WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.680 You're listening to the Bible Guys, a podcast where a 2 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:06.440 couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun, in 3 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:14.839 practical ways. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to the Bible guys. Wow. Yeah, Hey, 4 00:00:14.839 --> 00:00:17.399 we're kicking off a new book today, the Book of Esther. 5 00:00:17.719 --> 00:00:20.559 Esther Chapter one, you got one hundred and eighty days 6 00:00:20.600 --> 00:00:23.920 of wine, wealth and the biggest party ever thrown in 7 00:00:23.960 --> 00:00:24.480 the Kingdom. 8 00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:27.559 Wow, it's gonna be crazy. There's an intro. Huh. Yes, 9 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:30.359 Esther is a great book, Okay, And so before we 10 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:34.079 get into that, we have a brand new segment. Cool. Yeah, 11 00:00:34.200 --> 00:00:36.439 Desire is never it's kind of a riff on a 12 00:00:36.600 --> 00:00:40.119 on another one that we've done. Yeah. Yeah, but this 13 00:00:40.200 --> 00:00:44.079 is this is called light Detector. And it says that 14 00:00:44.079 --> 00:00:46.560 I'm supposed to share two bizarre stories with you, one 15 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:48.039 true and one false. Huh. 16 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:53.119 And well she chose it this way on purpose? Whatever, 17 00:00:53.240 --> 00:00:55.119 because I'm kind of a human light detector. 18 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:58.920 Oh I thought you were. Because I'm the best liar liar, 19 00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:02.520 I knew you were going to react that way. Or 20 00:01:03.079 --> 00:01:06.680 I have I tell the best story, the most creative storyteller. 21 00:01:06.879 --> 00:01:10.079 I'm the creative storytelling. There you go. Yeah, So, which 22 00:01:10.200 --> 00:01:11.560 also makes me the best liar. Okay. 23 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:14.159 So I'm looking for the lie, the lie. So you 24 00:01:14.200 --> 00:01:16.719 can tell me two bizarre stories. Yes, one of them 25 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:18.959 is true, one of them is not. Yes, okay, Okay. 26 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:24.439 So when I was young, I spent all of my 27 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:28.120 time in what I called the woods because we grew 28 00:01:28.200 --> 00:01:31.120 up next to Milk Creek Park, and so Milk Creek 29 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:33.400 Park was just this huge park that ran all the 30 00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:35.719 way through Youngstown, and so I would always like get 31 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:38.280 up and just go straight with my friends into these 32 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:40.159 woods and these trails and all these kinds of things. 33 00:01:40.439 --> 00:01:43.599 And I remember rock climbing sort of. It was our 34 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:45.640 version of it when we were kids. So I was 35 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:49.560 probably eight and nine years old, and there was this 36 00:01:49.719 --> 00:01:53.400 huge cliff that was probably looking back at it, I 37 00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:57.840 bet you it was two stories high, maybe maybe three, 38 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:01.840 so it's pretty pre significant. And so I was climbing 39 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:05.560 up this wall of and it was mossy, and so 40 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:07.719 I got almost all the way to the top and 41 00:02:07.760 --> 00:02:10.240 they were down below and they were like Chris, Chris, Chris, 42 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:14.240 and I literally fell off the rock and I fell 43 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:19.159 straight backwards and landed on my back just bam onto rocks, 44 00:02:19.960 --> 00:02:22.120 and they were like, oh my goodness, and they thought 45 00:02:22.120 --> 00:02:25.159 I was dead and I got up and I never 46 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:29.560 felt I never felt any pain. And I was like, huh, 47 00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:32.560 like are you okay? And I'm like yeah, wow, And 48 00:02:32.599 --> 00:02:36.080 that was it. So I felt like probably twenty feet. 49 00:02:36.759 --> 00:02:40.199 And by the way, I read later on, did you 50 00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:44.680 know that falls over twenty feet are fatal eighty percent 51 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:46.919 of the time? Wow? Did you I did not know 52 00:02:47.000 --> 00:02:50.439 that fatal? I mean, let alone like injury. Wow. Right, 53 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:54.199 And so that's the first pretty that's pretty hard to believe. 54 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:57.199 It is hard to believe. That's first story. Second story 55 00:02:57.280 --> 00:02:59.560 is my brothers and I were playing with me be 56 00:02:59.639 --> 00:03:04.800 guns and my brother, older brother Jimmy, the one that's 57 00:03:04.919 --> 00:03:07.919 right above me, didn't mess around with a lot of 58 00:03:07.960 --> 00:03:10.360 that stuff. He was much more of a nerd than 59 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:13.560 I was. Right. He was more like the no, no, no. 60 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:16.840 He didn't experiment with a lot of outdoor things. He 61 00:03:16.919 --> 00:03:19.360 was upstairs reading these comic books all the time, which 62 00:03:19.400 --> 00:03:21.120 is where I got the comic book side of my life. 63 00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:26.080 And anyway, so he wasn't very outdoorsy. All of us 64 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:28.479 had messed around with BB guns before, he'd not really 65 00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:30.639 done it, and so we were all out there messing 66 00:03:30.680 --> 00:03:33.000 with bbguns, loading him up, pumping them up, all these 67 00:03:33.080 --> 00:03:34.719 kinds of things. You know, you pump it up and 68 00:03:34.759 --> 00:03:36.919 it you know. Okay, So anyway, he grabs me, begun, 69 00:03:37.080 --> 00:03:39.439 points it right at me and shoots, and so he 70 00:03:39.479 --> 00:03:42.240 fires right at me, and I look around and I'm 71 00:03:42.280 --> 00:03:44.479 thinking I'm gonna I got shot. I looked around and 72 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:47.439 come to find out like, I didn't get shot, but 73 00:03:47.479 --> 00:03:49.800 there was a hole in my shirt, and I was like, 74 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:52.000 he shot in my shirt. And then I was looking 75 00:03:52.039 --> 00:03:54.120 around and I couldn't see an exit wound, and I 76 00:03:54.159 --> 00:03:56.039 was like, son of a gun, I lift up my shirt. 77 00:03:56.080 --> 00:03:57.919 I couldn't find the baby. And then I went throughout 78 00:03:57.960 --> 00:04:00.599 my day and then later on during lunch, I felt 79 00:04:00.599 --> 00:04:04.120 something in underwear and the baby had made its way 80 00:04:04.199 --> 00:04:06.199 into moundawear. Okay it is. 81 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:09.039 So those are two unbelievable stories. Yes, how old were 82 00:04:09.080 --> 00:04:10.520 you at the BB gun one? 83 00:04:10.960 --> 00:04:20.439 Uh? Honestly? Uh? Same? H okay? Maybe ten? Nine? Ten? Yeah? Yeah? 84 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:24.439 Uh oh man. So there's a lot of details, yeah, 85 00:04:24.600 --> 00:04:25.399 in both of them. 86 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:31.360 Yeah, I'm supposed to interview you on this and try 87 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:35.879 to figure out right, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, So I'm 88 00:04:35.879 --> 00:04:37.920 supposed to try to figure out interrogate you. 89 00:04:38.040 --> 00:04:40.720 That's what it says you on the night of right, 90 00:04:41.560 --> 00:04:43.120 where's the light? That's right? 91 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:48.000 Who can cooperate these stories? So I just have a 92 00:04:48.040 --> 00:04:50.199 sense I'm just going to jump right at it because 93 00:04:50.439 --> 00:04:50.920 we don't. 94 00:04:50.759 --> 00:04:51.360 Have a ton of time. 95 00:04:51.639 --> 00:04:55.720 I have a sense that the rock wall one is true? 96 00:04:56.720 --> 00:04:59.000 Why and that the bb gun one is not true? 97 00:04:59.319 --> 00:05:01.360 Why do you say that? Uh? 98 00:05:02.040 --> 00:05:09.399 The description of where you lived the park you spoke 99 00:05:09.480 --> 00:05:15.000 with fondness, and the other one was super enthusiastic and 100 00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:16.439 generic generica. 101 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:24.879 So which is it you are correct? See? Huh? Wow? 102 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:27.160 Yeah, I'm not a good liar like I said, Oh, 103 00:05:27.160 --> 00:05:29.319 you're a good liar since I'm a human liar detector. 104 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:32.920 Wow. Good. 105 00:05:33.560 --> 00:05:37.600 Yeah, your body language was also enthusiastic on the second one, 106 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:40.040 and you're a little bit of a salesman, so I knew. 107 00:05:41.399 --> 00:05:43.959 He's selling me on this one. Yeah. But it was 108 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:47.240 a great story. I just made it up. Yeah, that 109 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:49.680 was great. I never even came close to happen. I 110 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:52.360 just thought of this outlandish story with the beauty. Yeah. Yeah, 111 00:05:52.680 --> 00:05:55.720 Well what set me off was that you pivoted into telling. 112 00:05:55.480 --> 00:05:57.959 Me about how you and your brother. That's where you 113 00:05:57.959 --> 00:06:01.160 got your comic book thing from and yeah, yeah, yeah. 114 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:04.360 I was like, okay, well, wait a minute, I thought 115 00:06:04.360 --> 00:06:06.920 that was that. Wait a minute, that was good. Wouldn't that? 116 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:09.319 Oh you mean that threw you off? 117 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:12.120 That started to throw me off? Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's 118 00:06:12.120 --> 00:06:14.839 why I started. Set me on the wrong path for 119 00:06:14.879 --> 00:06:17.839 a minute, but we pulled back in. Okay, it was 120 00:06:17.879 --> 00:06:21.279 just it was your description, huh, the funness. 121 00:06:21.319 --> 00:06:23.879 Yeah, I'm going to really think hard about that because 122 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:25.480 if I have to, if I ever have to fool 123 00:06:25.480 --> 00:06:27.639 you in the future, yeah you won't. I'm gonna be 124 00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:33.519 extra cautious. I know you. I can see into your soul. Chris. 125 00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:36.639 For your birth and I'm shocked to be for your birthday. 126 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:38.759 I mean, for my daughter's engagement. We had to tell 127 00:06:38.759 --> 00:06:41.600 a hundred lies to keep it from her right in 128 00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:43.759 a good way. But you know, if I ever do 129 00:06:43.800 --> 00:06:45.720 that something I was I wasn't meaning like lie for 130 00:06:45.800 --> 00:06:48.079 bad reasons. But if I have to fool you for 131 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:51.839 good reasons, yeah, then then holy cow, Detective. 132 00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:55.360 Well, I also knew all I was coming. In all fairness, 133 00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:56.720 that's true, I knew all I was coming. 134 00:06:56.800 --> 00:06:59.480 Yeah, so you had you had your radar on so 135 00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:00.079 a god. 136 00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:04.199 Also read three books on how to determine when somebody lies, 137 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:06.680 written by like FBI interrogator types. 138 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:10.560 Wow, very interesting. I guess so because because you said 139 00:07:10.600 --> 00:07:13.199 things that I never would have thought of. So that 140 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:18.680 and your your eyes dilated, you started to stature. Stop it. 141 00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:22.199 I noticed that your body tips are raised by two percent, 142 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:25.120 two degrees whatever. 143 00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:30.120 Yep, you kept looking down into the left. Okay, so 144 00:07:30.360 --> 00:07:35.160 uh wow, speaking of your temperature. Going up a party 145 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:36.319 like this, you. 146 00:07:36.360 --> 00:07:42.319 Had everybody's temperatures rising. So so did you know that 147 00:07:42.360 --> 00:07:42.920 this is? Uh? 148 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:45.560 Is this the only book in the Bible that doesn't 149 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:46.959 mention the name of God? 150 00:07:48.279 --> 00:07:50.319 Is that true? I think so. I think I've heard 151 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:52.720 that before, but I'm not sure I would have remembered 152 00:07:52.720 --> 00:07:55.839 that had you not said it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 153 00:07:55.879 --> 00:07:59.920 So and yet you see God's hand through the entire thing. Yes, 154 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:01.199 That's what's so amazing about it. 155 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:01.920 Yeah. 156 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:06.319 So esther, what a great hero she becomes, but she 157 00:08:06.360 --> 00:08:08.680 doesn't know it's coming. So here's what it says. It 158 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:11.800 says these events happened in the days of King Xerxes, 159 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:15.199 who reigned over one hundred and twenty seven provinces stretching 160 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:19.519 from India to Ethiopia at that time. Xerxes ruled his 161 00:08:19.639 --> 00:08:22.639 empire from his royal throne at the Fortress of Susa. 162 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:25.040 In the third year of his reign, he gave a 163 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:27.399 banquet for all his nobles and officials, and he invited 164 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:30.439 all the military officers of Persia and media, as well 165 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:33.759 as the princes and nobles of the provinces. The celebration 166 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:37.960 lasted one hundred and eighty days. Yeah, dude, talking about 167 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:41.039 a party. Yeah, A tremendous display of the opulent wealth 168 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:43.759 of his empire and the pomp and splendor of his majesty. 169 00:08:44.240 --> 00:08:46.519 When it was all over, the king gave a banquet 170 00:08:46.519 --> 00:08:47.879 for all the people, because you know, you need a 171 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:51.799 party after your party, right right from the greatest to 172 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:54.799 the least who were in the Fortress of Susa. It 173 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:57.240 lasted for seven days and was held in the courtyard 174 00:08:57.240 --> 00:08:59.879 of the palace garden. The courtyard was beautifully decorated with 175 00:09:00.039 --> 00:09:03.279 white cotton curtains and blue hangings which were fastened with 176 00:09:03.399 --> 00:09:06.879 white linen cords and purple ribbons to silver rings embedded 177 00:09:06.879 --> 00:09:08.159 in marble pillars. 178 00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:09.480 It was really beautiful. 179 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:13.320 Gold and silver couches stood on a mosaic pavement of 180 00:09:13.879 --> 00:09:18.200 porphyry marble mother of Pearl and other costly stones. Drinks 181 00:09:18.200 --> 00:09:21.159 were served in gold goblets of many designs, and there 182 00:09:21.159 --> 00:09:24.519 was an abundance of royal wine, reflecting the king's generosity. 183 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:27.120 By edict of the king, no limits were placed on 184 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:29.360 the drinking, for the king had instructed all his palace 185 00:09:29.399 --> 00:09:31.879 officials to serve each man as much as he wanted. 186 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:35.200 At the same time, Queen Vashti gave up. Do you 187 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:41.360 see Vashti? Vashti said, Vashti Schachti gave a banquet for 188 00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:44.399 the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes on 189 00:09:44.440 --> 00:09:46.559 the seventh day of the feast. When King Xerxes was 190 00:09:46.600 --> 00:09:48.759 in high spirits because of the wine, he told the 191 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:55.279 seven eunuchs who attended him, me human Biztha, harbona big Thah, 192 00:09:56.759 --> 00:10:00.600 a Bagtha, Zephyr, and carcass, what we're going to call 193 00:10:00.679 --> 00:10:03.360 him to bring Queen Vashti to him with the royal 194 00:10:03.399 --> 00:10:05.840 crown on her head. He wanted the nobles and all 195 00:10:05.879 --> 00:10:07.720 the other men to gaze on her beauty, for she 196 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:10.440 was a very beautiful woman. But when they conveyed the 197 00:10:10.519 --> 00:10:13.840 king's order to Queen Vashti, she refused to come. This 198 00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:16.559 made the king furious, and he burned with anger. He 199 00:10:16.600 --> 00:10:19.279 immediately consulted with his wise advisers, who knew all the 200 00:10:19.320 --> 00:10:21.600 Persian laws and customs, for he always asked their advice. 201 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:25.720 The names of these men were oh Gosh, Karshena, Shethar, 202 00:10:26.360 --> 00:10:32.919 Ed Matha, Tarshish, Mary's, Mrsna and Memican, seven nobles of 203 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:36.440 Persia and Media, and they met with the King regularly 204 00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:39.360 and held the highest positions in the empire. What must 205 00:10:39.399 --> 00:10:41.840 be done to Queen Vashti, the king demanded, What penalty 206 00:10:41.879 --> 00:10:43.679 does the law provide for a queen who refuses to 207 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:47.720 obey the King's orders properly sent through his eunuchs. Memican 208 00:10:47.879 --> 00:10:50.120 answered the King and his nobles, Queen Vashti has wrong 209 00:10:50.200 --> 00:10:52.799 not only the King, but also every noble and citizen 210 00:10:52.840 --> 00:10:56.120 throughout your empire. Women everywhere will begin to despise their 211 00:10:56.200 --> 00:10:58.519 husbands when they learned that Queen Vashti has refused to 212 00:10:58.519 --> 00:11:01.159 appear before the king. Before this day is out, the 213 00:11:01.159 --> 00:11:03.919 wives of all the King's nobles throughout Persian and Media 214 00:11:03.960 --> 00:11:06.120 will hear what the queen did, and we'll start treating 215 00:11:06.120 --> 00:11:08.399 their husbands the same way. There will be no end 216 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:09.440 to the contempt and annger. 217 00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:10.919 It's extreme. 218 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:13.200 So if it pleased the king, we suggest that you 219 00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:15.360 issue a written decree a lot of the Persians and 220 00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:17.320 the Meds that cannot be revoked. 221 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:19.840 It should order that Queen Vashti be forever. 222 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:22.159 Banished from the presence of King Xerxes. The king should 223 00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:25.120 choose another queen more worthy than she. When this decree 224 00:11:25.159 --> 00:11:28.559 is published throughout the king's vast empire, husbands everywhere, whatever 225 00:11:28.600 --> 00:11:31.120 their rank, will receive proper respect from their wives. 226 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:33.600 The king and his. 227 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:38.320 Nobles thought this made good sense, so he followed Memican's council. 228 00:11:38.960 --> 00:11:41.480 He sent letters to all parts of the empire, to 229 00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:44.399 each province in its own script and language, proclaiming that 230 00:11:44.440 --> 00:11:46.279 every man should be the ruler of his own home 231 00:11:46.600 --> 00:11:49.679 and should say whatever he pleases there. 232 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:51.879 It is at the end of the first chefs chidow. 233 00:11:52.039 --> 00:11:55.279 Let me just say it's very dangerous to drink and 234 00:11:55.320 --> 00:12:03.720 make laws. Right. You're not your bad I'll tell you, yeah, 235 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:04.440 I got an idea. 236 00:12:04.519 --> 00:12:06.720 If you don't do something, all of our wives are 237 00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:07.799 gonna start back talking to us. 238 00:12:07.879 --> 00:12:10.960 And that's not okay. I'm telling you what they're gonna do. 239 00:12:12.600 --> 00:12:15.080 That's what they've been drinking for one hundred eighty days. 240 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:17.399 Then they have a really crazy party in the last 241 00:12:17.399 --> 00:12:21.000 seven and it's when they go and they decide. He 242 00:12:21.159 --> 00:12:24.799 literally writes this this law, proclaiming that every man should 243 00:12:24.840 --> 00:12:26.639 be the ruler of his own home and should say 244 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:27.360 whatever he pleads. 245 00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:31.679 Well, do you know that oftentimes crazy? Oftentimes? You know, 246 00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:33.639 the Bible tells the story over a long period of 247 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:35.559 time sometimes and it makes it seems like it's like 248 00:12:35.559 --> 00:12:38.039 the same day. But in this case, in verse thirteen, 249 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:40.120 I actually think you're right. I think it's the same day, 250 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:44.840 because it says he immediately right, so she refused to 251 00:12:44.840 --> 00:12:47.639 come in, and then verse thirteen says he immediately consulted 252 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:50.440 with his wives of advisors, and then he asked the 253 00:12:50.519 --> 00:12:53.360 question what must be done with Queen Vashti. So that 254 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:57.399 means you're right. That means during the banquet, during and 255 00:12:57.480 --> 00:13:01.159 it actually starts it says, when King Xerxes was high 256 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:05.759 in spirits because he had wine. Yeah, wow, he was tipsy. Yeah, 257 00:13:05.799 --> 00:13:07.000 I see he's feeling good. 258 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:08.639 Hey, bring he out. She's beautiful. You guys are gonna 259 00:13:08.679 --> 00:13:10.519 love this, right, And she goes. 260 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:14.039 No, and so he gets embarrassed in front of all 261 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:16.080 his friends. Right, he gets embarrassed in front of all 262 00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:17.879 the other people that he has ruled over that are 263 00:13:17.879 --> 00:13:21.279 also rulers and and uh and so yeah, he's thinking, 264 00:13:21.399 --> 00:13:23.320 I can't believe she just did that to me. It 265 00:13:23.399 --> 00:13:24.960 made me look, you know bad. 266 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:28.600 Right, Well, she's the whole party unravels at this point, right, 267 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:30.440 and oh. 268 00:13:29.960 --> 00:13:31.960 So I'm wearing I'm wearing my shirt today that from 269 00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:34.960 the Mafia, right, like leave the gun to take the canola. 270 00:13:35.080 --> 00:13:39.240 That's from the movie The Godfather, that's right. And and 271 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:42.360 that would be something that they would say. It's like never, hey, listen, 272 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:45.720 never disagree with me in front of the family. Right, 273 00:13:45.799 --> 00:13:48.279 that's what they would say, right, not in front of 274 00:13:48.279 --> 00:13:53.039 the family. Right. And it's like that's what that's what happened. 275 00:13:52.919 --> 00:13:56.639 Right, precisely what happened. So he's feeling pretty good about himself. 276 00:13:57.039 --> 00:14:00.679 He's you know, leading the biggest all the way from India. 277 00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:04.879 So Susa is right on the edge between what is 278 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:06.679 modern day Iraq and modern day Iran. 279 00:14:07.159 --> 00:14:09.200 This is right. So the means in the Persians Persia 280 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:12.960 is modern day Iran. And so just. 281 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:17.240 East of Babylon a number of miles and so right 282 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:19.759 along the edge of the mountains, but he ruled all 283 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:22.559 the way from India all the way to Ethiopia that 284 00:14:22.600 --> 00:14:25.440 it was at the time the largest empire in the world. 285 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:28.039 He's feeling pretty good about himself here is he's only 286 00:14:28.039 --> 00:14:29.879 been doing it for three years, and he goes, I 287 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:32.519 got an idea, Let's take the next six months and 288 00:14:32.679 --> 00:14:37.200 just party like wild animals, right, and no rules. And 289 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:40.320 so then when they're done, and it's only the elites 290 00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:42.519 that are doing that, but they party for like six months, 291 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:45.360 he's just taken like a big long vacation. So then 292 00:14:45.720 --> 00:14:47.360 when all that's done, he goes, you know what, let's 293 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:49.720 throw a party for everybody who lives in this fortress, 294 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:52.399 all the commoners too, and then we're going to treat 295 00:14:52.440 --> 00:14:55.679 him like kings. And then it's in that context that 296 00:14:55.879 --> 00:14:57.919 you know, it's a seven day party, but it begins 297 00:14:57.960 --> 00:15:00.679 describing how beautiful, so they decorated. The king went all out, 298 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:02.720 and then he had he has an open bar for 299 00:15:02.759 --> 00:15:03.679 seven days. 300 00:15:03.879 --> 00:15:05.600 No rules about how much they can drink. 301 00:15:06.120 --> 00:15:10.360 And he's trying to demonstrate one how powerful he is 302 00:15:10.440 --> 00:15:14.759 to his his all of his magistrates and rulers. And 303 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:17.600 then he how magnanimous and generousy is to all of 304 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:21.360 his followers. And it's in that context he goes, let's 305 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:24.480 bring Vashti out, and she goes, no, I'm not a plaything, 306 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:27.519 and I have some dignity and I'm not going to 307 00:15:27.559 --> 00:15:30.519 come out and just twirl for you, right right. 308 00:15:30.600 --> 00:15:34.399 Right, And and maybe he's the king is also trying 309 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:36.039 to display like, hey, this is how it's going to 310 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:38.679 be when you follow me. There'll be there'll be blessings. 311 00:15:38.679 --> 00:15:41.679 They'll be not blessings, but there'll be provision, there'll be luxuries, 312 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:44.720 they'll be wine under my rule. This is this is 313 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:47.279 the kind of kingdom that there is. I was looking 314 00:15:47.320 --> 00:15:49.279 at the notes from the Life Application of Study Bible. 315 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:51.080 There was a little summary at the beginning of Esther, 316 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:54.559 and it says this. It says, not all the Jews 317 00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:59.039 returned to Jerusalem when Cyrus issued a decree allowing them 318 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:01.919 to do so. Many Jews stayed in Persia throughout the 319 00:16:01.960 --> 00:16:05.200 world where they had settled during the exile. Esther is 320 00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:08.360 one of such women. The Book of Chris Esther, we 321 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:11.200 haven't been introduced to her yet right in chapter one, 322 00:16:11.240 --> 00:16:14.120 but she's coming. The Book of Esther is an example 323 00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:17.919 of God's divine guidance and care for our lives. God's 324 00:16:17.960 --> 00:16:21.320 sovereignty and power are seen throughout this book. Although we 325 00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:24.000 may question certain circumstances in our lives, we must have 326 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:27.000 faith that God is in control, working through both the 327 00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:30.120 pleasant and the difficult times, so we can see him effectively. 328 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:39.080 So this background, this story sets up the context of 329 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:42.440 Esther's faith. Would you agree with that? Like, in other words, 330 00:16:42.440 --> 00:16:45.840 like what Esther is about to do is display incredible courage. 331 00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:48.840 And so we look back and we see, like what 332 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:52.279 happened to the last queen? What happened to the last 333 00:16:52.360 --> 00:16:57.960 queen that didn't do exactly what Xerxes you wanted, you know, 334 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:01.919 or displeased the king, right, And so this whole chapter 335 00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:04.880 sets up an incredible story. But at the same time, 336 00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:10.640 it also shows Xerxi's character as a king too, which 337 00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:14.079 is you know, pretty pretty awful actually right that he 338 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:17.799 would write a decree and banish the queen just because 339 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:20.960 she refused in one instance to come into a group 340 00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:24.400 of drunken men and twirl you know. So you know, 341 00:17:24.599 --> 00:17:27.359 it sets it up to where you know, it's you 342 00:17:27.480 --> 00:17:29.799 better fear the king. Yeah, that's what it is. 343 00:17:29.880 --> 00:17:32.640 Right, So now you're going to enjoy this part. Yes, 344 00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:34.480 it just dawned to me while you were talking. 345 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:36.960 Oh I didn't enjoy the other parts. No, you're gonna 346 00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:38.559 like this part a lot. Oh good. Yeah. 347 00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:42.160 Yeah, So this Xerxes. Yes, the reason why they would 348 00:17:42.200 --> 00:17:44.480 throw these giant parties. They were famous for it. The 349 00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:47.599 Persian kings, the Means and the Persian kings were famous 350 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:50.640 for throwing big parties before they went to war. Oh 351 00:17:50.680 --> 00:17:52.640 so it was kind of, you know, like the Vikings 352 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:55.000 would do after a battle, they'd come and drink and 353 00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:58.720 go crazy and say cheers to the fallen brothers who 354 00:17:58.759 --> 00:18:00.880 went to Valhalla or whatever. For the Means and the 355 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:03.200 Persians the other way around, this might be our last party. 356 00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:05.920 Let's throw a crazy one. Well, he was getting ready 357 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:08.759 his his kingdom had expanded all the way to Ethiopia. 358 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:13.599 He was getting ready to attack Greece, and he had 359 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:18.279 this great victory at thermal Play against the Spartans. Oh wow, 360 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:21.960 it's that's the story. Wow, right spart Off right that 361 00:18:22.440 --> 00:18:26.839 thing that So, so this is the Xerxes. That's right 362 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:29.599 where the three hundred died. They died his hand. 363 00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:32.000 Yeah yeah, wow, So this is the Xerxes. 364 00:18:32.039 --> 00:18:33.920 So it might have been because it was right around 365 00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:35.960 this time, by the way, that that happened. 366 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:37.920 So, as a matter of fact, I looked it up. 367 00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:40.960 It's four eighty BC is when that happened. And this 368 00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:46.160 is happening the beginning of this is about just a 369 00:18:46.200 --> 00:18:47.119 few years before. 370 00:18:47.400 --> 00:18:49.799 Oh you know what's so funny. In my mind, I 371 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:54.279 sure did not have Xerxes with a mental image as 372 00:18:54.359 --> 00:18:56.680 the Xerxes in that movie. Yeah. Yeah, the Xerxys in 373 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:59.799 that movie was creepy. Yeah, I mean super creepy. Right, 374 00:19:00.119 --> 00:19:04.240 he's even a god can bleed, right that guy. Yeah yeah, wow, yeah, 375 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:07.640 which wow, that's yeah, this is the same. And you 376 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:11.880 know what, that's also pretty amazing once again that that 377 00:19:12.440 --> 00:19:17.319 history coincides with uh, with the writings of the scripture, 378 00:19:17.400 --> 00:19:21.359 right right, So there's there's a during that time. 379 00:19:21.559 --> 00:19:24.720 There are during that that when I say that time, 380 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:28.079 I'm saying over those couple hundred years, there were multiple Xerxes. 381 00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:32.000 Okay, so this is the same. That's what I was 382 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:32.359 looking at for. 383 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:35.480 I was thinking, this is the right time for eighty yeah, 384 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:38.160 for ninety, because it says here on the side for 385 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:40.680 ninety the Greeks repelled Persia in the fifth back or 386 00:19:40.680 --> 00:19:44.400 in the Battle of Marathon. So ten years after this, yeah, 387 00:19:44.680 --> 00:19:47.480 is when the Greeks finally push him back and he's. 388 00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:48.079 And he's defeated. 389 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:51.880 Yeah, but he has, he has he defeats the Spartans 390 00:19:51.920 --> 00:19:56.200 at Thermal Reply and then he goes on as Sacks Athens. 391 00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:58.839 Yeah right, and then they finally they begin to turn. 392 00:19:58.759 --> 00:19:59.559 Him back after that. 393 00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:04.480 So this party may have been just before well those 394 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:05.920 big attacks. Isn't that kind of cool? 395 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:06.200 Yeah? 396 00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:08.200 Well, I mean I'm not an expert on that, but 397 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:10.880 this story seems to begin in for eighty three BC, 398 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:15.920 and the battle was for eighty so it's three years before. 399 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:17.720 But how long does it take you to move on 400 00:20:17.720 --> 00:20:18.519 an army that far? 401 00:20:19.400 --> 00:20:24.079