai? Tune in next week to find out!

Well today in chapter 1, out of pride, Ahasuerus held two different banquets. First, there was a six month long banquet for all of his officials and servants. He was the ruler of the largest empire in the world and he wants to show off. And by the way, in all likelihood this lavish celebration was paid for from the taxes he collected. The word tells us that it was his own expense, but where do you suppose he got the money in the first place? Yeah, taxes. Go figure. The second banquet was for all the residents of the capital city Shushan this celebration was much more modest, of course, lasting only seven days. Drink was abundant at both banquets, but at the second it was not compulsory.

Well, in chapter 1, we were introduced briefly with Ahasuerus’ wife, Queen Vashti. She also had a banquet for the women in the palace.

And on the seventh day of the second banquet Ahasuerus was drunk, and he ordered that Vashti should come to him at his banquet because he wanted to display her beauty. And commentators believe that it’s implied that the king wanted her to appear without her clothes on, which is the reason she refused to go. Well, in his drunken condition, the king became enraged and he asked his advisers what he should do in response to this insubordination. They said he should remove her as Queen because she was a bad example to all the other women in the kingdom. Find a replacement they said or wives everywhere will disrespect their husbands.

In the New Testament in Ephesians, chapter 5, Paul says that wives should respect their husbands. Well, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that I agree with Paul. Respect is the greatest gift a wife can give to her husband. But a husband cannot demand respect. Well, that’s not entirely true, though, is it? I mean, a husband can demand respect. And many husbands have cruel ways to do that. But respect given as a result of mistreatment is not true respect, is it?

Let’s look at what exactly Paul said there in Ephesians. It’s in verse 33 of chapter 5. He said, “…each one of you is to love his wife as himself, and the wife is to respect her husband.” So that brings a bit more perspective into the equation, doesn’t it? And then earlier in the chapter in verse 25, Paul made it even more clear. He said, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her…” Well, that really drives it home. A husband that loves his wife, just as Christ loved the church will, in almost every case, be rewarded with respect and love from his wife.

If Ahasuerus had loved Vashti with this kind of love to begin with, he would have never made such a request of her and he would have had her respect.

But of course, if that had happened, then we wouldn’t have had the rest of the story with Esther, would we? Don’t miss next week’s conclusion.

What do you think? Do you have a comment? Let me know. Go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e356. Tomorrow is Psalms Wednesday, and it will mark the one-week-remaining episode. It’ll be our last visit to the Psalms this season. We’ll complete Psalms with the reading of chapters 149 and 150.

Boost!

CORRECTION – 21:47
I made a mistake yesterday. I’m gonna blame it on the fact that I was out in the blazing sun all day working on a project outside in the backyard. I think what happened is I baked my brain. It was a scorcher here yesterday. So when I did the show, I didn’t have all cylinders firing. And Andy Gardner had sent in a $143 donation for my birthday, which I acknowledged and thanked him for yesterday, but I forgot to credit him with an Associate Producership. So to make it up, Andy, I’m going to give you an Executive Producer credit today. Andy, I’m sorry for neglecting to give you that credit yesterday but with this upgrade, I hope you’ll forgive me. Andy, you da man.

ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 22:38
On this date in church history, August 23, 1882, Charles W. Fry passed away he was the original Bandmaster of the English Salvation Army. He’s remembered today as the author of the hymn “Lily of the Valley,” or “I Have Found a Friend in Jesus”. What a great title.

PRAISE REPORT AND PRAYER REQUEST – 23:05
I have a praise and a prayer request today. Steve O’Brien continues to improve. The pain is now under control. So that’s a very good thing. And we always have a lot of relatives over for a pool party on Labor Day, so I’m hoping he’ll be able to join us this year even though he won’t be able to go in the water.

And speaking of relatives coming over, I’ll mention this now, too. Tim and Val are flying out from Florida on September 3, so they can introduce Penny to the family on Labor Day. They’ll be here for about a week. And so the Lovely Lady LeeAnn and I are excited about that. And pray for a safe flight and that the flight is not canceled. They’re flying on Southwest which is the airline that Tina Curry, The Keeper, has had several canceled flights on this summer.

And Kathi has an appointment at City of Hope on Friday for tests and another round of her chemotherapy. So we need to pray about that as well.

CLOSING PRAYER – 23:56
Let’s pray. Our heavenly Father, we thank you for teaching us from your Word. You are so patient with us and you understand that we need to be reminded over and over again of the things that are important to you. We thank You for Your Holy Spirit who guides us. Please Lord, help us to be sensitive to your leading. We thank you again for being with Steve O’Brien and Kathi. And, and, now, I pray for Tim and Val and Penny that when they come out to visit, their flight will happen as planned and it will be safe.

I pray God today that you would bless the Lifespring family. I thank You Lord for each one. And I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you have a prayer request, you know what to do. Go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com

OUTRO S12E356 – 24:46
Well, when this episode is over there are exactly seven days left in the season, one week. Can you believe it?

If you have a comment on today’s show, please go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e356. Send an email to me at st***@*************ia.com. Thank you to the team: Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. Thanks to the sat streamers and the boosters and thank you for inviting me into your day today.

Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Thanks for being here today.

Bye.

I’m out.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Corrected by Denise