Today's Readings and Stuff -- Sunday, 05 August 2018

A blessed Lord's Day to all.  Greetings.




============================================
============================================

Today we take up a new text, the book of Esther.
This is one of my favorite books, certainly.  Can't really say why, precisely.  One of the wonderful things that we find throughout the entire Bible, is the occasions in which the Lord uses someone whom no "wise" person would have ever considered, in order to accomplish His purposes.  There is a book out there, one that I wrote a review for when it came out, entitled "When God Met A Girl".  Esther is there.  So is Mary.  So is Rahab.  So are several others.  I like the history of the demon-possessed man who Jesus healed, and then sent out with the admonishment, "tell what the Lord has done for you".  And he did: the accounts of the early church have references to what that demon-possessed but now freed man, did for the Lord.  (That's our job too, by the way: one we often forget).
Esther was "just a girl", a Jewish girl in the Babylonian captivity, tossed to and from by the forces of the world.  And the world is different today as a result of her obedience.  She was there for a reason.

So, not a "song of the day", but a "song of the week" and it should be ever in our minds, taken from verse 14 of chapter 4, For Such A Time As This.  It's a favorite of mine.  We too are here in this place and time, for such a time as this, and we need to think and act accordingly.  She found herself on a mission, and we are as well, or should be.

Esther 1

1Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)

2That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,

3In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:

4When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

5And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;present: Heb. found

6Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.blue, hangings: or, violet, etc.of red…: or, of porphyre, and marble and alabaster, and stone of blue colour

7And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.royal…: Heb. wine of the kingdomstate: Heb. hand

8And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

9Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

10On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,chamberlains: or, eunuchs

11To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.fair…: Heb. good of countenance

12But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.by his…: Heb. which was by the hand of his eunuchs

13Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment:

14And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)

15What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?What…: Heb. What to do

16And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.

17For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.

18Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.

19If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.If it…: Heb. If it be good with the kingunto…: Heb. unto her companionfrom him: Heb. from before himbe not…: Heb. pass not away

20And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.

21And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:pleased…: Heb. was good in the eyes of the king

22For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.

Esther 2

1After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

2Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

3And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:unto the…: Heb. unto the handHege: also called, Hegai

4And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

5Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

6Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.Jeconiah: also called, Jehoiachin

7And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.brought…: Heb. nourishedfair…: Heb. fair of form, and good of countenance

8So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

9And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.such…: Heb. her portionspreferred: Heb. changed

10Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.

11And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.to know…: Heb. to know the peace

12Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)

13Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.

14In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.

15Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

16So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.favour: or, kindnessin his…: Heb. before him

18Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.release: Heb. rest

19And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.

20Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

21In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.Bigthan: also called, Bigthanathe door: Heb. the threshold

22And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.

23And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.