Would you join me tonight in
the book of Esther, chapter 3. I eventually want to read this
entire chapter tonight. but I would that you keep your
finger right there in Esther chapter 3 and there's a verse
over the book of Numbers chapter 22 and verse 12 that I'd like
to read in conjunction with this passage of scripture. So if you
would just for a moment turn with me over to the book of Numbers. Numbers chapter 22 and in verse
12. Now there are some parallels
to what we find in the book of Numbers chapter 22, 23, 24, and
I believe 25, because there is an individual that is going to
be paid a lot of good money if he is able to curse Israel. We have a person by the name
of Balaam and Balak and Balaam is going
to be hired to curse Israel. Now, these are the words that
the Lord spoke to Balaam, and it has some implications of our
passage there in the book of Esther, chapter 3. Because in the book of Esther,
chapter 3, there's an individual that wants to do away with all
of Israel, all the Jews that are in the Persian area there. And in chapter 22, verse 12,
The scriptures say this, and God said unto Balaam, thou shall
not go with them, thou shall not curse the people. Now this
is God's word about his people, for they are blessed. They are blessed, they're already
blessed. I've blessed them, you cannot
curse them. So when we find things coming
up, situations coming up, like we find over here in the book
of Esther, In Esther chapter 3, there's been an individual
that has been promoted to a very, very high position there in the
Persian Empire, and his name is Haman. And last time we met,
We talked about how he got put to that seat, how he was promoted. And you know, there's a lot of
things that could be said about it, but we find this in the scriptures. This is the reason that he was
truly promoted to the position that he was in. And it's found
in the book of Ezra, first of all, let's read that verse one.
After these things did King Ahasuerus promote Haman, the son of Hamadathah,
the Agite and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes
that were with him. So he has been promoted to the
highest position except for the king in the realm. And we are
not given any inside information on why that happened. But we
do find as a result of studying the scriptures that there are
many reasons and they're all from God. God is the reason that
he's been promoted. Now, in the book of Ezra, chapter
1, we read this last time, but I'd like to read it again. It
has some excellent reading here, especially when we're studying
about why things happen as they do, and how do people get moved
as they are. And in the book of Ezra, chapter
1 and verse 1, we find that there was a king of Persia, same empire
that we're reading about over here in Esther. There's a king
in Ezra chapter one, verse one, king of Persia by the name of
Cyrus. Now this is not the first time
in the scriptures that this particular individual is mentioned by name,
but we find here now in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia,
that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be
fulfilled. We have that wonderful passage
of scripture mentioning here, and it's because this man is
on the position that he is in, he's been exalted to that position
by Almighty God, and he's been exalted to that position, as
we read here, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah
might be fulfilled. We notice there that the Lord
stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia. So the Lord got
involved in him. Now how he does that many times
is his business. He's sovereign. He gets to do
those things without having anybody ask him why or how, but we find
here that the word of the Lord shares with us that he moved
in some capacity upon Cyrus. He stirred him. Now we can find
this word similarly in places where God stirred his own people.
But here he stirred a pagan king and he stirred this pagan king
to make a proclamation that the word of the Lord by Jeremiah
might be fulfilled, that those who wanted to go back, that God
had chosen to go back to Jerusalem were going to be going back.
He's going to make that edict. All right. That's what God does.
And he still practices that. He still is involved in people
in authority and in high places. They're moved upon by God. We
find that in some ways God moves upon his children in the same
manner, but he moves upon them to fulfill his eternal purpose.
Over in the book of Jeremiah, we also read this, but I'd like
to read it again because it fits right into the passage of scripture
that we're gonna be studying tonight. There in the book of
Jeremiah chapter 27. In Jeremiah 27, The scriptures have this to say
about how God moves with people and in people and by people.
He puts them in the right place at the right time for his purpose.
And they may not have any other purpose in their entire life,
but this, but this King Ahasuerus is in a position and he is in
a position to be moved by the Lord to promote Haman. Now Haman,
we're going to find out is an arch enemy of the church. He's
an arch enemy. of the people of God. He's an
archenemy of Mordecai, and he's going to do everything possible
to destroy these people. But we find that the Lord uses
people like that so often to demonstrate that it is God that
is in charge to begin with. So in Jeremiah chapter 27, and
beginning with verse 5, we have these words, I have made the
earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground by my
great power and by my outstretched arm. And I've given it unto whom
it seemeth meet unto me. I've given this land to whomsoever
it seems meet to me. Verse six, and now have I given
all these lands under the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.
Well, he's speaking about where Israel has a boat. He's speaking
about where the children of Israel have been. He's speaking to them
about the people in Canaan, where the people have moved into Canaan.
I've given this land into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king
of Babylon, my servant, and the beasts of the field have I given
him also to serve him. So Babylon The King Nebuchadnezzar,
the King of Babylon, again is my servant. He is my servant.
He will do at my bidding. He will move at my command. And
then in verse 7 it says, And all nations shall serve him and
his son and his son's son until the time of his land come And
then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.
So the Lord mentions this. Now one final passage over in
the book of Daniel. Would you turn with me to the
book of Daniel? This is a very interesting verse of scripture,
but it just shares so much of what is going on in the world
today. It just wasn't in the days of Ahasuerus. It wasn't
in the days of King Nebuchadnezzar. It wasn't in just in the days
of Abraham or Isaac or Jacob. It wasn't just in the days of
Pharaoh. Here we find in the book of Daniel
chapter 2 and verse 21 that the ultimate reason that people are
where they are Yes, we may have voted or not voted for them,
but they're ultimately put into a position that we read about
here in the book of Daniel. In the book of Daniel chapter
two and verse 21, and he changes the times and the seasons. This
is the Lord. Talk about drought. We talk about
too much, we say too much rain. We talk about all of these things
that are moved upon by the earth. We have someone that's in charge
of all of that. We're gonna say, The seasons are changing. I remember
when my grandfather was a young man, he used to raise watermelons
at 4,800 feet. Now you can't hardly raise a
tomato there. It's so cold most of the time. Well, he goes on to say, and
setteth up kings, he giveth wisdom unto the wise. Oh, excuse me,
let me back up here. He removeth kings, and setteth
up kings. He giveth wisdom unto the wise
and knowledge to them that know understanding. So we have this
great verse of scripture about why are people where they are? Well, ultimately, they're there
because of God. Ultimately, he disposes of kings
and he raises up kings. We say, well, we might have a
problem with someone that's been to an elected office or a country
gets a coup. We don't understand all of the
ways that God moves and he is doing everything for the glory
of God and for the glory of his church. Well, as we go back here
to the book of Ezra, excuse me, the book of Esther, the book
of Esther, we're gonna follow a course through here in the
book of Esther chapter three. We find out in this passage of
scripture that Mordecai will not bow to this Haman. Book of Esther chapter three.
Book of Esther chapter three and starting with verse two.
Now, Haman has been promoted. He's been promoted by Almighty
God. He's in a position, and he is in a position to do great
mischief to the church. He's great mischief to the people
of God. And is he going to be allowed to do that? Well, let's
just read here at the opening statements of this passage of
scripture. It tells us in verse two, and all the king's servants
that were in the king's gate bowed and reverenced Haman. Now why did they do that? Most
people do things for a reason. These people did it for a reason.
It says, therefore the king had so commanded concerning him,
but Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. Then the king's
servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why
transgressest thou the king's commandment? It's so interesting,
we always have somebody telling us how to be right. There's always
somebody, you need to do this, you can't go there. Well, we'll
come back to that in a moment. Verse four, now it came to pass
when they spake daily unto him, he hearkened not unto them, that
they told Haman to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand.
For he had told them he was a Jew. When Haman saw that Mordecai
bowed not, nor did him reverence, Then was Haman full of wrath,
and he thought scorned to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for
they had showed him the people of Mordecai. Wherefore, Haman
sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole
kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai. In the first
month, that is, in the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of
King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, Lot, before Haman from
day to day, from month to month, the twelfth month, that is, the
month Adar. Now, we're going to find in this
that apparently Haman was very superstitious and he's looking
for exactly the right time to do what he's planning to do.
They're going to cast lots on the day or the month that they're
going to perform this great deed against the Jews. Well, as it
falls out, the lot is in the hand, but God is the one that
brings it about. And we find out that the time
that was given, instead of Haman getting right on his horse and
going down and taking care of these Jews, it's almost going
to be a year. And we're going to find many
things take place between now and then. That if God had not
intervened, there may have been a great amount of people of the
Jews killed. So Haman is doing his thing,
and it says in verse eight, Haman said unto King Ahasuerus, there
is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the
people in all the provinces of thy kingdom. Their laws are diverse
from all people. Neither keep they the king's
laws. Therefore, it is not for the king's prophet to suffer
them. If it please the king, let it be written that they may
be destroyed. And I will pay 10,000 talents
of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business
to bring it into the king's treasuries. And the king took his ring from
his hand and gave it into Haman, the king of Hamadathah, the Agite,
the Jew's enemy. And the king said unto Haman,
the silver is given to thee and the people also to do with them
as it seemeth good to thee. Then where the king's scribes,
called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there
was written according to all that Haman had commanded, and
to the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over
every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province,
according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their
language. In the name of King Ahasuerus
was it written, and sealed with the king's ring. And the letters
were sent by post to all the king's provinces to destroy,
to kill, to cause to perish all Jews, both young and old, like
little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth
day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take
the spoil of them for a prey. And the copy of the writing was
commanded to be given until every province was published and to
all people that they should be ready against the day. And the
post went out being hastened by the king's commandment. And
the decree was given to Shushan the palace and the king and Haman
sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed. Now, sometimes we might look
at this and say, now, why in the world did God Purpose this
why did he permit this why did he allow it to go on? Well, I
think it we just need to turn over to a passage of scripture
in the book of Romans for a moment and you know where I'm going
to Romans chapter 8 Romans chapter 8 sums up all of this and Romans
chapter 8 sums up what's taking place with Haman and Ahasuerus. Summing up what is taking place,
the possible extermination of all the Jews in this area, the
Persian Empire, that had been taken captivity by a king years
ago. So in the book of Romans chapter
8 there is a verse of scripture that we often flee to in times
of trouble and we're often comforted by because God shares with us
in this passage of scripture that there is a reason that things
happen as they do. In the book of Romans chapter
8. Paul is sharing with us in this
passage of scripture as he is led by the Holy Spirit and I
believe he is also has great conviction about this because
he has seen this principle work in his very own life. He has
seen these things fulfilled in his very own life that someone
and not fate, not the governor, but God Almighty is in charge
of all the activities that Saul of Tarsus, now Paul, has gone
through and will go through. For it tells us in Romans chapter
8, and we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. Everything, and let's remember
this, as we read in the book of Esther chapter 3, chapter
4, chapter 5, that this plotting and planning to destroy the people
of God, the Jews, to destroy Mordecai, This plotting and planning
has been moved into the hearts of these people by only one person,
Almighty God. And He is going to demonstrate
His feelings about that, His thought about that, and His purpose
about that. Let us remember the doings of
His grace in time are ever the result of His purpose of grace
before the foundation of the world. He didn't start to make
a plan after the world was created. He had a plan and created. All things work together. It's
not said they work singly or alone. Now, we might pick out
one strand here and say, why is this happening? We might pick
out one string of the fabric and say, why is this happening? And no doubt many of those people
did. And it happens in our own life.
Why is this happening? What is going on here? And we
find out that that one string is only one string. And all things
work together. It is not said that they work
singly or alone, but in relationship to one another. God is working
all things after the counsel of his own will. They work together. They're all working together. There's going to be a magnificent
tapestry. Using that metaphorically, there's
a unique and glorious tapestry of his grace. as he works all
things out after the counsel of his own will. He is going
to move in this situation after he has purposed Haman to do this. He's moved upon him. He moved
upon Ahasuerus to do this, to select him. He's gonna move upon
Haman, to move upon the children of Israel. And we're gonna find
out that God has purposed that, that he might demonstrate his
purpose against those vessels of dishonor. Let's move, as we
think about this, one little thing which we cannot at all
understand or see the reason the Lord sees it's necessary
to make all things work together for the good of them that love
God to those who are called according to his purpose. The Lord sees
it's necessary to make several other things properly work. He is seeing everything at the
same time. We're only seeing one string
of the tapestry at a time. It's necessary to make several
other things properly work for our good. Without that one thing,
that one very unpleasant thing, we might say, all the rest would
not be for our benefit. So God is working all things
for our good to those who are called according to this purpose.
These all things are so many like shuttles making a tapestry. And if we miss one, we have marred
the tapestry, weaving the web of goodness and blessing for
the children of God. The hand that throws the shuttle
is the hand of Jesus Christ the Lord. And we will see all things
did work together when we are in his presence. Now, whether
it's cognizant or not, we would be able to see and understand
that all things did work together for all his people, for those
he has chosen according to his purpose. as this speaks to the
wisdom power and love of him who doeth all things well so
as we read this there's no mistake that Haman gets promoted and
there's no mistake that Mordecai does not bow and there's no mistake
that Haman did not talk his king into destroying all the Jews
that were in the land. Now let's go back over there
to the book of Esther one more time, chapter three. The book
of Esther, chapter three. We notice here in these verses
two through 15, in this third chapter declares there's a grievous
issue has developed. A grievous issue has developed.
After Haman's ill feelings towards Mordecai. Now, you know, it amazes me and
we see this so often. Haman had all the riches he could
ever want. He had all the property he could
ever think about owning. He had every physical blessing. He had everything going his way.
He's been appointed to the position that he's in by the king of the
Persian empire, the greatest kingdom up to that point. And
yet he doesn't have one thing and he just cannot stand it. And that is he doesn't have one
man bowing to him. Here in the book of Esther, one
more time, let's go back to the book of Esther, chapter three,
and there in verse, let's look at a few things here in verses
two through 15. This passage of scripture declares
a grievous situation for the children of Israel, for the Jews
that are there, and a grievous situation for Mordecai. He is
looking at certain deaths. How this has often happened through
the history of the saints. We find that this persecution
is part of the church's life. This happened in the days after
Stephen was stoned. There was great persecution against
the church. Not just Stephen. He was stoned
to death. His life was taken out of this
world. It was appointed time and appointed
means by which he died. And he, once he closed his eyes
in death, would never, ever want to come back to this place. He's
in the presence of the Lord. But he was not the only one that
was being persecuted at that time. The church was being persecuted. Saul of Tarsus was a great persecutor
of the church. Hold your finger there and just
travel over with me to the book of Acts chapter eight. Keep there
a nester. Hold your finger right there.
And travel with me over to the book of Acts. And we notice here
that this has been a feature of history. It's been a feature
of the history of the church. We find out that there have often
been people that have been raised up to persecute the church, been
people raised up to even take lives out of the church like
we find Saul of Tarsus did. Here in the book of Acts chapter
8 and there in verse 1, the scriptures say Saul was consenting unto
his death. And at that time, there was a
great persecution against the church, which was in Jerusalem.
And they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea
and Samaria, except the apostles. People moved out of Jerusalem
because of persecution. And they buried Stephen, and
we find out it did not stop Saul of Tarsus. And it won't be long,
he, well, in verse three, he made havoc of the church. entering
into every house and hailing men and women committed them
to prison. So there's great persecution. Many people are going to lose
their lives over this. Well, over here in the days of Esther,
in the days of Mordecai and Haman, there's a lot of people whose
lives have been threatened. And in fact, it is so threatened
that the king writes a law that they will be taken out on a certain
day. And there's not anything that
those people can do. They're servants. They're in
the land. We find, one more time, while you're here in the book
of Acts, just look with me to Acts chapter 11 and verse 19. Acts chapter 11 and verse 19,
we find the same principle going on. There was all kinds of persecution
through the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. We
find that people raise up their hand against the church, against
the people of God. It continues on even today. Here
we find in places of the world there's people that are suffering
great persecution. Here we read in the book of Acts
chapter 11 verse 19, now they which were scattered abroad upon
the persecution that rose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia
and Cyprus and Antioch preaching the word to none but unto Jews
only." So here we are several chapters later in the book of
Acts we find what did they do when they were scattered abroad?
They took the word out further from Jerusalem. The only people
that remained in Jerusalem were the disciples. So we have this
persecution is going on and we find One more time here in the
book of Acts chapter 13 and verse 15. Acts chapter 13 and verse
15 this issue is brought up again. Acts chapter 13 Oh, excuse me, verse 50. If I
could just read my writing. But the Jews, Acts chapter 13
and verse 50, but the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women
and the chief men of the city and raised persecution against
Paul in Barnabas and expelled them out of their coasts. So
if we read the life of Saul, even he enumerates one time the
number of things that he'd went through during his life for the
cause of Christ. He said he suffered all things
for the elect's sake. He endured all things for the
elect's sake. Well, as we look here, we find
that Haman is most disturbed. Let us go back now where your
finger was there in the book of Esther. In the book of Esther,
we find that Haman is most disturbed Esther chapter 3, in Esther chapter
3 we have Haman most disturbed because somebody will not do
what they are told to do by the king. Now, as long as it honors
the Lord, we are to do it. As long as it does not harm the
gospel preaching, as long as it does not harm the church,
we're to follow what the king has to say. But this is a rule
that is set down by the king that Mordecai cannot keep because
he has been warned in the scriptures that he should bow before no
other gods, and this This decree has been made Haman almost as
a god. It says here, the king's servants
were at the gates, said unto Mordecai, verse 3, why transgressest
thou the king's commandment? We just see that this Heyman was the most disturbed
when Mordecai would not do it, but we have other people there
that are saying that it seems to me that there's just somebody
always ready to give you, to tell you how you should do your
things, particularly religious things, and that someone had
stirred to tell Mordecai his duties. You should bow. Well, Mordecai hadn't. He wasn't. And we have people today, tell
us, inform. You know, if we actually fulfilled
everybody else's ideas on how we're supposed to live, we just
have to stay in bed. Someone will have to bring us
food because we couldn't do anything. You can't eat that. You can't
drink that. You can't go there. On and on
it goes. You can't, you can't, you can't. What did Mordecai have? You know,
as we think about it, Mordecai had the same thing you and I
have if we have Christ. That's the only thing that gave
him the courage to do what he did. That's the only thing that
gave him the ability to do what he did. Most, should we say all,
everybody in the kingdom, except for the Jews had already bowed
to Haman. They had already bowed to this
one. And so we find that one man hadn't
bowed and he had something. He had the gospel. He had Christ. He had the Messiah. He had God
as his father. He had a savior. He had justification. He had redemption. He had all
those things that we find in the New Testament. In fact, as
we read about him, we can almost read what we read in Philippians
chapter 3. Keep your finger here again and
travel with me over to the book of Philippians, if you would.
Philippians chapter 3. In Philippians chapter 3, it
tells us what Mordecai had. This is what God gives to all
of his people. Now, this is a distinguishing
mark between Mordecai and Haman. This is a distinguishing mark
between those Jews and those Persians. This is a distinguishing
mark between those who are in the true church of God and those
who are in the worldly church. It says here in Philippians chapter
3 and verse 1, Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write
the same things to you, to me, indeed, is not grievous, but
for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil
workers, beware of the concision. Now we know what that is. He's
not talking about having, not having a dog. He's talking about
people who, who make a mess of the gospel, which makes it not
the gospel. Now notice here in verse three,
this is what Mordecai had. This is what the people of God
have. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit. That's what Mordecai had. He
worshiped God in the spirit. It wasn't some man that he worshipped,
he worshipped God in the Spirit. worship God, must worship Him
in spirit and in truth. There's no other way to worship
Him. So we have this worship. That's one of the things that
is so different in Christianity with everything else, that it
is a spiritual place. It is a spiritual house. It's
a spiritual truth. It's a spiritual book. The Bible
is spiritual. People who read it only for the
history in it miss the point. Here we have, for we are the
circumcision which worship God in the spirit. Now notice this,
this is also what Mordecai rejoiced in. He rejoiced in Christ Jesus. He did not depend upon his works.
He did not depend upon his righteousness. He didn't depend upon his sanctification. He didn't depend upon anything
that he had in himself. He was totally dependent upon
the Lord. Worship and rejoice in Christ
Jesus. That is our foundation stone.
He is our foundation. He is all and in all. He is the
blessed son of God. He's the one that is the all
and in all. He's the one we worship. He is
the issue. So Mordecai had that. And then
we find this, and have no confidence in the flesh. Jesus said, the
flesh profiteth nothing. There's not one atom of our flesh
that profits in any way towards the worship of Almighty God.
Now he uses this body to move our spirit, but that's it. So
these are the three things that Mordecai had. These are the three
things that God's people have. This is what makes the difference,
why they can look Haman in the face and say, I'm not gonna worship
you. For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit. There is a spiritual circumcision. To have physical circumcision
does avails nothing. To be Jew or Gentile avails nothing. But here we have worship God
in spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence
in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence
of flesh, if any other man thinketh he hath whereof he might trust
in the flesh, I more." He counted it all but done. There was nothing in that that
was beneficial, made any move towards Almighty God. This is,
we have this problem, we have this issue, and Haman has brought
it up. This section of Esther describes
the heart of a man without Christ, the vessel of wrath fitted to
destruction. As we follow Haman, we follow
a person that is Exercising his free will and exercising his
free will will never bring him closer to God. It will always
take him as it was with Haman. He exercised his will against
God and against God's people and against God's purpose. He
did all he could to hinder the people of God. Well, we find
out that God raised him up for a purpose that he might show
his power in him. We read those things in the book
of Romans chapter 9 that we've read this a number of times as
we've looked into the book of Esther. Aren't I the potter? You're the clay? Mordecai, you're
the clay. Haman, you're the clay. One honor,
vessel unto honor, another unto dishonor. And he chose to do
that. Keep your finger right here for just a moment in the
book of Esther again and let's just travel over there to that
blessed passage of scripture in the book of Romans that shares
with us God's prerogative over all things. He is the ruler over
all things. He purposes all things. He performs
all things. He does all things. People are
in a position that they are. some of the most foolish people
God raises to high places to demonstrate his power. All right,
notice here in Romans chapter 9 verse 21, hath not the potter
power over the clay? You know, people would walk down
to the potter's house and order a piece of pottery and look what
went on and never see the truths that are being brought up here.
that potter had power over the clay. The clay never performed
its own work. It was always acted upon by the
potter. Hath not the potter power over
the clay? Of the same lump, of the same
kind of clay, of the same clay of Adam, Adam our first father,
the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and another to dishonor.
Out of the same lump he made Mordecai the Jew, and he made
Haman the Agite out of the same lump of clay. You know, we brought
out a couple, three weeks ago, that probably both of those could
trace their lines clear back to Adam, right back to Noah,
right back to Adam. Now it says here, what if God
willing to show his wrath and to make his power known endured
with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?
It is longsuffering that God permits Haman's to live and to
do their work. It is God's mercy. He allows
it, much longsuffering, the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.
Instead of just wiping them out, you know, It's interesting as
we look at people like Haman, and we look at people like Mordecai,
and we look at other people in the Bible that did such serious
crimes. And we find out that some of
them, God permitted them to live. He didn't take them out instantly.
And then we go down the line a ways and we find out that there's
someone in their line that God saved. Those are the means that
he produced his sheep by, these nitwits, these murders and thieves. We go back in our own history,
our own family line, just a little ways, we find out some probably
some undesirables. And yet it was God that moved
them to be in the right place at the right time, marry the
right person or have the right girlfriend or boyfriend, whatever
took place and brought us into the world. And that's going to
continue on. You know, there used to be a
belief that saved people brought saved children into the world.
Well, it doesn't take very long to prove that's wrong. But lost
people can bring God's sheep into the world, lost sheep, and
they can hear the gospel and they can be saved. Well, what
if God willing to show his wrath and to make his power known endured
much long suffering, the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction,
that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels
of mercy, which he had before prepared unto glory. So he talks, even us whom he
hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.
Mordecai had been called, Haman wasn't called. He was moved upon
to do this dastardly work. This man Haman contrives to destroy not just
Mordecai, but all his people, the Jews, a faulty cause from
the very, very beginning. Verse 7, going back to the book
of Esther chapter 3 for just a moment. Our time is about up,
but just look here just a moment. in the book of Esther, chapter
3, and there in verse 4, 5, and 6. Now it came to pass, when they
spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that
they told Haman to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand,
for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw
that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman
full of wrath. And he thought scorned to lay
hands on Mordecai alone, for they that showed him the people
of Mordecai. right at the very beginning.
He says, I should just get ahold of him and shake him to death.
I should kill him. I should do away with him. Well,
by God's grace, he was not destroyed at that time. And then wherefore
Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the
whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai. And then
we find there in verse seven, that this was done to determine,
this whole verse seven was done to determine the most lucky month
and lucky day of the month. From Haman's perspective, they
cast lots so that they'd come up on the best month and the
best day of the month to destroy the Jews. And yet we find out
there's going to be a year between here and there. Well, a lot of
things are going to take place. Chapters, The rest of chapter
three, four, five, six, seven, the Lord's gonna work a wonderful
work of grace as he brings this whole thing to a head and we
find out that Haman is destroyed. Well, God's intervention overruling
the lot that the Jews could be prepared. Esther had time to
come before the king. He had time to write more letters,
the whole thing. This reminds me of a king who
became very wroth. You know, Haman reminds me of
a king who became very wroth when some kings didn't come back. Wise men of the East did not
come back and report to him. That man, Herod, killed how many
boy babies? Two years and under? That the
scriptures might be fulfilled. You know, people have called
God a very mean God. No, He's a very gracious God. And He does according to His
eternal purpose at the right time. And we're going to see
here that God's people will be delivered just like He does.
Now, we're going to be delivered in time of trouble. We'll be
delivered one of two ways. We'll either be taken out of
the trouble or we'll pass through the gate and we'll enter into
His presence. Both ways were winners. So we'll
look at this, Lord willing, next time here in the book of Esther
chapter three. We'll conclude it and we'll get
into chapter four. Some more intrigue by Haman and
God's overruling all things. We'll stop there for tonight.