Today’s Bible Translation
Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1 NET, Ch. 2-4 NKJV, Ch. 5 GWT
Executive Producer
Lifespring! Family Berean Sister Ann
Podcast Introduction
It’s History Tuesday. We’ll read Esther 1-5. I’m calling this episode “Queen Vashti’s Rebellion.“
Summary
The book of Esther is set in the vast Persian Empire, ruled by King Ahasuerus (Xerxes). Ahasuerus throws extravagant banquets to display his power. Queen Vashti refuses his inappropriate request during one such event, leading to her removal as queen.
The text also mentions Ephesians 5, emphasizing that respect should be earned through love, not demanded through mistreatment. Ahasuerus could have avoided the situation if he had loved Vashti genuinely. The story continues in the next reading.
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The Team
Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Denise: Transcript Correction
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Transcript
Transcript not yet corrected.
Steve Webb 0:00
I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that I agree with Paul.
Steve Webb 0:04
It’s the Lifespring! One Year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004. I’m your OG Godcaster. Steve Webb. It’s history Tuesday. and our reading is Esther one through five. The website is Lifespringmedia.com. and contact information will be at the end of today’s show. Before we read, let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, we love you and we thank You for Your Word. We pray God that as we read you would bless us. Teach us today we pray in Jesus name. Amen. All right, are you ready? Let’s begin.
Steve Webb 0:41
Esther is the final book of history in the Bible. We’ll read about a character by the name of King Ahasuerus. He’s better known as Xerxes to students of history. and he was the son of Darius the first whom we read about in the books of Ezra, Daniel and Haggai. It’s interesting to note that the ruins of Ahasuerus’ palace in which the events of this book took place have been unearthed by archaeologists, as the events of this book take place, Ahasuerus’ is the largest empire, the Persian empire the world had ever seen up to that point, spanning modern Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and parts of Egypt, Sudan, Libya, and Arabia. So yeah, it was big. As the book takes place, Ezra had returned to Jerusalem, and 30 years before the temple had been rebuilt. 40 years later, under a hazard awareness, his successor or desert sees the first Nehemiah would return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls.
Steve Webb 1:43
Esther chapter one. The following events happened in the days of a heavy Waris, I’m referring to that A has you heiress who used to rule over 127 provinces, extending all the way from India to Ethiopia. In those days as Kenya has you era sat on his royal throne and Susa the Citadel. In the third year of his reign, he provided a banquet for all of his officials and his servants. The army of Persia and Media was present, as well as the nobles and the officials of the provinces. He displayed the riches of His royal glory in the splendor of His majestic greatness for a lengthy period of time. 180 days to be exact. When those days were completed, the king then provided a seven day banquet for all the people who were present in Susa, the Citadel for those of highest standing to the most lowly. It was held in the court located in the garden of the Royal Palace. The furnishings included white linen, and blue curtains hung by cords of the finest linen, and purple wool on silver rings, alabaster columns, gold and silver couches displayed on a floor made of valuable stones of alabaster, mother of pearl and mineral stone. drinks were served in Golden containers, all of which differed from one another. Royal wine was available in abundance at the Kings expense. There were no restrictions on the drinking for the king had instructed all his supervisors that they should do is every one so desired. Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in Kenya has you Waris, his royal palace on the seventh day is King has you Aris was feeling the effects of the wine he ordered me human because the heart Bona big fo a bag the Z Thor and carcass the seven Unix who attended him to bring Queen Vashti into the king’s presence wearing her royal high turban. He wanted to show the people and the officials her beauty for she was very attractive. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s bidding conveyed through the Unix. Then the king became extremely angry and his rage consumed him. The king then inquired of the Wiseman who were dissenters of the times for it was the royal custom to confer with all those who were proficient in laws and legalities. Those who were closest to him were car Sheena sheath are at Mesa Tarshish me res Martina and memudahkan these men with the seven officials of Persia and Media who saw the king on a regular basis and had the most prominent offices in the kingdom. The king asked by law what should be done to Queen Vashti in light of the fact that she is not obey the instructions of King a has you Eros conveyed through the Unix mum you can then reply to the king and the officials. The rung of Queen Vashti is not against the king alone but against all the officials and all the people who are throughout all the provinces of Kenya has you whereas, for the matter concerning the queen will spread to all the women leading them to treat their husbands with contempt, saying when King has you Eros gave orders to bring Queen Vashti into His presence she would not come and this very day the noble ladies of Persia in media who have heard the matter concerning the queen will respond And in the same way to all the royal officials, and there will be more than enough contempt and anger. If the king is so inclined, let a royal edict go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media that cannot be repealed that Vashti may not come into the presence of King has you, Eris, and let the King convey her royalty to another who was more deserving than she and let the king’s decision that he will enact be disseminated throughout all his kingdom vast though it is, then all the women will give honor to their husbands from the most prominent to the lowly. The matter seemed appropriate to the king and the officials. So the king acted on the advice of mucus and he sent letters throughout all the royal provinces to each province according to its own script, and to each people according to its own language that every man should be ruling his family and should be speaking the language of his own people.
Steve Webb 5:54
Esther chapter two. After these things when the wrath of King has us subsided, he remembered Vash tie what she had done, and what had been decreed against her. Then the king servants who attended him said, Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king, and let the King appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to Sham the Citadel into the women’s quarters under the custody of Haggai the Kings unic custodian of the women, and let beauty preparations be given them. Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti this thing please the king and he did so. In Shu Shan, the Citadel there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair the son of shimmy AI the son of Kish, a Benjamites. Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been captured with Jack Enya, king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. and Mordecai had brought up a dasa that is estar, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother, the young woman was lovely and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. So it was when the king’s command and decree were heard. and when many young women were gathered at Shu Shan, the Citadel under the custody of Haggai, that Esther also was taken to the king’s palace into the care of Haggai, the custodian of the women. Now the young woman pleased him and she obtained his favor, so he readily gave beauty preparations to her besides her allowance. Then seven choice maid servants were provided for her from the king’s palace, and he moved her and her maid servants to the best place in the house of the women. Esther had not revealed her people or family for Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it. and every day Mordecai paste in front of the court of the women’s quarters to learn investors, welfare and what was happening to her. Each young woman’s turn came to go into King a has us after she had completed 12 months preparation. According to the regulations for the women. For the US were the days of their preparation apportioned six months with oil of Morocco, and six months with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women Thus prepared, each young woman went to the king, and she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the women’s quarters to the king’s palace. In the evening she went and in the morning, she returned to the second house of the women to the custody of che ash gas, the king’s unit who kept the concubines, she would not go into the king again unless the king delighted in her in called for her by name. Now, when the turn came for Esther, the daughter of Abba Hale, the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter to go into the king, she requested nothing but what Haggai the Kings unit, the custodian of the women advised and Esther obtain favor in the sight of all who saw her. So Esther was taken to King Ahaz you Eros into his royal palace in the 10th month, which is the month of tea Beth in the seventh year of his reign. The king loved Esther more than all the other women and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her Queen instead of Vashti. Then the king made a great feast, the Feast of Esther for all his officials and servants, and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the generosity of a king. When virgins were gathered together a second time, Mordecai sat within the Kings gate. Now Esther had not revealed her family and her people just as Mordecai had charged her for Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai is when she was brought up by him. In those days while Mordecai sat within the king’s gate, to have the king’s Unix big fun and Tirosh doorkeepers became furious in sought to lay hands on King as you heiress. So the matter became known to Mordecai who told Queen Esther and Esther informed the king and mortar guys name and women inquiry was made into the matter. It was confirmed and both were hanged on a gallows. and it was written in the book of the Chronicles in the presence of the king.
Steve Webb 10:10
Esther chapter three. After these things King a has you Eros promoted Haman, the son of hammer data, the aggregate and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. and all the king’s servants who were within the Kings gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage. Then the king servants who were within the king’s gate said to Mordecai, why do you transgress the king’s command? Now it happened when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them that they told it to Haman to see whether Mordecai his words would stand for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled with wrath, but he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom have a has you Eris, the people of Mordecai in the first month, which is the month of nice and in the 12th year of Kinga has you Waris, they cast pure that is the lot before Haman to determine the day and the month until it fell on the 12th month, which is the month of ADR. Then Haman said to King has you Eris, there is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different from all other peoples and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore, it is not fitting for the King to let them remain. If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work to bring it into the king’s treasuries. So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of hammer data, the aggregate the enemy of the Jews, and the king said to Haman, the money in the people are given to you to do with them as seems good to you. Then the king scribes were called on the 13th day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman had commanded to the kings satraps to the governor’s who were over each province, to the officials of all the people to every province according to its script, and to every people in their language. In the name of King it has us it was written and sealed with the king’s signet ring. and the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women in one day on the 13th day of the 12th month, which is the month of a dar and to plunder their possessions. A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province being published for all people, that they should be ready for that day. The couriers went out, hastened by the kings command, and the decree was proclaimed in Shu Shan, the Citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shu Shan was perplexed.
Steve Webb 13:08
Esther chapter four. When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry, he went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate close with sackcloth, and in every province where the Kings commanded decree arrived, there was great morning among the Jews with fasting, weeping and wailing, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. So Esther’s maids in Unix came and told her and the Queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them. Then Esther called haystack one of the kings Unix whom he had appointed to attend her. and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai to learn what and why this was so hate that went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the kings gate, and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the Kings treasuries to destroy the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shu Shan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go into the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people. So hey, Thach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Then Esther spoke to hate back and gave him a command for Mordecai. All the king’s servants and the people of the kings provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter that he may live, yet I myself have not been called to go into the king these 30 days. So they told Mordecai Esther’s words, and Mordecai told I’m to answer Esther, do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Then Esther told him to reply to Mordecai, go gather all the Jews who are present in Shu Shan and fast for me, neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day, my maids and I will fast likewise. and so I will go to the king which is against the law, and if I perish, I perish. So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.
Steve Webb 15:44
Esther chapter five. On the third day Esther put on her royal robes, she stood in the courtyard of the king’s palace facing the king’s throne room. The king was sitting on the royal throne inside the palace facing the entrance. When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the entrance, she won his favor. So the king held out the golden scepter that was in his hand to Esther. Esther went up to him and touched the top of the scepter. Then the king asked her, What is traveling you Queen Esther? What would you like? Even if it is up to half of the kingdom it will be granted to you. So Esther answered, If it pleases you, Your Majesty come today with Haman to a dinner I’ve prepared for you. The king replied, bring him in right away and do whatever Esther asks. So the king and Haman came to the dinner that Esther had prepared while they were drinking wine. The king asked Esther, what is your request that will be granted to you? What would you like? Even if it is up to half of the kingdom? It will be granted. Esther answered my request. What would I like? Your Majesty come with him into a dinner I will prepare for you and tomorrow I will answer you, Your Majesty. If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, Your Majesty, may you then grant my request and do what I would like. When Haman left that day, he was happy and feeling good. But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, neither getting up nor trembling in His presence. Haman was furious with Mordecai, however, Heyman controlled himself, he went home and sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh. Then Haman began to relate in detail to them how very rich he was, the many sons he had, and all about how the king promoted him to a position over the officials in the Kings advisors. Haman went on to say, what’s more Queen Esther allowed no one except me to come with a king to the dinner she had prepared. and again tomorrow I am her invited guest together with the king. Yet all this is worth nothing to me. Every time I see Mordecai, the Jews sitting at the king’s gate, then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, have a pole setup 75 feet high, and in the morning asked the king to have Mordekaiser dead body hung on it. Then go with the king to the dinner in good spirits. Haman liked the idea, so he had the pole set up.
Steve Webb 18:10
Well, how’s that for a cliffhanger? What will happen to Mordecai Tune in next week to find out well today in chapter one out of pride has he Where is held to different banquets. First, there was a six month long banquet for all of his officials and servants. He was the ruler of the largest empire in the world and he wanted to show off and by the way, in all likelihood this lavish celebration was paid for from the taxes he collected. The word tells us that it was his own expense. But where do you suppose he got the money in the first place? Yeah, taxes. Go figure. The second banquet was for all the residents of the capital city Shu Shan this celebration was much more modest, of course lasting only seven days. Drink was abundant at both banquets, but at the second it was not compulsory. Well, in chapter one, we were introduced briefly with a has us his wife, Queen Vashti. She also had a banquet for the women in the palace. and on the seventh day of the second banquet, a hazard awareness was drunk, and he ordered that Vashti should come to him at his banquet because he wanted to display her beauty. and commentators believe that it’s implied that the king wanted her to appear without her clothes on, which is the reason she refused to go. Well, in his drunken condition, the king became enraged and he asked his advisers what he should do in response to this insubordination. They said he should remove her as Queen because she was a bad example to all the other women in the kingdom. Find a replacement they said, or wives everywhere will disrespect their husbands. In the New Testament, in Ephesians, chapter five Paul says that wives should respect their husbands. Well, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that I agree with Paul. Respect is the greatest gift a wife can give to her house. Bend, but a husband cannot demand respect. Well, that’s not entirely true, though is that I mean, a husband can demand respect and many husbands have cruel ways to do that. But respect given as a result of mistreatment is not true respect, is it? Let’s look at what exactly Paul said there in Ephesians. It’s in verse 33. of chapter five, he said, each one of you is to love his wife as himself, and the wife is to respect her husband. So that brings a bit more perspective into the equation, doesn’t it? and then earlier in the chapter in verse 25, Paul made it even more clear, he said, Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. Well, that really drives at home, a husband that loves his wife, just as Christ loved the church will, in almost every case, be rewarded with respect and love from his wife. If a has you, whereas had loved Vash Thai with this kind of love to begin with, he would have never made such a request of her and he would have had her respect. But of course, if that had happened, then we wouldn’t have had the rest of the story with Esther would we don’t miss next week’s conclusion? If you have thoughts or questions, I’d love to hear it said the Boostagram love to get those call the Lifespring family hotline, I love to hear your voice, go to the comments page or just write an email. I tell you how to do each one of those things at the end of the show. Tomorrow will be Psalms Wednesday, we’ll read chapters 146 through 148. and we’ll also have a time of prayer.
Steve Webb 21:41
Lifespring family Berean sister Ann came in with a $150 donation this morning. Thank you so much, sister, and God bless you. and Lester came in with $25 Thank you, Lester. God bless you as well. and Jamie the trucker sent in at 1352 sat Boostagram 13 352. and he said, “Jamie, the trucker the OG show number Boostagram Her rolling through Kansas, between the pre recordings and getting ready for surgery. You missed my s 13 e 345. Show number Boostagram So I’m sending this one just to let you know!” and he had a smiling emoji with that as well. Well, thank you Jamie, the trucker God bless you and you know I look back in my Boostagram and that s 13 e 345. Boostagram never showed up at least it doesn’t show on the tool that I use hella pad to track boosts and booster grams you know that happens every once in a while I know I’ve sent booster grams before that didn’t get through and it’s happened to other people as when they said booster grams as well. Like Adam curry says it’s a wonder if any of this stuff works. So anyway I don’t think it came in but no big deal. Thank you so very much though for the thought. We’ll love it if you would like to send a value for value donation in appreciation for this show. If you’ve received any value from it, this is the place to go
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Steve Webb 23:00
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Steve Webb 23:09
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Steve Webb 23:55
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Steve Webb 24:11
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Steve Webb 24:57
My thanks to the team Sister Denise Michael Haner Scott Snider, Jason Paschall in SR Brittaney for their generous donations of time and talent. Thanks to SR N and Lester for helping to make this episode possible. and beloved, thank you for your time. I do not take it for granted and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Until then, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye.
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Transcribed by https://otter.ai
