1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,280 Can we invite you to turn, please for a scripture reading 2 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:14,560 to the Book of Esther, Book of Esther chapter 3, 3 00:00:25,270 --> 00:00:28,910 Esther chapter 3, reading from the opening verse. 4 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:37,160 After these things, did King Hazueris promote Haman the son 5 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:42,480 of Hamadatha the Yeager gate, and advanced him, and set his 6 00:00:42,480 --> 00:00:44,920 seat above all the Princess that were with him. 7 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:49,200 And all the King's servants that were in the King's gate bowed 8 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:54,160 and reverenced Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning 9 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:59,680 him, But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. 10 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,400 Then the King's servants which were in the King's gate, said 11 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:07,880 unto Mordecai, Why transgressors thou the King's commandment? 12 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:13,280 Now it came to pass, when they speak dearly unto him, he 13 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:17,440 hearkened not unto them that they told him, and to see 14 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,400 whether Mordecai's matters would stand. 15 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:23,120 For he had told them that he was a Jew. 16 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:27,800 And when him and saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him 17 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:33,760 reverence, then was Haman full of wrath, and he thought scorn 18 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,960 to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had showed him the 19 00:01:37,960 --> 00:01:42,480 people of Mordecai. Wherefore Haman sought to 20 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:47,400 destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole Kingdom of 21 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,960 Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai. 22 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:57,640 In the first month, that is the month Nissan in the 12th year of 23 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:03,360 the king of Hazueris, they cast Pur, that is the lot before 24 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:07,520 Haman from day-to-day. And from month to month to the 25 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,720 12th month, that is the month Adar. 26 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:15,840 And Haman said unto King Hazueris that there's a certain 27 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,400 people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in 28 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:22,840 all the provinces of thy Kingdom, and their laws are 29 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:27,320 diverse from all people. Neither keep the the King's 30 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:30,520 laws. Therefore it is not for the 31 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:34,760 King's prophet to suffer them. If it please the king, let it be 32 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:37,280 written that they may be destroyed. 33 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,840 And I will pay 10,000 talents of silver to the hands of those 34 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:44,960 that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the 35 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:49,440 King's treasuries. And the king took his ring from 36 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,440 his hand, and gave it on to Haman the son of Hamidatha the 37 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:58,160 Agate, the Jews enemy. And the king said unto him, And 38 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:02,920 the silver is given to thee, the people also to do with them, as 39 00:03:02,920 --> 00:03:07,360 it seemeth good to thee. Then were the King's scribes 40 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:11,120 called on the 13th day of the first month. 41 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,760 And there was written according to all that Haman had commanded, 42 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,960 unto the King's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over 43 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,960 the Everly province, and to the rulers of every people of every 44 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:27,560 province according to the writing thereof, and to every 45 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:32,040 people after their language. In the name of King Hazueris was 46 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,640 it written and sealed with the King's ring. 47 00:03:34,640 --> 00:03:38,200 And the letters were sent by posts and to all the King's 48 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:43,400 provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all Jews, 49 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:47,280 both young and old, little children and women, in one day, 50 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:52,080 even upon the 13th day of the 12th month, which is the month 51 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:56,280 Adar. And to take the spoil of them 52 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,280 for a prey. The copy of the writing for a 53 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:03,120 commandment to be given in every province was published onto all 54 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:07,400 people that they should be ready against that day. 55 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,720 The posts went out, being hastened by the King's 56 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:15,160 commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan, the palace. 57 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:22,520 The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city Shushan was 58 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:24,640 perplexed. Amen. 59 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:29,560 May the Lord bless these verses to our hearts for His name's 60 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:35,080 sake. And the underlying theme of this 61 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:41,600 book of Esther is that of anti-Semitism, that is, the 62 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:46,320 hatred of the Jews. The bottom line is, quite 63 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:51,120 simply, the Jews are God's chosen people, and the devil is 64 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:54,240 against them because he is against the Lord. 65 00:04:55,520 --> 00:05:00,520 Perhaps we've been made more aware of this hatred because of 66 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:06,960 such events as Second World War, when Adolf Hitler was 67 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:15,080 instrumental in the slaughter of some 6,000,000 Jews in the gas 68 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:17,320 chambers in places like Auschwitz. 69 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:20,040 However, that wasn't a new thing. 70 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:24,200 Well, this animosity has been going on for centuries, long 71 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,280 before Hitler. Indeed, it goes back to the days 72 00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:32,720 of Jacob and Esau and will no doubt continue as long as life 73 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:37,760 endures. I mean, we, we've only got to 74 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:42,360 watch the current situation, the things going on in Gaza, 75 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:49,800 Palestine, where things are are levelled against God's land of 76 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:53,720 Israel and it is God's land. The El on the end of Israel is 77 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:55,640 God's name. He's put his own name there. 78 00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:00,920 We can understand why the world at large, I mean you see people 79 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:05,120 even in this province parading the roads in support of the 80 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:09,680 enemies of God's people. These are to be expected in the 81 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:13,880 end time. It can go unnoticed that and it 82 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:18,400 was divine province. It brought this man Mordecai and 83 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,360 his cousin Esther upon the scene. 84 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:26,120 At this particular time in Persia's history, Persia as a 85 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:33,120 nation was very anti Jewish and we're, we're talking here 483 86 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:37,440 BC. Ironically, when Mordecai was 87 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:43,160 chief leader in the the stopping of attacks against the Jews at 88 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:47,800 the same time, through no fault of his own, it was his standing 89 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,680 up for them that brought about this attack. 90 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:55,840 That's referred to in this passage of scripture. 91 00:06:56,120 --> 00:07:00,880 The the time span here from the beginning of that campaign to 92 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:05,280 the crowning of Esther as queen was about five years. 93 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:10,120 It was about four years after Mordecai had exposed the plot 94 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:15,520 against the king Hazueris. So they had about four peaceful 95 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:18,440 years before the the trouble flared up again. 96 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:23,560 And isn't life like that? Things run well for a time, and 97 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,880 then somebody does or says something that ignites a touch 98 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:30,680 paper, and before you know it, the whole country's in turmoil. 99 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:36,040 And the one behind this defensive on the Jews was this 100 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:40,560 man named Haman. He was an absolutely despicable 101 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:45,600 character, just another Hitler. Some would suggest that he was 102 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:47,520 actually the incarnation of Satan. 103 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:52,040 He was so wicked. Jews like to hold on to their 104 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:53,880 memories and I can't fault them for that. 105 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,640 And some of you may have had the opportunity I had thankfully, 106 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:04,160 some years back to visit the Holocaust Museum in Israel. 107 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:09,880 As I stood there looking at wartime photographs and viewing 108 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:15,240 old film footage of Jews suffering under Hitler, people 109 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:20,840 stood around weeping openly at the thoughts of what happened to 110 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:24,520 their forefathers. And to this day, not only is 111 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:28,760 Hitler despised by the Jews across the earth, they still 112 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:34,480 hate the name of Haman. Every year from mid February to 113 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:38,799 mid March is the month Adar, which we read of here, the 12th 114 00:08:38,799 --> 00:08:44,240 month in the Jewish calendar. It's mentioned in verse 7 of 115 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,760 this third chapter that during the feast of Purim, which is 116 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:52,000 hailed in that month, the this book of Esther is read in the 117 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,160 synagogues. But when it comes to the mention 118 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,840 of the name Haman, people actually stomp their feet on the 119 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:03,480 floor and begin to chant. May His name be blotted out, 120 00:09:04,680 --> 00:09:07,880 such is their utter detestation of Him. 121 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,720 And as we look a little closer into this campaign, you'll see 122 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:15,560 just what corruption there was in government and how the devil 123 00:09:15,560 --> 00:09:20,280 uses people to oppose the people of God and the cause of God. 124 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:24,720 There's no doubt that the Lord must laugh sometimes at the 125 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:30,640 antics of men as they try to set themselves up on earth as if 126 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:34,160 they owned this earth. Well, they forget that God sees 127 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:38,560 everything that man does and knows every evil intent. 128 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:43,240 How sad that people live as if there is no God to be 129 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:45,560 accountable to. Isn't that where we're at these 130 00:09:45,560 --> 00:09:48,440 days? For a moment, if we want to 131 00:09:48,680 --> 00:09:51,920 consider this particular crusade against the Jews, notice here 132 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:54,440 the the promoter of this campaign. 133 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:59,200 As we said, the this agent of Satan was behind all that 134 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:02,160 abominable activity. Haman. 135 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:05,320 But who was he? Where did he come from? 136 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:08,960 First one describes him as the son of Hamadatha. 137 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:15,280 The Agagite doesn't necessarily mean he was directly descended 138 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:19,960 from King Agag that we read of over in First Samuel, but he is 139 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:21,920 believed to have been an Amalekite. 140 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:26,400 The Amalekites were long time enemies of the Jews. 141 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:30,080 And so this takes us back to the desert, really takes us back to 142 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:34,800 Esau's hatred of Jacob. Any attack against the Jews 143 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:41,840 anywhere was and still is seen as simply a continuation of that 144 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:44,720 conflict. It's much the same as the 145 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:50,160 ongoing animosity that exists between biblical Protestantism 146 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:55,560 and potpourri. 1 tolerates the other to a certain degree, but 147 00:10:55,560 --> 00:10:58,880 there comes a point where each draws a line of demarcation and 148 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:03,280 every now and again something flares up that emphasises the 149 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:11,160 fact that the the the dislike of one for the other hasn't gone 150 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:14,760 away. However, in in this case, it's 151 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:20,200 worth bearing in mind that the Amalekites were a people under 152 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:24,920 the curse of God. Turn back, if you would, to 153 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:40,940 Deuteronomy chapter 25, Deuteronomy 25 and verse 17. 154 00:11:48,340 --> 00:11:53,220 Verse 17 says Now remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, 155 00:11:53,820 --> 00:11:57,820 when ye were come forth out of Egypt, how he met thee by the 156 00:11:57,820 --> 00:12:02,480 way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble 157 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:07,200 behind thee, when thou was faint and weary, and he feared not 158 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:10,040 God. Therefore it shall be when the 159 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:13,000 Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies 160 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:16,600 roundabout in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for 161 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:20,440 an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the 162 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:24,040 remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. 163 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:29,120 I shall not forget it. So from that we can see the 164 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:32,800 Amolites are a people under divine wrath. 165 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:39,080 And even if Haman wasn't an Amalekite after the flesh, he 166 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:41,760 certainly was sympathetic with them. 167 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:45,720 He was one with them in spirit, and that would not have been 168 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:49,760 good for his health. We'll come back to Esther 3. 169 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:54,720 Isn't it strange how people like this man always seem to find 170 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:59,000 promotion when somebody who lives right is so often left by 171 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:03,760 the wayside and barely recognised or despised? 172 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:10,720 The King of Hazueris exalted this infidel to a position above 173 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,240 all his own Princess, as verse one tells us. 174 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:17,320 But if that wasn't enough, verse 2 has it that everybody must not 175 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:23,560 only salute this Rascal, but actually bow to him, doesn't it? 176 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:29,320 Does not just give, and that doesn't just mean to give a nod 177 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:30,920 of the head. When people met him in the 178 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:34,280 street, he was to be reverenced. The word that's used here in the 179 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,120 original Hebrew means he was to be worshipped. 180 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:41,800 He was almost put on a power with God, and the man was a he 181 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:46,280 was a murderer at heart. And the king has the nation 182 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:49,520 bowed to him. What a strange thinking. 183 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:55,920 By doing so, such a possession now gave him and a lot of clout 184 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:59,920 against the Jews. He was actually made second in 185 00:13:59,920 --> 00:14:03,000 command in the country. Makes you wonder something. 186 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,480 What makes people think, what makes them tick? 187 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:09,000 This is not so. You put the devil in a suit and 188 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,840 he becomes a statesman and here you have it. 189 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:16,000 That was him and just shows that the kind of man king of Hazirais 190 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:21,320 was when he could elevate such an infidel to such a position of 191 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:25,480 authority. Don't godless governments do 192 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:31,280 some of the daftest things? This high position now it gave 193 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:36,560 human power and prestige that that added serious weight to the 194 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:40,560 decree to annihilate all the Jews within the realm. 195 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,160 And didn't human think he was flying high now? 196 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:50,560 Well how did he ever come to attain to such a high position? 197 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:55,520 Why did a Hajj Aris ever think to promote him of all people? 198 00:14:56,520 --> 00:15:01,040 Money. Doesn't money open doors for 199 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:04,120 people? Doesn't it happen in government 200 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:09,000 circles even to this day? Every man has his price. 201 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:13,520 Haman bought himself favour with the king. 202 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:18,160 How do we know? Verse 9, If it pleases the king, 203 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:21,200 let it be written that they may be destroyed. 204 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:23,760 That is the Jews. And I will notice this. 205 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:28,000 I will pay 10,000 talents of silver to the hands of those 206 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:31,200 that have the charge of this business to bring it into the 207 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:34,840 King's treasuries. Now by today's standards, we're 208 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:39,200 talking here roughly 15 to $20 million. 209 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:45,080 Now you'd wonder that a king could be bought in such a 210 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:47,560 manner. Well, we have to remember that 211 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:53,080 Ahazuaris had just about emptied the palace treasury when he went 212 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:55,640 to war with Greece and lost so heavily. 213 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,800 His bank balance needed the kiss of life at this stage. 214 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:03,680 And so Haman's offer came just at the right time. 215 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:08,360 You see how the the, the subtly of the devil is in this whole 216 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:12,000 thing, can't you? Haman knew when to make his 217 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:16,360 move. And we've seen men over recent 218 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:20,560 years accept hefty sums for putting questions forward in the 219 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:23,360 House of Commons. Money talks. 220 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,080 And so if this guy is offering to enhance the King's bank 221 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:31,880 balance by such a vast amount, such a substantial sum, he'll 222 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,680 find some excuse for accepting the terms of the deal. 223 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:40,360 And anyway, wasn't as if he was asking the king to to slay the 224 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:42,520 Jews. He only wanted the King's 225 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:45,600 permission to do it himself. The king wouldn't have to get 226 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:48,960 his hands dirty, not physically. Of course he was. 227 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:54,080 We know he's just as guilty as human in God's eyes. 228 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:59,000 But isn't the Bible right when it declares that the love of 229 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:03,360 money is the root of all evil? First Timothy 6 and 10. 230 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:06,560 God isn't against people having money. 231 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:11,200 Whatever man any man has, God has allowed him to have it. 232 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,440 But it's how he obtains it, or what he does with it. 233 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:17,200 It's important. And sadly it's too often find 234 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:21,800 that people who have plenty they they, they have the idea that 235 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:24,440 their opulence gives them licence to walk over other 236 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:26,440 people. It happens in government 237 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:30,520 circles, happens in the business world. 238 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:35,520 The real tragedy is that if someone could get away with it, 239 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:37,720 the same thing would happen in the church. 240 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:40,040 And we have to pray against that. 241 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:44,440 But anyway, Haman and I got his foot in the door he had bought 242 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:49,720 his way in, and the king had people exalt him as though he 243 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:55,200 was somebody of importance. He may have been in his own 244 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:59,160 eyes, but he was still a no good scoundrel in the eyes of 245 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:06,240 Mordecai and of God. Mordecai was about the only man 246 00:18:06,360 --> 00:18:11,200 anywhere around who wouldn't acknowledge this man human in 247 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:15,200 public. He knew what the the man was and 248 00:18:15,360 --> 00:18:19,080 couldn't show him any respect. Respect has to be deserved, has 249 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,560 to be earned. He didn't deserve it. 250 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:26,280 The king actually commanded his people to reverence him. 251 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:31,880 Which just goes to show that the king himself was a very poor 252 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:35,040 morals. Which we knew anyway. 253 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:40,480 But this is the the individual that was promoting the campaign 254 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:45,680 to rid the nation of the Jewish people, and God wasn't about to 255 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:50,640 sit back and let this wretched Rascal walk over them. 256 00:18:52,360 --> 00:18:54,840 Notice secondly the provoking of this campaign. 257 00:18:55,720 --> 00:19:00,600 When we consider the actions of Mordecai, it has to be seen that 258 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:06,320 his good behaviour is what provoked the bad behaviour of 259 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:09,720 Haman. All Mordecai did was to refuse 260 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:14,720 to bow to him when everybody else did Buy there's nothing 261 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:18,880 wrong in in bowing to royalty. We we give them honour. 262 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:23,720 We give honour to our superiors. But Haman Haman wasn't royalty. 263 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:30,520 He was an infidel with no spiritual values and no time or 264 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:35,360 place for the things of God. However, this if this situation 265 00:19:35,360 --> 00:19:39,000 did nothing else, it brought Mordecai's profession of faith 266 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:43,840 out into the open. He had been living something of 267 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:50,560 a the life of a secret disciple, which really is is never God 268 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:54,720 glorifying. But now he was compelled by his 269 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:59,520 own conscience to own up to the fact that he belonged to the 270 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:03,000 Jewish race. He would have no other gods but 271 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:04,240 one. And so he was. 272 00:20:04,360 --> 00:20:08,320 He was now nailing his colours to the mast, as verse 4 shows. 273 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:13,320 He told them he was a Jew. And this was a a bold step 274 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:17,040 because whilst before he had kept quiet about the matter, 275 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:20,040 nobody around him was any of the wiser what he believed. 276 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:25,320 But now, now the whole city and probably the entire province was 277 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:26,400 bowing to him. And. 278 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:28,600 And so Mordecai stood out like a sore thumb. 279 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:36,040 He was the only man in the area who refused to worship him. 280 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:41,760 And so he's he's laying his neck on the lane, but he was doing it 281 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:46,640 for God. And maybe but times you've had 282 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:49,760 to take a lonely stand for the Lord. 283 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:54,840 It happens in schools and colleges, in the workplace. 284 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:58,360 You own your Saviour before the ungodly. 285 00:20:58,360 --> 00:21:03,320 You may well be outnumbered. A beloved one with God is a 286 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:08,280 majority and when you look at the the long term effects, 287 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:12,680 you'll find that nobody ever stood up for the Lord, but God 288 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:15,280 bless them for it and they bless you. 289 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:18,440 I know I appreciate this there. There are times when it's 290 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,560 difficult. It may be hard to stand and 291 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:23,960 stand up when we count it, especially if everybody is 292 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:29,520 against you and and this is perhaps more difficult amongst 293 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:33,640 young people and you take your stand and the Lord will see to 294 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:38,400 it that you don't lose out. When you look at it how Mordecai 295 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:40,600 ended up, you can see how true this is. 296 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:44,360 God elevated him to the very position that him and was now 297 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:48,280 occupying. God's servant became second in 298 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:51,960 command in the government that the Lord's no man's debtor. 299 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:58,240 God says them that honour me I will honour and Mordecai is 300 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:01,800 proof of that. This stand it it wasn't a one 301 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:04,320 off, but he he took a stand day after day. 302 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:10,560 He showed No Fear anymore. Some people have been known to 303 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:13,840 start off well with the Lord as soon as they're saved, they 304 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,560 they're busy telling other people about their new found 305 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:20,320 salvation and and rightly so, scripture exhorts it. 306 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:24,720 But maybe after a time their enthusiasm wears off. 307 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:29,160 Maybe they're continually faced with opposition and 308 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:35,280 disappointments come and before you know it, their witness 309 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,640 becomes less and less and they they then get to the point where 310 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:40,680 they feel to own the Lord in public. 311 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:45,360 And some have been known to turn full circle and go so far as to 312 00:22:45,360 --> 00:22:48,080 deny they were ever received. That's tragic. 313 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:51,840 And we wonder then, were they ever received in the 1st place? 314 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:55,440 Did they have a profession without possession? 315 00:22:57,320 --> 00:22:58,840 Where do you stand today, beloved? 316 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:02,080 Do people know that you belong to the Lord? 317 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:08,360 You're really born again. It's sad when people behave like 318 00:23:08,360 --> 00:23:12,840 the chameleon and they change the colour of their coat to suit 319 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:17,160 the surroundings. Are we just a Christian when 320 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:20,720 among other Christians? But it's different when we're 321 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:24,360 mingling. If they're ungodly present, are 322 00:23:24,360 --> 00:23:28,360 we at home there More at ease, our beloved. 323 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,560 We can't live with one foot in either. 324 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:38,640 Camp doesn't work. If you're not saved, be honest 325 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:41,840 enough to admit it and trust the Lord to save you. 326 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:46,280 But remember, for you to be saved, you have to be prepared 327 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:49,600 to have done with sin. You are sealed. 328 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:53,000 And pray God to give you the needed grace and strength to 329 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:57,640 stand up and own Him in public. The first occasion, of course, 330 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:01,520 is always the hardest, and once you have owned Him in public, 331 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:03,520 people will soon know who you belong to. 332 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:06,440 And don't be afraid to witness for him. 333 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,760 Pray for backbone and the Lord will certainly bless you. 334 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:15,720 There's more to being a Christian than knowing you're on 335 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:19,160 your way to heaven. Every believer, young or older, 336 00:24:20,120 --> 00:24:22,920 as a duty to live for the glory of Lord. 337 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:24,320 Isn't that what her catechism says? 338 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:29,960 Man's teeth end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. 339 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,960 You'll want you to make a success of your Christian life 340 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:38,760 when you think of it. Mordecai took a really giant 341 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:42,360 step forward here. But not only did he stand up 342 00:24:42,360 --> 00:24:46,600 before other men, he stood against a royal decree. 343 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:50,400 He went against the law of the king. 344 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,960 And Haji Eris was king of a vast empire. 345 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:59,600 But more than this, he took a stand, as verse 3 shows in the 346 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:02,240 King's Gate, he's right under the King's nose. 347 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:07,120 He's in the King's employment. That took courage. 348 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:10,640 He started where he was best known. 349 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:15,640 And often, that's the hardest place to start among his friends 350 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:20,920 and acquaintances. You save today, beloved. 351 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:24,960 You've never, never told anybody if. 352 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:30,080 If you can't tell somebody in the church, you'll never get the 353 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:35,840 victory over the outside world. If this is you, tell somebody. 354 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:40,120 It'll bless your soul. Don't let the devil browbeat you 355 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:44,080 into a corner. Mordecai stood alone. 356 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:50,680 Many a child of God has had to get used to that experience. 357 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:55,600 Remember Elijah? He had to do it against 450 358 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:59,720 false prophets of Beale. And no, Elijah wasn't a 359 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:02,640 Superman. He's made of the same clay as 360 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:09,360 you and I are, and subject to the same inhibitions and fears. 361 00:26:09,360 --> 00:26:13,920 But he stood for God, the apostle Paul said in Second 362 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:17,680 Timothy 416. At my first answer, no man stood 363 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:24,520 with me, but all men forsuit me. Well, it's it's not always 364 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:31,240 popular to stand up for Christ. It may lead you to being 365 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:36,080 ostracised, isolated, but the Lord will never leave you. 366 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:41,560 Thank God for his promise. Didn't anybody say anything 367 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:43,720 against Mordecai for the stand he took? 368 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:47,520 Yes, they did. The King's servants faced him 369 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:50,880 with it, advised him that he he he was offending the king. 370 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:55,040 But Mordecai had nothing personal against the king. 371 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:57,960 In fact, he'd only recently saved the King's life when he 372 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:00,160 told him of the plot to assassinate him. 373 00:27:00,360 --> 00:27:04,200 But he wasn't about to sell out on the Lord. 374 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:10,080 Verse 4 indicates that Mordecai had to face this inquiry every 375 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:12,560 day as to why he wouldn't vow to Haman. 376 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:18,920 That's when he became bold for God and told these servants that 377 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:23,120 he was in fact a Jew, that he belonged to the Lord's people. 378 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:28,920 And it was this witness for the Lord that caused the venom and 379 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:35,120 Hainman to be stirred up. Well, the devil hates the child 380 00:27:35,120 --> 00:27:39,160 of God, especially when he stands up for a saviour. 381 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:41,520 But whose side would you rather be on? 382 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:48,920 Matthew 1028 reads Fear not them which kill the body, but are not 383 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:52,480 able to kill the soul, but rather fear him which is able to 384 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:56,160 destroy both soul and body in hell, in love. 385 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:58,960 And you stand up for the Lord, and the Lord will bless you for 386 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:03,560 it every time. And notice lastly, hear the the 387 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:09,120 plotting in this campaign. The more Mordecai stood for his 388 00:28:09,120 --> 00:28:14,120 God in refusing to bow to Haman, the more Haman's anger 389 00:28:14,120 --> 00:28:18,240 intensified. Verse 5 tells us that that he 390 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:22,880 was full of wrath over in chapter 5 verse 9 it says he was 391 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:26,360 full of indignation against Mordecai. 392 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:31,280 The words wrath and indication come from the same root word in 393 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:35,120 the Hebrew. That word full indicates that 394 00:28:35,120 --> 00:28:38,440 here was a man who couldn't control his passions. 395 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:43,280 For a man of such high authority that wasn't a good 396 00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:45,200 characteristic to be Lombard with. 397 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:51,960 Proverbs 1632 says he that is slow to anger is better than the 398 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:55,360 mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh the 399 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:58,720 city him and couldn't control his spirit. 400 00:28:59,960 --> 00:29:03,760 He was more concerned about being respected than he was 401 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:08,200 about being responsible. He was exceedingly prejudice 402 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:12,120 against the Jewish people and his plotting against them just 403 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:16,520 emphasised that fact. But this was far more serious 404 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:19,240 business than many people realise. 405 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:24,120 It's more than human realised. It was more than Hitler realised 406 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:27,200 this. This prejudice was satanic. 407 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,000 God had promised to bless his people. 408 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:35,240 And here's what we read in Genesis 12. 409 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:38,120 One to three. Now the Lord had said unto 410 00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:42,120 Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, 411 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:45,600 from thy father's house under unto a land, that I will show 412 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:50,760 thee, and I will make thee or make of thee a great nation, and 413 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:54,880 I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a 414 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:59,440 blessing, and I will bless thee. Bless them that bless thee, and 415 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:04,040 curse him that curseth thee. And in thee shall all the 416 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:05,960 families of the earth be blessed. 417 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:10,680 That blessing upon the Jews still stands. 418 00:30:12,080 --> 00:30:17,320 OK, so maybe many Jews are far away from the Lord at present. 419 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:22,000 So are many Gentiles. But there's still his chosen 420 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:26,560 people, and any man who lifts his hand against them does so at 421 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:30,000 his own peril. God will own his people, and 422 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:32,720 this curse that he has pronounced upon his adversaries 423 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:37,520 is still effective. And Hamas. 424 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:43,640 And the Palestinians and all the those blighted, benighted 425 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:50,000 supporters would need to beware. Israel is still God's chosen 426 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:56,120 race and the world at large who are coming out and pursuing 427 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:58,640 their support. And with corrupt media system 428 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:03,920 that backs Gaza all the way, they need to recognise they're 429 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:08,120 dealing with God here. Nobody lifts his hand against 430 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:12,680 the child of God or the people of God, but they'll pay dearly 431 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:15,320 for it. Human. 432 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:20,760 He actually set up a National Lottery system and ran for 12 433 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:25,320 months for the not for the benefit of charities, but in an 434 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:30,080 attempt to decide when the assault against the the Jewish 435 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:35,920 people would commence. He called it Purim, which just 436 00:31:35,920 --> 00:31:40,160 means the casting of lots. But imagine a Jew. 437 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:43,800 Imagine being a Jew and and knowing that this was going on 438 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:48,480 in your own country. The Jews remember Purim every 439 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:51,680 year at the same time. It's just another date on their 440 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:53,960 calendar that they don't and can't forget. 441 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:59,800 And this man was totally obsessed with his scheme, and he 442 00:31:59,800 --> 00:32:03,080 allowed the outcome of his lottery system to dictate his 443 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:06,920 own thinking. However, the fact that he ran 444 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:10,680 that scheme for a year meant that Mordecai had time to 445 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:14,640 prepare the Jews against the proposed onslaught. 446 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:20,440 And God turned the the tables and delivered his own chosen 447 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:23,920 people. Where does that find us today? 448 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:27,400 Are we the Lords by sovereign grace? 449 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:30,480 Yes, we are. Are we living for Him? 450 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:34,920 When somebody attacks another child of God, do we stand up for 451 00:32:34,920 --> 00:32:38,480 them? When we hear the Lord's name 452 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:41,040 being dragged into the gutter, do we stand against the 453 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:45,560 attacker? And what concern have we for the 454 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:53,760 Jew, Palestinians and Hamas and those blinded individuals who 455 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:57,440 take their stand in opposition to Israel that need to be where 456 00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:03,480 their days are numbered? Psalm 122, verse 6 exhorts God's 457 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:06,080 people to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. 458 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:09,240 They shall prosper that love thee. 459 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:13,560 That says the Jews need our prayers today. 460 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:17,760 Israel needs our prayers all. Let's pray that God will 461 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:21,920 continue to work among His chosen people and that they will 462 00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:24,840 indeed come to accept their Messiah. 463 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:29,760 Maybe not pray for those who set themselves up as the enemies of 464 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:34,120 God and and the enemies of God's people, that that the Lord will 465 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:38,320 in mercy smite them with conviction of their sin and open 466 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:41,440 their blinded eyes to see the harm they're doing themselves. 467 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:49,200 Surely we need to move of God's Holy Spirit in these days. 468 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:57,000 Let us cry to God that he might move in her midst. 469 00:33:57,000 --> 00:34:02,760 I mean even in her own land. We've already referred to those 470 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:08,120 who would would back Israel's enemies need the Lord to open 471 00:34:08,120 --> 00:34:11,320 their eyes and show them the folly of what they're engaging 472 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:15,080 in and pray that God will be pleased to send a gracious 473 00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:19,199 awakening. I even in this province because 474 00:34:19,199 --> 00:34:22,280 this land needs it. These are dark days. 475 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:26,239 These are there's when there's No Fear of God. 476 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:29,360 The spirit of Antichrist is all around us. 477 00:34:30,199 --> 00:34:33,239 How many can't? I can't entertain the gospel. 478 00:34:33,239 --> 00:34:36,440 Don't want to know how many people you offer them a gospel 479 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:38,480 tract in the street. How many will refuse it? 480 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:42,280 Don't want the Lord? They're just siding with God's 481 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:44,840 enemies. They're taken by the devil and 482 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:48,679 they don't realise it. We really need to be praying 483 00:34:48,679 --> 00:34:52,960 that God will send a gracious intervention in these times, 484 00:34:53,560 --> 00:34:58,120 cause an awakening and bring people to recognise not only 485 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:04,240 their need of salvation, but get themselves right with God and 486 00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:11,080 pray down God's blessing upon, not just upon Israel, on the 487 00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:15,840 world at large, as these are critical times in earth's 488 00:35:15,840 --> 00:35:19,760 history. The only, the only help we have, 489 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:23,440 the only solution is a move of God. 490 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:28,760 Let's pray to that end that the Lord will indeed do something 491 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:33,280 wonderful even in these times, and leave it there for the 492 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:34,920 moment. Let the Lord bless these few 493 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:39,520 thoughts and encourage our hearts to to press on with 494 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:40,600 Himself.