Alright, let's read beginning. Oh, I'd like to read the whole
chapter, but let's read. Verse 16 through the end of the
chapter. Spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children,
then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with
him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the
sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest
expectation of the creature of creation waiteth for the manifestation
of the sons of God. For the creation was made subject
to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him, or God, who
hath subjected the same in hope. Because the creation itself also
shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious
liberty of the children of God. The whole creation groaneth and
travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves
also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves
groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the
redemption of our body." We are saved by hope. But hope that
is seen is not hope. what a man seeth, why doth he
yet hope for? But if we hope for that which
we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise, the Spirit
also helpeth our infirmity. We know not what we should pray
for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for
us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth
the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he
maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that
he, Christ, might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover,
whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called,
them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these
things? If God be for us, who can be
against us? He that spared not his own Son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything at the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who
is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, rather,
that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who
also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from
the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress
or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword as it is written,
For thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are counted
as sheep of the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principality,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us
from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. All right, let's pray together. Our holy, sovereign God, our
King, our Creator, our Ruler, provider, God in whose hands our breath
is and all our ways. We come, Lord, through Christ
the Beloved, believing we are accepted in the Beloved, believing that you hear us for
his sake. we come in Christ. Lord, we come, first of all,
as needy, broken sinners, repenting
of our sins. Lord, we have sinned, and against
thee and thee only have we sinned and done evil in thy sight. But God, you who are rich in
mercy, for your great love with which
you have loved us in Christ, we come to you believing our
sins are forgiven. And we come asking of you various things You know what we have need of
before we ask, but dear God, you have told us to come, make our requests known. You've
told us to come by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving in everything. You've told us
to ask. And so we come asking, we come
requesting, we come with our petitions. And we know in our
heads and believe in our hearts that your will will be done. And we know not what your good
and perfect will is in every case, we know that your essential
will is to glorify yourself and for our good, our spiritual good,
our eternal good. So that's why we know not what
we should pray for or how to pray. As the disciples
of old asked you to teach them to pray, even so we ask that
you would teach us to pray. Give us hearts to pray. Give
us the desire to pray. And Lord, let us pray in thy name
according to thy will. We want your will to be done.
Yea, we know it will be. But Lord, we must ask for those
things that we earnestly desire, and we do earnestly
desire that it may be your will. But we know not, so we leave
these things in your hands where they are anyway. But we do come,
Lord, asking for special grace. More than anything, we ask for
that, that your grace would be sufficient for the hour, for
the need. We know that it is, that you
give more grace. You delight to show mercy and
grace. We ask that you would give special grace to those who
are undergoing trial. trials that you sent. We know
that you will surely give the grace, but yet we ask for it.
And Lord, we ask, if it be thy will, that you would show your
healing hand upon some. Again and again we pray for young
Isaac, that you would raise him up full
strength and help for your glory. We would give you all the glory. We thank you for guiding the
physician's hands for Brother William. I ask that you would
raise him up, give him many more years with us. Lord, we ask for your healing
hand upon Darnell. Lord, give peace, give comfort in all of these things. And surely our comfort must be
in knowing and believing that Thou art God and that all these
things are working together for our good, according to your unchangeable,
all-wise purpose that you purposed in Christ Jesus before the world
began for our salvation. Let that be our comfort in times
like this. Nothing else, no one else can
comfort. Let us realize that these things
are from thy hand. and that you're too good to do
wrong, to do evil, too kind to be cruel, too merciful and gracious and
tender and compassionate to give more than we're able to bear.
So we take you at your word, and yet we ask that If it can
be for your glory that you would grant these requests of ours
in and through Christ's name, for his glory and honor, for
the good of your church. Lord, be with us tonight. Speak
through your word. Make it a blessing. Make it a
blessing. Exalt your Son in our midst.
Again, we ask for forgiveness of sins in Christ's name. Amen. OK, I want you to turn to 2 Corinthians
3, and I want to read a few verses here, and then we'll go over
to the Old Testament for our study tonight. 2 Corinthians 3. The title of the message tonight
is Hadassah. Hadassah. Do you know what that means? Well, you will soon. Why this title? What does it
mean? Well, I gave this title because
to you it is given to know the title of the mystery, like the word
of God, like the word of God which is
hidden to the world, yet it's revealed to God's people. To
you, the veil has been removed. Look here at 2 Corinthians 3,
verses 14 through 18. It says, Some minds were blinded,
for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in
the reading of the Old Testament, which veil is done away in Christ. Or the veil is removed when you
read the Old Testament scripture. And you see the glory of God
in a person all through. Even unto this day, when Moses
is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless, when yet
the heart shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away."
Hadassah is another name for Esther. Esther. Turn over to the book
of Esther now. I didn't make it up and I didn't
search in the concordance to find it. It's in the book of
Esther, the word Hadassah. The book of Esther is right after
Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra,
Nehemiah, Esther. The book of Esther. Hadassah
means Esther, which is our text. Many don't even believe that
the book of Esther is the Word of God. Did you know that? Many people don't believe that.
They don't believe it belongs in this book. Because it's not revealed to
them, the book of Esther. Though the word salvation is
not found in all the book of Esther. The word mercy is not
there. The word grace, not one time. The word blood, nowhere to be
found. The name of God is not in the
Book of Esther. Not once. This is the most glorious, one
of the most glorious gospel books in all of the Bible. It's going to be revealed to
you tonight if it hadn't been already. You see, it's not revealed
to the world, it's hidden. I believe God did that on purpose,
None of these things are in there. People just think it's a book
of Jewish history. There's no clearer book of his
story than the book of Esther. Like another book that I know
that bears a woman's name, the only two books, Ruth and Esther,
perhaps my two favorites. Well, look here in the book of
Esther. Let's read chapter 1, verses 1 through 3. We're going
to have to do a lot of reading, OK? But I'll try to make it within
a lot of time. Now, it came to pass in the days
of Ahasuerus. Now, this is Ahasuerus, or Artaxerxes
is his name, which reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over
127 provinces. Ahasuerus was the king. He was the most powerful king
in all the world. Ahasuerus was sovereign over
all, over all the then known world. This was the king of the
Medes and the Persians. This is the Persian king, the
greatest ever to this point. Verse 2, in those days when the
king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, in the third
year, of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes, the power
of Persia and the Medes, nobles and princes being before him.
He made a feast to show his riches and his glory." Verse 4, he showed
the riches of his glorious kingdom, the honor of his excellent majesty. Many days, a hundred and eighty
days, a long time, he dwelled in sovereignty and had a big
feast to show it. This is a picture of our God
who reigns and rules among the armies of heaven and among the
inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand." He is
all-powerful. He reigns over all. He is sovereign. He is Lord over all. And he made
everything for his glory, to show forth his riches and his
glory. And he dwelled in his holiness
and sovereignty before the world began. A long time he dwelled
in his majesty. show him forth his riches and
glory to none but the angels. Here is another person in this
story. Look down at verse 10 and 11. On the seventh day, when
the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mahuman,
let's get through these names, he commanded these seven chamberlains
that served in the presence of Ahasuerus, the king, to bring
Vashti, the queen, before the king with a crown royal to show
the people and the princes her beauty, for she was fair to look
on. The king had chosen him a queen.
He had made her queen Kings are born king. Queens are
made queen by virtue of marriage, right? So she was made queen
by the king. And she was made queen for the
king's glory, for the king's honor, for the king's majesty,
to show forth his majesty. She was beautiful to look at.
And so one day he decreed that she was to be brought in to show
her off for his own glory, for his own majesty, that the people
might see his majesty. She refused. Look at verse 12. The Queen Vashti refused to come
at the king's commandment. Therefore the king was very wroth,
and his anger burned in him. Down in verse 19, other people
observed what Basti did, her rebellion. And they were fearful that her
rebellion would cause other women to do the same. It said, verse
16, And Mamucan answered before the
king and the princes, Vashti, the queen, hath not done wrong
to the king only, but also to all the princes and all the people
and all the promises of the king." Verse 18, the last line. Contempt
and wrath will arise because of what she's done. She's not
glorified the king. What are you going to do? What are you going to do, king? This is a picture of Adam. Adam
is represented by Vashti here, who was created for God's glory,
made a prince, a ruler over this world for God's glory, and God
commanded him to give glory to him, but Adam rebelled. And through
Adam all sinned, all died, contempt and anger. Children of wrath,
that's us, even as others, like our father Adam, spread through
all the human race. What's the king going to do?
Look at verse 19. The king, if it please the king,
let there go a royal commandment from him. Let it be written among
the laws of the Persian and the Medes, in the law. Let it not
be altered. that Vashti come no more before
the king. Let the king give her royal estate
unto another that is better than she." So she was cast out. Vashti was
cast out, and a replacement was called to be found, better than
she. Like I said, created by God for
God, disobeying God. And Adam was cast out of the
garden. The first man was rejected until
God found another better than he. A second Adam that would
take his place. All right, a beauty pageant was
held. Look at chapter 2. A beauty pageant
was held in order to find this replacement for baptism. And it took a long time, because
look at chapter 2, verses 12 through 14. Now, so they called
all the maidens of the land to to come before the king. Now
verse 12, Now when every maid's turn was come, to go in to King
Hesperus, after she had been twelve months, according to the manner of women,
for purification to wit, so were the days of purification accomplished,
to wit six months with oil of myrrh, six months with sweet
odors, and other things. Steve, do you think Mary takes
a long time to get ready? They spent 12 months trying to
get Bertie for the king, but it wasn't good enough. Read on. Then came every maiden, verse
13, unto the king. Whatsoever she desired was given
to her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the
king. Anything she could do to make herself pretty to come before
the king, she got it, verse 14. In the evening she went, and
on the morrow she returned. She came in unto the king no
more, except the king delighted in her, that she were called
by name." So in other words, all of them went in and all of
them were rejected, hands down. All but one, that is. Look at this, verse 15. Now in
the turn of Hadassah, I didn't show you, look at verse 7. He
brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther. That's her name. What does it mean? I don't know. It's a secret.
It's a secret. I don't know. I don't even know
what Esther meant. That's a secret. So be it. But verse fifteen, when the turn
of Esther, the daughter of Abihael, Uncle of Mordecai, who had taken
her for his daughter, was come to go in under the king. She
didn't. She required nothing. She didn't need anything to make
her beautiful. She was just naturally beautiful. Read on. She required nothing from the
keeper of the women. Esther obtained favor in the
sight of all them that looked upon her. She didn't need a thing
to make her beautiful. She was just naturally beautiful. Well, since Adam fell, the best
of men have come and gone, and all have been rejected. You better
stay with me on this, or you're going to miss a blessing. If
you came empty tonight, you're going to get filled. If you open
your mouth, you've got to fill it. I sat six inches off my chair
preparing this. Stay with me, all right? It's
going to require a little bit of attention on your part. You
have to stay with the book. Stay with the book. That's all
I'm going to do. Stay with the book. All right? Since Adam failed, the best of
men have come and gone and all rejected. None have been fair
enough. None righteous. No, not one. Until Jesus Christ came. And he's altogether lovely. in
his person, everything about him, none so fair as he, in whom
God was well pleased. The scripture says when he grew
up, even, it says he grew in wisdom and stature and in favor
of God and man. The scripture says Esther was
held in favor by everyone, especially, look at verse 17, verse So Esther
was taken in under the king into his house royal. Verse 17, the
king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace
and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set
the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. You don't need Jesus Christ's
name in here. It speaks loud and clear, doesn't
it? Esther was taken in by the king,
loved above all others by the king, found grace and favor in
sight of the king, the crown placed on her head, and made
queen instead of bastion. This is the Lord Jesus Christ.
God hath made this same Jesus both Lord and Christ, loved above
all others, the beloved Son, who hath obtained favor and grace
in the sight of God above all his fellows." There is somebody else in this
story. Look at chapter 3. There is a fellow named Haman. Chapter 3, verse 1. Now, after these things,
did King Ahasuerus promote Haman, the son of Hamadatha, the Agagite? and advanced him and set his
seat above all the princes that were with him. Haman was made
a prince and a ruler in the land. Haman was an evil man, though,
and Haman hated Jews. He hated them. But the king promoted
him, and he's a picture of Satan. Satan who's called the prince
of the power of the air. Satan who's called the ruler
of the darkness of this world. But he's so by God's promotion. God put him there. Why? To show
forth his glory. Just wait and see. There's another
fellow in this story. A little old miserable Jew named
Mordecai. Look at verse 2. And all the
king's servants that were in the king's gate bowed and referenced
Haman. And the king is so commanded
concerning him, but Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reference."
This little Jew named Mordecai absolutely refused to bow to
this king. Read on. Then the king's servants
which were in the king's gate said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest
thou the king's commandment? Now it came to pass when they
spake daily unto him, he didn't listen to them, hearken not unto
them. And they told Haman to see whether Mordecai's matters
would stand. He told them that he was a Jew.
And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence,
then Haman was full of wrath, and he thought scorned to lay
hands on Mordecai alone. And they showed him the people
of Mordecai. Wherefore, Haman sought to destroy
all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Heraclius,
even the people of Mordecai." So Haman hated Jews, and especially
this one. So he decided he was going to
have all the Jews killed. And God's elect, God's chosen,
whom Mordecai represents here, who are Jews, not outwardly,
but inwardly. Spiritual Jews, believers who
worship God, not the God of this world, but they worship God and
rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are enemies of Satan and
objects of his wrath and hatred and objects of his scorn and
objects of his assault. what Haman had commanded unto
the king's lieutenants, to the governors that were over every
province, to the rulers of every people in every province, according
to the writing thereof, to every people after their language."
In other words, everybody saw this law. It was in the name
of King Hacererus was it written. Sealed with the king's ring,
the letter was sent by post under all the king's promise to destroy,
to kill, to cause to perish all Jews, both young and old, little
children and women, in one day. There's coming a day that all
are going to be killed, all these Jews, and taken spore. Taken spore. The Jews were under
the curse. They were under condemnation.
The unchangeable law of the Medes and Persians. Look at verse 8
up there. It says there that Haman said
unto the king, There is a certain people scattered abroad, dispersed
among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom. Their laws are
diverse from all people, neither keep they the king's law. Therefore
it is not for the king's prophet to suffer them. They are not
worthy of anything but to be put to death. They are diverse
from the king. They don't keep the king's law. Let's kill them all." The king
said, OK. And he signed the law. And it's
not going to be changed. Have you ever heard the old saying,
according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, it can't
be changed? And this is a picture of God's
law against guilty men, against guilty sinners such as we. Guilty,
diverse to the king. Don't keep his law by nature.
And there's a day of judgment approaching. Verse 14, the copy
of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province
was published unto all people. They ready against that day,
prepare to meet thy God. You're going to die. All we have sinned, all have
sinned to come short of his glory. The judgment, the punishment
for sin is death, and after that, the judgment. The day is coming
under the wrath and judgment of God. Well, Mordecai heard
this. He heard the law. Mordecai heard
the sentence against himself. Look at chapter 4, verse 1. I
hope someone's with me. When Mordecai perceived all that
was done, that is, this unchangeable law written to kill the Jews,
Mordecai rent his clothes, put on sackcloth of ashes, went out
into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and bitter
cry, Woe is me, I am undone, and I dwell in the midst of a
people. We're under the curse. We're
sentenced to die. What are we going to do? Mordecai
had one hope, but it was a good one. He had
friends in high, high places. Only one hope for Mordecai. So Mordecai appealed to her.
Look down at verse 8. He gave him a copy of the writing
of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to
show it unto Esther and declare it unto her, and to charge her
that she go into the king to make supplication unto him and
make requests for him and for her people. O Hadessa, O Esther,
we're sentenced to die. Would you go into the king and
make requests on our behalf? for mercy. And this is a picture
of every sinner when they hear the word of God, when the commandment
came, we die. We realize our doom, but with
that judgment, with that sentence, comes hope. And we realize we
have hope. And it's a good hope. And it's
in a person. Jesus Christ And we call on him,
the mediator for sinners, to plead our case. All right, look
at verses 11 and 12. Esther tells Mordecai the king's
requirements. If she's going to go in to see
the king, this is what's going to happen. She's going to be
received and heard. Verses 11 and 12. All the king's
servants and the people of the king's province do know. Now
this is Esther speaking. That whosoever, whether man or
woman, everybody ought to know this. Whosoever comes into the king,
the inner court is not called. You've got to be called to come
in, or you don't. If you're not called, there's
one law of the king to put him to death. Except such to whom
the king shall hold out the golden scepter that he may live. Now, if you just can't run into
the Hasuerus, you've got to be calm. And even then, when you
come in, he's got to hold out that golden scepter for you to
be accepted. You understand that, Mordecai? Everybody ought to know that.
Everybody does, Joe. Mordecai did. He found out. Esther told him. And so do you,
Joe. So do you. Look at verse 12. So they told Mordecai Esther's
words. Have you heard Christ's word?
This is his word. It's not given unto them, but
unto you it's given. And you've received it as the
very word of God. When we hear the gospel, the
first thing we hear of is God's holiness. We hear of God's justice. He said that. I'm a God of love. First thing he says, I'm a just
God. This world hadn't heard that,
people. Are you a Mordecai? Have you heard who God is and
what God's like? That He's holy, He's just, that
you can't come unless you call Him. And even when you come,
He's got to hold out that golden scepter. What's that? Don't you remember
Sunday morning's message? Psalm 45, the scepter of thy
kingdom is a right scepter, for the Lord loveth righteousness
and judgment. A right scepter. Thou lovest
righteousness. It's the scepter of righteousness.
God's got to imbue it to you. God's got to give it to you.
You've got to be righteous to come in before Him. And he's
got to call you to do it. You remember reading Romans 8?
You know why I read Romans 8? And when we hear the gospel,
that's what we hear. We hear of God's holiness, God's
sovereignty, God's justice, God's righteousness set there. Only
one way of acceptance if God accepts us in the beloved. Christ is the only one. He's
the only one that can go in. on our behalf. And if God accepts
him, our great high priest, then we are accepted in him. Well,
Mordecai pleads with Esther to go in for him and her people. Look at verse 14. He says, If
you hold your peace at this time, then shall there enlargement
and deliverance arise of the Jews from another place. But
thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed if you don't go
in. You're going to be destroyed.
You'll not be known. Who knoweth? Who knows, Esther, whether thou
art come to this kingdom for such a time as this? I don't
know, Esther, but I think maybe that's why you're sitting on
the throne right now, to save Jews like me." Mordecai didn't know it, but
he was a prophet. He was a prophet. Perhaps you're where you are
for this hour." And that's what Christ said. He said, For this
cause came I unto this world. For this cause came I unto this
hour, the hour of my death. Why did he come? Christ is so
faithful, sane, and worthy of all acceptation. Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners. Well, Esther tells him the good
news. She tells him the good news, that she'll go into the
king for her people, verses 16 and 17. Esther made them return
to Mordecai. Verse 15, Esther made them return
to Mordecai, this answer. You know, after she told him
about the holiness of the king and the righteousness of the
king and how he just, not anybody can come in at all. Now she tells
him the good news. that she'll go in. Verses 16
and 17, "...gather together all the Jews," not just Mordecai,
but everybody that needs me to go in for them. "...all the Jews,
gather them together, that are present in Shushan. Fast ye for
me, neither eat nor drink, three days, nights, or day." Why three
days, I wonder? I also and my maidens will fast
likewise, so will I go in unto the king, which is not according
to the law, and if I perish, I perish." So Mordecai went his
way and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
Even so, Christ said, you remember over in the book of John we've
been studying, he said, Whether I go, you cannot come. Remember
that? He said, but I go to prepare
a place for you, to prepare a place for you. If
I perish, and he did, he died. I perish, but you'll never perish. Remember when they came for him
in the garden, he says, if you seek me, let them go. So Christ went to
Calvary's cross. He was made sin for us who knew
no sin. He was made a curse for us under
the law, born of a woman, made under the law, made a curse.
He shed his blood for the remission of our sins. He died that we
might live. He died that we might live. Now,
chapter 5, verse 1, Now it came to pass on the third day that Esther put on her royal
robe. When I read this in the study, on the third day, after three
days were up, she put on her royal apparel
and stood, look at this, in the inner court of the king's over against the king's house.
And the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house over
against the gate of the house." You see how it keeps to the royal,
royal, royal, majesty, majesty. Verse 2, And it was so. She came
in. And when the king saw Esther,
the queen, standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight. And the king held out to Esther
the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near
and touched the top of the scepter, just laid hold on that scepter
like she belonged there, like she was worthy, like she just
knew the king would accept her. And on the third day Christ rose
from the grave, put on his royal apparel, put back on his robe
of deity, and stood in the inner court, the very Holy of Holies
for me. And Christ, our daysman, laid
his very hand on God himself and his hand on us. And look
at verse 3, And the king said unto her, What do you want, Queen
Esther? Whatever you want, I'll give
it to you. Ask of me and I'll give it unto
thee, unto the half of the kingdom." And that's what God said to my
Christ, my representative, ask of me and I'll give thee the
mean of thy inheritance. Not the half, but the whole.
I'll make you Lord, I'll give you all, all your requests granted. Ask and I'll give it unto you."
Well, back to Old Haman. Old Haman, look at verse 14. He thought evil against these
Jews. Verse 14, chapter 5. Zeresh, his wife and all his
friends, said unto him, Make a gallows, Haman, let a gallows,
or a hanging tree, be made of fifty cubits high. Ever heard
the old saying, as high as Haman's gallows? Hang them high as Haman? Let a gallows be made as high
as fifty cubits. Tomorrow speak unto the king
that Mordecai be hanged on it. And the thing pleased Haman,
and he caused the gallows to be made. Satan thought to destroy
God and man by that man whom God created, Adam, didn't he?
And he thought he did. He thought he destroyed God when
he did mischief to Adam, plunged him into sin. And once again,
when he hung somebody on a tree, he thought, I've destroyed God
I have hung his son on a tree now, but Satan was the one who
was going to be hung and I will live." Look at chapter 6 over
there. Chapter 6. Now I want to make
a long story short. Mordecai was loyal to the king,
and the king rewarded him. The first three verses talk about
how the king found out how that Mordecai hated the king's enemies
and revealed a plot to kill the king. And so the king thought
to do Mordecai a great honor and exalt him to the place of
a prince. All right, look at now beginning
with verse 4. Here's the king's purpose to
exalt this one. The king said, who was in the
court? Haman was coming into the outward court of the king's
house. He was a sneaky fellow. He was listening in on Sounds
like the Book of Job, doesn't it? He was listening in to the
king. He came into the outer court
to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai. That was his purpose to come
in, to tell the king about his wanting to hang Mordecai. And
a king's servant said unto him, Behold, Haman stands in the court.
The king said, Let him come in. So Haman came in, and the king
said unto him, What shall be done? Now, the king spoke first.
And the king said unto Haman, What shall be done unto the man
whom the king delighteth to honor? Now Haman thought, look at verse
6, Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight
to do honor more than to me myself? He must be talking about me.
So he said, verse 8, I tell you what, let's do. King, let royal
apparel be brought, which the king useth to wear, and the horse
that the king ride upon. And the crown royal set it on
his head. Let this apparel and horse be
delivered in the hand of one of the king's most noble princes. that they may array the man with
all whom the king delighted to honor. Bring him on horseback
through the street of the city. Proclaim before him, Thus shall
it be done to the man whom the king delighted to honor.' Then
the king said to Haman, Make haste, take the apparel and the
horses. I said, Do it to Lortica." Let's sit at the king's gate,
and Haman It killed them. It killed them. My God has purpose to exalt us
whom Satan has purpose to kill. And we who at one time were even
his captives, held captives at his will, someday Satan himself
will serve. He does even now. Serves God's
purpose concerning us. Yes, he does. God's people, those sinners, are served by even devils. And
God has purposed to exalt us, and that by Christ. Well, look
at Esther's request to the king. Chapter 7, verses 1 through 3,
and I'm about to wind it up. So the king and Haman came to
banquet with Esther the queen. And the king said unto Esther
on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition,
Queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee."
What is thy request? It shall be performed even to
the half of the kingdom. Then Esther the queen answered
and said, If I have found favor in thy sight, O king, and if
it please the king, let my life be given me at my request, and
my people at my request. Esther's request was that her
life and the life of her people be spared, and Christ Unlike
Esther's request here, Christ laid down his life for the sheep. He died that we might live, but
yet his request is the same. Father, I will that those whom
thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they live before
you. Let them live. I'll die that
they might live. she uncovered Haman's plot. Look
at verse 6. Esther said, The adversary and
enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before
the king and the queen. Verses 8 through 10. So the king
returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet
of wine, and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Evidently he was pleading for
mercy, and he fell on the queen's bed. The king walked out of the
room, and when he came back in there, Haman was on the queen's
bed. And here's what the king thought.
You're going to force my queen right in front of me? Look at
verse 10. Then said the king, Will he force the queen before
me in the house? As the word out of the king's
mouth they covered Haman's face. And the Harbinon, one of the
Chamberlains, said before the king, Behold, there's a gallows
out there that he made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king.
It stands in the house of Haman. The king said, Hanging on it.
Hanging. So they hung Haman on the gallows
he prepared for Mordecai. And the king's wrath was blessed.
The man which Satan thought to destroy God with, was the means
God used to destroy Satan. The woman's seed, the woman's
seed, crushed the serpent's head. Well, you know, this was prophesied.
I didn't have time to read it, but verse 13 of chapter 6. Look
back there real quick. It said this over in the last
part of verse 13, chapter 6. Haman's family said, if Mordecai,
look at the middle part there, look at this, if Mordecai be
of the seed of the Jews whom thou hast begun to fall, thou
shalt not prevail against them, him, you'll surely fall. And you're going to read sometime
Isaiah 14. That's your own leisure. when you get home or sometime
this week. You jot that down, Isaiah 14, and you'll be amazed
at the picture there. Oh, how I've seen thee fallen,
Lucifer, son of Ammon. Well, the king, chapter 8, verse
1. Chapter 8, verse 1, his wrath
is pacified On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house
of Haman, the Jew's enemy, unto Esther, the queen. He gave all
to Esther, the queen. And Mordecai came before the
king, because Esther told what he was to her." Do you see the picture? The king
gave Esther everything, everything that had been taken from her
by Haman. And he even gave it to Mordecai.
Mordecai was a joint heir because Esther said, he's related to
me. You accept me, accept him too,
in me. And that's Christ. See, God has
given Christ all, made him Lord over all. He's the heir of all,
and he hath recovered all we lost in our father Adam. And
we're joint heirs with him, and we're accepted in the beloved.
But you know something? The law of the Medes and Persians
still stands. Something's got to be done about this law. Here
in chapter 8, verses 7 and 8, the king Ahasuerus said unto
Esther the queen, after he talked about the law. The king's commandment
cannot be reversed. Jews got to die. Rebecca, they've got to die.
The king wrote it in his own hand. They've got to die. What
are they going to do? The king's not going to reverse
his law. Somebody's going to have to face the law for them.
Who do you reckon that someone is? Esther herself, and she was
a Jew. She was a Jew. Look at it. Verses 7 and 8, "...the king
of Hathorah said unto Esther the queen, the Mordecai the Jew,
Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they
have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand on the
Jews." Esther, you write for the Jews as it liketh you. Now, I've written a law Now you
write something. Now I've written the law. Now
you write something. Something good. Tell them how they're going to
be spared. It's in your hands now." And he said, look at this. Whatever
you write, as it like if you becoming to you whatever pleases
you in the king's name, the king will seal it with his carrying
ring. For the writing which is written
in the king's name, sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse."
Whatever you write, Esther, I'll seal it, and it will be just
as sure as the law. It will not be reversed. whatever
you want to write. So that's Christ. Christ was
given the law. You see, the law came by Moses,
but what? Christ wrote another book. In
addition to the book, grace, a new covenant, New Testament,
grace and truth, the gospel came by Jesus Christ, the gospel. And Christ wrote it, that whosoever
comes to God by me will be saved, will stand. Verse 11, Wherein
the king granted the Jews, which were in every city, gathered
themselves together, and stand for their life, to destroy the
slave that caused to perish all the power of the people and province,
everything that would assault them, stand fast in the liberty
wherewith Esther hath made thee free. Stand fast, and they were
given armor. They were given weapons to defend themselves against
this assault. And the Scripture says, Be strong
in the Lord and the power of his might. Take on you the whole
armor of God. What's that? Nothing less than
the gospel will do. Stand. And on and on, if you
want to read the whole book at your own leisure, it keeps telling
them to gather together. Gather together now. Gather together.
Gather together. Stand together against that day. Be ready against that day. The
day is coming. Forsake not the assembly of yourselves
together. Exhort one another so much more
as you see the day approaching. Well, Mordecai was exalted to
be a prince. Verse 15, it says that Mordecai
went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel, blue
and white, and a great crown, a garment of fine linen and purple,
and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. The Jews had light
and gladness and joy and honor. Oh, the Jews' enemies were defeated,
and Mordecai was exalted to the place of a a prince, and it was
so pleasing to the people, and fear came on the people, gladness
and joy and honor. And in other places, verse 17,
the last line of verse 17, many of the people of the land who
were not Jews became Jews because of what the king did for Mordecai. That's what I want, what you
did for Mordecai. And they were all saved. Every
one of them. Every one of them. You'll read
chapter 9 for yourself. It says that hordes of men came
after them and not one Jew perished. Not one, anyway. It says that
in one day, I think it was 75,000. Where is it? I can't find it. One day, it was something like
75,000 died, but not one Jew perished. Not one. Helpless? Strengthless? Without
hope? Without strength? Little old
Jews, not prepared for it? Not one. Not one. Why? Look at verse 22. Haman, because Haman the son
of Habedathah, the Hagiite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised
against the Jews to destroy them, cast out purr, that is, the lot,
to consume them, to destroy them. But when Esther came before the
king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device which
he devised against the Jews should return on his own head, that
he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. Why were the
people spared? Why did the people not died because
Esther came and appeared before the king for them. And we are
all safe. Yea, we have been delivered,
are being delivered, and I trust that he will yet deliver us.
Why? Now do you know why I read Romans
8? Who is he that can deliver It
is God that justifies. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who
is he that condemneth? Christ came. They were spared
because Esther came and appeared before the king. And we're spared
because Christ came. And it says here, look at, you've
got to read this, people. You can't let this go, OK? Look
at verse 30. The king sent letters unto all the Jews, words for
them to read, and a hundred and twenty-seven prophets, everybody
throughout his kingdom, the king sent words of peace and truth. Esther doesn't belong in the
Bible. It deserves the topmost stone.