Well Anchor Bible school is
advancing very nicely, isn't it.
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It's amazing
how much information
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God's Holy Word
has, and how inspiring
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and strengthening it is.
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You know, whenever I
read Scripture and whenever
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I teach Scripture,
my faith is increased
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and my faith is strengthened.
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You know, by repeating things,
you are strengthened yourself.
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And so it's a real blessing
to share this material with you.
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And I want to say
that I appreciate greatly
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your willingness to take a whole
week to come here to Fresno.
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Some of you drove
from the east coast.
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I know someone here who
drove from Atlanta, Georgia.
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And I said, "You really have
something to look forward to.
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Driving back."
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Anyway, we'll pray
that God will give you
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traveling mercies, brother.
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And we appreciate you coming.
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Of course, we have
people here from Australia,
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from Great Britain.
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I mean, it's amazing that
we had so many people respond
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to the invitation to come
here to the Anchor Bible school.
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We do appreciate it.
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And we hope that it will
be a blessing to all of you.
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In our last session
today, we are going to discuss
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another story that we
find in the Bible that is a
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typological story
whose hero is Jesus Christ.
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And we're referring to
one of the few occasions
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when a woman is
a type of Christ.
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And that is the story of Esther.
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And so turn with me in your
Bibles to the book of Esther
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chapter 3, and we're going
to be looking at several things
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in this book, but we're
going to begin in chapter 3.
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Now the first thing
that I would like to mention
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is that there are four
key protagonists in this book.
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The first protagonist
is a political figure.
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The political figure
is, of course, Ahasuerus.
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His Greek name is Xerxes.
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The second figure
is a religious figure.
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The second
figure is called, Haman.
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And by the way, Haman
is instigated by his wife.
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She's a shadowy
figure in this story.
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Her name is Zeresh.
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And so basically, you
have three enemies of Mordecai
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and of the Jewish people.
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You have King
Ahasuerus, you have Haman,
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and you have
Zeresh, the wife of Haman,
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who is advising him.
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She's the advisor of Haman.
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And then, of course,
besides these three enemies,
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you also have Mordecai.
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He symbolizes
the faithful remnant.
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And of course, along
with Mordecai, you have
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the Jewish people.
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So you have God's people,
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and you have the three
enemies of God's people.
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And then you have one
other figure in the story.
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And that figure is
an intercessory person.
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And that intercessory person is
none other than Esther herself.
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She's the intercessor in favor
of God's people at that time.
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Now it's important to
realize what this battle
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really involves.
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When you look at this
story, you'll discover
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that the battle is
between Haman, the son of
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Hammedatha the
Agagite, and Mordecai,
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whose total and complete
name is also given in the book.
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Now this means that
this controversy was much
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longer standing than just
between these two individuals.
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Because, if you look at
the lineage of Mordecai,
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you're going to discover
that Mordecai was a descendent
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of King Saul.
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And you're going to
find that Haman, the son of
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Hammedatha the Agagite,
is a descendent of King Agag,
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who Saul was committed to kill.
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And Saul did not.
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And that's the reason
why you have this story
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in the book of Esther.
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So the enmity is a
long standing enmity.
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It's not a recent enmity
just in the days of Esther.
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It goes all the way
back to the beginning
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of the Hebrew monarchy.
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Now behind the scenes,
of course, is Satan himself
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instigating this three-fold
alliance to slay Mordecai
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and the remnant.
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In the book, Prophets and
Kings, page 601, we find this
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short statement about what
the devil's intentions were.
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Ellen White states, "Satan
himself, the hidden instigator
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of the scheme, was
trying to rid the earth of those
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who preserved the
knowledge of the true God."
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So who was behind this triple
alliance that we find here
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in the book of
Esther, these three enemies?
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It was the devil himself.
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And he wanted to get
rid of the knowledge of God,
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of the true God, in the earth.
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Now what was this
controversy about?
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Let's go to Esther chapter 3
and read beginning with verse 2.
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Esther 3 and verse 2.
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And there are many
things that we could say about
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the first couple of chapters
and succeeding chapters,
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but in the interest of
time we're only going to be able
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to touch upon the
highlights of the book.
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Verse 2 says, "And
all the king's servants
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who were within
the king's gate bowed
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and paid homage to Haman..."
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So whenever Haman appeared,
what did the servants do?
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They bowed before Haman.
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Now why did they do this?
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Let's finish reading the verse.
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"...for so the king had
commanded concerning him."
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So is this a political decree
to render homage to Haman?
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Yes, it is the civil
power giving a decree
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to render homage to Haman.
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But there was a
remnant that refused.
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Notice what it continues
saying there in verse 2.
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"But Mordecai would
not bow or pay homage."
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Incidentally, in the
book of Esther the name of God
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is not mentioned.
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In fact, you would believe that
this is a secular experience
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that's taking place.
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Because it doesn't
use the word, "worship."
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It says that Mordecai would
not bow and pay homage to Haman.
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It doesn't use
the word, "worship."
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But we know that
what is involved here
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is the issue of worship.
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At the end of the presentation
I'm going to tell you
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why the name of God does not
appear in the book of Esther.
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There's a theological
reason why it isn't there.
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So really what you have
here is a political figure
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working upon
Haman, a religious figure,
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commanding everyone to bow
and to pay homage to Haman.
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And then you have a remnant
who says, "I will not do it,
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because I obey God's
law and I only worship God."
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Notice verse 3, "Then
the king's servants who were
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within the king's
gate said to Mordecai,
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'Why do you
transgress...'" What?
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"Why do you
transgress the king's command?"
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Now incidentally, let
me mention that whenever
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in the Old Testament these two
words, "bow" and "pay homage,"
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are used in the same verse,
it always refers to worship.
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Without any exception, whenever
the two words appear together,
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it has to do with worship.
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So we know that
worship is involved here.
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So you find here that
the king's servants say,
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"Why do you transgress..." What?
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"...the king's command?"
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So, "Why do you disobey
the law of the civil power
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to render homage
and reverence to Haman?"
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So you have the political
figure flexing his muscles
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and commanding worship to Haman.
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And then we find in verse
4, "Now it happened, when they
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spoke to him daily and he
would not listen to them..."
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That is, Mordecai
would not listen to them.
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"...that they told it
to Haman, to see whether
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Mordecai's words would stand;
for Mordecai had told them
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that he was a Jew."
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Now one of the principles
that we're going to study,
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we're going to discover that
a Jew today is a spiritual Jew.
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Those who have linked
their lives with Jesus Christ
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in a covenant relationship.
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So here, the enmity is
because Mordecai was a Jew.
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Verse 5, "When Haman saw
that Mordecai did not bow
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or pay him homage, Haman
was filled with..." What?
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"...Haman was
filled with wrath."
00:10:05.64\00:10:09.34
Does that sound familiar?
00:10:09.37\00:10:10.76
Ah, you're starting to catch
an interesting picture here
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of a controversy
that is reflected in the
00:10:14.72\00:10:17.85
book of Revelation.
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Now let's continue.
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Let's go to verses 5 and 6.
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"When Haman saw that Mordecai
did not bow or pay him homage,
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Haman was filled with wrath.
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But he disdained to lay
hands on Mordecai alone,
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for they had told him
of the people of Mordecai.
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Instead, Haman sought
to destroy all the Jews
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who were throughout the
whole kingdom of Ahasuerus;
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the people of Mordecai.
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In the first month,
which is the month of Nisan,
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in the twelfth year of
King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur,
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that is, the lot, before
Haman to determine the day
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and the month, until it
fell on the twelfth month,
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which is the month of Adar."
00:11:04.16\00:11:06.48
In other words, they're using a
certain type of witchcraft here
00:11:06.51\00:11:09.42
to determine a date.
00:11:09.45\00:11:11.43
And we're going to see in a
minute what that date involved.
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Actually, the date
involves a death decree.
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So he's casting lots to
discover what is the best moment
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to execute the death decree.
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Now notice verse 8.
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Here, the controversy
becomes even clearer.
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It says, "Then Haman
said to King Ahasuerus,
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'There is a certain
people scattered and dispersed
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among the people in all the
provinces of your kingdom...'"
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In other words, "There
are people that are all over
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the place in your kingdom."
00:11:45.85\00:11:47.24
Now listen carefully.
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"...their laws are different
from all other people's..."
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Is this a
controversy over the law?
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What was the law of the Jews?
00:11:58.29\00:11:59.91
The Ten Commandments.
00:12:02.00\00:12:03.31
And the Ten Commandments
say worship only whom?
00:12:03.89\00:12:07.03
God.
00:12:07.72\00:12:08.75
And what was Haman requiring?
00:12:08.78\00:12:10.88
He was requiring worship.
00:12:11.49\00:12:13.07
Because who had commanded it?
00:12:13.10\00:12:14.89
The civil power or
the political power.
00:12:15.14\00:12:17.08
Are you seeing how
this story develops?
00:12:17.11\00:12:18.97
And so he says, "There is
a certain people scattered
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and dispersed among the
people in all the provinces
00:12:22.96\00:12:25.86
of your kingdom;
their laws are different
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from all other
people's, and they do not
00:12:30.64\00:12:34.11
keep the king's laws."
00:12:34.14\00:12:36.41
What is the controversy here?
00:12:37.02\00:12:38.59
It is between the law of God
and the law of the civil power.
00:12:38.89\00:12:43.16
But the law of the civil
power is by instigation of whom?
00:12:44.60\00:12:48.56
It is by
instigation of Satan and Haman.
00:12:49.06\00:12:52.06
And incidentally, Haman's
wife is behind the scenes.
00:12:52.54\00:12:56.28
You find her in chapter 5.
00:12:56.31\00:12:57.77
She's the one that says
to Haman, "Make a gallows
00:12:57.80\00:13:02.36
for Mordecai so
that he can hang there."
00:13:02.39\00:13:04.99
She's the shadowy figure behind,
this woman, behind Haman.
00:13:05.35\00:13:11.12
And so Haman continues
his argument by saying,
00:13:11.84\00:13:16.62
"Their laws are different
from all other people's,
00:13:16.65\00:13:18.83
and they do not
keep the king's laws."
00:13:19.21\00:13:21.63
They don't keep the civil laws.
00:13:22.03\00:13:23.49
"Therefore it is not fitting for
the king to let them remain."
00:13:23.62\00:13:27.79
In other words, they
have to be eradicated.
00:13:28.43\00:13:30.65
A death decree has to
be given against them.
00:13:31.97\00:13:34.42
What is Haman really arguing?
00:13:34.45\00:13:36.35
Haman is saying, "Listen,
king, if you have people in your
00:13:36.55\00:13:39.94
kingdom that don't
obey your laws, eventually
00:13:39.97\00:13:42.55
you're going to have
anarchy in the kingdom.
00:13:42.58\00:13:44.59
And your kingdom is
going to fall apart.
00:13:45.22\00:13:47.02
So for the good of your kingdom,
if you want your kingdom
00:13:47.55\00:13:50.05
to survive, you cannot
allow these people who have
00:13:50.08\00:13:52.67
different laws, who
don't obey the law to bow
00:13:52.70\00:13:57.46
and reverence me, you cannot
allow them to continue living.
00:13:57.49\00:14:00.71
Because if you do, your
kingdom is going to fall apart.
00:14:00.74\00:14:03.92
And people are
going to lose respect.
00:14:04.26\00:14:05.95
So something has to
be done about that."
00:14:06.40\00:14:08.71
And so now I want you to
notice what we find in verse 9.
00:14:10.56\00:14:14.85
"If it pleases the king,
let a decree be written..."
00:14:17.66\00:14:23.72
The decree is what?
00:14:24.75\00:14:26.12
Written.
00:14:27.07\00:14:28.28
That is important.
00:14:29.11\00:14:30.21
It's a written decree.
00:14:30.61\00:14:32.00
We'll come back to that.
00:14:32.71\00:14:34.11
"...that they may be..." What?
00:14:35.22\00:14:37.03
"...destroyed..."
Is this a death decree?
00:14:37.64\00:14:39.84
Yes. Is it a
written death decree?
00:14:41.52\00:14:44.19
Yes it is.
00:14:44.76\00:14:45.98
"...let a decree be written
that they be destroyed..."
00:14:46.74\00:14:49.18
And now notice,
he bribes the king.
00:14:49.49\00:14:51.34
He says, "This is going
to be a good deal for you."
00:14:52.93\00:14:55.66
He says, "...and I will pay
ten thousand talents of silver
00:14:56.05\00:14:59.25
into the hands of
those who do the work,
00:14:59.28\00:15:02.47
to bring them into
the king's treasuries."
00:15:02.57\00:15:05.49
So the king says,
"Hey, this is a winner.
00:15:06.86\00:15:08.94
You know, if these
people really don't obey my laws
00:15:10.31\00:15:13.42
and my commands, well I
probably should eradicate them."
00:15:13.45\00:15:17.15
Let me ask you, is
the king really the enemy
00:15:17.98\00:15:20.17
of God's people?
00:15:20.20\00:15:21.36
He's only the enemy in
so far as he allows himself
00:15:22.21\00:15:26.42
to be used by Haman
and deceived by Haman.
00:15:26.45\00:15:29.66
So it says in verse 10, "So the
king took his signet ring..."
00:15:31.30\00:15:35.62
His great seal.
00:15:37.71\00:15:39.03
The ring was what was
used to sign documents,
00:15:39.72\00:15:43.13
to authenticate documents.
00:15:43.16\00:15:45.08
So it says, "So the king
took his ring from his hand
00:15:45.34\00:15:48.29
and gave it to Haman..."
00:15:48.32\00:15:49.89
Did he implicitly trust Haman?
00:15:51.31\00:15:53.67
Yeah.
00:15:54.06\00:15:55.09
He says, "Here, here's my seal.
00:15:55.16\00:15:57.07
Do something about it."
00:15:57.38\00:15:58.54
"...so he gave it to Haman, the
son of Hammedatha the Agagite,
00:15:59.58\00:16:03.14
the enemy of the Jews.
00:16:03.36\00:16:05.42
And the king said to
Haman, 'The money and the people
00:16:05.64\00:16:08.48
are given to you, to do with
them as seems good to you.'"
00:16:08.51\00:16:12.26
Let me ask you,
who is the enemy here?
00:16:14.23\00:16:16.37
Is it the king who is the enemy?
00:16:17.44\00:16:19.04
No, does the king
know what's going on?
00:16:19.17\00:16:21.47
The king doesn't have the
foggiest idea what's going on.
00:16:21.85\00:16:24.29
He's simply listening
to his religious advisor.
00:16:24.66\00:16:27.37
You know, tomorrow
we're going to talk about
00:16:29.24\00:16:31.37
the four Elijah's in Scripture.
00:16:32.27\00:16:34.07
One of those
Elijah's was John the Baptist.
00:16:35.42\00:16:37.85
Right?
00:16:40.22\00:16:41.29
In three places in the
New Testament we find that
00:16:41.44\00:16:43.54
John the Baptist is Elijah.
00:16:43.57\00:16:45.25
And I'll give you a
little inkling of what we're
00:16:45.89\00:16:47.55
going to take a look at.
00:16:47.58\00:16:48.76
Lo and behold, John the
Baptist also had three enemies.
00:16:49.63\00:16:53.88
The Elijah of the Old
Testament had three enemies.
00:16:56.46\00:16:59.11
The end time
Elijah has three enemies;
00:17:00.42\00:17:03.10
the dragon, the
beast, and the false prophet.
00:17:04.08\00:17:05.99
John the Baptist
had three enemies.
00:17:08.08\00:17:09.41
You say, "What were the three
enemies of John the Baptist,
00:17:09.44\00:17:11.81
the New Testament Elijah?"
00:17:11.84\00:17:13.16
Have you ever read the story of
the death of John the Baptist?
00:17:13.67\00:17:17.10
Do you have a king
involved in this story?
00:17:18.43\00:17:21.18
Yes.
00:17:21.72\00:17:22.78
Is the king the
dangerous figure?
00:17:22.98\00:17:24.79
The king isn't
the dangerous figure.
00:17:25.41\00:17:27.29
The king is oblivious
to what's really going on.
00:17:28.81\00:17:31.35
He's drinking wine, you
know. He's having a party.
00:17:31.38\00:17:34.87
But there's someone who wants
the death of John the Baptist.
00:17:35.81\00:17:40.06
Who is that?
00:17:40.09\00:17:41.14
It's Herodias, the
harlot adulterous woman.
00:17:41.78\00:17:44.98
Because he was living
with his brother's wife.
00:17:45.01\00:17:47.42
See, so you have an
adulterous woman involved.
00:17:48.46\00:17:50.83
But the adulterous woman
cannot do things on her own.
00:17:51.67\00:17:55.77
She uses her
daughter to influence the king
00:17:56.82\00:18:01.37
to kill John the Baptist.
00:18:01.57\00:18:03.39
Is that an interesting story?
00:18:05.26\00:18:06.70
The same is true
at the end of time.
00:18:08.12\00:18:09.78
There is a harlot.
00:18:11.13\00:18:12.52
Revelation 17.
00:18:13.27\00:18:14.64
She fornicates with
the kings of the earth,
00:18:15.70\00:18:18.01
but she can't accomplish her
purposes without her daughters;
00:18:18.04\00:18:23.90
apostate Protestantism.
00:18:25.91\00:18:28.53
And during the Dark
Ages you have the same thing.
00:18:30.88\00:18:32.95
That woman Jezebel, it
says in the church of Thyatira.
00:18:32.98\00:18:36.23
And she had children
that were born from her;
00:18:37.16\00:18:39.76
the Protestant denominations.
00:18:40.61\00:18:42.70
And she fornicated
with the kings of the earth.
00:18:43.43\00:18:46.02
And so you have this trilogy
of enemies against God's people.
00:18:47.51\00:18:52.46
And the king is never the enemy.
00:18:52.66\00:18:55.99
Unless he is
influenced by someone else.
00:18:57.37\00:19:01.63
Let me ask you, was Herod
a menace to John the Baptist?
00:19:02.78\00:19:06.83
No.
00:19:07.26\00:19:08.29
The Bible says he actually
enjoyed listening to him.
00:19:08.48\00:19:10.77
When did the king become a
menace to John the Baptist?
00:19:12.45\00:19:16.85
He became a menace to John
the Baptist when he allowed
00:19:17.34\00:19:21.37
the adulterous
woman to use her daughter
00:19:21.82\00:19:25.39
to influence him to
kill John the Baptist.
00:19:26.32\00:19:30.78
Do you think the kings of
the world are the real enemies
00:19:32.13\00:19:34.85
of God's people in the end time?
00:19:34.88\00:19:36.55
No.
00:19:37.29\00:19:38.50
The kings of the earth are
not the enemies of God's people.
00:19:39.56\00:19:42.44
When do they become the
enemies of God's people?
00:19:42.64\00:19:45.19
They become the enemies of
God's people when they allow
00:19:45.95\00:19:48.56
the church to jump on them,
00:19:48.59\00:19:51.34
and to ask them to impose
the decrees of the church.
00:19:52.11\00:19:56.79
At that moment then they become,
the kings become dangerous
00:19:57.32\00:20:02.09
to God's people, because they're
influenced by the church.
00:20:02.12\00:20:06.05
So this is the picture that you
have here in the book of Esther.
00:20:07.25\00:20:11.25
Now let's continue
there in chapter 3,
00:20:11.76\00:20:14.79
and let's read verse 12.
00:20:14.99\00:20:17.56
Chapter 3 and verse 12.
00:20:17.59\00:20:19.95
Was the king deceived by Haman?
00:20:20.01\00:20:23.34
Hook, line, and sinker...
00:20:24.58\00:20:26.23
...fisherman,
fishing pole, boat.
00:20:27.34\00:20:30.42
He was totally hoodwinked.
00:20:32.41\00:20:34.27
Now notice verse 12.
00:20:35.49\00:20:36.95
"Then the king's scribes were
called on the thirteenth day
00:20:37.85\00:20:42.54
of the first month, and a decree
was written according to all..."
00:20:42.75\00:20:48.31
Now listen, a decree is
written in the king's name,
00:20:48.34\00:20:51.92
but it says, "...to
all that Haman commanded."
00:20:52.46\00:20:56.23
So Haman is commanding
with the authority of whom?
00:20:57.04\00:21:00.95
Of the king.
00:21:01.42\00:21:02.54
"...to the king's satraps,
to the governors who were over
00:21:03.44\00:21:06.69
each province, to the officials
of all people, to every province
00:21:06.72\00:21:11.27
according to its script, and to
every people in their language."
00:21:11.30\00:21:15.23
Was this a decree that
covered the entire empire?
00:21:15.57\00:21:18.85
It most certainly did.
00:21:19.05\00:21:20.38
"In the name of King
Ahasuerus it was written,
00:21:20.48\00:21:25.05
and sealed with the
king's signet ring."
00:21:25.08\00:21:29.08
This is a religious decree
imposed by the secular power.
00:21:30.42\00:21:35.17
Does it start to ring a bell?
00:21:36.48\00:21:37.97
And it's a death decree.
00:21:39.03\00:21:40.37
And the death decree has a date,
00:21:41.75\00:21:43.24
we're going to
notice in a minute.
00:21:43.27\00:21:44.59
And when that date
arrives, people are free
00:21:45.42\00:21:47.59
to kill the Jews.
00:21:47.62\00:21:49.23
Notice verse 13.
00:21:50.47\00:21:52.69
It says, "And the
letters were sent by couriers
00:21:54.09\00:21:58.60
into all the
king's provinces..."
00:21:58.63\00:22:00.63
And notice how much
hatred we're talking about here.
00:22:00.66\00:22:03.34
"...to destroy, to kill, and
to annihilate all the Jews..."
00:22:03.37\00:22:08.46
I think that he
kind of hated them.
00:22:09.51\00:22:11.43
Three words; to kill, destroy,
and to annihilate all the Jews.
00:22:12.62\00:22:20.33
"...both young and old,
little children and women,
00:22:21.07\00:22:24.51
in one day, on the thirteenth
day of the twelfth month,
00:22:24.54\00:22:27.64
which is the month of Adar, and
to plunder their possessions."
00:22:27.67\00:22:32.03
So how much time
between when the decree is given
00:22:33.53\00:22:36.06
and when the
decree is to be executed?
00:22:36.09\00:22:38.02
Exactly 11 months.
00:22:38.05\00:22:40.30
And after 11 months, all
of the Jews of the kingdom
00:22:42.48\00:22:45.55
could be killed.
00:22:45.58\00:22:47.13
Notice verse 14.
00:22:48.32\00:22:49.88
"A copy of the document
was to be issued as a law
00:22:50.29\00:22:53.03
in every province, being
published for all people,
00:22:53.06\00:22:57.06
that they should be
ready for that day."
00:22:57.60\00:22:59.61
So you can just
picture everybody getting ready
00:23:00.09\00:23:02.44
to execute the death
decree at a given moment.
00:23:03.26\00:23:06.24
Does that sound familiar?
00:23:06.27\00:23:07.62
If you read, Great
Controversy, page 635,
00:23:08.42\00:23:11.41
it says that
there's a death decree.
00:23:11.95\00:23:13.37
And at a certain
date, everyone is to gather
00:23:13.40\00:23:16.20
to slay God's people.
00:23:16.23\00:23:17.88
And Ellen White says that
the decree that will be given
00:23:18.52\00:23:21.10
against God's people
at the end time will be
00:23:21.13\00:23:22.95
very similar to the one that
was given in the days of Esther.
00:23:22.98\00:23:26.25
Verse 15, "The couriers
went out, hastened by the
00:23:27.43\00:23:31.90
king's command; and
the decree was proclaimed
00:23:31.93\00:23:34.64
in Shushan the citadel.
00:23:34.67\00:23:36.38
So the king..."
00:23:36.41\00:23:37.44
And now here comes a
very interesting thing.
00:23:37.47\00:23:39.44
"So the king and
Haman sat down to drink..."
00:23:39.47\00:23:44.15
What? H2O?
00:23:47.27\00:23:49.44
Absolutely not.
00:23:50.92\00:23:51.97
What did they sit down to drink?
00:23:52.00\00:23:53.63
Wine.
00:23:54.18\00:23:55.53
Is wine involved in this story?
00:23:55.68\00:23:57.82
Oh, absolutely.
00:23:58.26\00:23:59.45
Is wine involved in
the book of Revelation?
00:23:59.48\00:24:01.66
It most certainly is.
00:24:01.86\00:24:04.00
So this decree was universal.
00:24:04.20\00:24:06.70
This decree was dated.
00:24:07.00\00:24:09.39
This decree was religious hatred
00:24:09.94\00:24:13.16
vented through
the political power.
00:24:13.47\00:24:15.81
And everyone is told
to be ready for that day
00:24:15.91\00:24:20.78
to execute the death decree.
00:24:20.81\00:24:23.51
And incidentally, the
death decree was irrevocable.
00:24:24.14\00:24:27.59
In the book,
Prophets and Kings, page 601,
00:24:28.81\00:24:31.89
Ellen White makes this
comment about this death decree.
00:24:33.68\00:24:36.13
She says, "The decree
of the Medes and Persians
00:24:36.16\00:24:39.71
could not be revoked;
apparently there was no hope;
00:24:39.74\00:24:44.81
all the Israelites
were doomed to destruction."
00:24:44.84\00:24:48.99
In themselves, how much
hope did the remnant have?
00:24:50.10\00:24:54.21
The remnant had absolutely
no hope in themselves.
00:24:54.73\00:24:59.81
They were subject to a death
decree of an alliance between
00:25:00.62\00:25:04.95
the king and a religious figure.
00:25:05.05\00:25:06.91
And the religious figure
was manipulated by his wife.
00:25:07.01\00:25:12.01
And so there
appeared to be no hope.
00:25:12.49\00:25:14.27
And so an agonizing
time of trouble ensues
00:25:16.00\00:25:20.93
for Mordecai and his people.
00:25:21.13\00:25:23.07
Esther chapter 4 and
verses 1 to 3 describes
00:25:23.94\00:25:27.10
that time of trouble.
00:25:27.13\00:25:28.37
"When Mordecai learned
of all that had happened,
00:25:29.63\00:25:35.31
he tore his clothes and
put on sackcloth and ashes..."
00:25:35.83\00:25:42.74
What does that
mean, he tore his clothes
00:25:43.87\00:25:46.42
and put on sackcloth and ashes?
00:25:46.45\00:25:48.39
Is this extreme
agony and anguish?
00:25:48.42\00:25:51.12
It's mourning, it's lamentation.
00:25:52.04\00:25:54.60
Why?
00:25:54.63\00:25:55.66
He's lamenting because
people are going to be killed.
00:25:55.69\00:25:58.95
He's lamenting before the fact.
00:25:59.49\00:26:01.50
And so it says he goes out,
"into the midst of the city.
00:26:03.52\00:26:06.35
He cried out with a
loud and bitter cry."
00:26:06.65\00:26:11.55
Would you describe
this as a time of trouble?
00:26:13.01\00:26:14.86
Absolutely.
00:26:15.24\00:26:16.40
"He went as far as the
front of the king's gate,
00:26:16.83\00:26:20.37
for no one might
enter the king's gate
00:26:20.95\00:26:23.01
clothed with sackcloth.
00:26:23.04\00:26:24.60
And in every province
where the king's command
00:26:24.93\00:26:27.77
and decree arrived, there was
great mourning among the Jews,
00:26:27.80\00:26:32.36
with fasting, weeping,
and wailing; and many lay
00:26:32.39\00:26:37.35
in sackcloth and ashes."
00:26:37.38\00:26:39.56
A time of trouble
such as never had been seen
00:26:41.04\00:26:45.12
before that time.
00:26:45.45\00:26:46.78
There was only one hope.
00:26:50.51\00:26:51.99
And that hope rested in
a next of kin of Mordecai.
00:26:53.31\00:26:58.27
Her name was Esther.
00:26:59.21\00:27:01.04
If somehow Mordecai
could convince Esther
00:27:02.50\00:27:08.59
to go before the
king to unmask the plot
00:27:08.98\00:27:12.61
and intercede for God's people,
God's people might just be
00:27:13.31\00:27:19.11
delivered from certain death.
00:27:19.14\00:27:21.25
So let me ask you, who is
the heroine of this story?
00:27:22.83\00:27:28.60
It is Esther.
00:27:30.12\00:27:31.46
It's not Mordecai.
00:27:32.25\00:27:33.95
It's not Israel.
00:27:34.78\00:27:36.60
The only hope of
Israel was found in Esther.
00:27:37.31\00:27:40.53
She is the intercessor.
00:27:41.43\00:27:43.70
She is going to
unmask this diabolical plot
00:27:44.22\00:27:48.36
of a union of church and state.
00:27:48.46\00:27:50.54
And she is going to
intervene so that God's people
00:27:50.97\00:27:54.05
are not destroyed
by this death decree.
00:27:54.08\00:27:57.67
If you go to Esther
chapter 4 verses 8 and 9,
00:28:00.75\00:28:03.65
we find
something very interesting.
00:28:05.23\00:28:06.83
It says there, "He also gave
him a copy of the written decree
00:28:06.86\00:28:11.88
for their destruction,
which was given at Shushan,
00:28:11.91\00:28:14.99
that he might show it to
Esther and explain it to her,
00:28:15.35\00:28:19.16
and that he might
command her to go in to the king
00:28:19.63\00:28:22.08
to make supplication to him..."
00:28:22.11\00:28:23.98
Is she going to
go and supplicate?
00:28:24.32\00:28:26.02
Is she going to
go and intercede?
00:28:26.05\00:28:27.67
Yes.
00:28:28.40\00:28:29.50
"...and plead..."
00:28:29.74\00:28:31.48
Notice, "...make
supplication to him
00:28:31.68\00:28:33.86
and plead before
him for her people."
00:28:33.90\00:28:37.40
So what is Esther,
what is the role of Esther?
00:28:39.57\00:28:42.02
Esther is one who pleads.
00:28:43.00\00:28:46.64
She is one who supplicates.
00:28:47.27\00:28:51.05
She is one who
represents God's people.
00:28:51.50\00:28:56.54
And so Mordecai
gives this to Esther.
00:28:57.71\00:29:00.21
And he says to Esther
something very interesting.
00:29:00.42\00:29:03.35
Notice verses 13 through 17.
00:29:03.90\00:29:06.62
"And Mordecai told
them to answer Esther."
00:29:07.74\00:29:11.00
He sends messengers.
00:29:11.03\00:29:12.45
"Do not think in your
heart that you will escape
00:29:13.17\00:29:15.37
in the king's palace any
more than all the other Jews."
00:29:15.40\00:29:18.03
Don't think that
because you're the queen
00:29:18.06\00:29:21.07
that you're going to escape
and the king is going to make
00:29:21.17\00:29:23.65
an exception in your case.
00:29:23.68\00:29:25.16
Because the decree says
all Jews will be killed.
00:29:25.19\00:29:27.30
And you're one of them.
00:29:27.33\00:29:28.41
"For if you remain," notice,
"if you remain completely
00:29:29.85\00:29:32.90
silent at this time, relief
and deliverance will arise
00:29:32.93\00:29:38.95
for the Jews from another place,
00:29:38.98\00:29:41.08
but you and your
father's house will perish."
00:29:42.05\00:29:44.61
And then he says, "Yet
who knows whether you have
00:29:45.29\00:29:48.16
come to the kingdom
for such a time as this?"
00:29:48.19\00:29:52.13
Do you realize what
he's saying to Esther?
00:29:54.47\00:29:56.46
He's saying to
Esther, "Do you know what?
00:29:56.49\00:29:58.61
It's a miracle that a
Jewess would be the wife
00:29:58.87\00:30:03.06
of the king of the
Medes and Persians."
00:30:03.09\00:30:06.14
Actually, of the
Persians at this point.
00:30:06.17\00:30:08.28
"God has placed you as
the queen in the kingdom
00:30:09.51\00:30:13.60
for this moment.
00:30:13.63\00:30:14.83
This is your destiny;
00:30:16.05\00:30:17.67
to go in and supplicate
and intercede for your people.
00:30:18.65\00:30:24.39
God has placed you
for this specific reason,
00:30:25.13\00:30:27.76
for this time and this place."
00:30:27.79\00:30:29.98
He says, "If you don't go
in, you and your father's house
00:30:30.42\00:30:34.72
are going to perish.
00:30:34.77\00:30:35.80
And God is going
to find some other way
00:30:35.83\00:30:37.43
to deliver His people."
00:30:37.46\00:30:38.82
Notice verse 15.
00:30:40.29\00:30:43.95
"Then Esther told
them to reply to Mordecai,
00:30:44.74\00:30:49.27
'Go, gather all the Jews
who are present in Shushan,
00:30:49.68\00:30:52.66
and fast for me;
neither eat nor drink
00:30:53.10\00:30:57.15
for three days, night or day.
00:30:57.18\00:31:00.02
My maids and I
will fast likewise.
00:31:00.30\00:31:02.90
And so I will go to the
king, which is against the law;
00:31:03.18\00:31:07.12
and if I perish, I perish.'"
00:31:08.12\00:31:11.20
Were the interests of Esther
welded with those of her people?
00:31:12.01\00:31:15.54
She said, "I am willing to
die in order to save my people."
00:31:16.12\00:31:20.31
Does that sound familiar?
00:31:20.94\00:31:22.47
Can you think of anyone else
who said, "I'm willing to die
00:31:23.08\00:31:26.42
to save my people."
00:31:26.45\00:31:27.99
Jesus, and then somebody else.
00:31:29.21\00:31:31.58
Moses at the top of Mt. Sinai.
00:31:31.68\00:31:35.19
When Israel
worshipped the golden calf,
00:31:35.78\00:31:38.22
Moses went before the Lord
and said, "Lord, if You can't
00:31:38.89\00:31:42.15
save Your people,
strike my name from Your book.
00:31:42.18\00:31:46.20
I love my people so
much that I cannot even think
00:31:47.30\00:31:50.56
of the possibility of
me living and them dying.
00:31:50.59\00:31:54.47
If I perish, I perish."
00:31:55.91\00:31:57.51
So Esther is a symbol of Christ,
00:31:59.00\00:32:01.29
whose interests are
welded to ours, because Jesus
00:32:01.86\00:32:05.30
is in a covenant
relationship with His people.
00:32:05.33\00:32:08.40
Jesus is committed
to protect His people.
00:32:09.36\00:32:12.27
Because once we enter a
covenant with Him, Jesus says,
00:32:12.46\00:32:15.78
"I am committed to you because
you are committed to Me."
00:32:15.81\00:32:19.18
So we need to understand
end time events in the context
00:32:20.33\00:32:23.27
of the covenant; the covenant
of God's people with the Lord.
00:32:23.30\00:32:29.74
Ellen White, in
Prophets and Kings, page 601,
00:32:30.49\00:32:34.76
speaks of the role
of Esther when she says,
00:32:34.86\00:32:38.12
"Mordecai was a
near relative of hers."
00:32:38.15\00:32:42.33
That is, of Esther.
00:32:42.63\00:32:43.86
"In their extremity they
decided to appeal to Xerxes..."
00:32:44.63\00:32:49.75
Ellen White uses the Greek name.
00:32:49.78\00:32:51.50
"...to appeal to Xerxes
in behalf of their people.
00:32:51.54\00:32:55.85
Esther was to venture into
his presence as an intercessor."
00:32:56.31\00:33:03.02
Notice the word.
00:33:04.06\00:33:05.19
She was to venture in as a what?
00:33:05.29\00:33:07.63
As an intercessor.
00:33:07.83\00:33:09.71
She's going to
intercede for her people.
00:33:10.66\00:33:13.06
But before she
goes in before the king,
00:33:13.83\00:33:16.08
she does something.
00:33:16.71\00:33:18.38
She changes her garments...
00:33:19.43\00:33:21.85
...from her common
garments to her royal robes.
00:33:22.70\00:33:26.18
Does that sound familiar?
00:33:26.81\00:33:28.18
Is Jesus going to
change His garments
00:33:29.20\00:33:31.68
when probation closes and
He rises to defend His people?
00:33:32.07\00:33:35.06
"At that time,
Michael shall stand up."
00:33:35.09\00:33:37.09
That's the close of probation.
00:33:37.12\00:33:38.62
And then He will
protect His people.
00:33:38.65\00:33:40.70
Notice Esther
chapter 5 and verse 1.
00:33:42.29\00:33:45.50
Chapter 5 and verse 1.
00:33:45.53\00:33:47.42
"Now it happened on
the third day that Esther
00:33:47.45\00:33:49.43
put on her..." What?
00:33:49.46\00:33:51.11
"...her royal robes and
stood in the inner court
00:33:51.14\00:33:55.02
of the king's palace,
across from the king's house,
00:33:55.05\00:33:58.21
while the king sat on his
royal throne in the royal house,
00:33:58.77\00:34:01.87
facing the
entrance of the house."
00:34:01.90\00:34:03.79
So what does Esther do?
00:34:03.82\00:34:05.35
She puts on her
garments, her royal garments.
00:34:05.38\00:34:09.18
Like Jesus, when probation
closes, when the death decree
00:34:09.38\00:34:12.42
has been given, is going
to put on His royal robes.
00:34:12.45\00:34:17.76
And then we find that
Haman is invited to a banquet
00:34:18.68\00:34:21.65
with Queen Esther.
00:34:21.68\00:34:22.97
And then after
this, I'm synthesizing,
00:34:24.33\00:34:26.89
Haman is invited to
another banquet the next day.
00:34:27.04\00:34:30.92
And Haman is feeling
pretty good about himself.
00:34:31.43\00:34:34.46
He says, "Ah, the
queen and the king invited me
00:34:34.49\00:34:37.77
to a banquet.
00:34:37.80\00:34:39.22
Isn't this wonderful."
00:34:39.57\00:34:40.87
What he doesn't know
is that his experience
00:34:40.90\00:34:44.18
is going to be very bitter.
00:34:44.21\00:34:45.59
In fact, when he
goes to the king's party
00:34:46.02\00:34:51.45
or to the king's
banquet, he's filled with joy,
00:34:51.65\00:34:54.82
but at the same time he goes
home and he talks to his wife.
00:34:54.85\00:34:58.15
This is in chapter 5
verses 10 through 14.
00:34:58.18\00:35:00.83
And he says, "You know,
this would be the most joyous
00:35:01.18\00:35:03.69
day of my life if it
wasn't for Mordecai, who doesn't
00:35:03.72\00:35:07.52
bow and give me reverence."
00:35:07.62\00:35:10.41
So his experience is
joyful, but at the same time
00:35:11.54\00:35:15.05
he's bitterly angry
because the remnant does not
00:35:15.08\00:35:18.64
bow and render him the
reverence that he feels
00:35:18.67\00:35:22.47
that he deserves.
00:35:22.50\00:35:23.65
And so Zeresh says,
"Hey, quit complaining.
00:35:23.68\00:35:26.42
Just go put up a
gallows where Mordecai can hang,
00:35:26.45\00:35:29.99
and that will take care of it."
00:35:30.02\00:35:31.38
That's in chapter 5
verses 10 through 14.
00:35:31.94\00:35:34.37
Now it's very interesting that
the story now takes a twist.
00:35:35.78\00:35:41.28
And that is, that there
is an investigative judgment.
00:35:42.66\00:35:45.69
"What? An
investigative judgment?"
00:35:47.82\00:35:50.03
Absolutely.
00:35:50.06\00:35:51.09
You see, Mordecai had once
saved the life of the king.
00:35:52.11\00:35:55.42
And it was written in
the annals of the king
00:35:57.10\00:36:00.19
that he had delivered the king.
00:36:00.78\00:36:02.35
But he had never been
rewarded for what he did.
00:36:04.13\00:36:06.58
And so it says in
Esther chapter 6 and verse 1,
00:36:08.94\00:36:11.88
"That night the
king could not sleep.
00:36:12.28\00:36:14.46
So one was commanded to
bring the book of the records
00:36:15.48\00:36:18.27
of the chronicles; and
they were read before the king."
00:36:18.30\00:36:21.41
And which volume do
you think they read?
00:36:21.78\00:36:23.84
The story of how Mordecai had
delivered the life of the king.
00:36:25.64\00:36:29.78
And so the king says,
"Hey, you know, we never
00:36:31.66\00:36:34.93
rewarded this guy."
00:36:34.96\00:36:35.99
Are the books going
to be examined and is the
00:36:36.02\00:36:38.30
reward for God's
people going to be determined?
00:36:38.33\00:36:40.47
Yes.
00:36:40.85\00:36:41.89
And the enemies are going to
see the reward of God's people.
00:36:42.07\00:36:44.91
You can read it in
spirit of prophecy.
00:36:45.40\00:36:47.30
And you can read
it in the psalms.
00:36:47.56\00:36:49.22
And so now what happens
is, the king can't sleep,
00:36:50.11\00:36:53.50
so he has the
chronicles brought.
00:36:53.53\00:36:55.13
He discovers that
Mordecai was never rewarded
00:36:55.16\00:36:57.64
for his good works.
00:36:57.67\00:36:59.55
And so he calls in
Haman, he says, "Haman."
00:37:01.45\00:37:03.78
He doesn't mention the name, he
says, "There's this individual
00:37:04.43\00:37:07.49
that was good to the king.
00:37:07.63\00:37:08.73
He delivered the
life of the king.
00:37:08.76\00:37:10.21
What do you suppose we
should do with that man?"
00:37:10.24\00:37:12.48
There's a little bit
of humor in this story.
00:37:15.08\00:37:17.28
Esther 6 verses 7 through 9.
00:37:18.09\00:37:20.45
"And Haman answered the
king, 'For the man whom the
00:37:20.87\00:37:24.39
king delights to honor...'"
00:37:24.42\00:37:25.62
He said, "That's me."
00:37:25.65\00:37:27.01
"...let a royal robe be
brought which the king has worn,
00:37:28.87\00:37:31.95
and a horse on
which the king has ridden,
00:37:32.76\00:37:35.93
which has a royal
crest placed on its head.
00:37:36.40\00:37:39.56
Then let this robe and
horse be delivered to the hand
00:37:40.58\00:37:43.70
of one of the
king's most noble princes,
00:37:43.73\00:37:46.23
that he may array the man whom
the king delights to honor."
00:37:46.51\00:37:49.69
Because he's
thinking, "That's me."
00:37:49.72\00:37:51.86
He doesn't know that the
records have been examined.
00:37:52.23\00:37:54.73
"Then parade him on horseback
through the city square,
00:37:56.30\00:37:59.73
and proclaim before him, 'Thus
shall it be done to the man
00:37:59.76\00:38:03.77
whom the king
delights to honor.'"
00:38:03.80\00:38:06.07
And so the king says,
"Do that with Mordecai."
00:38:06.10\00:38:09.23
What an insult.
00:38:10.24\00:38:11.51
Things are starting to change.
00:38:12.73\00:38:15.28
The decisions of
men are being revoked
00:38:15.75\00:38:18.79
and are being overturned.
00:38:18.99\00:38:21.08
Esther 6 verses 10 and 11.
00:38:21.67\00:38:23.92
"Then the king said to
Haman, 'Hurry, take the robe
00:38:24.41\00:38:27.70
and the horse, as you
have suggested, and do so
00:38:27.73\00:38:30.91
for Mordecai the Jew who
sits within the king's gate.
00:38:30.94\00:38:34.08
Leave nothing undone of
all that you have spoken.'
00:38:34.57\00:38:37.60
So Haman took the robe and
the horse, arrayed Mordecai
00:38:37.98\00:38:41.27
and led him on horseback
through the city square,
00:38:41.30\00:38:43.85
and proclaimed before
him, 'Thus shall it be done
00:38:43.88\00:38:46.28
to the man whom the
king delights to honor.'"
00:38:46.31\00:38:49.28
Oh, what an insult.
00:38:50.02\00:38:51.51
The wicked shall see
the reward of the righteous,
00:38:52.66\00:38:55.79
is what is says in
the book of Psalms.
00:38:55.82\00:38:58.10
So the second
banquet, Haman comes.
00:38:59.65\00:39:02.43
And Esther takes the opportunity
to explain to the king
00:39:03.65\00:39:06.67
what Haman had really done.
00:39:06.70\00:39:08.68
She tells the king, "You know,
Haman, this nasty individual,
00:39:11.43\00:39:14.83
Haman, he wants to
destroy all the Jews.
00:39:14.86\00:39:18.70
Which means that I
would be destroyed too."
00:39:19.73\00:39:22.44
Oh, now the king
wakes up from his slumber.
00:39:24.19\00:39:30.45
Now his deception leaves him.
00:39:31.50\00:39:34.64
Now he knows that
his religious advisor
00:39:35.61\00:39:37.87
has deceived him into
proclaiming this decree.
00:39:37.90\00:39:41.36
And now he is enraged.
00:39:41.56\00:39:43.64
But he is not
enraged against the Jews.
00:39:44.20\00:39:46.39
He is enraged against
the creator of the plot.
00:39:46.49\00:39:49.34
The weapons that were to
be used for the destruction
00:39:51.11\00:39:53.81
of Mordecai now
destroys Haman and his family.
00:39:53.94\00:39:58.54
You have this pre-figuring
of what is going to happen
00:39:59.86\00:40:02.92
under the sixth plague.
00:40:02.95\00:40:03.98
We're going to talk
about this later on this week.
00:40:04.01\00:40:06.29
Ellen White says that
the world will be ready
00:40:07.59\00:40:10.12
to execute the death decree.
00:40:10.15\00:40:11.97
They will have their weapons
ready to execute God's people.
00:40:12.71\00:40:15.60
And when they're about to
deliver the blow of death,
00:40:16.42\00:40:19.92
there will be
darkness like the darkest night
00:40:20.86\00:40:24.76
that will fall upon the earth.
00:40:24.96\00:40:26.57
And she says that the
angry multitudes who wanted
00:40:27.32\00:40:29.83
to execute the death decree
will suddenly be arrested.
00:40:29.86\00:40:33.27
The waters upon
which the harlot sat,
00:40:34.78\00:40:37.97
which are multitudes,
nations, tongues, and peoples
00:40:38.55\00:40:40.72
that she used to try
and drown God's people,
00:40:40.75\00:40:43.50
now will arise to drown her.
00:40:44.07\00:40:46.60
The very instruments
that she wanted to use
00:40:47.86\00:40:51.04
to destroy God's people
will be used to destroy her.
00:40:51.07\00:40:54.54
We have a prefiguring of
that in the book of Esther.
00:40:56.01\00:40:58.88
Because the weapons
that were to be used
00:40:59.37\00:41:01.55
to destroy Mordecai
were actually used to destroy
00:41:01.58\00:41:05.40
the one who created the
plot, along with his family.
00:41:05.43\00:41:08.19
And so Esther talks
to the king and says,
00:41:10.47\00:41:12.59
"This is what's
really behind this."
00:41:12.62\00:41:14.04
And the king is
filled with rage.
00:41:14.07\00:41:15.87
And he turns on Haman.
00:41:17.24\00:41:18.71
And Haman comes to
Esther and he says,
00:41:19.95\00:41:21.58
"Please, Esther,
intercede for me."
00:41:21.61\00:41:23.72
Esther says,
"Intercession has closed.
00:41:23.75\00:41:26.95
Probation has closed for you who
proclaimed the death decree."
00:41:29.23\00:41:33.27
Isn't this an amazing story?
00:41:33.30\00:41:34.98
It's a prophetic story.
00:41:35.84\00:41:37.25
In chapter 7 and
verse 7 we find these words,
00:41:39.17\00:41:42.40
"Then the king
arose in his wrath..."
00:41:42.43\00:41:44.49
Now he's wrathful, but he's not
wrathful against God's people.
00:41:45.43\00:41:47.79
Now God's people are safe.
00:41:47.82\00:41:49.37
"Then the king arose
in his wrath from the
00:41:49.86\00:41:51.65
banquet of wine..."
00:41:51.68\00:41:53.40
So he was drinking wine.
00:41:53.43\00:41:54.91
But he became sober
in a hurry, by the way.
00:41:55.70\00:41:57.52
"...and went into the
palace garden; but Haman
00:41:58.08\00:42:01.93
stood before Queen
Esther, pleading for his life,
00:42:01.96\00:42:05.24
for he saw that
evil was determined
00:42:06.12\00:42:08.19
against him by the king."
00:42:08.22\00:42:10.55
So he says, "Esther,
please intercede for me."
00:42:12.67\00:42:15.16
Esther says, "There is
no intercession for you,
00:42:15.20\00:42:17.60
the creator of this plot."
00:42:18.24\00:42:20.84
Interesting story, isn't it.
00:42:23.71\00:42:25.15
You have the change of garments,
00:42:25.59\00:42:26.80
you have the
investigative judgment,
00:42:26.83\00:42:28.53
you have the
reward according to works,
00:42:28.56\00:42:30.87
as it says in
Revelation chapter 22,
00:42:30.98\00:42:33.08
you have the death
decree, you have a remnant
00:42:33.18\00:42:35.92
that refuses to worship.
00:42:35.95\00:42:37.18
You have all of the
elements of the end time crisis
00:42:37.21\00:42:39.88
that we find in
the book of Revelation.
00:42:39.91\00:42:42.56
And then, of course,
Haman dies with the very weapons
00:42:43.64\00:42:46.27
that he prepared
against God's people.
00:42:46.30\00:42:48.94
And you know, you find
this phenomena constantly
00:42:48.97\00:42:52.06
in Bible prophecy.
00:42:52.09\00:42:53.25
And we'll deal with this
later on in this seminar.
00:42:53.28\00:42:55.62
The Jews said, "This
Man must die or the Romans
00:42:56.57\00:43:00.50
will take away our nation."
00:43:00.53\00:43:01.59
But by killing Him, the
Romans took away their nation.
00:43:01.79\00:43:05.04
What they wished to
prevent, they caused.
00:43:06.87\00:43:09.42
Those who threw
Daniel into the lion's den
00:43:10.52\00:43:13.04
ended up being
eaten by the lions.
00:43:13.07\00:43:15.61
They were cat food.
00:43:15.64\00:43:17.20
At the end time, the multitudes
who were going to destroy
00:43:21.04\00:43:24.10
God's people will
destroy the religious advisors.
00:43:24.13\00:43:27.83
In the French Revolution,
the state that had been
00:43:29.60\00:43:33.25
used by the church
turned against the church,
00:43:33.28\00:43:39.00
and no longer
against the remnant.
00:43:39.65\00:43:40.81
This is a
recurring theme in Scripture.
00:43:40.91\00:43:43.74
And when the kings of the
earth, of this world, wake up
00:43:44.36\00:43:47.06
and they see that
apostate Protestantism
00:43:47.09\00:43:50.21
and Roman Catholicism
has deceived them into
00:43:50.92\00:43:53.66
giving religious decrees, their
anger will be uncontrollable.
00:43:53.69\00:43:58.12
And this is a message
for the kings of this world;
00:43:58.60\00:44:01.49
don't allow the church to
get involved in civil matters.
00:44:02.03\00:44:07.87
Because it will
lead to bad results.
00:44:08.23\00:44:10.62
It has been shown
all throughout history.
00:44:11.24\00:44:13.24
It's a sobering fact,
folks, that Jesus was killed
00:44:13.34\00:44:17.62
by a union of church and state.
00:44:17.65\00:44:19.55
In fact, the whole experience
of Jesus will be repeated
00:44:20.69\00:44:23.87
with God's people.
00:44:23.91\00:44:25.07
You know, the Jews,
first of all, had a religious
00:44:26.76\00:44:31.11
trial for Jesus.
00:44:31.14\00:44:32.45
The Sanhedrin.
00:44:33.81\00:44:35.14
They said, "This
Man is worthy of death."
00:44:35.34\00:44:37.04
But as a church, they could
not execute the death decree.
00:44:37.80\00:44:40.57
Whose help did they need?
00:44:41.30\00:44:42.60
The help of the state.
00:44:42.98\00:44:44.19
And so they go to Pilate.
00:44:44.47\00:44:45.98
And they say, "Pilate, we
want you to give the decree
00:44:46.28\00:44:49.42
to execute this Man."
00:44:49.45\00:44:50.95
And Pilate says,
"What has He done wrong?"
00:44:52.05\00:44:53.95
"Well, He's blasphemed because
He claims to be the Son of God."
00:44:55.39\00:44:59.71
And Pilate says, "Well,
what does that have to do
00:45:00.94\00:45:02.92
with my kingdom?"
00:45:02.95\00:45:04.13
And after examining
Him, he says, "This Man,
00:45:05.20\00:45:08.08
I find no fault in Him.
00:45:08.11\00:45:09.72
I don't find any fault in Him."
00:45:10.53\00:45:12.16
But it's interesting that Pilate
did what the church wanted
00:45:14.71\00:45:19.20
because of political pressure.
00:45:20.61\00:45:22.47
He was afraid of
losing his position.
00:45:23.05\00:45:25.63
Because the Jews said, "If
you don't condemn this Man,
00:45:25.66\00:45:29.57
we will tell Caesar that
you are actually Jesus' friend.
00:45:29.60\00:45:32.48
And he will remove you
from your political position."
00:45:32.51\00:45:35.68
Folks, the greatest enemies of
God's people throughout history
00:45:38.92\00:45:42.43
have been those churches
that have joined the state
00:45:42.46\00:45:47.73
to persecute God's people.
00:45:47.76\00:45:49.26
Whenever you join church
and state, the result is evil.
00:45:49.29\00:45:52.66
Because God has said, "Render
to Caesar what is Caesar's,
00:45:53.46\00:45:56.09
and to God what is God's."
00:45:56.12\00:45:57.74
They are two kingdoms that
have been established by Jesus.
00:45:58.75\00:46:02.50
They both have
their legitimate place.
00:46:02.53\00:46:04.81
The problem is when you
mix the iron and the clay,
00:46:05.51\00:46:08.62
when the harlot fornicates
with the kings of the earth.
00:46:09.36\00:46:12.50
Then what is good
separate becomes evil together.
00:46:13.00\00:46:18.24
And God is warning
the world with this.
00:46:19.67\00:46:21.82
You know the United Nations
and the kings of the world,
00:46:22.70\00:46:25.12
they should stay aloof,
as far away as possible,
00:46:25.32\00:46:30.60
from religious
issues and from the church.
00:46:30.63\00:46:32.87
Because it will
come back to bite them.
00:46:33.86\00:46:35.94
And so the plot is unveiled.
00:46:38.38\00:46:40.44
Notice Esther
chapter 7 and verse 10.
00:46:40.64\00:46:44.35
It says, "So they
hanged Haman on the gallows
00:46:45.60\00:46:48.43
that he had
prepared for Mordecai.
00:46:48.81\00:46:51.28
Then the king's wrath subsided."
00:46:51.69\00:46:53.67
"But when Esther
came before the king,
00:46:54.44\00:46:56.03
he commanded by letter that
this wicked plot which Haman
00:46:56.06\00:46:59.23
had devised against the Jews
should return on his own head,
00:46:59.26\00:47:03.46
and that he and his sons should
be hanged on the..." What?
00:47:03.66\00:47:07.67
"...on the gallows."
00:47:07.70\00:47:08.86
Notice Esther 8
verses 3 through 6.
00:47:08.89\00:47:11.52
"Now Esther spoke again to
the king, fell down at his feet,
00:47:11.55\00:47:14.57
and implored him with
tears to counteract the evil
00:47:14.60\00:47:17.31
of Haman the Agagite,
and the scheme which he had
00:47:17.34\00:47:20.24
devised against the Jews.
00:47:20.27\00:47:21.75
And the king held out the
golden scepter toward Esther.
00:47:21.78\00:47:25.51
So Esther arose and stood
before the king, and said,
00:47:25.70\00:47:29.47
'If it pleases the king, and if
I have found favor in his sight
00:47:29.50\00:47:32.97
and the thing seems
right to the king, and I am
00:47:33.27\00:47:36.19
pleasing in his eyes, let it
be written to revoke the letters
00:47:36.22\00:47:40.32
devised by Haman, the son
of Hammedatha the Agagite,
00:47:40.35\00:47:43.51
which he wrote to
annihilate the Jews
00:47:43.54\00:47:45.60
who are in all
the king's provinces.
00:47:45.63\00:47:47.23
For how can I endure to
see the evil that will come
00:47:47.26\00:47:49.92
to my people?'"
00:47:49.95\00:47:51.55
She doesn't say, "To me."
00:47:51.65\00:47:54.03
She says, "To my people."
00:47:54.06\00:47:55.69
"Or how can I endure
to see the destruction
00:47:56.29\00:47:59.67
of my countrymen?"
00:47:59.70\00:48:00.97
What is the passion of Esther?
00:48:01.50\00:48:02.97
The people.
00:48:05.42\00:48:06.60
So let me ask you, who
is the hero of this story?
00:48:07.69\00:48:10.33
Esther.
00:48:11.21\00:48:12.33
Without Esther, they're lost.
00:48:13.03\00:48:14.24
Who was the hero of the
story of the three young men
00:48:14.27\00:48:16.53
in the fiery furnace?
00:48:16.56\00:48:17.78
Oh, dare to be a Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego.
00:48:19.02\00:48:22.03
I say, praise the Lord.
00:48:22.06\00:48:23.35
We need to have
that kind of a character.
00:48:23.38\00:48:25.15
But if it hadn't been for Jesus,
all the faith in the world
00:48:26.07\00:48:30.34
would not have saved them.
00:48:30.37\00:48:31.59
And so the hero of
these stories is Jesus.
00:48:32.62\00:48:36.16
Not only as a
Savior from slavery to sin,
00:48:36.61\00:48:41.19
as a spiritual Savior, but
as a literal Savior from death
00:48:41.22\00:48:45.59
at the end of time.
00:48:45.62\00:48:46.89
Jesus is a Savior in
every sense of the word.
00:48:47.73\00:48:51.14
And so the day
of the battle came.
00:48:52.11\00:48:53.62
You know, the laws of
the Medes and Persians
00:48:53.65\00:48:55.38
could not be revoked.
00:48:55.41\00:48:56.82
And so the decree had to remain.
00:48:57.58\00:48:59.45
But now the king gave
a new decree, he said,
00:48:59.74\00:49:01.48
"The Jews can
defend themselves."
00:49:01.78\00:49:03.88
And you know what's interesting?
00:49:04.68\00:49:06.06
They didn't have to,
because the angels did.
00:49:06.52\00:49:09.87
Let me read you from,
Prophets and Kings, page 602.
00:49:11.22\00:49:14.61
Are the angels going
to fight for God's people
00:49:14.64\00:49:16.46
in the end time?
00:49:16.49\00:49:17.52
Oh, you better believe it.
00:49:17.55\00:49:18.90
Ellen White says this,
"Angels that excel in strength
00:49:19.27\00:49:24.08
had been commissioned by
God to protect His people
00:49:25.04\00:49:28.43
while they stood
for their lives."
00:49:28.46\00:49:30.62
So the angels took
the battlefield in favor
00:49:30.72\00:49:34.42
of God's people.
00:49:34.45\00:49:35.97
And then, after
the day of the battle
00:49:37.47\00:49:40.60
came the celebration.
00:49:41.49\00:49:43.14
They established a new feast,
00:49:44.52\00:49:46.51
which is known as
the Feast of Purim.
00:49:47.58\00:49:50.32
It was a celebration.
00:49:51.83\00:49:52.90
It's similar to a Mardi
Gras, it's a Jewish Mardi Gras.
00:49:52.93\00:49:55.94
You know, these days they wear
masks and have a lot of music
00:49:56.73\00:49:59.71
and a lot of food
and a lot of dancing.
00:49:59.74\00:50:02.10
I mean, it's just a festive
time because they're remembering
00:50:02.13\00:50:06.26
their deliverance from certain
death in the days of Esther.
00:50:06.36\00:50:10.59
And so it says in
Esther 9 verse 17 and verse 18,
00:50:12.20\00:50:16.73
it says, "And on the fourteenth
day of the month they rested..."
00:50:16.76\00:50:20.88
Do you know what the
word, "rested," there is?
00:50:20.91\00:50:22.58
It's the word, "nuwach."
00:50:22.99\00:50:24.55
That's the same
word that appears in the
00:50:26.40\00:50:27.64
fourth commandment.
00:50:27.67\00:50:29.06
It doesn't mean, "to cease."
00:50:30.26\00:50:31.86
It means, "To enjoy delightful
rest after much turmoil."
00:50:31.89\00:50:35.95
And so it says, "...they rested,
and made it a day of..." What?
00:50:36.98\00:50:40.93
"...feasting and gladness."
00:50:41.43\00:50:44.62
"And on the
fourteenth day of the month
00:50:44.96\00:50:46.86
they rested and made it a
day of feasting and gladness."
00:50:46.89\00:50:52.39
The name of Esther isn't
mentioned in this book...
00:50:53.51\00:50:55.66
The name of God is not
mentioned in this book,
00:50:56.83\00:50:59.27
in the book of Esther.
00:50:59.30\00:51:00.46
And some people wonder why.
00:51:01.05\00:51:02.48
I'm going to tell you what
I believe is the reason why
00:51:04.42\00:51:07.57
the name of God is not
mentioned in this book.
00:51:07.60\00:51:10.41
It's because God wants to reveal
how He works providentially
00:51:11.41\00:51:16.30
behind the scenes of history.
00:51:16.33\00:51:18.64
Let me ask you, if you
read the book of Esther,
00:51:20.95\00:51:23.56
is it quite obvious that
there's another power that's
00:51:23.87\00:51:26.22
working behind the scenes?
00:51:26.25\00:51:27.98
Of course there is.
00:51:28.01\00:51:29.35
And so what God wants to
show is that human history
00:51:29.99\00:51:34.29
is guided by a divine hand.
00:51:34.49\00:51:36.63
And He doesn't
include the name of God there
00:51:37.58\00:51:40.24
because He wants to show
that even though you don't have
00:51:40.27\00:51:43.20
God written all over
these events, that it is
00:51:43.23\00:51:47.93
the hand of the invisible
God that is guiding the events
00:51:48.03\00:51:52.37
of the human race.
00:51:52.89\00:51:54.31
I'd like to end by
reading two statements
00:51:55.39\00:51:57.15
from the spirit of prophecy.
00:51:57.18\00:51:58.75
Incidentally, this story is very
similar to the story of Joseph.
00:51:59.40\00:52:02.71
Isn't it?
00:52:04.62\00:52:05.65
You read the story of
Joseph, of course the name of
00:52:06.61\00:52:08.51
God is mentioned
there, but you can't help but
00:52:08.54\00:52:11.00
see how God's hand is
guiding it every step.
00:52:11.03\00:52:13.88
I mean, it's as
subtle as a freight train.
00:52:14.32\00:52:17.23
It's as subtle as a tornado, or
those jets that fly across here
00:52:17.92\00:52:21.22
every so often.
00:52:21.93\00:52:23.42
Prophets and Kings, 605 and 606.
00:52:23.98\00:52:27.19
Ellen White makes the parallel
between the days of Esther
00:52:28.45\00:52:31.91
and our days.
00:52:31.94\00:52:33.04
"Satan will arouse indignation
against the minority who refuse
00:52:33.28\00:52:39.78
to accept popular
customs and traditions.
00:52:39.81\00:52:43.53
Men of position and reputation
will join with the lawless
00:52:44.13\00:52:49.55
and the vile to take counsel
against the people of God.
00:52:49.58\00:52:54.12
Wealth, genius,
education, will combine to cover
00:52:54.53\00:53:00.87
them with contempt.
00:53:00.90\00:53:02.80
Persecuting rulers,
ministers, and church members
00:53:03.34\00:53:08.13
will conspire against them.
00:53:08.16\00:53:10.35
With voice and pen, by
boasts, threats, and ridicule,
00:53:10.86\00:53:15.87
they will seek to
overthrow their faith.
00:53:16.21\00:53:19.07
By false representations
and angry appeals, men will
00:53:19.64\00:53:23.80
stir up the
passions of the people.
00:53:23.83\00:53:26.37
Not having a 'Thus saith
the Scriptures' to bring against
00:53:26.93\00:53:31.19
the advocates of the
Bible Sabbath, they will resort
00:53:31.22\00:53:34.36
to oppressive
enactments to supply the lack.
00:53:34.39\00:53:37.77
To secure
popularity and patronage,
00:53:38.47\00:53:42.00
legislators will yield to
the demand for Sunday laws."
00:53:42.20\00:53:46.32
So who is the moving
force behind Sunday laws?
00:53:47.63\00:53:50.27
It's the religious power.
00:53:51.94\00:53:53.40
It says, "To secure
popularity and patronage..."
00:53:54.32\00:53:56.40
By the way, that
means to get votes.
00:53:56.43\00:53:58.45
"...legislators will yield
to the demand for Sunday laws.
00:54:00.44\00:54:04.35
But those who fear God,
cannot accept an institution
00:54:04.47\00:54:09.10
that violates a
precept of the Decalogue.
00:54:09.20\00:54:12.26
On this battlefield will be
fought the last great conflict
00:54:12.89\00:54:17.83
in the controversy
between truth and error.
00:54:17.86\00:54:21.15
And we are not left
in doubt as to the issue.
00:54:21.71\00:54:27.27
Today, as in the days
of Esther and Mordecai,
00:54:27.37\00:54:31.88
the Lord will vindicate
His truth and His people."
00:54:31.91\00:54:36.16
And do you know who is
going to be the person that will
00:54:36.77\00:54:38.68
go and intercede
before the Father?
00:54:38.71\00:54:40.65
It will be Jesus Christ.
00:54:41.41\00:54:42.83
Actually, Ellen White says that
He will go before the Father
00:54:43.90\00:54:46.50
and He will utter the words
of John chapter 17 and verse 24,
00:54:46.53\00:54:50.56
where He says, "Father,
those that You have given to Me,
00:54:50.59\00:54:53.75
I want them to be where I am."
00:54:53.78\00:54:56.11
And then God will
arise to deliver His people.
00:54:57.56\00:55:03.18
The last statement I
want to read is from,
00:55:05.08\00:55:06.58
Prophets and Kings, page 605,
00:55:06.61\00:55:08.97
where the spirit of
prophecy tells us that,
00:55:10.54\00:55:12.47
"The decree that will finally
go forth against the remnant
00:55:12.50\00:55:17.44
people of God will be
very similar to that issued
00:55:17.47\00:55:24.63
by Ahasuerus against the Jews."
00:55:24.66\00:55:27.32
And in other places, Ellen White
explains that the death decree
00:55:28.09\00:55:31.38
will have a date.
00:55:31.41\00:55:33.13
And that after a period
of time, the date arrives
00:55:33.85\00:55:37.61
and people will be free
to slay God's remnant people.
00:55:37.64\00:55:42.07
So what happened
locally over there in Persia
00:55:43.51\00:55:51.93
becomes a local symbol
with literal individuals
00:55:52.26\00:55:58.17
of a global experience of
God's people at the end of time.
00:55:58.34\00:56:02.66
And the personages in
the story become symbolic
00:56:03.42\00:56:06.99
of global entities.
00:56:07.23\00:56:10.17
In other words, you're not
talking about a literal Haman
00:56:10.89\00:56:13.45
or a literal king.
00:56:13.48\00:56:14.51
You're talking about all
of the kings of the world.
00:56:14.54\00:56:17.45
You see, it becomes much larger
in the time of fulfillment.
00:56:18.36\00:56:21.94
You're not talking
about an individual Haman,
00:56:22.40\00:56:24.47
you're talking about
the daughters of the harlot.
00:56:24.50\00:56:27.33
You're not talking
about the wife of Haman,
00:56:28.52\00:56:30.97
you're talking
about another church that
00:56:31.00\00:56:33.46
manipulates her daughters.
00:56:33.49\00:56:35.37
You're not
talking about Mordecai,
00:56:36.63\00:56:38.44
you're talking about
God's people all over the world.
00:56:38.47\00:56:41.68
So what was local and literal...
00:56:42.71\00:56:44.87
And we're going to study this
tomorrow in our next principle.
00:56:45.17\00:56:47.62
What is local and
literal in the Old Testament
00:56:47.65\00:56:50.13
becomes global and
spiritual at the end of time.
00:56:50.16\00:56:54.09
It is an important principle
of prophetic interpretation.
00:56:54.85\00:56:57.90
And if you read the book,
00:56:57.93\00:56:59.28
The Certainty of the
Third Angel's Message,
00:56:59.38\00:57:02.04
you were able to
see that principle
00:57:02.81\00:57:05.09
almost on every single
page of that magnificent book.
00:57:05.19\00:57:09.21
Other than, Great Controversy,
hands down it's the greatest
00:57:09.97\00:57:14.10
book, I believe, that has ever
been written on Bible prophecy.
00:57:14.13\00:57:17.56
The Certainty of the
Third Angel's Message.
00:57:17.59\00:57:19.06
That's why I
asked you to read it.
00:57:19.09\00:57:20.69
It's not an easy read.
00:57:20.89\00:57:22.49
But if you bear with it,
you will be amazed at the truth
00:57:24.65\00:57:29.00
that you find in this book.
00:57:29.03\00:57:30.64
Of course, Great Controversy
is number one on the list.
00:57:30.93\00:57:34.59
That's in laymen's
language; easy to understand.
00:57:35.22\00:57:38.03
And it has all
of these principles
00:57:38.29\00:57:40.09
when we study it carefully.
00:57:40.12\00:57:41.86
So folks, let's look up.
00:57:41.89\00:57:44.19
Jesus is coming soon.
00:57:44.22\00:57:45.75
And He will protect His people.
00:57:45.78\00:57:48.13