Well, join me once again in our
continuing study of the book of Esther. We're going to read
a few verses in the fifth chapter of the book of Esther. In fact,
we want to read verses one through eight. and then make some comments
on these verses. What a glorious book this book
of Esther is, as it displays the very presence of God, the
acts of God, the purpose of God, the eternal promises of God are
displayed in here. And even though we do not have
His name even mentioned, We have him, as we've read several times
there in the Song of Solomon, he works behind the lattice.
He is behind the scenes of all things. In Esther chapter five,
verse one, it says, now it came to pass on the third day that
Esther put on her royal apparel and stood in the inner court
of the king's house. And the king sat upon his throne
room in the royal house over against the gate of the house.
And it was so, when the king saw Esther, the queen, standing
in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight, and the king
held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand,
so Esther drew nigh, and touched the top of the scepter. Then
said the king unto her, what wilt thou, Queen Esther, and
what is thy request? It shall be even given thee to
half of the kingdom. And Esther answered, if it seem
good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto
the banquet that I have prepared for him. Then the king said,
cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said.
So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, what
is thy petition? And it shall be regranted thee,
and what is thy request? Even to half of the kingdom it
shall be performed. Then answered Esther and said,
my petition and my request is, if I have found favor in the
sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition
and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the
banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow
as the king hath said. Now we're gonna stop there tonight
Because this is the introduction of Esther to the king, and she
has said in the past that if she lives, she lives. If she
dies, she dies. But she's going to go into the presence of the
king. Now, in verse 1, you noticed
with me that opening phrase, now it came to pass. I found
it quite interesting that in the Scriptures that phrase is
used over 450 times. Old Testament and New Testament.
It came to pass. Often it's used in the Gospels
to share with us the fulfillment of some passage of Scripture
in the Old Testament that the Lord was doing. It came to pass. There is absolutely nothing stationary. The only place that we will ever
meet stationary is in glory. In this life, things are always
changing. What comes is moving. We find
that everything that happens is moving, and it came to pass,
and that it came to pass means an event actually happened. Now,
we're going to read this, I think it's four or five times we'll
find this phrase used in the book of Esther, but it's used
so profusely throughout the Old Testament, and so profusely throughout
the New Testament, and by it we learn that God brings things
to pass. It is, this world is always moving. We're not at a standstill. Morning
and evening, day by day, week by week, month by month, year
by year, we continue to move through this world. I shared
with Brother Duane the other day that we are aging at the
same rate. Some just have a head start.
And he had to agree. He's had a head start over me
by 18 years, but we're aging at the same rate and things happen
as they fall out according to the eternal purpose of God. Now
there's a verse of scripture that I'd like to read at this
time, found over in the book of Lamentations. In the book
of Lamentations, which is not that far away from where we are
right now. In the book of Lamentations chapter three. Lamentations chapter
three, and we find our verse in verse 37. Now, we could only
do justice to the scripture by starting at Genesis chapter 1
and reading through Revelation chapter 20, but we're going to
have to just pick out a few verses. Here it tells us in the book
of Lamentations chapter 3 and verse 37, as we think about this
subject, and it's a subject often brought up in scriptures, it
came to pass. It came to pass. Nothing is stationary. What comes is moving. And here
we find in Lamentations chapter 3 and verse 37, who is he that
saith, and it cometh to pass when the Lord commandeth it not.
So we find out here in this verse of Scripture that everything
that comes to pass is going to be purposed by the Lord Himself.
Lamentations chapter 3 verse 37. Who is he that saith, and
it cometh to pass when the Lord commandeth it not? So nothing
can be done by anybody except that which the Lord has purposed
to come to pass. We may propose something, but
if it's not in the purpose of God, it shall not come to pass.
And another verse of scripture along the same line, as we think
of the multitude of times in the scriptures that this phrase
is used, is found just a little bit further in our Back up just
a little bit to the book of the Psalms. Psalm 33. In Psalm 33, we find another
one of these verses of Scripture that shares with us concerning
the counsel of God in it come to pass. In Psalm 33, verse 9. Psalm 33, verse 9. We want to
read verses 9, 10, and 11 here. for it shares with us, for he
spake and it was done." Now, man may propose, man may introduce,
man may have his heart and have his purpose. As we've looked
at Haman, his purpose is to destroy the Jews. That's his purpose. And we're going to find out,
that shall not come to pass. But we're going to find out what
God purposed, that shall come to pass. It is going to come.
And here it says, for he spake, and it was done. He commanded
it, and it stood fast. The Lord bringeth the counsel
of the heathen to naught. He maketh the devices of the
people of none effect. So all that Haman has proposed,
and all that people in the Scriptures that are against the Lord have
proposed, we're going to read about Balaam. Sunday we're going
to be looking some more about Balaam. And Balaam was going
to be paid if he could curse Israel. And you know, as much
as he wanted to be paid, and as much as he wanted to curse
Israel, God turned it always out for a blessing. So his proposal
was, curse Israel, and I shall be paid great large sums, and
yet the Lord did not permit him to do that. Haman proposed, he
wanted to come to pass, that there would be great sacrifice
of Jews in the Persian Empire. But we're gonna find out that
does not come to pass, because it was not proposed of God. And
then we look over here in verse 11 of this Psalm 33, verse 11,
the counsel of the Lord standeth forever. the thoughts of His
heart to all generations. So we can count on it. We can
take it to the bank. Whatever God said would happen
in the Old Testament, in the New, happened. And we find that
record so often in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, that it It came
to pass, and oftentimes it says a reference to the Old Testament. So God had purposed it, it was
carried out, and it moved on. And another place that I would
like to go to is found here in the Proverbs. It came to pass,
how often? 457 times that I found that this
phrase is used in the Scripture, and here we find another passage
of Scripture that is recorded in scriptures about the purpose
of God and it came to pass. Kings may propose. Dictators
may propose. But if it's not God that has
it, it will not be carried out. And so here we have in Proverbs
21 and verse 30. Proverbs 21 and verse 30. The
scriptures share this. There is no wisdom, nor understanding,
nor counsel against the Lord. There is no wisdom, no understanding,
nor counsel against the Lord. What the Lord has purposed in
eternity past will be carried out. It shall come to pass. Everything that he purposed shall
come to pass. And what does that mean for us?
It means that every lost sheep of the house of Israel will be
visited by the gospel and by the Holy Spirit. They shall be
saved. every lost sheep of the house
of Israel. And we're not talking about national
Israel, we're talking about the church. Those that Christ came
and died for. So he is going to bring it to
pass. And then another passage that
we've often gone to is found over here in that wonderful book
of the New Testament, the book of Ephesians. Ephesians chapter
one, verse 11. Ephesians chapter one, verse
11. in whom also we have obtained
an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will."
So as we go through the book of Esther, we're going to find
out people make some proposals about what they want to get done.
And laws are even passed. And you know, according to the
laws of the Median Persians, it can't be changed. But God
is going to overcome all of those obstacles because he has a purpose
in it. He's going to do all things according to the counsel of his
own will. This is what he has purpose and
this is what he shall carry out. So it came to pass, God's in
charge of that. Prophets in the Old Testament
that as we read here are going to mention things you're going
to say things you're going to write things and we're going
to see in the New Testament that everything about the Lord Jesus
Christ that was ever prophesied shall be fulfilled. I heard a
preacher one time say that that's one reason that Moses and Elijah
was on that Mount with him of the Mount of Transfiguration.
That Moses said you have fulfilled all the law and the prophet said
you fulfilled all the prophecies. Well, whether they did or not,
he did. He fulfilled all the law. He
came not to destroy, but to fulfill. And all the prophecies about
him would be fulfilled and were fulfilled. There is one other
verse just a little bit further here in the book of James. In
the book of James, we have this passage of scripture, James chapter
four. In James chapter four, as we
think about, it came to pass. Now in that, there's nothing
stationary. Things are gonna move, time is gonna move on until
the end, until the end. There shall be springtime and
harvest until the end. There will be planting, there
will be rain, there will be the seasons, this is a promise of
God. And here in the book of James chapter four and verse
13, Go to now, ye that say, today or tomorrow we will go into such
a city. Can you hear Haman? I've got
this plan. We're gonna get rid of the Jews.
We're gonna take care of it. And he's already talked to the
most powerful human king in the world at that time. The king that he is under, second
in command to, is the most powerful king in the world. Now the king
of kings is sitting on his throne and he's working all things after
the counsel of his own will. And this man has proposed, you
know, go to, you say today or tomorrow we will go into such
a city and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain.
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. Now in last
week's bulletin there was a little article about a guy that said
one of the great blessings that we have is not knowing the future.
When things happen to us in time if we knew about it ahead of
time we'd probably be very distraught But the Lord is gracious to us.
Well, he used this verse of scripture for that passage. We know not what shall be on
the morrow. We don't know the future. For
what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth
for a time and then vanisheth away. 80, 90, 100 years, a vapor. It's like steam rising, like
the grass growing. And then he goes, for that you
ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live and do this or
that. Now we're going to find out that
in the book of Esther, in reality, that is Mordecai's prayer, and
that is Esther's prayer, that the Lord willing. The Lord will,
what the Lord shall do. Now, a poet, a hymn writer by the
name of Joseph Hart. I love his hymns because they
get a hold of the message. He wrote a whole, there's a hymn
book, Hart's Hymns. He wrote in the preface to his
hymn book, God grants not the requests of his people because
they pray. but they pray because he designs
to answer their petitions. He moves our prayers. We don't
pray and then he answers it. He's already got the answer,
that's why we pray. All right, he has knowledge of
what we have need of before we pray. All right, let's go back
here to the book of Esther now, as we've looked there just at
a short phrase in that verse one of that chapter, the fifth
chapter, it came to pass. And now we're going to read about
Esther. We're gonna read about her. She
is going to do something to herself. In the book of Esther chapter
5, Esther chapter 5, there in verse 1, it tells us that it came to pass
on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel. Now
we mentioned last week where she got that royal apparel. She
had nothing when she became queen, nothing that would honor the
position that she had. So this has been provided for
her. She has been provided this royal apparel by the king. And
this royal apparel has the idea of that word royal is translated
a number of places in the Old Testament because it's a Hebrew
word, a Chaldean word, that means kingdom. Kingdom. She put on her kingdom apparel.
She put on apparel that was in line with her position, with
her as queen. She put on his royal apparel. This represented the kingdom. This is the kingdom. Now, keep
your finger right there again. I like this one. I use those terms when we, a
couple of us have our little notebooks here. Don't keep your
finger there. Join me if you would in the Psalms. As we think about this royal
apparel, she put on the royal apparel. It's quite pictorial
what she did because she is representing, she's declaring the kingdom of
the king with this apparel. It's provided, but it's more
than just dressing up. It is declaring something about
this kingdom. It is a kingdom apparel. And we read here in Psalm 45. Would you join me in Psalm 45?
In Psalm 45, this word is used, or this thought is used in Psalm
45 and verse 6. It tells us here, it also mentions
that same word that we find over there, a scepter. That scepter
represented the kingdom. And we're finding out here, O
thy throne, O God, is forever and ever. Psalm 45 and verse 6, thy throne,
O God, is forever and ever the scepter of thy kingdom. Now that word kingdom is the
same as we found over there with Esther, her royal. It's her kingdom
apparel. This represents the kingdom of
her husband, of King Ahasuerus. And thank God that the apparel
the Lord grants to us, imputes to us, his robe of righteousness
represents his kingdom, that he is king. We have royal apparel. We have kingdom apparel. And
it says there, the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter.
There's right authority here. Now this is going to play a very
important part as we find what God has purposed in the book
of Esther, that she did not get put to death as a result of coming
in unannounced. She was recognized, the scepter
was dropped in her position before her, and then she is going to
be permitted to make a royal request. All right, another verse
that I want to look at is here in Psalm 103, Psalm 103 verse
19. As we think about this royal
apparel, this kingdom apparel is granted and the kingdom of
God has been forever. He has forever been a king. He
has forever had subjects. Now they were in Christ before
the foundation of the world. They fell in Adam and God had
already promised that he would deliver them from the position
that they were in in the fall and regenerate them and cause
them to wear this kingdom apparel, the robe of righteousness, this
imputed righteousness of Christ that is granted to us. In Psalm
103 and verse 19, The Lord hath prepared his throne
in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all. I love that
verse because out of all of his kingdom, there is one kingdom
that we've been looking at, and that is the kingdom of Ahasuerus,
with all of those provinces, huge piece of property, And yet
the Lord, His kingdom ruleth over all. We got Ahasuerus, we
got Haman, we have Esther, we have Mordecai, we have them in
this kingdom. But over all of that, the Lord
is ruling and sovereign over it and doing the dictates of
His own heart. And so as we read what's going
to take place, this is the purpose of God carried out in history. It came to pass. Now, the Persian
empire is nothing compared to what it once was. But the empire
at this time was great. Lots of property, lots of authority
had been put into Ahasuerus' hands and also in Haman's hands. Another verse that I want to
read is found here, backing up just a little bit here in the
Psalms, Psalm 84 and verse 10. Psalm 84 and verse 10. As we
think about her royal apparel, her kingdom apparel, When she
stepped into the presence of King Ahasuerus, she had on her
kingdom apparel, her royal apparel. She's representing the king and
the kingdom at that time. Now the robe that God grants
to us, that robe of righteousness that's been imputed to us, that
represents the kingdom because it's given to us by him. We have
no righteousness of our own. If righteousness came by keeping
of the law, there would be nobody having righteousness. But the
righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, given to us. Here in the
book of the Psalms, Psalm 84, And in verse 10, the Word of
God says, for a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I
had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God than to dwell
in the tents of wickedness. So we have here, to be in the
courts of the Lord, to be in the kingdom of the Lord, to be
in the presence of the Lord is better than anything. The Queen,
Queen Esther, repairs herself, puts on this kingdom apparel. And now, let's go back here to
the book of Esther again. We just read that, but let's
look here again in the book of Esther, chapter 5 and verse 2. Notice with me this, as the queen,
so it was, she comes in royal apparel and stood in the inner
court, verse 1, of the king's house, over against the king's
house, And the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal
house over against the gate of the house. Now how long had it
been since she had been invited to Ahasuerus? We just found out
it's been 30 days at least. But she has not seen him. Now
he had the right, according to his position, to not ask for
her. He had the right to invite her
into his presence and we find here that Esther is really putting
her life in the hands of God when she stepped into the presence
of King Ahasuerus. If it had not been in the purpose
of God, she would not have survived. the law was against it. Now,
it tells us here in verse 2, and it was so when the king saw
Esther the queen standing in the court. What a phrase, isn't
it? She obtained favor in his sight. Well, there's something that
we find about her. She has the kingdom of peril
on. She didn't come in just rags.
She didn't come in her own. She came in the kingdom apparel
and also she is very beautiful and also we found out that he
loved her and that he married her. So there's a number of things
going for Esther when she steps into his presence and it tells
us here that she obtained favor in his sight and the king held
out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. You know,
in many ways, this is exactly what the Lord does when He calls
us out of darkness to His marvelous light. When He resurrects us
from the spiritual dead, He holds out His golden scepter, His authority,
His power. And He causes us to understand
that we are where we are by His grace and for no other reason. It is not something that we did. It is not something that we performed.
It was not a law that we kept. It was not a prayer that we prayed.
It was not something that we did. It was none of those things. The Lord allows us to know in
our heart that we are here by the grace of God and the grace
of God alone. And we had nothing to do with
it. It's been by invitation only. The king saw Esther, the queen,
standing in the court, and she obtained favor. Now, we know,
no doubt, the king loved Esther. He's already said that. And yes,
no doubt, his love and her kind demeanor helped the king lower
the golden scepter. But you know whose fingerprint
was on that golden scepter? Almighty God's. He's the one
that put his finger on that scepter. And I'm, what is that? Anthropom? There's a word for this. That
he is the one that pushed that scepter down initially. Ahasuerus, yes. Queen Esther,
yes. But the whole reason behind it
was the king, as he lowered the golden scepter, there was the
finger of God on that scepter, holding it out to the Queen Esther. He is so personally involved
in the situation here that giving us, well, we don't even have
to have that. Scripture tells us he's involved
in everything. And nothing happens without his
anointing it, purposing it. He doesn't just permit things
to happen. He purposes things to happen.
God was most gloriously involved in the great transaction. He
is behind the lattice, but in reaching through that lattice
that day, life and death were in the balance from Esther's
point of view, yet from God's point of view, it was always
life. His purpose would be done. He is going to use Esther to
deliver his people from certain death as it's been appointed
by Haman. Now he's already determined not
to let that happen. He's not caught short. He's not
caught off guard. He already knows this. He's going
to demonstrate his everlasting power. We find in Romans 8, 28,
all things, and we know, and we know, that all things work together
for the good of them that love God to those who are called according
to his purpose. According to his purpose. This
is his purpose. All things are working out according
to his purpose. Yes, it came to pass, but everything
that comes to pass is in God's purpose. The king held out to
Esther the golden scepter and that was in His hands. Now again,
that verse over in the book of the Proverbs. Proverbs chapter
21 and verse 1. I love that, especially as we've
been going through here. But we get over there to the
book of Numbers, to the book of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, all through the Old Testament,
all through the New Testament, we have this very same thing.
We've heard it from Pilate. Don't you know? What I could
do in the Lord's response is you could do nothing except it
were given you. Now the same thing is said to
everyone. We have nothing to give. So it's up to the Lord. All right,
here in the book of the Proverbs chapter 21, I just love this
verse. Proverbs 21 verse one. It's a comforting verse of scripture.
It comforts my heart. I pray it comforts your heart.
It says the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord. Just as
we could find on that scepter the fingerprint of Almighty God
pushing it down on behalf of Esther. There was no strain. It was wet
down, but God pushed it down. And Esther was welcomed in the
presence of the king. And so it is here, the king's
heart is in the hand of the Lord. Who is in charge of this, the
Lord? As the rivers of water, he turneth it whithersoever he
will. Now, we think that's great when
it turns out like what happens with King Ahasuerus and the dealer. excuse me, the deliverance of
the Jews, and then we find, oh my, it's kind of crusty on the
side when it turns out that Stephen stoned to death. We like it when
the Apostle Paul is preaching the gospel, but to find out what
he did before then. But all things, all kings, all
people, all authority is in the hand of the Lord and has rivers
of water, irrigations ditches. He turneth it whethersoever he
will. There is some corn over here that needs irrigation. I
will move the ditch. There's a sheep over here that
needs to hear the gospel. I will move the ditch and make
sure it gets there. So as we read here with regard
to Esther, the king held out to Esther the golden scepter
that was in his hands. The king's heart is in the hand
of the Lord, his arm. His mind, his foot, his finger
is in the hand of the Lord. As rivers of water, he turneth
it whethersoever he will. Now, go back with me to the book
of Esther, if you would. The book of Esther, and as we
look there in verse 5 again, we find in verse 2, Esther chapter
5 and verse 2, it says there that she obtained favor in his
sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter. That was in his hand. Now notice
the last sentence of this verse of scripture. So Esther drew
near and touched the top of the scepter. What is she recognizing? He has authority. Isn't it wonderful
that we get to touch the scepter of the Lord and recognize him
as King of Kings and Lord of Lords? That He is in charge of
all things. He brings things to pass. We
don't have to worry whether the Old Testament Scriptures were
fulfilled in Christ. We know that that was true. That
all of those types, shadows, and pictures that pointed to
Christ were fulfilled in Christ. That all the Scriptures about
the Lord Jesus Christ coming to this earth and being born
of a virgin and bearing the sins of many on the cross, being buried
and rose again the third day are fulfilled because God purposed
it to happen. So Esther drew near and touched
the top of the scepter. Now in verse three, we have this. Verse three, then said the king
unto her, what wilt thou Queen Esther? You know, it's a gracious
thing that Queen Esther requested so little. What did she say? Well, let's
just read this. What is thy request? I'll give you half the kingdom.
Was there 127 provinces? 129 provinces? Cut that in half. You know, there's another king
that told a young lady, Because her dancing pleased him, she
could have up to half. And what was her request? The
head of John Baptist. Up to half the kingdom. Well,
this king said, what will you have up to half the kingdom?
And Esther answered, if it seemed good unto the king. Isn't that
something? I'm making no demands if it seems
good to the king. Let the King and Haman come this
day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. Now, so you're
going to have a banquet. You're going to have a small
gathering for... The word banquet comes mainly
from the word wine, but there's usually some food with it. A
banquet. We're going to have a small banquet
today and talk about having a bigger banquet tomorrow. You see, the
king said, cause Haman to make haste that he may do as Esther
has said. So the king and Haman came to
the banquet that Esther had prepared. So this is that preparation for
this first banquet. Just gonna, at her request again. This is so interesting. The king,
what do you want? You know, I think of those words
over in the book of Romans chapter eight. Now, Romans 8.28 sets
the stage for this. Turn with me to Romans 8.28.
He's already said she can have half the kingdom, but notice
with me over here in the book of Romans as we think about what
the Lord has done for us in Romans 8.31. Romans 8.31. Chapter 8 verse 28 has certainly
set the stage for this, but in Romans chapter 8, 31, what shall
we say to these things? And all the things that have
been written here prior to this in the book of Romans, all the
scriptures, if God be for us, who can be against us? He that
spared not his own son, Now what does that tell us? It tells us
that's the price God paid for the redemption of his people
who spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all.
He's talking about the elect. He's talking about the chosen.
He's talking about the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He's
talking about those whose names are written down in the Lamb's
Book of Life. To them, how shall he not with Him also, freely
give us all things." Now sometimes we think about those in physical
things, but let's just think, all spiritual blessings. Freely
give us. Because He spared not His own
Son, He gives to the church all things. Spiritual blessings.
We have the justification and righteousness, pardon from sin,
sanctification, adoption, eternal life, all in a most sovereign
way does He give all things to us. If He did this and gave His
only begotten Son, if He did this and spared not His own Son,
then He is going to give everything that falls under that. These
are minuscule things compared to what He gave to redeem us. The blood of His own Son, the
Lord Jesus Christ. The Son that went to the cross
and that the Father poured out His wrath upon Him when He had
our sins imputed to Him. So this one has freely given
the church all things. Spared nothing. Well, we're going
to have that a little bit in type, shadow, and picture here
with regard to Ahasuerus. He simply says, you have half
of everything I have. What's your request? Her request
is, I'd like to have a banquet with you and Haman this afternoon.
Let's drink a little wine together and discuss something. Well,
as we go on, we find there the father, Noah, what we have need
of before we ask. That comes from the book of Matthew
chapter 6 verse 8 and also in verse 32. We're not informing
God of anything when we pray. He has knowledge of what we have
need of. He stirs his church to pray according to his everlasting
eternal purpose. A banquet. Let's go back to the
book of Esther here for just a moment. Book of Esther. Esther chapter five. Get Haman over here, verse five.
And they had a small banquet. And in verse six, and the king
said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, what is thy petition? And it shall be granted thee,
what is thy request? Even to half the kingdom, second
time, what's your request? This is just an insignificant
thing to have me and Eamon for a glass of wine and a few grapes.
What is your request, even to half the kingdom? Then answered
Esther and said, my petition and my request is, if I have
found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleased the king
to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king
and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them,
and I will do it tomorrow as the king hath said. Let's have
another banquet tomorrow. And the same people are invited.
Now she is going to make a request at that banquet. Well, that we'll
read about not next time so much, but the following time she has
a request. Her people. Her people. But the first time, let's have
a banquet. Second time, we have a banquet.
You know, it reminded me of Solomon over in 1 Kings chapter 3. Verses
1 through 13. I'm not going to read it all.
But Solomon was made king of Israel after David. And the Lord
came to him and said, what do you want that I should give you?
He says, I need some wisdom on how to direct this great people,
how to be a good king for this great people. And the Lord says,
because you didn't ask for life, or victory over all your enemies,
or wealth, long life, or victory over your enemies, or great wealth,
I'm going to give you wisdom, but I'm going to give you the
rest too. We're going to see here that Esther requested a
banquet, such an insignificant thing. In all of this great kingdom,
she made a request. And this request was made to
Ahasuerus, on behalf of Ahasuerus and Haman, please let us meet
together and have a banquet. And when they had that, what
do you want? I want to have another banquet.
Well, we'll find out what she asks the next time when we get
to chapter six. But such a simple thing. What
do you request? Such a simple thing. Lord be
honored. Lord, be honored. Lord, would
you be honored in our service. Would you be honored as we speak.
So it's carried out here in this great book of Esther as God directs
all things behind the lattice. And as we read there in verse
1, it came to pass, God's involved from beginning to end. He's directing
from beginning to end. And he put his finger on that
scepter and pushed it down. And Queen Esther came forward,
put her hand on it, and is recognized by the king as being where she
needs to be at the right time. We'll stop there for tonight.
Pick this up Lord willing next time.