WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:12.960 Welcome, and if you have not met me, I'm John. I was on staff here last few years after I graduated from Moore Theology College, and I've been a member of this church for many years now. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:26.219 And now I work in Anakin A, an agency of Sydney Anakin to help strengthen churches and transform community in the world's poorest nations in partnership with global church. 00:00:26.219 --> 00:00:38.539 We have started looking into the Old Testament book of Esther last week, and we'll look into the second half of chapter 2 and the whole of chapter 3 today. 00:00:39.100 --> 00:00:48.980 So please keep your Bible open to that session, and you can also use our St. Paul's app to take notes and also follow along today. 00:00:48.979 --> 00:00:56.640 So out of the total 66 books of the Bible, there are only two books that are named after a woman. 00:00:57.259 --> 00:00:59.799 Esther is one of them, and the other is Ruth. 00:01:00.780 --> 00:01:06.879 And as already mentioned last week, Esther is the only book in the Bible that did not mention God at all. 00:01:07.719 --> 00:01:09.599 There is something unique about this book. 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:15.239 The book of Esther is set in Susa, the capital city of Persia. 00:01:15.819 --> 00:01:23.239 During the time of King Cersei, he was the king that defeated the Babylonians, the captives of God's people. 00:01:24.439 --> 00:01:29.500 And Susa's son was the king that allowed the captive to move back to the promised land, 00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:36.840 the land that God has set aside for his people to dwell and to form a nation under his name. 00:01:36.840 --> 00:01:42.480 It is also supposed to be the place where God's blessing goes out to every nation. 00:01:43.380 --> 00:01:50.219 However, God's people rebelled against God, and they were exiled from the promised land to Babylon. 00:01:51.260 --> 00:01:57.620 One of the reasons they rebelled against God was that, like many other people around the world now, 00:01:58.000 --> 00:01:59.680 have a small view of God. 00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:09.020 People do not accept or believe in one true God that is universal and is the creator and ruler of the universe. 00:02:10.580 --> 00:02:17.620 God's people demand to have a human king instead of having God as the ultimate ruler and king above them. 00:02:18.219 --> 00:02:22.280 They want to appear as the same as the nations around them. 00:02:22.280 --> 00:02:29.879 And many modern people today do not ask for a king above them, but make themselves the king of their life. 00:02:30.340 --> 00:02:35.199 Believing putting themselves as the center of their life is the best way to live. 00:02:35.780 --> 00:02:43.240 They believe that would be the best way to express the meaning of their existence, to be the king of their own life. 00:02:43.240 --> 00:02:52.439 Many cultures believe God is limited by location and assign certain God to a particular group of people. 00:02:53.480 --> 00:02:57.560 They will assume Indian will be Hindu and Asian will be Buddhist. 00:02:58.280 --> 00:03:01.500 Some people will think being a Christian is something for a Westerner. 00:03:01.500 --> 00:03:12.319 People will consider a religion if it somehow provides benefit for their career advancement or help them to settle into a new culture. 00:03:13.099 --> 00:03:16.500 They are not interested in having a relationship with God. 00:03:17.780 --> 00:03:23.259 God is God's people who are created by God and do not honor or glorify their creator. 00:03:23.259 --> 00:03:31.639 So God used the Gentiles as a tool to exercise his discipline on his people and to show his mercy and grace. 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:38.639 The book of Esther is part of the books in the Old Testament, then known as the post-excelic book, 00:03:39.099 --> 00:03:43.439 that show God is everywhere and he's not restricted by location. 00:03:43.979 --> 00:03:47.079 And he's always ready and at work to save his people. 00:03:47.479 --> 00:03:49.139 And he's still saving today. 00:03:49.139 --> 00:03:56.699 Many people, when we read the Bible, especially the Old Testament, will complain that it is hard to follow. 00:03:57.339 --> 00:03:59.139 I used to think that way too. 00:03:59.659 --> 00:04:08.159 Until I learned that looking out for repeated themes and topics as I read can help me to maintain a focus and get more out of my reading. 00:04:08.739 --> 00:04:12.779 One example is someone always finds their future wife at a well. 00:04:12.780 --> 00:04:19.519 So whenever a well is mentioned in a passage, I will look out for any nuptial arrangement. 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:24.839 One of the words that characterize the book of Esther is banquet. 00:04:26.019 --> 00:04:31.759 There are only 10 chapters in Esther, but there are 10 banquet scenes in that book. 00:04:32.360 --> 00:04:40.680 And in fact, nearly half of the occurrence of the Hebrew term for banquet in the whole Bible appear in Esther. 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:47.079 So banquet forms a structuring device in the narrative of Esther. 00:04:47.980 --> 00:04:51.939 It has a cone shape or chaiistic structure. 00:04:53.019 --> 00:04:57.759 A chaiism is when you see something presented as A, B, C, and C, B, A. 00:04:58.240 --> 00:04:59.680 So it's gone up and down. 00:05:00.960 --> 00:05:09.019 The first few banquet I mentioned in chapter 1 is sponsored by King Circe and by Queen Fashti. 00:05:09.019 --> 00:05:14.139 They are mirrored and contrasted by the festival announced in chapter 9. 00:05:14.779 --> 00:05:18.759 The first three denote excess and exclusion. 00:05:20.180 --> 00:05:27.500 As only the close circle of the king are invited and the woman are invited separately in their parties. 00:05:28.199 --> 00:05:33.159 The last three banquet are festivals celebrating deliverance and acceptance. 00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:42.600 Starting countrywide, then in Cersia, and in subsequent years, everyone is invited to celebrate together 00:05:42.600 --> 00:05:48.780 and provide a contrast to the exclusivity of the first few banquets. 00:05:48.779 --> 00:05:54.039 When you read the Bible, there's a big banquet at the end of the Bible. 00:05:54.579 --> 00:05:55.879 So look out for that as well. 00:05:57.479 --> 00:06:01.779 Our passage situated between the Esther's banquet that King Circe organized 00:06:01.779 --> 00:06:04.039 when he crowned her as queen 00:06:04.039 --> 00:06:08.779 and the private banquet Haman has with King Circe 00:06:08.779 --> 00:06:11.539 after they created a threat for God's people. 00:06:12.779 --> 00:06:17.319 Esther organized two banquets after that to save God's people from Haman's threat. 00:06:17.319 --> 00:06:24.159 There are continued reversal between what people are doing and what God is doing 00:06:24.159 --> 00:06:26.800 between all these banquets. 00:06:27.699 --> 00:06:30.639 So keeping this in mind as you journey through the book of Esther, 00:06:31.259 --> 00:06:32.279 remember the chiasm. 00:06:32.939 --> 00:06:36.600 Look out and compare and set in the background of each banquet. 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:42.000 It will help you appreciate what God is doing to save his people from the threat they are under. 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:44.800 So let's look at the nature of these threats. 00:06:45.699 --> 00:06:48.720 The first threat is a foreign king's under threat. 00:06:49.959 --> 00:06:56.800 After we were told that King Circe gave a banquet to celebrate crowning Esther as his new queen, 00:06:57.560 --> 00:06:59.180 the first Esther's banquet of the book, 00:06:59.560 --> 00:07:03.680 we were told in later half of chapter 2, 7, verse 18, 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:06.840 that he proclaimed a holiday throughout the province 00:07:06.840 --> 00:07:10.600 and distributed gifts with royal liberality. 00:07:11.519 --> 00:07:15.699 The holiday referring to here is not just a public holiday. 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:18.620 It's also understood as a test amnesty. 00:07:19.660 --> 00:07:22.939 Imagine you're told you do not need to pay your tests. 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:25.519 This would be a great celebration. 00:07:26.519 --> 00:07:29.120 Everyone would be overjoyed, except for some. 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:33.019 Someone is not happy with what King is doing 00:07:33.019 --> 00:07:38.680 to a point that they are conspiring to threaten King's life. 00:07:39.959 --> 00:07:42.780 Two of King's officials become angry at the king. 00:07:43.379 --> 00:07:45.300 They conspire to assassinate him. 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:49.439 We do not have many details of the circumstance of this conspiracy. 00:07:50.579 --> 00:07:55.100 We know it was during the second gathering of the king's virgins. 00:07:55.680 --> 00:07:58.100 So maybe they are having another banquet. 00:07:58.100 --> 00:08:03.540 Maybe the banqueting just keep going on and on and on and on. 00:08:04.080 --> 00:08:07.100 And these two officials have no way to make more money 00:08:07.100 --> 00:08:09.000 from collecting extra tests 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:12.420 because there's a nationwide test holiday. 00:08:13.280 --> 00:08:16.860 We do not know the exact reason why they are angry. 00:08:17.760 --> 00:08:21.300 I believe we are provided with limited information for a reason. 00:08:21.300 --> 00:08:27.579 It might be fun and intriguing to speculate on what we do not know, 00:08:28.180 --> 00:08:31.500 which a lot of us, myself included, tend to do. 00:08:32.279 --> 00:08:36.700 But to do so may not be most beneficial to us when we read God's words. 00:08:37.580 --> 00:08:42.799 As we read God's words, the key is to focus on the bits we can be certain of 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:46.259 rather than speculate on what we cannot know, 00:08:46.259 --> 00:08:48.939 even if that is what we might want to know. 00:08:49.899 --> 00:08:55.740 We live in a time where many believe to exercise constraint on our mind 00:08:55.740 --> 00:08:59.639 and curiosity is infringing on human rights and freedom. 00:09:00.279 --> 00:09:07.240 The world we are in today subscribe to a view that human is the highest form of intelligence 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:11.759 and should be allowed to redefine reality for themselves. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:15.820 They should be allowed to choose their own pronouns 00:09:15.820 --> 00:09:20.899 and should not be submitted to the reality that is defined by their creator God. 00:09:21.740 --> 00:09:27.460 People take it to themselves to be the prosecutor and the judge. 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:32.580 I'm angry enough to kill eye for eye, tooth for tooth. 00:09:32.580 --> 00:09:39.680 I'll put up with you for now until I hold a more prominent position and have more power. 00:09:40.040 --> 00:09:42.320 When that happens, I'll show you who the boss. 00:09:43.580 --> 00:09:46.820 No gratitude or appreciation towards each other. 00:09:48.800 --> 00:09:50.740 I was absent a couple of weeks ago. 00:09:50.900 --> 00:09:51.860 I was actually working. 00:09:52.259 --> 00:09:57.620 I drove the dean of Ascension School of Theology from Egypt to do a church visit. 00:09:57.620 --> 00:10:02.480 And he noticed during the few weeks that he was staying in Sydney, 00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:06.360 people keep using their horn in traffic all the time. 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:10.200 And he noticed there's a sense of being angry on the road. 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:15.720 These two angry officials provide us with contrasts 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:18.039 that highlight the beauty of Esther's character. 00:10:19.159 --> 00:10:21.440 In chapter 2, verse 20, it says, 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:28.540 Esther had kept secret his family background and nationality just that Mordecai had told her to do. 00:10:29.160 --> 00:10:34.700 For she continued to follow Mordecai's instruction as she had done when he was bringing her up. 00:10:35.700 --> 00:10:40.880 Esther continued to follow Mordecai's instruction as she had done when he was bringing her up. 00:10:41.240 --> 00:10:45.000 Becoming a queen did not change how Esther conducted herself, 00:10:45.500 --> 00:10:47.980 nor her attitude towards Mordecai. 00:10:47.980 --> 00:10:55.200 She might have started more with a sense of survival when she stepped in her palace, 00:10:55.800 --> 00:10:57.120 aiming to be the next queen. 00:10:58.379 --> 00:11:03.200 We can consider she was doing things against God by going into a beauty pageant 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:05.180 or sleeping with a foreign king. 00:11:06.279 --> 00:11:10.220 But we are starting also to see how God is changing her and growing her. 00:11:11.220 --> 00:11:16.100 Her voluntary submission to God's authority of those God put in her life 00:11:16.100 --> 00:11:17.700 is such a beautiful thing. 00:11:17.980 --> 00:11:21.480 It's getting more rare in our current ages. 00:11:22.379 --> 00:11:27.940 We'll see more of how God transformed Esther as we continue in the next few weeks. 00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:31.740 God is working in Esther's life, 00:11:31.940 --> 00:11:34.940 and he's also working all the time to save his people. 00:11:35.820 --> 00:11:38.279 There's no coincidence under God. 00:11:38.500 --> 00:11:40.320 Everything under God is for a purpose. 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:49.740 Mordecai happened to be sitting at the king's gate while the two king's officials conspired to assassinate the king. 00:11:49.980 --> 00:11:51.280 It was no coincidence. 00:11:52.280 --> 00:11:54.560 Everything is under the sovereignty of God. 00:11:55.900 --> 00:12:02.160 It was under God's control that Mordecai was there to find out about the plot in verse 22, 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:04.360 and in turn tell Queen Esther. 00:12:04.659 --> 00:12:09.519 God used Mordecai and Esther to save a foreign king's life. 00:12:09.819 --> 00:12:12.379 It was not just for immediate deliverance. 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:15.259 It will have a greater deliverance later. 00:12:16.259 --> 00:12:20.100 God used Esther and Mordecai to save the Gentile king. 00:12:20.100 --> 00:12:47.279 After only reading three chapters of Esther so far, 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:54.279 my impression of King Esther is he would not be my top choice to fit the category of someone to be saved. 00:12:54.819 --> 00:13:00.839 He's boastful, excessive, he's a big show-off, has no respect towards women, 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:05.699 he's hyper-emotional, and easily angered, easily manipulated. 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:11.019 So if God would save even him, there is hope for everyone and anyone, 00:13:12.919 --> 00:13:17.159 especially King Esther participated in threatening the life of God's people. 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:23.079 The threat towards God's people was brought on by Haman, 00:13:24.100 --> 00:13:27.500 someone that King Cersie raised to prominent position. 00:13:28.500 --> 00:13:33.079 The passage is not explicit with the reason King Cersie left Haman, 00:13:33.579 --> 00:13:36.620 elevating him and giving him a seat of honor, 00:13:36.779 --> 00:13:39.079 higher than that of all the other nobles. 00:13:39.080 --> 00:13:43.080 We know that Haman is rich from verse 9, 00:13:43.980 --> 00:13:46.340 and maybe he brought his position with his world. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:51.580 And can also work out roughly how long 00:13:51.580 --> 00:13:55.220 after Mordecai spoiled the assassination plot, 00:13:55.560 --> 00:13:57.420 did Haman find favor with the king 00:13:57.419 --> 00:14:01.659 by comparing the time Esther became queen in 2.16, 00:14:02.039 --> 00:14:06.659 which say she was taken to King Cersie in the royal residence 00:14:06.659 --> 00:14:09.860 in the tenth month, the month of Tibet, 00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:12.059 in the seventh year of his reign, 00:14:12.659 --> 00:14:15.299 to verse 7 of chapter 3, 00:14:15.459 --> 00:14:17.939 which refers to the twelve years of King Cersie. 00:14:17.940 --> 00:14:24.800 We can assume the refusal of Mordecai to kneel or pay honor to Haman 00:14:24.800 --> 00:14:29.260 can be up to five years long from Esther become queen. 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:34.280 Mordecai is slowly become the dust of Haman's sore eyes. 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:38.140 His refusal to kneel and pay honor 00:14:38.140 --> 00:14:41.100 is a direct challenge to Haman's authority. 00:14:41.100 --> 00:14:44.180 I believe it would not be wrong 00:14:44.180 --> 00:14:47.200 to assume that Mordecai refused to pay him honor 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:49.320 because of the first two commands 00:14:49.320 --> 00:14:52.700 of God's law in the Ten Commandments, 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:56.360 which say you shall have no other gods before me 00:14:56.360 --> 00:14:59.379 and shall not bow down or worship any created things. 00:15:00.899 --> 00:15:03.080 So what would you do if you are Mordecai? 00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:06.460 Would you hold firm to God's command 00:15:06.460 --> 00:15:10.340 or will you comply with what's demanded of you from the world 00:15:10.340 --> 00:15:14.139 and pay honor to another human being? 00:15:15.700 --> 00:15:19.460 I find it interesting that the royal official at the king's gate 00:15:19.460 --> 00:15:22.680 were giving Mordecai a tough time day after day. 00:15:23.560 --> 00:15:26.540 It was them who report him to Haman. 00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:29.060 It says in chapter 3, verse 4, 00:15:29.560 --> 00:15:31.139 therefore they told Haman about it 00:15:31.139 --> 00:15:34.259 to see whether Mordecai's behavior would be tolerated, 00:15:34.759 --> 00:15:36.780 for he had told them he was a Jew. 00:15:36.779 --> 00:15:42.240 Why are they interested to see whether Haman would tolerate 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:44.059 Mordecai's behavior or not? 00:15:44.759 --> 00:15:46.299 What does that have to do with them? 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:50.659 Are they trying to assassinate Mordecai's character, 00:15:51.379 --> 00:15:55.199 trying to cancel him because he's not willing to join the flow? 00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:59.899 Isn't that what the world is doing every day 00:15:59.899 --> 00:16:03.220 to those who stand up for what they believe to be true and right? 00:16:03.220 --> 00:16:08.360 At the same time, I also wonder why did Mordecai tell Esther 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:12.259 to keep her family background and nationality a secret 00:16:12.259 --> 00:16:14.259 when she became the queen, 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:18.759 but not hold back from telling others he is a Jew? 00:16:20.820 --> 00:16:25.779 Haman said to the king in chapter 3, verse 8 to 9, 00:16:25.779 --> 00:16:30.839 There is a certain people dispersed among the people 00:16:30.839 --> 00:16:32.799 in all the province of your kingdom 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:34.720 who kept themselves separate. 00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:38.559 Their customs are different from those of all other people, 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:41.039 and they do not obey the king's law. 00:16:41.860 --> 00:16:45.480 It is not in the king's best interest to tolerate them. 00:16:46.019 --> 00:16:47.240 If it pleases the king, 00:16:47.699 --> 00:16:50.120 let the decree be issued to destroy them. 00:16:50.339 --> 00:16:52.620 I will give 10,000 talents of silver 00:16:52.620 --> 00:16:55.820 to the king's administrator for the royal treasury. 00:16:57.240 --> 00:17:00.419 God's people are threatened to be destroyed 00:17:00.419 --> 00:17:02.940 because they keep themselves separate from others. 00:17:03.659 --> 00:17:07.279 They hold to a different custom of those of all people. 00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:10.819 If you are a Christian, a follower of Jesus, 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:14.099 is that what your unbelieving relatives, 00:17:14.460 --> 00:17:16.059 friends or colleagues said of you? 00:17:16.759 --> 00:17:18.859 Would they see a difference in your life 00:17:18.859 --> 00:17:20.919 that are so glaring at that 00:17:20.919 --> 00:17:24.039 that cause discomfort in theirs? 00:17:25.099 --> 00:17:27.699 I'm not talking about carrying a sense 00:17:27.699 --> 00:17:29.079 that you are holier than thou 00:17:29.079 --> 00:17:32.099 or you are the privileged and accepted one 00:17:32.099 --> 00:17:35.119 where the rest of the world is condemned in the wrong 00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:38.059 or always putting up a fight 00:17:38.059 --> 00:17:39.859 to challenge others' authority. 00:17:40.719 --> 00:17:43.539 I'm talking about holding on to God's truth 00:17:43.539 --> 00:17:45.799 and showing love to everyone, 00:17:46.439 --> 00:17:47.500 being servant of all. 00:17:47.500 --> 00:17:49.880 loving righteousness, 00:17:50.740 --> 00:17:52.359 but not in a self-righteous sense. 00:17:54.039 --> 00:17:55.539 Jesus called his follower 00:17:55.539 --> 00:17:57.680 the salt and light of this world 00:17:57.680 --> 00:17:59.880 when he gave his lesson on the mountain 00:17:59.880 --> 00:18:01.900 in Matthew 5. 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:07.119 Salt is to bring peace and healing to this world. 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:10.759 And he commanded his follower in verse 16 00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:13.680 to let your light shine before others 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:15.559 that they might see your good deeds 00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:17.259 and glorify your Father in heaven. 00:18:17.500 --> 00:18:20.299 And he promised that his follower 00:18:20.299 --> 00:18:23.140 would be persecuted and threatened 00:18:23.140 --> 00:18:25.740 because that is how the world treated him. 00:18:26.740 --> 00:18:29.000 He come to that which is his own, 00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:32.059 but his own did not recognize or receive him. 00:18:33.019 --> 00:18:34.559 The world rejected Jesus 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:36.539 because their deeds were evil. 00:18:37.220 --> 00:18:39.079 He is a light that come into the world, 00:18:39.460 --> 00:18:42.599 but people love darkness instead of light 00:18:42.599 --> 00:18:45.279 and fear that the deed will be exposed 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:49.419 so they did not come into the light. 00:18:50.859 --> 00:18:53.980 Or are you living in darkness 00:18:53.980 --> 00:18:57.319 or are you truly living as the light of this world? 00:18:57.319 --> 00:19:01.119 What is your attitude towards being threatened 00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:03.779 or persecuted for your faith in Jesus? 00:19:04.779 --> 00:19:08.519 Do you consider it blessed to join the millions of people, 00:19:09.059 --> 00:19:11.399 millions of believers and prophets 00:19:11.399 --> 00:19:14.519 who stand up for their faith and God's people? 00:19:14.519 --> 00:19:19.740 Are you compliant and compromising, lady, 00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:22.099 so to avoid any form of suffering? 00:19:23.059 --> 00:19:25.819 Jesus' teaching and encouragement 00:19:25.819 --> 00:19:28.859 to his followers from his lesson on the mountain 00:19:28.859 --> 00:19:31.879 are blessed are those who are persecuted 00:19:31.880 --> 00:19:33.580 because of righteousness, 00:19:34.140 --> 00:19:36.100 for there is the kingdom of heaven. 00:19:36.940 --> 00:19:39.440 Blessed are you when people insult you, 00:19:40.060 --> 00:19:40.880 persecute you, 00:19:41.140 --> 00:19:43.740 and falsely say all kinds of evil against you 00:19:43.740 --> 00:19:44.800 because of me. 00:19:45.600 --> 00:19:46.760 Rejoice and be glad 00:19:46.760 --> 00:19:49.240 because great is your reward in heaven, 00:19:49.880 --> 00:19:50.860 for in the same way, 00:19:51.220 --> 00:19:53.840 they persecute the prophets who were before you. 00:19:55.380 --> 00:19:58.260 But we should never actively seek persecution, 00:19:58.940 --> 00:20:01.480 as some religious leaders do in countries 00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:02.620 that are more restricted 00:20:02.620 --> 00:20:05.279 to jump up outside support for themselves, 00:20:05.779 --> 00:20:07.700 seeking earthly reward. 00:20:09.579 --> 00:20:12.380 When the life of a foreign king was under threat, 00:20:13.620 --> 00:20:17.180 God used his people to eliminate the threat 00:20:17.180 --> 00:20:18.200 and save the king. 00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:21.220 A king that was put in place by him 00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:22.900 but did not love his people. 00:20:23.559 --> 00:20:25.519 A king that loved the praise of man 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:26.900 more than the praise of him. 00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:31.200 As we come to the end of today's passage, 00:20:31.480 --> 00:20:32.220 it said, 00:20:32.220 --> 00:20:35.259 the courier went out, 00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:37.380 spurred on by the king's command, 00:20:37.620 --> 00:20:42.720 and on the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. 00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:45.500 The king and Haman sat down to drink, 00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:49.380 but the city of Susa was bewildered. 00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:52.319 The king and the perpetrator 00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:54.500 to threaten the lives of God's people 00:20:54.500 --> 00:20:57.360 having a banquet to sit down and drink, 00:20:57.359 --> 00:21:00.119 and the city was bewildered and disturbed. 00:21:00.979 --> 00:21:01.939 In the coming weeks, 00:21:02.039 --> 00:21:03.919 we'll see how God turned things around 00:21:03.919 --> 00:21:06.099 for the benefit of his people. 00:21:07.339 --> 00:21:10.279 We'll witness how God also turned things upside down. 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:12.719 The high will be brought low, 00:21:13.000 --> 00:21:14.639 and the lowly will be lifted up, 00:21:14.939 --> 00:21:16.399 for he is the servant God. 00:21:17.399 --> 00:21:19.899 While you wait to see the deliverance of God, 00:21:19.900 --> 00:21:21.960 even if you feel threatened, 00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:25.500 be the salt and light of this world. 00:21:26.280 --> 00:21:28.180 Let your light shine before others, 00:21:28.500 --> 00:21:29.740 that they might see your goodies 00:21:29.740 --> 00:21:32.060 and glorify your Father in heaven.