I hope you fastened your seatbelt because we are getting ready to get back on this rollercoaster of a Bible story. Today we’re studying the life of Queen Esther. God created her and had big plans for her, and ditto for you, my friend. Last time you and I were together, we met a very powerful angry king named Kings Xerxes. He was angry because his wife, queen Vashti, refused a request he made, so he took her crown away, and now we’re going to pick up the story in Esther chapter two.
Wait till you see where this rollercoaster is going. Okay, are you ready to meet the new queen? Here we go!
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Transcription:
The Lord will work out his plans for my life. For your faithful love, oh Lord, endures forever. Kicking things off today with Psalm 138 verse eight on the Bible for busy people. Hi, I’m Erica, and I’m so glad you’re here. I hope you fastened your seatbelt because we are getting ready to get back on this rollercoaster of a Bible story. Today we’re studying the life of Queen Esther. God created her and had big plans for her and ditto for you, my friend. Last time you and I were together, we met a very powerful angry king named Kings Xerxes. He was angry because his wife, queen Vashti, refused a request he made, so he took her crown away, and now we’re going to pick up the story in Esther chapter two. Are you ready to meet the new queen? Here we go. Beginning in verse one:
But after Xerxes’ anger had subsided, he began thinking about Vashti and what she had done, and the decree he had made. So, his personal attendants suggested, Let us search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa. Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the harem will see that they are all given beauty treatments. After that, the young woman who most pleases the king will be made queen, instead of Vashti. This advice was very appealing to the king, so he put the plan into effect.
And it was more than the plan of the king’s personal attendance. I believe with all my heart, it was God’s plan. All right, let’s take a walk in Esther’s neighborhood.
At that time, there was a Jewish man in the fortress of Susa whose name was Mordecai, son of Jair. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a descendant of Kish and Shimei. His family had been among those who with King Jehoiachin…
I hope I’m saying that right!
…of Judah had been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. This man had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter. As a result of the king’s decree, Esther, along with many other young women…
Let’s underline and put those words in bold,
…along with many other young women, was brought to the king’s harem at the fortress of Susa and placed in Hegai’s care. Hegai was very impressed with Esther and treated her kindly. He quickly ordered a special menu for her and provided her with beauty treatments. He also assigned her seven maids, specially chosen from the king’s palace, and he moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem. Esther had not told anyone of her nationality and family background because Mordecai had directed her not to do so.
That’s key.
Every day, Mordecai would take a walk near the courtyard of the harem to find out about Esther and what was happening to her.
You can imagine how he was worried for her and praying for her. He was a very faithful man, and you can see that Esther honored him just like she would’ve honored her own father, had he been alive. She took his advice. She did not tell Hegai that she was Jewish.
Before each young woman was taken to the king’s bed, she was given the prescribed 12 months of beauty treatments, six months with oil of myrrh, followed by six months with special perfumes and ointments. When it was time for her to go to the king’s palace, she was given her choice of whatever clothing or jewelry she wanted to take from the harem. That evening, she was taken to the king’s private rooms, and the next morning she was brought to the second harem where the king’s wives lived. There she would be under the care of Shaashgaz…
What a cool name.
…the king’s eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would never go to the king again, unless
Put that word in bold and underline it.
…he had especially enjoyed her and requested her by name. Esther was the daughter of Abihail who was Mordecai’s uncle. Mordecai had adopted his younger cousin, Esther. When it was Esther’s turn to go to the king, she accepted the advice of Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem. She asked for nothing except what he suggested, and she was admired by everyone who saw her.
Esther was a wise young woman. She accepted the council of her cousin Mordecai, her adopted father, and she accepted the counsel of Hegai in whom she had found such favor. Esther was living out Proverbs 15 verse 22. Plans go wrong. For lack of advice, many advisors bring success. All right, back to our story.
Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the Royal Palace in early winter of the seventh year of his reign, and the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen, instead of Vashti. To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther’s honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone. Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem, and Mordecai had become a palace official, Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecai’s directions just as she did when she lived in his home. One day, as Mordecai was on duty at the King’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthana and Teresh, who were guards at the door of the King’s private quarters, became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. But Mordecai heard about the plot and gave the information to Queen Esther. She then told the king about it and gave Mordecai credit for the report. When an investigation was made and Mordecai’s story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pole. This was all recorded in the book of the history of Kings Xerxes’ Reign.
Wow. That last little story there about Mordecai is not so little. It’s going to play a huge role in God’s unfolding plan. Wait till you see where this rollercoaster is going. Until next time. You are loved.
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