WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.920 Emily: welcome to immerse: the daily bible reading experience. 00:00:03.020 --> 00:00:04.660 Day 300 and 56 00:00:08.366 --> 00:00:09.686 Immersed in Esther. 00:00:11.786 --> 00:00:15.446 As the Hebrew Bible was growing, several small books were grouped 00:00:15.446 --> 00:00:17.846 together and named The Five Scrolls. 00:00:18.236 --> 00:00:23.636 These five books, song of Songs, Ruth Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, 00:00:23.896 --> 00:00:27.716 and Esther were each assigned to be read at a different Jewish festival 00:00:27.716 --> 00:00:29.306 or special day of observance. 00:00:30.131 --> 00:00:33.911 The last book Esther was read at the festival known as Purim. 00:00:34.691 --> 00:00:38.981 After Israel's exile and Babylon, the Jewish people made a concerted effort to 00:00:38.981 --> 00:00:43.481 renew their commitment to God and to his instructions given in the law of Moses. 00:00:44.381 --> 00:00:47.711 Part of this commitment included faithfully observing the festivals 00:00:48.131 --> 00:00:50.141 and special days prescribed therein. 00:00:51.101 --> 00:00:55.301 However, in this post exilic period, the Jews began to celebrate a 00:00:55.301 --> 00:00:56.981 brand new festival called Purim. 00:00:57.701 --> 00:00:58.661 But what is Purim? 00:00:59.441 --> 00:01:03.191 And how could a new festival be added to those already given in the law? 00:01:04.301 --> 00:01:08.741 The Book of Esther answers these questions by telling the intriguing, fast-paced 00:01:08.741 --> 00:01:10.721 story that lies behind the celebration. 00:01:12.131 --> 00:01:17.861 The account is set in the period of the Persian Empire, 550 to 330 bc. 00:01:18.671 --> 00:01:22.361 Some Jews have returned to the land of Israel and are trying to rebuild a 00:01:22.361 --> 00:01:24.461 Jewish society there after the exile. 00:01:25.436 --> 00:01:29.396 But others have remained abroad and face the challenge of crafting a distinctive 00:01:29.396 --> 00:01:33.716 identity and way of life as God's people while living in a foreign land. 00:01:34.676 --> 00:01:39.356 The Book of Esther tells the story of two courageous exiles, a beautiful young 00:01:39.361 --> 00:01:43.976 woman named Esther and Mor Mordecai, the devout uncle who raised her after her 00:01:43.981 --> 00:01:49.496 parents' deaths at great personal risk and aided by God's providential intervention. 00:01:49.976 --> 00:01:54.266 Esther and Mordecai stop a plot to destroy all the Jews in the Persian empire. 00:01:55.106 --> 00:01:59.336 They turned the weapons of their enemies against them and save the Jewish people. 00:02:00.506 --> 00:02:04.676 The whole Jewish community agreed that this was a deliverance to be remembered 00:02:05.186 --> 00:02:09.776 and kept from generation to generation and celebrated by every family throughout 00:02:09.776 --> 00:02:11.906 the provinces and cities of the empire. 00:02:13.136 --> 00:02:16.706 Purim became a particularly joyous festival of feasting and gift 00:02:16.706 --> 00:02:20.516 giving, highlighting the continuing gifts of life and protection. 00:02:21.506 --> 00:02:25.706 And so the Book of Esther Explains, another festival was established to be 00:02:25.706 --> 00:02:28.046 kept at the appointed time each year. 00:02:29.276 --> 00:02:33.476 This book also gives us important insight into how biblical storytelling came to 00:02:33.476 --> 00:02:35.576 function in the community of God's people. 00:02:36.536 --> 00:02:40.436 The story of Esther contains six references to banquets, two at 00:02:40.436 --> 00:02:43.436 the beginning, two in the middle, and the two at the end that 00:02:43.436 --> 00:02:44.876 celebrate the Jewish victory. 00:02:45.836 --> 00:02:48.866 The book was very likely read during the feasting that was a regular 00:02:48.866 --> 00:02:50.786 part of the Purim festivities. 00:02:51.176 --> 00:02:56.246 So each new generation of Jews comes to relive the story as they're put right 00:02:56.251 --> 00:03:01.106 into the action by following this pattern of reading and rereading the scriptures. 00:03:01.106 --> 00:03:07.106 Today, the ancient stories can become our stories through regular feasting on God's 00:03:07.106 --> 00:03:11.666 word, especially during our own festivals and celebrations of God's work in history. 00:03:12.476 --> 00:03:15.086 We can enter the drama of the Bible ourselves. 00:03:15.941 --> 00:03:19.511 We tell and retell the stories in the Bible in order to be shaped 00:03:19.511 --> 00:03:21.401 into people who play our parts well. 00:03:21.491 --> 00:03:26.231 In the ongoing story of redemption from Esther, we learned that 00:03:26.231 --> 00:03:29.351 we too must sometimes take bold actions for the sake of others. 00:03:30.041 --> 00:03:34.031 We too must be courageous, trusting that God is providentially working. 00:03:34.761 --> 00:03:38.601 And we must be willing to confront the dominant powers of our world in creative 00:03:38.601 --> 00:03:43.401 ways that each generation can rightly celebrate the good gifts of community 00:03:43.406 --> 00:03:46.101 and life that we receive from God. 00:03:52.191 --> 00:03:53.391 The Book of Esther, 00:03:55.521 --> 00:04:01.521 these events happened in the Days of Kings Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces, 00:04:01.791 --> 00:04:04.071 stretching from India to Ethiopia. 00:04:05.021 --> 00:04:10.331 At that time, Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Suse. 00:04:11.261 --> 00:04:15.881 In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. 00:04:16.241 --> 00:04:21.041 He invited all the military officers of Persia and media, as well as the 00:04:21.046 --> 00:04:23.231 princes and nobles of the provinces. 00:04:23.891 --> 00:04:29.861 The celebration lasted 180 days, a tremendous display of the opulent 00:04:29.861 --> 00:04:34.061 wealth of his empire, and the pomp and splendor of his majesty. 00:04:35.246 --> 00:04:38.786 When it was all over, the king gave a banquet for all the people 00:04:38.846 --> 00:04:42.446 from the greatest to the least, who were in the fortress of suse. 00:04:43.166 --> 00:04:47.666 It lasted for seven days and was held in the courtyard of the Palace Garden. 00:04:48.281 --> 00:04:52.721 The courtyard was beautifully decorated with white cotton curtains and blue 00:04:52.721 --> 00:04:57.491 hangings, which were fastened with white linen cords and purple ribbons to 00:04:57.491 --> 00:05:00.161 silver rings embedded in marble pillars. 00:05:00.791 --> 00:05:05.951 Gold and silver couches stood on a mosaic pavement of porphyry marble, 00:05:06.191 --> 00:05:08.981 mother of pearl and other costly stones. 00:05:09.761 --> 00:05:13.361 Drinks were served in gold, gobles of many designs, and there 00:05:13.361 --> 00:05:17.471 was an abundance of royal wine reflecting the king's generosity. 00:05:18.071 --> 00:05:21.491 By edict of the king, no limits were placed on the drinking. 00:05:21.791 --> 00:05:25.301 For the King had instructed all his palace officials to serve 00:05:25.301 --> 00:05:27.341 each man as much as he wanted. 00:05:28.331 --> 00:05:32.231 At the same time, queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in 00:05:32.231 --> 00:05:36.821 the Royal Palace of Kings Xerxes on the seventh day of the Feast. 00:05:36.971 --> 00:05:40.121 When King Xerxes was in high spirits because of the wine, 00:05:40.451 --> 00:05:45.311 he told the seven Eunuchs who attended him, Mahoan, bta, har. 00:05:47.676 --> 00:05:53.426 Abha thar and carcass to bring Queen Vashti to him with 00:05:53.426 --> 00:05:55.196 the royal crown on her head. 00:05:55.526 --> 00:06:00.176 He wanted the nobles and all the other men to gaze on her beauty for, 00:06:00.181 --> 00:06:04.286 she was a very beautiful woman, but when they conveyed the King's order 00:06:04.291 --> 00:06:07.136 to Queen Vashti, she refused to come. 00:06:07.676 --> 00:06:11.036 This made the king furious and he burned with anger. 00:06:11.936 --> 00:06:14.816 He immediately consulted with his wise advisors. 00:06:15.116 --> 00:06:19.466 Who knew all the Persian laws and customs for, he always asked their advice. 00:06:20.066 --> 00:06:29.186 The names of these men were Ena Shear, ed Meha, Tarshish, meez, Marcina, and Mcan. 00:06:29.726 --> 00:06:31.856 Seven Nobles of Persia and Media. 00:06:32.456 --> 00:06:36.626 They met with the king regularly and held the highest positions in the empire. 00:06:37.601 --> 00:06:39.881 What must be done to Queen Vashti? 00:06:40.121 --> 00:06:44.531 The king demanded, what penalty does the law provide for a queen who 00:06:44.531 --> 00:06:50.051 refuses to obey the king's orders properly sent through his Unix makin 00:06:50.591 --> 00:06:53.261 answered the king and his nobles queen. 00:06:53.261 --> 00:06:57.671 Vashti has wronged not only the king, but also every noble and 00:06:57.671 --> 00:06:59.411 citizen throughout your empire. 00:06:59.996 --> 00:07:04.016 Women everywhere will begin to despise their husbands when they learn that 00:07:04.021 --> 00:07:09.176 Queen Vashti has refused to appear before the king before this day is out. 00:07:09.416 --> 00:07:13.826 The wives of all the king's, nobles throughout Persia and media will hear 00:07:13.826 --> 00:07:17.606 what the Queen did and will start treating their husbands the same way. 00:07:18.206 --> 00:07:21.236 There will be no end to their contempt and anger. 00:07:21.911 --> 00:07:27.761 So if it pleas the king, we suggest that you issue a written decree, a law of the 00:07:27.761 --> 00:07:30.521 Persians and Meads that cannot be revoked. 00:07:31.211 --> 00:07:34.991 It should order that Queen Vashti be forever banished from the 00:07:34.991 --> 00:07:38.771 presence of king's Xerxes, and that the king should choose another 00:07:38.771 --> 00:07:40.661 queen, more worthy than she. 00:07:41.261 --> 00:07:45.311 When this decree is published throughout the king's vast empire, husbands 00:07:45.311 --> 00:07:50.321 everywhere, whatever their rank will receive proper respect from their wives. 00:07:51.326 --> 00:07:54.086 The king in his nobles thought this made good sense. 00:07:54.356 --> 00:07:56.336 So he followed kin's counsel. 00:07:56.816 --> 00:08:01.076 He sent letters to all parts of the empire, to each province in its own 00:08:01.076 --> 00:08:05.906 script and language proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his own 00:08:05.906 --> 00:08:08.576 home and should say whatever he pleases. 00:08:10.236 --> 00:08:12.656 But after Xer, Z's anger had subsided. 00:08:12.986 --> 00:08:18.116 He began thinking about Vashti and what she had done and the decree he had made. 00:08:18.746 --> 00:08:23.246 So his personal attendant suggested Let us search the empire to find 00:08:23.246 --> 00:08:25.256 beautiful young virgins for the king. 00:08:25.796 --> 00:08:30.206 Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful 00:08:30.206 --> 00:08:35.006 young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Suse Hegi, the 00:08:35.006 --> 00:08:36.806 king's eunuch in charge of the harem. 00:08:37.106 --> 00:08:39.476 We'll see that they are all given beauty treatments. 00:08:39.926 --> 00:08:40.646 After that. 00:08:40.916 --> 00:08:45.656 The young woman who most pleases the king will be made queen instead of Vashti. 00:08:46.676 --> 00:08:51.506 This advice was very appealing to the king, so he put the plan into effect. 00:08:52.616 --> 00:08:56.696 At that time, there was a Jewish man in the fortress of Suse whose 00:08:56.701 --> 00:08:58.856 name was Mordecai, son of Jayer. 00:08:59.336 --> 00:09:04.346 He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a descendant of Kish and Shiai. 00:09:05.006 --> 00:09:10.676 His family had been among those who, with King Jo Hoan of Judah had been exiled from 00:09:10.676 --> 00:09:13.796 Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebu Nazar. 00:09:14.531 --> 00:09:18.731 This man had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin Hadassah, 00:09:19.031 --> 00:09:20.861 who was also called Esther. 00:09:21.701 --> 00:09:26.141 When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family 00:09:26.471 --> 00:09:28.421 and raised her as his own daughter. 00:09:29.621 --> 00:09:33.551 As a result of the King's decree, Esther, along with many other 00:09:33.551 --> 00:09:37.151 young women, was brought to the King's Harem at the fortress of 00:09:37.151 --> 00:09:39.821 Suse, and placed in Haggai's Care. 00:09:40.586 --> 00:09:44.156 Haggai was very impressed with Esther and treated her kindly. 00:09:44.726 --> 00:09:49.436 He quickly ordered a special menu for her and provided her with beauty treatments. 00:09:49.976 --> 00:09:53.816 He also assigned her seven maids, specially chosen from the King's 00:09:53.816 --> 00:09:58.736 palace, and he moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem. 00:09:59.876 --> 00:10:04.106 Esther had not told anyone of her nationality and family background because 00:10:04.106 --> 00:10:06.206 Mordecai had directed her not to do so. 00:10:07.091 --> 00:10:10.211 Every day, Mordecai would take a walk near the courtyard of the 00:10:10.211 --> 00:10:14.021 harem to find out about Esther and what was happening to her. 00:10:15.161 --> 00:10:19.931 Before each young woman was taken to the king's bed, she was given the prescribed 00:10:19.936 --> 00:10:25.961 12 months of beauty treatments, six months with oil of mur, followed by six months 00:10:26.021 --> 00:10:28.141 with special perfumes and ointments. 00:10:29.006 --> 00:10:32.696 When it was time for her to go to the King's Palace, she was given her 00:10:32.696 --> 00:10:36.806 choice of whatever clothing or jewelry she wanted to take from the harem. 00:10:37.436 --> 00:10:42.116 That evening, she was taken to the King's private rooms, and the next morning 00:10:42.266 --> 00:10:46.796 she was brought to the second harem where the king's wives lived there. 00:10:46.796 --> 00:10:50.006 She would be under the care of she Ash gas, the King's Euch 00:10:50.036 --> 00:10:51.176 in charge of the concubines. 00:10:52.001 --> 00:10:56.081 She would never go to the king again unless he had especially enjoyed 00:10:56.081 --> 00:10:58.361 her and requested her by name. 00:10:59.501 --> 00:11:02.681 Esther was the daughter of Abigail who was Mordecai's. 00:11:02.711 --> 00:11:06.911 Uncle Mordecai had adopted his younger cousin, Esther. 00:11:07.751 --> 00:11:12.431 When it was Esther's turn to go to the king, she accepted the advice of Hagi, 00:11:12.431 --> 00:11:14.111 the eunuch in charge of the harem. 00:11:14.741 --> 00:11:18.821 She asked for nothing except what he suggested, and she was 00:11:18.821 --> 00:11:20.621 admired by everyone who saw her. 00:11:22.016 --> 00:11:26.336 Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the Royal Palace in early winter 00:11:26.336 --> 00:11:30.656 of the seventh year of his reign, and the king loved Esther more 00:11:30.661 --> 00:11:32.546 than any of the other young women. 00:11:33.116 --> 00:11:37.676 He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and 00:11:37.676 --> 00:11:40.436 declared her queen instead of Vashti. 00:11:41.231 --> 00:11:45.941 To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther's Honor for 00:11:45.941 --> 00:11:50.891 all his nobles and officials declaring a public holiday for the provinces 00:11:51.011 --> 00:11:53.471 and giving generous gifts to everyone. 00:11:54.431 --> 00:11:58.631 Even after all the young women had been tr transferred to the second harem, and 00:11:58.631 --> 00:12:03.431 Mordecai had become a palace official, Esther continued to keep her family 00:12:03.431 --> 00:12:05.861 background and nationality a secret. 00:12:06.491 --> 00:12:10.841 She was still following mordecai's directions, just as she did when she 00:12:10.841 --> 00:12:17.471 lived in his home one day, as Mordecai was on duty at the King's Gate, two of 00:12:17.471 --> 00:12:22.451 the King's eunuchs, big Thena and Tars, who were guards at the door of the King's 00:12:22.456 --> 00:12:27.461 private quarters, became angry at King's Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. 00:12:28.181 --> 00:12:32.441 But Mordecai heard about the plot and gave the information to Queen Esther. 00:12:33.116 --> 00:12:38.816 She then told the king about it and gave Mordecai credit for the report when an 00:12:38.816 --> 00:12:43.706 investigation was made and Mordecai's story was found to be true, the two 00:12:43.706 --> 00:12:46.106 men were impaled on a sharpened pole. 00:12:46.646 --> 00:12:50.066 This was all recorded in the book of the history of Kings Xerxes Reign.