The Folly And Frailty Of Human Power | Esther 1:10-2:4 | 7-1-26 | Wednesday

**Pastor Andrew Montoro** (0:00)
Always a great time. All right, well, let's find our places. The Book Of Esther and Chapter Number One. So this is Sermon Number Two in our series. So we're still setting the table a little bit. The author is telling us the story, setting the background.
If you've ever read a book by Charles Dickens, he takes the first 300 pages just to set the background of what's happening, all right? Anyways, but here the Biblical author inspired is letting us know and setting the scene for when Esther is going to come on the scene. So Lord Willing, next week, we'll actually meet Esther in the series. But our series title is this, The Providence Of The Unseen God. The involvement, the loving intervention of God in our lives, even though we can't see him. And at times, we don't even see God at work. And yet, the book of Esther here is to remind us, despite the plans of wicked men, God is still sovereign and God is still ruling and God is still at work. And so let's pick up our reading, verse number 10 of Esther chapter 1 Verse number 10, Esther chapter 1 Last week, we saw the seemingly unlimited power of man. How visible it was as Ahasuerus the king was putting on display for 187 days the riches of his kingdom, right? I mean, just putting on display for all to see the riches of his kingdom. And verse number 10, on the seventh day, so this is the last day of his feasts, on the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehamun and Beezah and Harbonah and Bigtha and Agbatha and Zethar and Carchus, the seven chamberlains, I did not say those right probably, that was my best help, all right? The seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus, the king, here's what he commanded them, verse number 11, to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the royal crown to show the people and the princes her beauty, for she was fair to look upon. But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains. Therefore was the king very wroth and his anger burned in him. Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, for so was the king's manner toward all that knew the law and knew law and judgment. And next unto him was Karshina and Shathar and Abhda, Admaitha and Tarshish and Miraz and Marcena, and Meek Memukan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face and which sat first in the kingdoms. So these are who he's speaking to. Verse number 15, this is what the king says. What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to the law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king of Hazaras by the Chamberlains? And Memukan answered before the kings and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes and to all the people that are in all the providence of king or Hazaras. I mean, you talk about exaggeration. Here we go. Verse number 17, for this deed of the queen shall come abroad upon unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes. When it shall be reported, the king of Hazaras commanded Vashti, the queen, to be brought in before him, and she came not. Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath if it please the king. Let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws and the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, that Vashti come no more before king Hazaras, and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she. And when the king's decree, which he shall make, shall be published throughout all his empire, for it is great, all the wives shall give to their husbands honor, both to great and small. And the saying pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Mehmukhan, for he sent letters into all the king's providences, into every province according to the writing, according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, and that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people. After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what was decreed against her. Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king, let the king appoint officers in all the providences of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege, the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women, and let their things for purification be given them, and let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti, and the thing pleased the king, and he did so.