Who Can Stop The Wicked? | Esther 3:1-15 | 7-22-26 | Wednesday

**Pastor Andrew Montoro** (0:00)
All right, well, let's find our places. Esther chapter 3, Esther chapter 3 tonight.
So with the Lord's help, we're going to cover the whole chapter, 15 verses. And the author of Esther, obviously, that's God, that is God, this is God's word, but God used someone to write the book of Esther, and they're reaching a point. And so where we are in the book of Esther right now, it might be described as this. We can see the storm clouds gathering. And in Esther chapter 3, it looks like the storm is going to break, and there's no way to avoid it. And so it's going to be a little bit of a darker myth. It's a darker theme that's here in the book of, here in Esther chapter 3 But hang on, there's hope even in Esther chapter 3, and especially as we tie it in to the rest of the story and see, because chapter 3 is not the end of the story, right? Okay, there's more chapters to the book of Esther. And so as we even study tonight, I want to challenge you, it's not the last chapter. And that's going to be very helpful as we work our way through. The Bible says, after these things, okay, we don't know exactly, but this is somewhere around five years after Esther has been crowned king, or excuse me, Esther has been made the queen there. She's been selected as the queen. We'll go through some of the background, but the Bible says, after these things, did King Ahasuerus promote Haman, the son of Hamadatha, the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. And all the king's servants that were in the king's gate bowed and reverenced Haman. For the king had so commanded concerning him, but Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment? Now it came to pass, they spake daily unto him, and he harkened not unto them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand, for he had told them he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had showed him the people of Mordecai. Wherefore, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai. In the first month, that is, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast her, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day and from month to month to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar. And Haman said unto King Ahasuerus, there is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the providences of thy kingdom. And their laws are diverse from all people. Neither keep they the king's laws. Therefore, it is not for the king's profit to suffer them. If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents of silver to the hands of those that have charge of the business to bring it into the king's treasuries. And the king took his ring from his hand and gave it unto Haman, the son of Hamadatha, the Agagite, the Jew's enemy. And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also to do with them as it seemeth good to thee. Then were the king's scribes called on the 13th day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every Providence, and to the rulers over every people of every Providence, according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language. And the name of King Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring. And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's Providences to destroy, to kill, to cause, to perish all Jews, both young and old, little children and women in one day, even upon the 13th day of the 12th month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. And the copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every Providence was published among all the people that they should be ready against that day. And the post went out, being hastened by the king's commandment. And the decree was given in Shushan the Palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink. But the city of Shushan was perplexed. I mean, you talk about a dark chapter. By the way, anti-Semitism and the hatred of the Jews is nothing new. And that comes from the same source. It has been an attack on the people of God, an attack on the plans of God. And so we'll deal with that just a little bit. But here's our title tonight.