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Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021532A
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00:33 >>GOOD MORNING EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO SABBATH SCHOOL 00:35 STUDY HOUR. A VERY SPECIAL WELCOME TO OUR 00:37 FRIENDS JOINING US ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. 00:40 THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF OUR EXTENDED BIBLE STUDY GROUP 00:43 TODAY. TO THE MEMBERS HERE AT THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH AND THE 00:46 VISITORS, A VERY WARM WELCOME TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE 00:50 TIME TO COME OUT THIS MORNING AND STUDY GOD'S WORD TOGETHER. 00:53 WE'RE WORKING ON OUR NEW LESSON QUARTERLY DEALING WITH BIBLICAL 00:56 MISSIONARIES AND TODAY WE FIND OURSELVES IN LESSON #5 - 01:00 ACTUALLY, IT'S LESSON #6, I BELIEVE IT IS, DEALING WITH THE 01:04 STORY OF ESTHER. SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO FOLLOW ALONG 01:07 WITH US, YOU CAN TURN TO THAT - ESTHER AND MORDECAI - LESSON #6. 01:11 AND FOR THOSE WATCHING, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY OF TODAY'S 01:15 LESSON, YOU CAN DOWNLOAD TODAY'S LESSON FROM THE AMAZING FACTS 01:18 WEBSITE - JUST AMAZINGFACTS.ORG - CLICK ON THE LINK THAT SAYS 01:23 SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR AND YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG WITH US. 01:27 WE HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT GOES ALONG WITH OUR STUDY TODAY, 01:30 DEALING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO 01:34 RECEIVE THIS FREE BOOK, JUST GIVE US A CALL. 01:37 OUR RESOURCE NUMBER IS 866-788-3966 AND YOU CAN ASK FOR 01:43 OFFER #723 - THAT NUMBER AGAIN IS 866-788-3966 AND ASK FOR THE 01:51 BOOK DEALING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT - OFFER #723 - AND WE'LL 01:55 BE HAPPY TO SEND THAT TO YOU. WELL, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO 01:58 INVITE OUR SONG LEADERS TO COME AND JOIN ME HERE ON STAGE. 02:01 AND WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN OUR TIME TOGETHER WITH A FEW SONGS, 02:04 BRINGING PRAISE AND GLORY TO GOD. THANK YOU. 02:07 >>THANK YOU, PASTOR ROSS, IT'S NICE TO HAVE YOU AND PASTOR DOUG 02:11 BACK FROM TEXAS. AND, OF COURSE, IT'S NICE TO SEE 02:15 EVERYONE HERE THIS MORNING AND THOSE OF YOU AROUND THE WORLD. 02:19 IT IS TIME TO SING SO LET'S PULL OUT OUR HYMNALS, IF YOU HAVE 02:22 THEM AT HOME, AND JOIN WITH US - #100 - GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS 02:27 - WE WILL DO ALL THREE STANZAS - #100. 02:30 (MUSIC) >>GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS, O GOD MY FATHER, 02:49 THERE IS NO SHADOW OF TURNING WITH THEE; THOU CHANGEST NOT, 03:01 THY COMPASSIONS, THEY FAIL NOT; AS THOU HAS BEEN THOU FOREVER 03:12 WILT BE. GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS! 03:19 GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS! MORNING BY MORNING NEW MERCIES I 03:29 SEE; ALL I HAVE NEEDED THY HAND HATH PROVIDED, GREAT IS THY 03:44 FAITHFULNESS! LORD UNTO ME! 03:51 SUMMER AND WINTER, AND SPRINGTIME AND HARVEST, SUN, 04:01 MOON, AND STARS IN THEIR COURSES ABOVE, JOIN WITH ALL NATURE IN 04:12 MANIFOLD WITNESS TO THY GREAT FAITHFULNESS MERCY AND LOVE. 04:27 GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS! GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS! 04:35 MORNING BY MORNING NEW MERCIES I SEE; ALL I HAVE NEEDED THY HAND 04:50 HATH PROVIDED, GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS! LORD UNTO ME! 05:05 PARDON FOR SIN AND A PEACE THAT ENDURETH, THY OWN DEAR PRESENCE 05:16 TO CHEER AND TO GUIDE; STRENGTH FOR TODAY AND BRIGHT HOPE FOR 05:26 TOMORROW, BLESSINGS ALL MINE, WITH TEN THOUSAND BESIDE. 05:38 >>ALL TOGETHER. >>GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS! GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS! 05:46 MORNING BY MORNING NEW MERCIES I SEE; ALL I HAVE NEEDED THY HAND 06:00 HATH PROVIDED, GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS! LORD UNTO ME! 06:21 >>THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING WITH US. AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO 06:24 HAVE PASTOR ROSS BRING US - LEAD US IN OUR OPENING PRAYER. 06:29 >>WE'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU JUST TO BOW YOUR HEADS AS WE ASK 06:34 GOD'S BLESSING UPON OUR TIME TOGETHER. 06:37 DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU, ONCE AGAIN, THAT WE'RE ABLE 06:39 TO GATHER TOGETHER TO STUDY YOUR WORD. 06:41 WE WANT TO INVITE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO COME AND FILL OUR 06:43 HEARTS AND OUR MINDS AND GUIDE US, LORD, AS WE LOOK AT THIS 06:46 VERY INTERESTING STORY IN THE SCRIPTURE THAT DEMONSTRATES A 06:50 TRUE MISSIONARY SPIRIT. SO BLESS OUR TIME TOGETHER FOR 06:54 WE ASK THIS IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 06:57 I'D LIKE TO INVITE PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR TO COME FORWARD AND 07:00 LEAD US IN OUR STUDY TODAY - LESSON #6. 07:04 >>THANK YOU PASTOR ROSS. MORNING EVERYBODY. 07:07 >>MORNING. 07:08 >>WELCOME TO THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH. 07:09 IF YOU'RE VISITING, WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE. WE KNOW THAT THERE 07:12 ARE MANY THAT MAY BE VISITING VIA THE PROGRAMS ON SATELLITE 07:16 OR THE INTERNET - WATCHING FROM HITHER AND YON. 07:20 WE ALWAYS SAY THE SAME THING - WE ALWAYS SAY "ACROSS THE 07:24 STREET AND AROUND THE WORLD" SO I THOUGHT I'D THROW IN 07:26 HITHER AND YON JUST TO THROW YOU. 07:28 WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO A VERY GOOD LESSON TODAY - THE SUBJECT 07:32 IS GOOD, I HOPE THE PRESENTATION WILL BE GOOD - ON ESTHER - AND 07:36 IT'S LESSON #6. WE HAVE A MEMORY VERSE. 07:39 THE MEMORY VERSE COMES FROM ESTHER 4:14 - THOSE FAMOUS WORDS 07:43 - AND I'M READING IT FROM THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. 07:47 I'D LIKE YOU TO SAY IT WITH ME, THOSE WHO ARE IN OUR CLASS - 07:50 ARE YOU READY? 07:51 MORDECAI SENT A MESSAGE TO ESTHER AND IT SAID, "FOR IF YOU 07:55 REMAIN COMPLETELY SILENT AT THIS TIME, RELIEF AND DELIVERANCE 08:00 WILL ARISE FOR THE JEWS FROM ANOTHER PLACE, BUT YOU AND YOUR 08:03 FATHER'S HOUSE WILL PERISH. YET WHO KNOWS WHETHER YOU HAVE 08:08 COME TO THE KINGDOM FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS?" 08:13 GOD, PROVIDENTIALLY, HAD TAKEN ESTHER FROM A PLACE OF LOW 08:16 ESTATE AND BROUGHT HER TO PROMINENCE IN THE KINGDOM AND 08:21 MORDECAI, HER UNCLE, WAS SAYING, 'YOU, PROVIDENTIALLY, HAVE BEEN 08:25 PLACED IN A POSITION OF INFLUENCE FOR GOD'S PURPOSES.' 08:28 AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S TRUE OF EVERYBODY. 08:30 IF GOD HAS PLACED YOU IN A POSITION OF INFLUENCE - WELL, 08:34 WHATEVER POSITION HE PLACES YOU IN, IT'S FOR HIS PURPOSES - BUT 08:37 ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CAN BE A MISSIONARY FOR HIM. 08:41 AND, YOU KNOW, JESUS SAYS THAT IN THE LAST DAYS WE WILL BE 08:44 BROUGHT BEFORE KINGS AND RULERS TO BEAR TESTIMONY FOR HIS SAKE. 08:47 I THINK THAT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. IT'S HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN 08:51 HISTORY AND IT HAPPENED IN THE STORY OF ESTHER. 08:55 AND SO, WE'RE GOING TO DIVE RIGHT IN AND DO A LITTLE 08:58 STUDYING ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 08:59 FIRST OF ALL, THE NAME ESTHER MEANS STAR . 09:04 THE BOOK OF ESTHER IS A UNIQUE BOOK IN THE BIBLE IN, FOR ONE 09:10 THING, IT'S WRITTEN FROM THE PERSIAN PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE THE 09:14 CHILDREN OF GOD ARE CAPTIVES. THE KINGDOM HAS TRANSFERRED FROM 09:18 BABYLON TO PERSIA - IT'S A PERSIAN INFLUENCE. 09:20 AMONG THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS, PART OF EVERY OLD TESTAMENT BOOK 09:27 WAS FOUND EXCEPT THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 09:31 AND IT COULD BE BECAUSE THE ESSENES, THIS EXTREMELY ZEALOUS 09:36 RELIGIOUS SECT THAT WAS DOWN THERE PROTECTING THE SCROLLS, 09:41 THEY HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOOK OF ESTHER BECAUSE THE WORD 09:44 GOD OR JEHOVAH APPEARS NOWHERE IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 09:48 THE TERM PRAY DOES NOT APPEAR IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 09:53 I THINK THERE ARE A FEW GOOD REASONS FOR THAT, 09:56 THAT THE SCHOLARS HAVE EXPLAINED. 09:57 THE BOOK OF ESTHER BEING WRITTEN FROM PERSIA - THEY HAD TO BE 10:02 VERY CAREFUL WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT OTHER GODS AND PRAYER 10:06 BECAUSE THEY WERE A CONQUERED PEOPLE AT THAT TIME AND SO IT 10:11 WAS WRITTEN IN A VERY DIPLOMATICALLY, TACTFUL WAY. 10:15 IT TALKS ABOUT PRAYER - IT DOESN'T USE THE WORD PRAYER - IT 10:18 SAYS, "GATHER ALL THE PEOPLE AND TELL THEM TO FAST FOR ME." 10:21 WELL, WHAT WHERE THEY DOING? 10:22 THEY'RE FASTING AND PRAYING, OBVIOUSLY, AND THE PROVIDENCE OF 10:26 GOD IS SO CLEARLY SEEN THROUGH THE BOOK OF ESTHER THAT, YOU 10:30 KNOW, WRITERS BEFORE AND AFTER HAVE NO DOUBT ABOUT ITS 10:33 AUTHENTICITY AS SCRIPTURE. I THINK, WHEN YOU READ THE BOOK 10:37 OF ESTHER, WHILE IT IS A TRUE ACCOUNT OF HISTORY, YOU NEED TO 10:41 PUT ON YOUR SPIRITUAL SPECTACLES. 10:43 READ THE BOOK OF ESTHER WITH A PROPHETIC MIND SET - 10:49 AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF REASONS FOR THAT. 10:51 FIRST OF ALL, WHY DON'T YOU JUST START - GO TO ESTHER CHAPTER 1, 10:53 VERSE 3 AND YOU CAN READ, "IN THE THIRD YEAR OF HIS REIGN" - 11:01 THE REIGN OF KING AHASUERUS - "IN THE THIRD YEAR OF HIS REIGN 11:06 HE MADE A FEAST FOR ALL HIS OFFICIALS AND SERVANTS - THE 11:10 POWERS OF PERSIA AND MEDIA," - SO IT WAS THE MEDO-PERSIAN 11:13 KINGDOM, JUST AS DANIEL HAD FORETOLD - LATER KNOWN MORE AS 11:16 JUST THE PERSIAN KINGDOM - AND "WHEN HE SHOWED THE RICHES OF 11:20 HIS GLORIOUS KINGDOM AND THE SPLENDOR OF HIS EXCELLENT 11:23 MAJESTY FOR MANY DAYS, ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DAYS IN ALL." 11:26 FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE BOOK OF ESTHER THAT OUGHT TO GET 11:29 YOUR ATTENTION, IN THE THIRD YEAR OF HIS REIGN HE HAS A FEAST 11:33 LASTING 180 DAYS. HOW MUCH TIME IS IN A JEWISH YEAR? 11:37 HOW MANY DAYS IN A JEWISH YEAR? A LUNAR CALENDAR - THEY HAD 360 11:41 IN A YEAR. ONE REASON WE KNOW THIS IS 11:45 BECAUSE THREE AND A HALF YEARS WAS 42 MONTHS FOR THE JEWS. 11:50 30 DAYS TO THE MONTH - THEY USED TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL MONTH EVERY 11:54 13 YEARS, I THINK, TO COMPENSATE FOR WHAT WE USE FOR LEAP YEAR 11:56 AND OUR SOLAR CALENDAR, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY, MATHEMATICALLY, A GOOD 12:02 NUMBER - 360 - IF YOU'RE A PILOT YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S 360 12:04 DEGREES IN THE CIRCLE. 12:06 SO THE JEWS HAD A LUNAR CALENDAR 360 DAYS. WHAT IS HALF OF 360? 12:12 >>180. >>180. 12:14 THAT'S WHY YOU GET THE EXPRESSION "HE TURNED 180." 12:17 THAT MEANS A COMPLETE TURNAROUND. SO YOU BEGIN THE 12:22 BOOK OF ESTHER WITH A THREE AND A HALF-YEAR NUMBER. 12:27 IN THE THIRD YEAR OF HIS REIGN A FEAST LASTING 180 DAYS. 12:31 DOES THAT NUMBER APPEAR OTHER PLACES IN PROPHECY? 12:35 IT APPEARS IN DANIEL. IT APPEARS IN REVELATION. 12:38 AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THAT PERIOD? HE HAS THIS 12:43 BANQUET, THIS FEAST, AND HE ASKS FOR HIS BEAUTIFUL QUEEN - 12:49 A PAGAN QUEEN - BY THE NAME OF VASHTI - TO PUT ON HER ROYAL 12:52 APPAREL AND CROWN AND COME, THAT ALL MIGHT BEHOLD HER BEAUTY. 12:56 NOW, FRANKLY, I'M DISAPPOINTED SOMETIMES THAT PEOPLE READ THE 13:01 BOOK OF ESTHER AS THOUGH IT'S SOME KIND OF A SOCIAL STATEMENT 13:03 OR IT'S TO BE WRITTEN IN PERSPECTIVE OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS. 13:08 AND I'M NOT SAYING THERE WERE NOT PROBLEMS IN PERSIA IN THOSE 13:13 AREAS, BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY - THE BOOK IS WRITTEN AS A 13:16 SPIRITUAL BOOK. YOU NEED TO LOOK AT IT AS THE 13:19 KING GIVES A COMMAND THAT OTHERS MAY BEHOLD THE BEAUTY OF HIS 13:24 WIFE AND SHE SPURNS HIS COMMAND AND DOES NOT COME. 13:27 VASHTI IS DE-THRONED AND A JEWISH QUEEN NAMED ESTHER COMES. 13:33 IT IS A CHANGE BETWEEN TWO WOMEN: ONE WHO BECOMES THE BRIDE 13:39 OF THE KING AND HER NAME MEANS STAR - IN REVELATION 12 YOU'VE 13:43 GOT A WOMAN WHO IS BEAUTIFUL, CLOTHED WITH THE SON AND THE 13:46 MOON AND THE WHAT? >>STARS. 13:48 >>THE STARS - SHE'S GOD'S CHURCH. 13:50 ESTHER IS A TYPE FOR THE CHURCH. SHE INTERCEDES FOR HER PEOPLE 13:55 WITH THE KING AND SHE FINDS GRACE AND IT'S THE WHOLE BOOK. 14:00 IT'S A TRUE STORY. IT'S A TRUE PLACE IN HISTORY. 14:02 AND ONE THING IS THE HISTORIANS - WHEN THEY READ ESTHER THEY'RE 14:05 AMAZED BY THE BOOK BECAUSE THE LITTLE DETAILS ARE GIVEN OF 14:07 PERSIAN COURT THAT THEY KNOW ARE VERY ACCURATE - AND PERSIAN LAW 14:11 AND PERSIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND HOW THEY - 127 PROVINCES. 14:16 BUT IT IS AN AMAZINGLY SPIRITUAL BOOK ABOUT THE BATTLE BETWEEN 14:21 GOOD AND EVIL AND YOU'LL FIND, AS WE PROCEED, MORE ABOUT THAT. 14:25 SO WHEN YOU READ THE BOOK OF ESTHER, READ IT FOR ITS 14:28 FASCINATING HISTORY. 14:29 THERE ARE PRACTICAL LESSONS THAT ARE IN THERE, BUT PLEASE DON'T 14:31 MISS THE PROPHETIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BOOK. 14:34 I'LL READ YOU A SPIRIT OF PROPHECY QUOTE AT THE END OF OUR 14:37 STUDY TODAY, WHERE ELLEN WHITE SAYS THE SAME, THAT THE BOOK 14:41 MUST BE READ WITH AT LEAST - MAKE SURE - DON'T FORGET TO READ 14:45 IT AT LEAST ONCE, PUTTING ON YOUR SPIRITUAL SPECTACLES, AND 14:48 SAY, 'WHAT IS THE PROPHETIC IMPLICATION OF THIS BOOK?' 14:53 BECAUSE WHAT GOD'S PEOPLE GO THROUGH IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER 14:55 WILL BE REPEATED IN THE HISTORY. 14:58 AND THEN YOU NOTICE ALSO, IN VERSE 10 - ESTHER CHAPTER 1, 15:01 VERSE 10, "ON THE SEVENTH DAY, WHEN THE HEART OF THE KING WAS 15:05 MERRY" - THAT'S WHEN HE GIVES THE COMMAND FOR VASHTI TO COME. 15:09 SO YOU'VE GOT A THREE AND A HALF AND YOU'VE GOT A SEVEN. 15:11 DO YOU HAVE THOSE NUMBERS IN REVELATION? 15:14 AND THEN YOU GET TO THE END OF THE BOOK OF ESTHER IT SAID THAT 15:18 IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF HIS REIGN THIS DECREE HAPPENS. 15:23 YOU'VE GOT THREE AND A HALF, YOU'VE GOT SEVEN, YOU'VE GOT 15:25 TWELVE. DO THOSE NUMBERS APPEAR IN REVELATION? 15:28 THOSE ARE VERY SIGNIFICANT BIBLICAL NUMBERS THAT HAVE 15:31 MEANING, SO JUST - JUST KEEP THAT ON A SHELF IN YOUR MIND, SO 15:35 AS YOU'RE READING IT YOU MEET ALL THAT. 15:39 NOW LET'S LOOK AT THE PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE. 15:41 IT SAYS THAT - OF COURSE, EVERYONE KNOWS - I DON'T HAVE 15:45 TIME TO GO THROUGH EVERY CHAPTER OF ESTHER IN DETAIL DURING OUR 15:49 SABBATH SCHOOL TIME HERE - VASHTI DOES NOT COME. 15:53 THE KING TAKES COUNSEL AND SAYS, 'WHAT DO WE DO?' 15:56 HIS ADVISORS SAY, 'THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE GOOD FOR HUSBANDS IN 15:59 THE KINGDOM AND IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD FOR THE KING. 16:03 YOU NEED TO DE-THRONE HER.' SHE WAS NOT EXECUTED, SHE WAS JUST - 16:06 LOST HER POSITION. SHE LIVED OUT WITH - ONE OF - 16:09 HER LIFE AS ONE OF THE KING'S CONCUBINES, NO DOUBT. 16:12 AND THEY HAVE A ROYAL BEAUTY PAGEANT THAT IS VERY ELABORATE 16:17 AND THEY GO AND THEY FIND - OUT OF 127 PROVINCES THEY GET, WHO 16:20 KNOWS HOW MANY, OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMEN IN THE KINGDOM. 16:24 AND THEN THOSE WOMEN MUST GO THROUGH THIS BEAUTIFICATION 16:28 PROCESS. YOU KNOW, TRAINING TO COME AND 16:31 FINALLY BE PREPARED TO MEET BEFORE THE KING. 16:34 IT WAS A BIG THING TO COME AND BE - GET A PERSONAL INTIMATE 16:40 RELATIONSHIP WITH THE KING. 16:42 DON'T WE ALL LONG TO HAVE THAT INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR 16:45 KING - TO KNOW THE LORD, AS THE BIBLE SAYS? 16:49 NOT ANYONE CAN JUST WALK, YOU KNOW, AS MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD 16:54 SAY, 'YOU CAN'T JUST SCHLEP IN' BEFORE THE KING. 16:57 THERE WAS PREPARATION THAT WAS MADE. 17:00 AND SO THERE WAS ALL THIS BEAUTIFICATION AND THESE OILS 17:04 AND THESE FRAGRANCES AND THE CLOTHING THAT SHE WEARS AND IT'S 17:06 VERY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO COME IN BEFORE THE KING. 17:10 AND ESTHER IS CHOSEN BECAUSE OF THE GRACEFUL HUMBLE WAY - ALL 17:15 THE OTHER GIRLS IN THE BEAUTY PAGEANT, THEY'RE - YOU KNOW, 17:19 THEY'RE JUST LOOKING FOR THE BEST AND THEY'RE TRYING TO BE 17:22 THE BEST AND THEY'RE ELBOWING EACH OTHER AND ESTHER SAYS TO 17:26 THE CHIEF OF THE EUNUCHS, 'WHATEVER YOU SUGGEST, THAT'S 17:29 WHAT I'LL DO.' SHE HAS A VERY HUMBLE ATTITUDE THROUGH THE 17:32 TRAINING PROCESS - AS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST WOULD. 17:35 THE KING, OF COURSE, IS A SYMBOL HERE, IN THIS STORY ANYWAY, OF 17:39 OUR KING. AND SO SHE'S CHOSEN BUT SHE 17:42 NEVER MENTIONS THAT SHE IS A JEWISH CAPTIVE. 17:48 DOESN'T MENTION HER - THE MEAN ESTATE - AS THE OLD HYMN WRITERS 17:53 WOULD SAY - HER HUMBLE ORIGINS. HER PEOPLE ARE A CAPTIVE PEOPLE. 17:58 NOW THERE IS A TIME WHEN YOU ARE MINGLING AMONG THE SONS OF MEN, 18:03 TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU BELIEVE. 18:06 AND THERE IS A TIME THAT PAUL SAYS THAT YOU NEED TO, AS FAR AS 18:10 POSSIBLE, WITHOUT SACRIFICING CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES, BE AS MUCH 18:18 LIKE YOUR SOCIETY AS YOU CAN, TO REACH THE PEOPLE. 18:21 LET ME GIVE YOU A VERSE HERE. NOW SOMEBODY, IN A MINUTE, IS 18:26 GOING TO READ FOR ME, ESTHER 2:20. 18:27 WHO HAS THAT? I'LL JUST SEE. 18:29 OKAY, JORDAN, YOU'LL BE - IN JUST A MOMENT WE'LL GET TO THAT. 18:31 BUT FIRST LET'S LOOK AT 1 CORINTHIANS 9:19. 18:34 PAUL SAID, "FOR THOUGH I AM FREE FROM ALL MEN, I HAVE MADE MYSELF 18:39 A SERVANT TO ALL, THAT I MIGHT WIN THE MORE;" 18:41 WHAT DOES HE MEAN "WIN"? WIN TO CHRIST. 18:44 HE SAYS, 'I'M FREE OF ALL MEN BUT I WANT TO BE A SERVANT TO 18:47 ALL THAT I MIGHT WIN MORE.' "...TO THE JEWS I BECAME AS A 18:49 JEW, THAT I MIGHT WIN JEWS; TO THOSE WHO ARE UNDER THE LAW, AS 18:54 UNDER THE LAW, THAT I MIGHT WIN THOSE WHO ARE UNDER THE LAW;" 18:57 YOU KNOW, FRIENDS, I MIGHT JUST LET YOU KNOW, I DO THE SAME 18:59 THING - I'M HALF JEWISH. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW I 19:01 EXPLOIT THAT AS OFTEN AS I CAN FOR CHRIST. 19:05 AND WHEN I'M TALKING TO MY JEWISH FRIENDS, I LET THEM KNOW 19:07 RIGHT AWAY - THEY KNOW I'M A CHRISTIAN - I SAY, 'YOU KNOW, 19:10 I'M JEWISH.' 'OH, YOU ARE?' IT KIND OF OPENS THE DOOR WHERE 19:11 YOU CAN THEN TALK. 'HOW CAN YOU BE A JEW AND A CHRISTIAN?' 19:14 I SAID, 'OH, THEY MAKE THE BEST CHRISTIANS - JEWS.' I SAID, 'BY 19:18 THE WAY, DID YOU KNOW JESUS WAS A JEW? 19:20 AND HE WAS A CHRISTIAN.' ISN'T THAT RIGHT? 19:24 AND SO I SAY, 'IN THE NEW TESTAMENT - CHRISTIAN BOOK - 19:28 WRITTEN BY JEWS.' AND SO I USE IT. 19:31 SO PAUL SAYS 'TO REACH THE JEWS I BECAME A JEW.' NOW IF YOU'RE 19:37 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST YOU CAN DO THAT TOO. 19:39 IF YOU MEET JEWS YOU CAN SAY, 'OH, I'M KOSHER.' RIGHT? 19:41 'I'M A SABBATH KEEPER.' FIND ALL THE THINGS IN COMMON THAT YOU 19:45 CAN TO REACH PEOPLE. I'VE GOT A FRIEND WHO'S MUSLIM. 19:49 I SAY, 'YOU KNOW, I DON'T EAT ANY UNCLEAN FOOD.' 'REALLY?' 19:53 'YEAH.' I SAY, 'I DON'T PRAY TO IDOLS.' 'I THOUGHT ALL 19:56 CHRISTIANS PRAY TO IDOLS.' 'NO, THAT'S NOT TRUE.' AND SO 19:59 WHENEVER YOU FIND ANY COMMON GROUND WHERE YOU CAN REACH 20:03 THESE PEOPLE, USE IT TO REACH THEM. 20:05 AND THIS IS WHAT PAUL WAS SAYING - 'AS THOSE UNDER THE LAW, THAT 20:08 I MIGHT REACH THOSE UNDER THE LAW. 20:10 TO THOSE THAT ARE WITHOUT LAW,' - SPEAKING ABOUT THE PAGANS - 20:12 'AS WITHOUT LAW' - NOT BEING WITHOUT LAW TOWARDS GOD - IN 20:16 OTHER WORDS, WE'RE ALWAYS FOLLOWING THE LAW OF GOD - "BUT 20:18 UNDER LAW TOWARDS CHRIST THAT I MIGHT WIN THOSE WHO ARE WITHOUT 20:20 THE LAW; TO THE WEAK I BECAME WEAK THAT I MIGHT WIN THE WEAK. 20:23 I HAVE BECOME ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN, THAT I MIGHT BY ALL MEANS 20:25 SAVE SOME." BEAUTIFUL STATEMENT. 20:28 AS FAR AS POSSIBLE HE RELATED TO EVERYBODY ON THEIR GROUND SO HE 20:31 COULD REACH THEM. ISN'T THAT WHAT JESUS DID? 20:35 WHEN HE CAME TO OUR WORLD HE BECAME A MAN TO REACH MEN. 20:38 MANKIND. SO THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL STATEMENT. 20:44 ALRIGHT, NOW WE'RE GOING TO READ - LET ME READ FOR YOU FIRST 20:49 ESTHER 2:10, THEN JORDAN'LL READ ESTHER 2:20. 20:53 IT SAYS, "ESTHER HAD NOT REVEALED HER PEOPLE OR FAMILY, 20:57 FOR MORDECAI HAD CHARGED HER NOT TO REVEAL IT." 21:02 THE HOLY SPIRIT SOMEHOW REVEALED TO HIM TO KEEP THIS QUIET. 21:07 AND A SIMILAR VERSE - ESTHER 2:20 - WHY DON'T YOU READ THAT? 21:11 >>"NOW ESTHER HAD NOT REVEALED HER FAMILY AND HER PEOPLE, JUST 21:15 AS MORDECAI HAD CHARGED HER, FOR ESTHER OBEYED THE COMMAND OF 21:19 MORDECAI AS WHEN SHE WAS BROUGHT UP BY HIM." 21:22 >>YOU KNOW, THIS IS IMPORTANT IN THAT IT'S TELLING US THAT ESTHER 21:26 WAS HUMBLE AND ESTHER WAS OBEDIENT. 21:29 SHE IS IN THE PALACE OF THE KING. 21:33 GOD HAS PLACED HER THERE TO SAVE HER PEOPLE. 21:38 THE ONLY WAY SHE WAS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN SAVING HER PEOPLE 21:42 IN THE PALACE OF THE KING, IS BY OBEYING MORDECAI. 21:46 NOW, YOU CAN ALSO FIND AS WE READ ON IN THIS STORY, THAT 21:50 MORDECAI REALLY BECOMES A TYPE OF CHRIST. 21:54 AND MORDECAI - YOU KNOW, ESTHER MEANS STAR - MORDECAI MEANS 21:59 'LITTLE MAN.' COULD BE THAT HE WAS OF A DIMINUTIVE SIZE, BUT 22:06 THAT'S WHAT HIS NAME MEANT. IT COULD ALSO REFER TO SOMEONE 22:09 WHO IS SMALL IN THEIR OWN EYES AND A SIGN OF THEIR HUMILITY. 22:15 THERE WAS NO ONE MEEKER THAN JESUS - NO ONE MORE HUMBLE THAN 22:17 CHRIST. NOW YOU CAN'T RUN THROUGH THIS 22:23 STORY OF ESTHER WITHOUT AT LEAST MAKING NOTE OF ANOTHER 22:26 PRINCIPLE. SOMEONE IS GOING TO READ FOR ME 22:28 ECCLESIASTES 4:14 - WHO HAS THAT? SAM? 22:32 >>"ONE CAN INDEED COME OUT OF PRISON TO REIGN; EVEN THOUGH 22:36 BEING POOR IN THE KINGDOM." >>SOMEONE CAN COME OUT OF PRISON 22:41 TO REIGN EVEN THOUGH BORN POOR IN THE KINGDOM. 22:45 THAT'S A PROMISE. ARE WE IN PRISON? 22:49 CAN WE COME OUT OF PRISON TO REIGN EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT BE 22:54 POOR IN SPIRIT? "BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT; 22:57 THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM." CAN YOU SEE EXAMPLES OF THIS IN 23:01 THE BIBLE? WHAT HAPPENED TO JOSEPH? 23:04 DID JOSEPH HAVE AN EXPERIENCE WHERE HE WENT FROM THE PRISON TO 23:07 THE PALACE? YEAH. 23:10 HE'S A, YOU KNOW, SON OF A SHEPHERD. 23:13 ALL OF A SUDDEN HE'S THE PRIME MINISTER OF EGYPT. 23:16 BY THE WAY, THERE'S ANOTHER VERSE IN THE BIBLE - PSALM 142, 23:20 VERSE 7, "BRING MY SOUL OUT OF PRISON, THAT I MAY PRAISE YOUR 23:24 NAME;" DID DAVID GO FROM THE LOW ESTEEM, LOW ESTATE TO THE 23:30 PALACE? PEOPLE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT 23:33 ABRAHAM LINCOLN BECAUSE HE'S, SORT OF, OUR AMERICAN EXAMPLE OF 23:36 THAT - OF SOMEBODY WHO IS, YOU KNOW, JUST DIRT POOR FAMILY, 23:40 COULDN'T EVEN READ, LIVING IN A LOG CABIN AND WENT TO THE 23:42 HIGHEST OFFICE. IT HAPPENED WITH DANIEL. 23:47 DANIEL WENT FROM THE STATUS OF BEING A CAPTIVE IN BABYLON - YOU 23:52 READ IN DANIEL 2, VERSE 48, "THEN THE KING PROMOTED DANIEL 23:56 AND GAVE HIM MANY GREAT GIFTS; AND HE MADE HIM RULER OVER THE 23:58 WHOLE PROVINCE OF BABYLON, AND CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR OVER ALL THE 24:03 WISE MEN OF BABYLON." AND BEFORE HE INTERPRETED THE 24:06 KING'S DREAM, HE WAS A CAPTIVE IN THE KINGDOM. 24:10 HAVE YOU READ THE LAST VERSES IN THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH? 24:14 IT TALKS ABOUT THE LAST KING OF JUDAH. 24:18 HE WAS THE SON OF KING JOSIAH. HE WAS IMPRISONED BY 24:20 NEBUCHADNEZZAR AND HE WAS IN PRISON FOR 37 YEARS. 24:25 AND YOU CAN READ HERE IN JEREMIAH 52:31: IT COMES TO PASS 24:30 "IN THE THIRTY-SEVENTH YEAR OF THE CAPTIVITY OF JEHOIACHIN KING 24:33 OF JUDAH, IN THE TWELFTH MONTH, ON THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF THE 24:36 MONTH, THAT EVIL-MERODACH KING OF BABYLON, IN THE FIRST YEAR OF 24:38 HIS REIGN, LIFTED UP THE HEAD OF JEHOIACHIN KING OF JUDAH AND 24:41 BROUGHT HIM OUT OF PRISON. 24:44 AND HE SPOKE KINDLY TO HIM AND GAVE HIM A MORE PROMINENT SEAT 24:47 THAN THOSE OF THE KINGS WHO WERE WITH HIM IN BABYLON. 24:49 SO JEHOIACHIN CHANGED FROM HIS PRISON GARMENTS, AND HE ATE 24:53 BREAD REGULARLY BEFORE THE KING ALL THE DAYS OF HIS LIFE. 24:58 AND AS FOR HIS PROVISIONS, THERE WAS A REGULAR RATION" - THE KING 25:01 GAVE HIM AN ALLOWANCE - A CREDIT CARD - FROM "THE KING OF 25:05 BABYLON, A PORTION FOR EACH DAY UNTIL THE DAY OF HIS DEATH, ALL 25:08 THE DAYS OF HIS LIFE." AND SO HERE, JEHOIACHIN, WHO HAD 25:11 BEEN IN PRISON 37 YEARS IS BROUGHT FROM THE PRISON, NEW 25:15 CLOTHES - NOT WEARING RAGS ANYMORE, HE'S WEARING ROYAL 25:19 APPAREL - NEW SEAT, HE'S NOT IN PRISON ANYMORE WITH A BUCKET, 25:24 HE'S NOW AT THE KINGS TABLE. HE'S GOT NEW FINANCES. 25:29 HE'S GOT NEW STATUS - NEW BREAD - EVERYTHING CHANGES BECAUSE THE 25:34 KING SHOWS HIM MERCY - FROM THE PRISON TO THE PALACE. 25:40 DO YOU KNOW THAT THERE WAS A TIME ALSO WHERE KING MANASSEH - 25:44 HE WAS IN PRISON - HE WAS A WICKED KING - HE WAS IN PRISON. 25:47 HE PRAYED IN PRISON. GOD FORGAVE HIM, BROUGHT HIM 25:49 FROM THE PRISON BACK TO THE PALACE. 25:51 THERE'S MANY, MANY STORIES LIKE THIS AND ESTHER IS EXHIBIT A OF 25:54 A PERSON WHO GOES FROM THE - JUST THE VERY LOWEST - FIRST OF 25:58 ALL, WOMEN WERE NOT TREATED VERY HIGHLY IN THE KINGDOM. 26:02 YOU CAN READ THAT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 26:04 SECONDLY, SHE'S A CAPTIVE WOMAN. 26:08 THIRDLY, SHE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE PARENTS - SHE'S AN ORPHANED 26:11 CAPTIVE WOMAN. FIFTHLY, SHE'S YOUNG. 26:14 THE YOUNG WERE NOT RESPECTED AS THE AGED. 26:17 SO ESTHER IS GOING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BOTTOM TO BEING 26:21 THE QUEEN OF PERSIA AND SHE BECOMES THE FULCRUM ON WHICH THE 26:26 DESTINY OF THE ENTIRE JEWISH NATION IS GOING TO PIVOT. 26:30 DOES GOD OFTEN USE WOMEN TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE WITH BIG NEWS? 26:36 WHO DOES THE LORD JESUS CHOOSE WHEN HE RAISES, TO GIVE THE 26:39 ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE RESURRECTION? 26:41 MARY MAGDALENE WHO THEY THOUGHT WAS THE LOWEST, WHO KNELT AT 26:45 JESUS FEET, WHO THEY SAID, 'DON'T LET HER TOUCH YOU.' AND 26:47 SHE'S THE INSTRUMENT THAT GOD USES. 26:50 GOD USES HUMBLE INSTRUMENTS TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS. 26:54 ALRIGHT, SO BACK TO OUR STUDY OF ESTHER. OH, WHO DOES JESUS USE 27:03 AS A MISSIONARY TO THE PEOPLE OF SAMARIA? 27:06 HE WAITS UNTIL ALL THE OTHER WOMEN WHO HAVE COME AS A GROUP 27:11 HAVE LEFT, AND THERE'S THIS ONE WOMAN WHO COMES ALONE BECAUSE 27:14 SHE'S GOT A BAD REPUTATION, AND HE TELLS THE WOMAN AT THE WELL - 27:17 WE DON'T KNOW HER NAME, IT'S JUST A CERTAIN SAMARITAN WOMAN - 27:21 THAT'S HE'S THE MESSIAH. SHE GOES AND TELLS THE TOWN AND 27:24 THEY ALL COME AND HEAR JESUS AND ACCEPT HIM BECAUSE OF HER 27:27 MESSAGE. GOD DELIGHTS TO USE HUMBLE MEANS 27:33 THAT SOMETIMES WOULD NOT BE EXPECTED. 27:35 I WANT TO READ A QUOTE FROM THE BOOK DESIRE OF AGES , P. 27:38 190, "CHRIST WAS FAR MORE RESERVED WHEN HE SPOKE TO THEM" 27:42 - THE JEWISH PEOPLE - "THAT WHICH HAD BEEN WITHHELD FROM THE 27:46 JEWS AND WHICH THE DISCIPLES WERE AFTERWARD ENJOINED TO KEEP 27:48 SECRET, WAS REVEALED TO THE WOMAN AT THE WELL. 27:51 JESUS SAW THAT SHE COULD MAKE USE OF HER KNOWLEDGE IN BRINGING 27:55 OTHERS TO SHARE HIS GRACE. SHE DOES IT VERY TACTFULLY. 27:58 SHE DOESN'T RUN THROUGH TOWN SAYING, 'I KNOW THE TRUTH AND 28:01 YOU DON'T.' SHE SAYS, 'COME SEE A MAN THAT SHOWED ME EVERYTHING 28:03 I DID.' IN OTHER WORDS, 'COME AND SEE.' WHICH WAS THE SAME 28:07 THING THAT JESUS SAID WHEN HE FIRST BEGAN HIS MISSION WORK. 28:09 THE DISCIPLES SAID, 'MASTER, WHERE ARE YOU STAYING?' 28:13 AND JESUS SAID, 'COME AND SEE.' AND THEN AFTER HE REVEALED HE 28:16 WAS THE MESSIAH, PHILIP AND NATHANIEL, THEY GO AND THEY FIND 28:19 PETER AND - OR PHILIP FINDS NATHANIEL AND HE SAID, 'CAN 28:26 ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF NAZARETH?' AND WHAT DOES HE SAY? 28:28 'COME AND SEE.' AND SO CAN ALL OF US DO THAT 28:31 KIND OF MISSION WORK? JUST COME AND SEE. 28:34 ALRIGHT, SO BACK TO THE PALACE OF PERSIA HERE. 28:36 SO NOW IT GETS VERY INTERESTING. ESTHER'S IN THE THRONE, SHE'S 28:43 ESTABLISHED, THINGS - LIFE IS WONDERFUL. 28:44 MORDECAI IS - HE'S SITTING IN THE KING'S GATE. 28:47 THERE'S AN ATTEMPT MADE TO ASSASSINATE THE KING. 28:51 MORDECAI SOMEHOW LEARNS OF THIS. HE REVEALS IT TO THE KING. 28:55 NOW, WHY WOULD A JEWISH CAPTIVE WANT TO SAVE THE KING? 29:01 MAYBE HE SHOULD THINK, 'WELL, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, GET RID OF THIS 29:03 KING AND HE'LL SEND US ALL BACK TO ISRAEL OR SOMETHING, BUT HE 29:09 OBEYS THE LAWS OF THE LAND. HE TAKES CARE OF THE KING. 29:13 HE PROTECTS THE KING. HE EXPOSES THIS ILLEGAL PLOT AND 29:16 THE KING IS SAVED. BUT NOTHING'S EVER DONE FOR 29:20 MORDECAI TO HONOR HIM FOR DOING THIS. NO REWARD IS EVER GIVEN. 29:24 THEN YOU READ ON - GO TO ESTHER CHAPTER 3, VERSE 1 - "AFTER 29:29 THESE THINGS KING AHASUERUS PROMOTED HAMAN, THE SON OF 29:35 HAMMEDATHA THE AGAGITE," - THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTICE. 29:39 DO YOU REMEMBER THE NAME 'AGAG' IN THE BIBLE? 29:43 DO YOU REMEMBER THERE'S A PEOPLE THAT WERE FOREVER AT WAR - THEY 29:48 WERE THE ARCHENEMIES OF ISRAEL. THEY WERE MORE AT WAR WITH 29:52 ISRAEL THAN THE PHILISTINES. THEY WERE MORE AT WAR WITH 29:55 ISRAEL THAN THE EDOMITES, THE MOABITES, THE AMMONITES. 29:59 THEY WERE MORE AT WAR THAN THE BABYLONIANS OR ASSYRIANS. 30:04 THE AVOWED, MOST ARCHENEMY OF ISRAEL WERE THE AMALEKITES. 30:10 THE AMALEKITES WERE THE FIRST TO ATTACK THEM WHEN THEY CAME OUT 30:13 OF EGYPT. THEY WERE CONSTANTLY AT WAR. 30:18 IT WAS THE AMALEKITES THAT ATTACKED DAVID'S VILLAGE AND 30:21 CARRIED OFF HIS FAMILY. HE LATER RESCUED HIS FAMILY FROM THEM. 30:25 KING SAUL, WHEN HE WAS KING, HE WAS TOLD BY SAMUEL - 30:29 AND PEOPLE FIND THIS A VERY BRUTAL COMMAND - TO ATTACK THE 30:33 AMALEKITES AND EXTERMINATE THEM. 30:35 BUT SAUL DID NOT LISTEN TO SAMUEL'S COUNSEL AND HE SPARED 30:39 THE KING - AND EVIDENTLY SOME OF HIS FAMILY - AND THE KING'S NAME 30:43 WAS 'AGAG.' AND SO, SAUL WAS TOLD TO EXTERMINATE - AND HE 30:49 JUST ABOUT DID EXTERMINATE THE AMALEKITES - SOME OF THEM 30:52 SURVIVED AND HE DIDN'T KILL AGAG, SAMUEL THE PROPHET FINALLY 30:56 DID. SAUL WAS FROM THE TRIBE OF WHAT? 30:59 BENJAMIN. SAUL WAS THE SON OF KISH. ARE YOU WITH ME? 31:05 SAUL WAS FROM THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN, SON OF KISH. 31:08 NOW WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT HAMAN? THE AGAGITE, A DESCENDENT 31:12 OF THE AMALEKITES, AGAG. AND WHAT DOES IT SAY JUST ABOVE 31:16 THAT - ABOUT MORDECAI? IT SAYS HE WAS THE SON OF JAIR, 31:21 THE SON OF SHIMEI, THE SON OF KISH, A BENJAMITE. 31:25 SO HERE YOU'VE GOT A LONG-STANDING FAMILY FEUD COMES 31:31 BACK TO LIFE IN PERSIA BETWEEN THESE TWO GROUPS. 31:36 AND SO IT'S THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE ISRAELITES AND THE 31:41 AMALEKITES RESUMES. THE KING, KNOWING NOTHING OF 31:45 THIS HISTORY, FOR WHATEVER REASON HE LIKES HAMAN. 31:48 HAMAN PROBABLY FLATTERS HIM OR WHATEVER, AND HE EXALTS HIM TO 31:52 BE THE KING'S FRIEND. HE'S, SORT OF, PRIME MINISTER - 31:55 THE KING'S PERSONAL ADVISOR - AND EVERYBODY'S COMMANDED TO BOW 31:59 TO HIM. BUT ONE OF THE KING'S SUBJECTS 32:04 DOES NOT BOW TO HAMAN. WHO'S THAT? MORDECAI WON'T BOW. 32:11 NOW, WE'D LIKE TO THINK IT'S BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS THAT YOU 32:13 SHOULD NOT BOW TO A MAN. DID JOSEPH'S BROTHERS BOW TO 32:18 JOSEPH? THEY DID. 32:21 SO IT MAY BE A COMBINATION OF THE FACT THAT HE'S JUST NOT 32:24 GOING TO WORSHIP A MAN, WHICH IS ONE OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 32:28 IT MAY ALSO BE THAT HE'S NOT GOING TO BOW TO AN AMALEKITE. 32:32 BUT EITHER WAY, HE WILL NOT BOW. I'D LIKE TO THINK IT'S BECAUSE 32:36 OF THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE. AND ONCE OR TWICE HAMAN THINKS, 32:41 'WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS GUY? HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND.' AND THEN 32:43 HE TALKS TO HIS SERVANTS AND THEY SAY, 'NO, HE'S A JEW. 32:45 HE'S NOT GOING TO BOW TO YOU.' HE SAYS, 'OH, HE'S A JEW, IS HE? 32:49 I CAN DEAL WITH THAT.' AND HE THINKS, 'I'M GOING TO GET RID OF 32:54 ALL THE JEWS.' AND SO THERE'S THIS BATTLE GOING ON HERE. 32:57 NOW THROUGH THE EFFORT TO EXTERMINATE THE JEWS, WHEN DO 33:03 YOU THINK GOD'S PEOPLE, HISTORICALLY, HAVE BEEN THE BEST 33:06 WITNESSES? WE ALWAYS PRAY THAT GOD'LL BLESS 33:11 US AND SAVE US FROM PERSECUTION BUT, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY, 33:14 WHEN THE GOSPEL HAS GONE THE QUICKEST? 33:16 GOD'S PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS THE BEST MISSIONARIES IN PERSECUTION. 33:21 YOU DIDN'T WANT ME TO TELL YOU THAT BUT IT'S TRUE. 33:26 WHEN IS THERE AN INTERNATIONAL COMMAND TO WORSHIP JEHOVAH? 33:30 WHEN SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO ARE ABOUT TO GO TO THE 33:33 FURNACE. WHEN GOD SAVES THEM FROM THE 33:36 FURNACE, NEBUCHADNEZZAR ISSUES AN INTERNATIONAL DECREE ABOUT 33:40 JEHOVAH. WHEN IS THERE AN INTERNATIONAL 33:43 DECREE FROM THE PERSIAN KING ABOUT JEHOVAH? 33:47 WHEN DANIEL GOES TO THE LION'S DEN, BECAUSE GOD PRESERVES HIM 33:51 THROUGH TRIAL, GOD IS GLORIFIED AND THERE IS AN INTERNATIONAL 33:55 DECREE. THEY DO THEIR BEST MISSION WORK 33:59 THROUGH TRIAL. IT'S WHEN JOSEPH IS IN PRISON IN 34:04 EGYPT THAT HE'S ABLE TO BE A MISSIONARY FOR GOD IN THAT 34:09 KINGDOM. AND SO, YOU'LL OFTEN FIND - 34:12 WHEN DID THE GOSPEL SPREAD THE MOST QUICKLY THROUGH EUROPE? 34:16 IT WAS THE TIME WHEN THE CAESARS PROHIBITED CHRISTIANITY AND THEY 34:21 WENT UNDERGROUND. WHO WAS IT? 34:24 TERTULLIAN THAT SAID, "THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS IS SEED FOR THE 34:28 GOSPEL." IT SEEMED LIKE THE MORE 34:30 CHRISTIANS WERE PERSECUTED, THE MORE THEY WERE NOTICED. 34:33 SO WHEN YOU PRAY FOR REVIVAL IN THE CHURCH, ARE YOU AWARE OF 34:37 WHAT YOU'RE PRAYING FOR? ALL THAT LIVE GODLY WILL SUFFER 34:42 PERSECUTION. AND SOMETIMES PERSECUTION 34:46 INSPIRES GODLY LIVING AND THAT'S WHEN WE'RE THE BEST WITNESSES. 34:50 SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE NOW THERE'S A GREAT CONFLICT THAT 34:53 HAPPENS, BUT AT THE END, NOT ONLY ARE GOD'S PEOPLE PRESERVED 34:57 BUT GOD'S NAME IS EXALTED AND THE MESSAGE SPREADS THROUGH THIS 35:02 GREAT TRIAL. SO MORDECAI WILL NOT BOW TO HAMAN. 35:08 HAMAN SAYS, 'WELL, I'M GOING TO GET RID OF HIM.' HE FINDS OUT 35:11 WHAT HIS PEOPLE ARE AND HE TELLS THE KING, 'THERE'S A PEOPLE THAT 35:14 LIVES IN YOUR KINGDOM AND THEY JUST DON'T OBEY YOUR LAWS.' 35:17 HE NEVER SPECIFIES WHO THEY ARE. 35:18 AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THEY - HE'S GOT 127 PROVINCES AND THE 35:21 KING IS FIGURING, 'I DON'T KNOW, THERE'S ALL THESE TRIBES AND 35:24 SECTS AND GROUPS AND I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE IT IS.' 35:25 AND HE SAID, 'YOU KNOW, THEY ARE JUST A REBELLIOUS PEOPLE AND 35:29 KING, REMEMBER, THERE'S JUST BEEN AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON 35:31 THE KING. SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS 35:34 WANT THE KING OUT OF THERE.' SO HAMAN SAYS, 'I'M LOOKING OUT FOR 35:37 YOUR INTERESTS. MATTER OF FACT, I'M SO CONCERNED 35:39 ABOUT YOUR INTERESTS, KING, I AM WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE A LOT OF 35:41 MONEY TO EXTERMINATE THESE PEOPLE.' AND THE KING SAYS, 35:45 'WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SURE, I'LL SIGN THE DECREE. 35:46 WHATEVER YOU THINK IS BEST.' ARE KING'S SOMETIMES TRICKED INTO 35:51 MAKING LAWS? THE KING DOESN'T EVEN KNOW. 35:54 DID THE KING OF PERSIA KNOW WHEN THEY TOLD HIM TO MAKE THIS LAW, 35:58 THAT THIRTY DAYS 'DON'T PRAY TO ANYBODY BUT THE KING' - HE 36:01 DIDN'T REALIZE THEY WERE TRYING TO USE THIS TO GET RID OF HIS 36:04 FRIEND DANIEL. AND NEITHER DID KING AHASUERUS 36:08 REALIZE THAT THIS WAS A LAW THAT WOULD KILL HIS QUEEN - BUT 36:12 THAT'S BECAUSE HAMAN DIDN'T REALIZE THE QUEEN WAS A JEW, 36:17 BECAUSE MORDECAI SAID, 'DO NOT REVEAL YOUR PEOPLE YET.' THERE 36:21 WAS GOING TO BE A TIME AND TIMING IS VERY IMPORTANT. 36:24 YOU KNOW, IF YOU WORK IN A SECULAR ENVIRONMENT, YOU MAY NOT 36:28 WANT TO WEAR YOUR RELIGION ON YOUR SLEEVE EVERY DAY. 36:30 YOU PRAY FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE 36:34 AND THEN YOU TASTEFULLY SHARE WITH THEM. 36:37 SO, THIS LAW IS SIGNED AND THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WHEN ALL OF 36:47 THE JEWS HEAR ABOUT IT, THEY'RE ALL MOURNING. 36:49 THEY'RE RENDING THEIR ROBES - AND A DATE IS SET WHEN ALL OF 36:54 GOD'S PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE EXTERMINATED. 36:57 AND SO, THERE'S A FEAST - HAMAN PREPARES - HE'S VERY HAPPY ABOUT 37:02 THIS. HE'S CELEBRATING, BUT HE CAN'T 37:04 BE COMPLETELY HAPPY BECAUSE EVEN AFTER HE GETS THE KING TO SIGN 37:07 THE DECREE THAT ALL OF GOD'S PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE KILLED ON 37:10 THIS CERTAIN DATE, HE HAS TO WALK OUT OF THE GATE AND 37:12 EVERYBODY BOWS EXCEPT MORDECAI WON'T BOW. 37:16 HAMAN GOES HOME AND HE TELLS HIS FAMILY - HE SAYS, 'LOOK, I'M 37:19 GLAD ABOUT THE HONOR I GOT FROM THE KING. 37:21 AND I'M GLAD THAT NOW WE'RE GOING TO EXTERMINATE THESE 37:24 PEOPLE, BUT HAMAN STILL DOESN'T BOW.' AND HIS FAMILY SAYS, 37:27 'WELL, WHY DON'T YOU DEAL WITH HIM SPECIFICALLY? 37:29 TEACH HIM A LESSON - MAKE A GALLOWS 50-FEET HIGH AND YOU'LL 37:31 HAVE HIM HUNG ON IT. WHY DON'T - BEFORE - DON'T EVEN 37:34 WAIT FOR THE DECREE. GO GET A SPECIAL PERMIT TO HAVE 37:36 HIM HUNG EARLY.' HE SAYS, 'I'LL DO IT.' 37:39 AND HE GOES INTO THE KING. HE'S GOT THIS LAW HE WANTS 37:42 SIGNED TO HANG MORDECAI ON THESE GALLOWS. 37:46 AND THAT MORNING - YOU REALIZE, I'M NOT GOING THROUGH THE 37:49 LESSON, I'M JUST SORT OF TALKING HERE. 37:51 WE'VE GOT TO TELL THE STORY. THAT VERY MORNING - THE KING 37:54 CANNOT SLEEP THAT NIGHT. YOU KNOW THAT GOD CAN GIVE YOU 37:59 PEACE AND REST AND GOD CAN KEEP YOU UP. 38:01 AND HE'S TOSSING AND TURNING AND HE CAN'T SLEEP AND THE KING 38:06 SAYS, 'OH, MAN, GET THE SCRIBE TO COME IN HERE AND READ THE 38:10 CHRONICLES TO ME - ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING - BECAUSE NOTHING 38:13 PUTS ME TO SLEEP QUICKER THAN LISTENING TO THAT GUY MOAN ON 38:16 AND READ THE - AND SO THEY GOT THE, YOU KNOW, THE HARPS ARE 38:21 PLAYING AND HE SAID, 'JUST READ THE CHRONICLES TO ME. 38:22 THAT'LL PUT ME TO SLEEP.' I AM ABSOLUTELY SERIOUS. 38:26 YOU CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY TIMES PEOPLE TELL ME - IT HAPPENED 38:29 AGAIN LAST WEEK - 'PASTOR DOUG, I JUST LOVE YOUR SERMONS. 38:34 WHENEVER I CAN'T SLEEP I PUT THEM ON.' OR THEY SAY, 'I GO TO 38:41 SLEEP LISTENING TO YOUR SERMON EVERY THURSDAY. 38:47 THAT WAY, WHEN WE DO SABBATH SCHOOL...' AND I JUST SAY, 38:49 'WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.' I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. 38:53 I THOUGHT MAYBE I OUGHT TO JUST PUT OUT SOME CDS AND SAY, 38:56 'TO HELP YOU SLEEP. 39:00 SOME, YOU KNOW, SPECIAL SLEEPING AID' - OR SOMETHING. 39:03 SO THE KING, HE GETS - AND THE SCRIBE IS READING. 39:07 HE'S SAYING, 'BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.' AND THE 39:09 KING IS STARTING TO DOZE OFF AND THEN THE SCRIBE READS, 'AND 39:12 THERE WAS AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST THE KING AND 39:15 BIGTHAN AND TERESH TRIED TO ASSASSINATE THE KING BUT THE 39:18 PLOT WAS REVEALED BY MORDECAI AND THE KING'S LIFE WAS SPARED 39:20 AND THEY WERE EXECUTED.' AND HE - 'WAIT? WAIT? WHAT? ! 39:23 READ THAT AGAIN!' THE KING WAKES RIGHT UP AND HE 39:26 THINKS, 'NOW WHAT DID WE DO FOR THIS GUY MORDECAI WHO SAVED MY 39:29 LIFE?' AND HE LOOKS AT THE FOOTNOTES 39:32 AND THE SCRIBE SAYS, 'NOTHING.' 'OH,' - THE KING IS SAYING - 39:35 'I'M NOT THAT - THAT'S NOT VERY KINGLY OF ME. 39:37 THE GUY SAVES MY LIFE - I DON'T GIVE HIM ANYTHING. 39:39 I DON'T GIVE HIM A DISCOUNT AT THE CAFETERIA. 39:41 I DON'T GIVE HIM ANYTHING.' AND HE'S THINKING, 'I'VE GOT TO DO 39:44 SOMETHING FOR THAT GUY. 39:46 WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A GUY THAT SAVES YOUR LIFE?' 39:47 AND WHILE HE'S THINKING THAT (KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK) HAMAN IS 39:52 KNOCKING AT THE GATE. HE SAYS, 'WHO'S OUT THERE? 39:53 IT'S AWFUL EARLY.' HAMAN, HE'S GOING, 'I'VE GOT TO GET THIS 39:57 SIGNED. I'M GOING TO HAVE HIM HUNG. 39:59 THE GALLOWS ARE - I'M GOING TO GET HIM HUNG TODAY.' AND HE 40:01 COMES IN AND JUST WHEN HAMAN COMES IN THE KING SAYS, 'OH 40:05 HAMAN - YOU! COME ON IN. I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE. 40:07 I'VE GOT A QUESTION TO ASK YOU. I'M GLAD IT'S YOU. 40:09 WHAT SHALL I DO FOR THE ONE THAT THE KING DELIGHTS TO HONOR?' 40:14 HAMAN IS SO FULL OF SELF - NOW IF MORDECAI REPRESENTS CHRIST, 40:20 WHO DOES HAMAN REPRESENT? 40:22 WHO IS IT THAT WANTS TO DESTROY GOD'S PEOPLE? 40:25 THE DRAGON WAS WROTH WITH THE WOMAN AND WANTS TO DESTROY THE 40:28 SEED OF THE WOMAN. AND WHAT DOES HAMAN WANT? 40:30 HE WANTS TO DESTROY THE SEED OF ESTHER. 40:34 AND SO WHAT DOES HAMAN SAY TO THE KING? 40:37 'WHO WOULD THE KING DELIGHT TO HONOR MORE THAN ME?' 40:40 HE THINKS WITHIN HIMSELF, 'I, I, I. IT'S ALL ABOUT ME. 40:44 WHO WOULD HE WANT TO DELIGHT - HONOR MORE THAN ME?' 40:47 AND SO HE BEGINS TO TELL THE KING WHAT HE WANTS, THINKING 40:49 IT'S ALL GOING TO BE ABOUT HIM. 'WELL, PUT HIM ON THE KING'S 40:53 HORSE AND HAVE THE KING'S MOST PROMINENT PEOPLE ANNOUNCE BEFORE 40:58 HIM - PUT THE KING'S ROBE ON HIM. 41:00 PUT THE KING'S CROWN ON HIS HEAD. 41:03 PARADE HIM UP THE STREETS AND SAY, 'THUS WILL IT BE DONE FOR 41:06 THE ONE WHOM THE KING DELIGHTS TO HONOR.' WELL, IF I DIDN'T 41:08 KNOW BETTER, I WOULD THINK THAT MORDECAI - HAMAN WANTED TO BE 41:10 THE KING. WHAT DID LUCIFER WANT? 41:13 'TO EXALT MY THRONE ABOVE THE STARS - TO SIT ON THE' - HE 41:18 WANTED THE THRONE OF GOD AND THE SIZE OF THE CONGREGATION. 41:22 HE WANTED TO BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH. 41:24 SO HAMAN IS VERY MUCH LIKE THE DEVIL - ALL ABOUT HIM. 41:29 AND THE KING LISTENS - HE LISTENS - HE'S TELLING THE 41:33 SCRIBE, 'WRITE THIS DOWN. THIS IS GOOD. THIS IS GOOD. 41:35 YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.' AND HAMAN, HE'S SAYING 'OH, DO THIS AND 41:37 THIS AND THIS.' AND THE KING SAYS, 'OKAY, SOUNDS GOOD. 41:40 GOOD IDEA. THAT'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO FOR 41:42 MORDECAI THE JEW THAT SITS IN THE KING'S GATE.' AND RIGHT IN 41:47 HAMAN'S HAND, HE'S GOT THE DEATH DECREE FOR MORDECAI HE WANTS THE 41:50 KING TO SIGN. AND HE WALKS OUT OF THERE AND HE 41:53 TEARS HIS CLOTHES - 'OH, OH.' AND HE HAS TO WALK BY MORDECAI 41:58 IN THE GATE, WHO STILL WILL NOT BOW DOWN. 42:03 AND HE GOES TO HIS HOUSE AND HE SAYS, 'THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.' 42:06 AND HIS FAMILY SAYS, 'YOU KNOW, THIS DOESN'T LOOK GOOD. 42:08 IT SEEMS LIKE THESE JEWS ARE INDESTRUCTIBLE, HISTORICALLY.' 42:11 AND SO THEN HE GETS INVITED TO THE SECOND FEAST - ESTHER KEEPS 42:16 INVITING THE - HAMAN AND THE KING - TO THESE SPECIAL BANQUETS 42:22 WHERE SHE'S GOING TO MAKE A GREAT ANNOUNCEMENT. 42:24 HAVE YOU NOTICED IN THE BIBLE HOW MANY BIG THINGS SEEM TO 42:28 HAPPEN AT FEASTS? HOW MANY TIMES A FEAST 42:32 REPRESENTS A CHANGE OF STATUS. I'VE GOT A COUPLE LITTLE NOTES 42:36 HERE. LET ME SEE IF I CAN FIND THAT - 42:38 ABOUT - YEAH, FEASTS OF CHANGE. SODOM IS DESTROYED AFTER A 42:43 FEAST, REMEMBER? LOT INVITED THE ANGELS IN AND 42:45 FEASTED WITH THEM. THEY HAD BREAD. 42:48 HAGAR IS CAST ASIDE AT THE FEAST WHERE ISAAC IS WEANED. 42:53 PHARAOH HANGS THE BAKER AND RESTORES THE BUTLER AT A FEAST. 42:57 JOB'S CHILDREN DIED WHILE FEASTING. 43:00 EGYPT IS HUMBLED AND ISRAEL IS FREED AT THE PASSOVER FEAST. 43:04 SAMSON BEGINS HIS BATTLE WITH THE PHILISTINE BECAUSE OF A 43:07 WEDDING FEAST. NABAL DIES AND DAVID TAKES 43:11 ABIGAIL FOLLOWING A FEAST. JEROBOAM ORDAINED A FEAST AND 43:15 ISRAEL WAS CURSED. JEHU SLEW THE BAAL WORSHIPERS AT 43:20 A FEAST FOR BAAL. IT'S AT A MEDO-PERSIAN FEAST THE 43:23 HANDWRITING APPEARS ON THE WALL AND THE KINGDOM CHANGES. 43:27 ESTHER BEGINS WITH A FEAST AND THERE'S A CHANGE OF QUEENS. 43:31 JOHN THE BAPTIST DIES AT A FEAST - BIRTHDAY FEAST - WHEN THE GIRL 43:37 COMES OUT AND DANCES. AND THE NEW TESTAMENT COVENANT 43:41 IS ESTABLISHED AT A FEAST. THIS IS JUST A FEW. 43:43 HOW OFTEN THINGS CHANGE IN THE CONTEXT OF A FEAST. 43:46 SO ESTHER INVITES HAMAN TO THE FEAST. 43:49 AND AT THE FIRST FEAST SHE SAYS, 'I WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER FEAST. 43:51 I WANT YOU TO COME.' SO NOW HAMAN'S COMING BACK FOR THE 43:53 SECOND FEAST - HE'S BEING SUMMONED. 43:55 HE STILL CAN'T GET OVER THE FACT THAT HE HAD TO PARADE MORDECAI 44:00 UP THE STREET. HE HAD TO DO IT RIGHT WHEN THE KING SAID. 44:03 HE SAID, 'I WANT YOU TO GO DO IT RIGHT NOW.' MORDECAI WAS THERE 44:06 AT THE GATE AND HAMAN COMES. HE SAID, 'COME WITH ME.' 44:09 THEY PUT THE KING'S ROBES ON MORDECAI. 44:11 THEY PUT THE KING'S CROWN ON MORDECAI. 44:13 HE'S BEEN WEARING SACKCLOTH BECAUSE OF THE DECREE TO DESTROY 44:16 ALL GOD'S PEOPLE. HE'S BROUGHT UP AND DOWN THE 44:19 STREETS. YOU KNOW, DOESN'T IT SAY A 44:20 HAUGHTY SPIRIT GOES BEFORE A FALL? 44:22 THE STORY OF ESTHER IS AMAZING BECAUSE THE ONE WHO EXALTED 44:26 HIMSELF THE MOST GETS HUMBLED THE MOST AND THE ONE WHO IS IN 44:31 SACKCLOTH AND ASHES AT THE KING'S GATE GETS EXALTED. 44:36 JESUS, WHO CAME AND HUMBLED HIMSELF, IS GOING TO BE EXALTED; 44:41 AND THE DEVIL, WHO WANTED THE POSITION OF GOD, IS GOING TO BE 44:44 HUMBLED. SO THE BOOK OF ESTHER IS 44:46 TEACHING THE WHOLE GREAT CONTROVERSY. 44:48 IT IS A COMPLETE REVERSAL OF ROLES THAT IS HAPPENING HERE AND 44:52 HOW IT HAPPENS IN GOD'S TIMING AND PROVIDENCE. 44:55 YOU MIGHT WONDER WHY, SOMETIMES, YOU'RE ALWAYS AT THE LOW END. 44:58 YOU HUMBLE YOURSELF AND IN GOD'S TIME HE WILL LIFT YOU UP. 45:01 AND EVERY KNEE WILL DECLARE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. 45:05 MORDECAI - I'M SORRY, HAMAN HAD TO DECLARE THAT MORDECAI WAS THE 45:11 ONE WHOM THE KING DELIGHTED TO HONOR. 45:14 DID HE WANT TO SAY THAT? >>NO. 45:16 >>DOES THE DEVIL WANT TO SAY THAT JESUS IS LORD? 45:19 BUT HE WILL SOMEDAY, WON'T HE? DO YOU THINK THE BOOK OF 45:22 ESTHER'S INSPIRED AND IT BELONGS IN THE BIBLE? 45:25 OH, IT'S AN AMAZING STORY. BUT WE'RE NOT DONE YET. 45:28 SO FINALLY, AFTER ALL THAT, HE COMES BACK TO HIS HOUSE AND HE'S 45:32 JUST A BUNDLE OF NERVES. MORDECAI - OR HAMAN DOESN'T KNOW 45:35 WHAT TO DO AND HE'S NOW INVITED TO THIS FEAST. 45:37 AND AT THIS FEAST, ESTHER FINALLY SAYS TO THE KING, 45:43 'PLEASE, IF YOU SOLD US INTO SLAVERY I'D SAY NOTHING. 45:46 BUT MY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MARKED FOR ANNIHILATION AND 45:50 DESTRUCTION.' AND THE KING IS OUTRAGED AND AGHAST. 45:53 'WHO WOULD DARE TO DO SUCH A THING?' 45:55 YOU'VE GOT ONE OF THESE GREAT MOMENTS IN THE BIBLE AND EVEN 45:58 HAMAN IS THINKING, 'YEAH, WHO?' >>(LAUGHTER) 46:01 >>HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT. 46:03 MAYBE HE STARTS TO GET A CREEPING HUNCH. 46:07 'COULD SHE BE A JEW?' AND SHE POINTS TO HAMAN. 46:14 SHE SAYS, 'THIS WICKED HAMAN IS TRYING TO DESTROY MY PEOPLE.' 46:17 AND NOW THE KING, HE THINKS, 'WHAT? OH YEAH, HE HAD ME SIGN 46:21 THE DECREE. BUT ONCE I SIGN A DECREE, I 46:23 CANNOT UNSIGN IT. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? 46:26 I'VE MADE A LAW THAT ALL OF ESTHER'S PEOPLE ARE TO BE 46:30 DESTROYED.' THE KING GOES OUT TO THINK ABOUT IT. 46:32 NOW HAMAN, HE THINKS, 'OH, I SEE THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL. 46:36 THIS DOESN'T LOOK GOOD FOR ME.' HE THINKS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN 46:38 WORK WITH THE KING NOW - HE NEEDS ESTHER TO INTERCEDE FOR 46:42 HIM AND HE FALLS ON ESTHER AND HE'S OVERWHELMED WITH FEAR NOW. 46:47 THE KING WALKS BACK IN AND THERE HE LOOKS LIKE HE'S ACCOSTING HIS 46:54 BRIDE. AND HE SAID, 'WILL YOU ABUSE THE 46:57 QUEEN IN MY PRESENCE?' AND AS SOON AS HE SAYS THAT THE 47:01 SERVANTS, THEY CAME AND THEN THEY BLOCK HIM FROM THE QUEEN. 47:04 IT'S A VERY INTERESTING DRAMATIC SCENE. 47:08 AND THEN THE SERVANTS - THEY'RE LIKE THE ANGELS - THEY LET THE 47:12 KING IN ON A LITTLE TIP. THEY SAY, 'KING, GO OUT ON YOUR 47:15 BALCONY. YOU SEE THE HOUSE OF HAMAN? 47:17 YOU SEE THERE'S A GALLOWS THAT HE BUILT? 47:18 HE SAYS, 'HE WANTED THAT GALLOWS TO EXECUTE MORDECAI, WHO SAVED 47:23 THE KING'S LIFE.' AND THE KING NOW BECOMES VERY DECISIVE AND HE 47:29 SAYS, 'HANG HIM ON THE GALLOWS.' YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT HE 47:34 THAT ROLLS A STONE WILL HAVE IT ROLL BACK ON HIM. 47:36 WHAT YOU DO UNTO OTHERS WILL BE DONE UNTO YOU. 47:39 AND YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU SET A TRAP FOR YOUR 47:42 ENEMY, YOU MIGHT FALL IN THE TRAP THAT YOU SET. 47:44 THAT'S WHY IT'S BETTER TO FORGIVE AND LET VENGEANCE BE THE 47:46 LORD'S, RIGHT? HE ENDED UP GETTING HUNG ON THE 47:50 GALLOWS THAT HE BUILT. AND IN THE END OF THE STORY IT'S 47:56 JUST WONDERFUL HOW MORDECAI IS TAKEN - HE'S EXALTED, HE SEEKS 48:03 THE PEACE OF GOD'S PEOPLE IN THE THRONE, AND ALL OF IT IS BECAUSE 48:08 HE REVEALED WHO HE WAS. WILL SOMEONE READ FOR US ESTHER 48:12 8, VERSE 16. WHO'S GOT THAT? 48:15 WE'LL GIVE YOU THE MICROPHONE. LET'S GET A CAMERA THERE. 48:17 MATTER OF FACT, JUST BEFORE YOU READ THAT I WANT TO READ THIS. 48:19 THAT'LL GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO SET UP. 48:21 LAST BOOK ELLEN WHITE WROTE, CALLED PROPHETS AND KINGS - LET 48:25 ME READ TO YOU PAGE 605. KEEP IN MIND, WHAT YOU JUST READ 48:29 IN THE STORY OF ESTHER, A DEATH DECREE IS MADE AGAINST GOD'S 48:33 PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT BREAK THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD. 48:36 THEY'RE ALL TO BE EXTERMINATED ON A CERTAIN DAY, BUT AT THE 48:39 TIME WHEN THE DAY COMES, THEIR ENEMIES ARE DESTROYED. 48:42 THEY ARE DELIVERED. MORDECAI IS EXALTED AND THE 48:47 PEOPLE REJOICE. COMPLETE REVERSAL OF ROLES. 48:51 HERE'S WHAT SHE SAYS - AND THIS IS 605 IN PROPHETS AND KINGS - 48:55 "THE TRYING EXPERIENCES THAT CAME TO GOD'S PEOPLE IN THE DAYS 48:58 OF ESTHER ARE NOT PECULIAR TO THAT AGE ALONE. 49:01 THE REVELATOR," - IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION - "LOOKING DOWN 49:04 THROUGH THE AGES TO THE CLOSE OF TIME, HE DECLARED THE DRAGON WAS 49:08 WROTH WITH THE WOMAN AND HE WENT TO MAKE WAR WITH THE REMNANT OF 49:11 HER SEED THAT KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD AND HAVE THE 49:14 TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST. SOME WHO ARE TODAY LIVING ON THE 49:19 EARTH WILL SEE THESE THINGS FULFILLED." 49:21 - SHE WROTE THAT, I THINK, 1915 - "THE SAME SPIRIT THAT IN AGES 49:26 PAST LED MEN TO PERSECUTE THE TRUE CHURCH WILL, IN THE FUTURE, 49:30 LEAD TO A PURSUANCE OF A SIMILAR COURSE TOWARDS THOSE WHO 49:34 MAINTAIN THEIR LOYALTY TO GOD. EVEN NOW PREPARATIONS ARE BEING 49:37 MADE FOR THIS LAST GREAT CONFLICT. THE DECREE THAT WILL 49:41 FINALLY GO FORTH AGAINST THE REMNANT PEOPLE OF GOD WILL BE 49:44 VERY SIMILAR TO THAT ISSUED BY AHASUERUS AGAINST THE JEWS. 49:48 TODAY THE ENEMIES OF THE TRUE CHURCH SEE, IN THE LITTLE 49:51 COMPANY OF SABBATH COMMANDMENT KEEPERS, A MORDECAI IN THE GATE. 49:55 THE REVERENCE OF GOD'S PEOPLE FOR HIS LAW IS A CONSTANT REBUKE 50:00 TO THOSE WHO CAST OFF THE FEAR OF THE LORD AND ARE TRAMPLING ON 50:04 HIS SABBATH." ISN'T THAT INTERESTING? SAME THINGS. 50:08 NOW GO AHEAD. LET'S READ THAT FINAL VERSE. 50:11 >>"THE JEWS HAD LIGHT AND GLADNESS, JOY AND HONOR, AND IN 50:16 EVERY PROVINCE AND CITY, WHEREVER THE KING'S COMMAND AND 50:20 DECREE CAME, THE JEWS HAD JOY AND GLADNESS, A FEAST AND A 50:25 HOLIDAY. THEN MANY OF THE PEOPLE OF 50:29 THE LAND BECAME JEWS BECAUSE FEAR OF 50:32 THE JEWS FELL UPON THEM." >>AMEN. 50:35 WELL OUR WHOLE LESSON TODAY IS ABOUT MISSIONARIES, RIGHT? 50:39 THIS WHOLE ORDEAL THAT GOD'S PEOPLE WENT THROUGH IN A FOREIGN 50:42 LAND, WHAT WAS THE FINAL RESULT? MANY OF THE PEOPLE BECAME JEWS. 50:48 AND SO, THEY WERE ABLE TO - BY STANDING FOR THEIR CONVICTIONS 50:52 AND BY ENDURING TRIAL, EVERYBODY COULD SEE GOD WAS WITH THEM AND, 50:56 BECAUSE OF ESTHER'S BEAUTY AND SHE LET HER LIGHT SHINE SO TO 51:00 SPEAK, SHE INTERCEDED - OH, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH IN THE 51:04 STORY ABOUT THE KING HOLDING OUT THE SCEPTER OF GRACE AND ALL 51:06 THAT. AND THAT REPRESENTS - WE DON'T 51:08 HAVE TIME TO GO THROUGH IT ALL. WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME FOR 51:10 SABBATH SCHOOL, BUT I DO WANT TO REMIND, BEFORE WE GO OFF THE 51:12 AIR, THAT WE DO HAVE A FREE OFFER IF YOU DID NOT HEAR. 51:14 ALL YOU'VE GOT TO DO IS CALL AND ASK FOR IT. 51:16 IT'S CALLED THE HOLY SPIRIT: THE NEED - AND ASK FOR OFFER #723 51:20 WHEN YOU CALL. YOU CAN READ IT FOR FREE ONLINE 51:23 AT AMAZINGFACTS.ORG OR CALL 866-788-3966. 51:31 GOD BLESS YOU, FRIENDS, AND WE'LL STUDY LESSON #7 NEXT WEEK. 51:35 (MUSIC) >>AMAZING FACTS BEGAN IN 1965 WITH A GOD-INSPIRED 51:45 CONCEPT. >>HELLO, THIS IS JOE CREWS AND 51:48 THE AMAZING FACTS BROADCAST - FACTS WHICH AFFECT YOU. 51:52 >>THESE RADIO BROADCASTS WOULD BEGIN WITH AN AMAZING FACT FROM 51:56 SCIENCE, NATURE, OR HISTORY, FOLLOWED BY A BIBLE MESSAGE THAT 52:00 TOUCHED THE HEARTS OF LISTENERS FROM EVERY WALK OF LIFE. 52:04 THE PROGRAM WAS AN INSTANT SUCCESS AND THE MINISTRY SOON 52:07 BEGAN EXPANDING TO INCLUDE BIBLE LESSONS. 52:10 IN 1986 AMAZING FACTS ADDED THE MEDIUM OF TELEVISION TO ITS 52:15 GROWING OUTREACH EFFORTS, OFFERING SOUL-WINNING 52:18 EVANGELISTIC MESSAGES FOR VIEWERS AROUND THE WORLD. 52:22 IN 1994, PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR ASSUMED LEADERSHIP OF THE 52:26 MINISTRY, ADDING THE BIBLE ANSWERS LIVE CALL-IN RADIO 52:30 PROGRAM AND NEW MINISTRY TV PROGRAMS BEGAN AIRING ON 52:33 MULTIPLE NETWORKS AROUND THE WORLD. 52:36 FOR 50 YEARS, THE DRIVING VISION OF AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN THE 52:41 BOLD PROCLAMATION OF THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL AND, WITH A 52:45 TEAM OF EVANGELISTS CIRCLING THE GLOBE AND THOUSANDS OF MEN AND 52:48 WOMEN BEING TRAINED THROUGH THE AMAZING FACTS CENTER OF 52:52 EVANGELISM PROGRAM - AFCOE - THE MINISTRY IS HELPING GOD'S CHURCH 52:56 SEE A RICH HARVEST OF SOULS. AMAZING FACTS - GOD'S MESSAGE, 53:03 OUR MISSION. >>IN SIX DAYS GOD CREATED THE 53:10 HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, MAN HAS 53:14 WORSHIPED GOD ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF THE WEEK. 53:17 NOW, EACH WEEK, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WORSHIP ON THE FIRST DAY. 53:21 WHAT HAPPENED? WHY DID GOD CREATE A DAY OF REST? 53:25 DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT DAY WE WORSHIP? 53:28 WHO WAS BEHIND THIS GREAT SHIFT? DISCOVER THE TRUTH BEHIND GOD'S 53:31 LAW AND HOW IT WAS CHANGED. VISIT 'SABBATHTRUTH.COM'. 53:40 >>AMAZING FACTS, CHANGED LIVES. >>WELL, MY CONVERSION STORY IS 53:52 WHEN I WAS IN THE PHILIPPINES I JUST GRADUATED AS A NURSE AND 53:58 AFTERWARDS I DID NOT HAVE ANY RELIGION AND ONE TIME I FOUND 54:04 MYSELF INSIDE A SMALL CHURCH - CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MANILLA - AND 54:10 BEFORE A BIG CROSS AND I WAS KNEELING BEFORE AND I COULD HEAR 54:17 JESUS TELLING ME TO ENTER THE CONVENT, SAVE MYSELF, AND ALSO 54:22 MY FAMILY. AND I SAID, 'LORD, I WOULD LIKE 54:25 TO FOLLOW YOU ALL THE WAY.' AT THAT POINT I SEEMED TO BE 54:28 HAPPY, EXTERNALLY, BUT BECAUSE INSIDE THE CONVENT WE DON'T READ 54:33 THE BIBLE - WE DON'T STUDY ABOUT THE WORD OF GOD, WE PRAY THE 54:37 ROSARIES. WE ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, STUDY 54:41 THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS AND ALSO OUR FOUNDERS AND THE ENCYCLICALS 54:46 OF THE POPE, AND THE VIRGIN MARY. 54:49 AND SO I DO NOT KNOW THE TRUTH AND I HAD THIS TORTURE OF 54:53 CONSCIENCE - THE GUILTY FEELINGS THAT CANNOT BE RESOLVED. 54:57 SO I WOULD CONFESS TO THE PRIEST IN THE CONFESSIONAL BOX SAYING, 55:00 'FATHER, FORGIVE ME. SINCE MY LAST CONFESSION WAS 55:05 LAST WEEK - SINCE THEN I HAVE COMMITTED THE FOLLOWING SIN 55:09 INCLUDING THE ROOT CAUSE, 'WHY AM I FALLING AND FALLING IN THAT 55:13 SAME SIN OVER AND OVER AGAIN?' AND STILL, FOR 21 LONG YEARS I 55:19 STRUGGLE AND I STRUGGLE AND I STRUGGLE. 55:24 I REALIZED THAT I WAS TOTALLY EMPTY. 55:27 I WAS TOTALLY HELPLESS AND HOPELESS AND SO DEPRESSED AND SO 55:32 DESPERATE THAT I WOULD LIKE ALREADY TO END MY LIFE. 55:36 I WAS WORKING FOR FIVE YEARS AS DEAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SAINT 55:41 AUGUSTINE COLLEGE OF NURSING IN ILOILO CITY, ONE OF THE 55:45 ISLANDS OF THE PHILIPPINES. AFTER FIVE YEARS I RECEIVED MY 55:50 COMMISSION FROM MY PARENTS TO HELP MY SISTER WHO IS BEING A 55:56 BATTERED WOMAN. THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I 55:59 CAME OVER TO THE UNITED STATES. IT IS BECAUSE MY SISTER NEEDS MY 56:06 HELP. AS I WAS WORKING IN THE HOSPITAL 56:08 IN NEW YORK, MY BOSS, SERAPHIN, HE WAS SO GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO 56:12 GIVE ME AN INVITATION TO THE 'MILLENIUM OF PROPHECY'. 56:16 AS I WAS LISTENING TO PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR'S PRESENTATION, 56:20 MY HEART REALLY WAS BEATING SO FAST AND MY MIND - I AM ABLE TO 56:26 GRASP THE TRUTH THAT THIS IS THE TRUTH THAT I'VE BEEN LONGING TO 56:32 HEAR ALL MY LIFE - THAT I HAVE BEEN SEEKING FOR SO LONG. 56:37 MY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS - I CAN SEE JESUS AS MY 56:42 PERSONAL SAVIOR. HE IS NOT ONLY THE SAVIOR OF THE 56:46 WHOLE WORLD, BUT HE IS MY PERSONAL SAVIOR. 56:50 HE WAS THE ONE WHO DELIVERED ME MIGHTILY FROM THE DEPTHS OF SIN 56:56 - FROM THE MIREY CLAY. PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR HAS BEEN 57:00 USED BY THE LORD IN MY CONVERSION. 57:03 THE AMAZING FACTS - I OWE TO THEM. 57:06 THE LORD REALLY BLESSED THIS MINISTRY AND I'M SO PROUD I WAS 57:12 ABLE TO ATTEND THIS 'MILLENIUM OF PROPHECY'. 57:15 MY LIFE HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAME. IT HAS GIVEN ME THAT PEACE - 57:20 THAT JOY THAT NEVER - I HAVE NEVER TASTED IN MY LIFE. 57:26 NOW I AM SET FREE TO BE ABLE TO WORK FOR HIM AND TO FOLLOW HIM. 57:42 >>CAN'T GET ENOUGH AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY? YOU DON'T HAVE TO 57:46 WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK TO ENJOY MORE TRUTH-FILLED PROGRAMMING. 57:50 WATCH AMAZING FACTS TELEVISION BY VISITING 'AFTV.ORG'. AT 57:55 'AFTV.ORG' YOU CAN VIEW AMAZING FACTS PROGRAMMING 24 HOURS A 58:02 DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK, RIGHT FROM YOUR COMPUTER OR MOBILE DEVICE. 58:05 WHY WAIT A WEEK? VISIT 'AFTV.ORG' - IT'S THAT EASY. 58:13 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2015-08-06