Thank you for listening to Servants for Christ. And all that we do and all that we say, we want to give glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for tuning us in as we get into the wonderful Word of God. For the next few minutes, let's take the beautiful Word of God and share it with each and every one of you as we have a sense of anticipation to take the Word of God and to listen to its truth for each and every one. Amen. Thank you for tuning us in. Service for Christ. Amen. As our purpose and our mission is to share the word of God with the world, to support the belief of the ministry of the layman, and understanding the preaching and the teaching of God's word, to prepare everything that we can to lead men, women, boys, and girls to give their hearts and lives to Jesus Christ, and to secure them for eternal life. and ensure all that we can to minister to the needy of the world, and last but not least, to provide Jesus Christ his proper place, which his word gives. What an honor it is as we continue on in the book of Esther, Esther chapter eight. as we talk about turning the tables of triumph in Esther, chapter eight. Here we'll be talking about how God turns despair into deliverance and brings triumph out of trials for his people. And so, if you would, without any further delay, turn over to the 17th book of the Bible, the book of Esther. And here in the book of Esther, chapter eight, as we look at the 17 verses that we have in Esther chapter eight, amen. And I'm glad that as we read, we'll basically skip about and read only as those tables turn that Mordecai and the Jews are exalted because in Esther chapter eight, we realize that the king, Esther's plea for her people. As we look down at verse 15, 16 and 17, the Bible says, and Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white and with a great crown of gold and with a garment of fine linen and purple and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. In verse 16, the Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor. In verse 17, and in every province and in every city, whether so wherever the king commanded, commandment and his decree came the Jews had joy and gladness a feast and a good day and many of the people of the land became Jews for the fear of the Jews fell upon them and so That's reading of the last three verses of Esther, chapter eight. We'll paraphrase as we go forward, as we talk about turning the tables of triumph. Father, we bow before you, acknowledging our sins, seeking your forgiveness, as your word says of Lamentations chapter three, it is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed because his compassions fell not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. Lord, wash us and clean us and renew us by your grace. Clothe us with the armor of God. Keep us with the armor of God that we're able to withstand in the evil day, having done all to stand, that you prepare our hearts to receive your word, and may it transform our lives. In the powerful, mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, amen. There's a story about a man who parked his car on a steep hill, but he forgot to set the parking brake. And as he watched in horror, his car began rolling downhill, smashing into everything in its path. Panicked, he sprinted after it, yelling, stop, but to no avail. The disaster that he set in motion seemed unstoppable. And that's how life sometimes feels. It's like a chain of events that we cannot control, spiraling toward destruction. But Esther chapter 8 reminds us that when God steps in, he can reverse the seemingly unstoppable. And what began as a decree for destruction became a proclamation of deliverance. The tables turned and God's people triumphed over their enemies. And as this chapter, we see how God works behind the scenes to bring triumph out of the trials and victory out of what seemed like certain defeat. When we look at turning the tables of triumph, The very first thing that we see is the provision of grace, because in verse one of Esther chapter eight, the Bible says, on that day did King Haphazus give the house of Haman, the Jews enemy, unto Esther the queen. Haman was the villain. He's gone and his wealth is transferred to Esther. God's grace works in an unexpected way to provide for his people. And when we look, we live in a world filled with danger and evil every day. As we travel from place to place, we all risk our lives. through exposure to unexperienced, careless, or drunk drivers. A young woman out on a date can be seduced, attacked, or raped. A wife, a child, or a husband can be abused. Drugs or alcohol can be pushed upon us or our children. People can steal from us, lie, deceive, or mislead us. Husbands and wives can commit adultery or totally neglect each other. Children can disobey their parents. And parents can abuse children, provoking them to wrath and rebellion. Business partners can split up, and politicians can lie and deceive the public. Nations can abuse their citizens through unjust laws, over-taxation, unnecessary wars caused by power struggles, evil leaders and their followers can plot terrorist attacks, cause enormous destruction of property and life. Things can go terribly wrong for any of us due to either of the evil in the world or the normal problems that arise in life. Now, in this present scripture, A serious problem is confronting the Jews. A decree of extermination has been issued against them. Every Jew throughout the Persian Empire was to be slaughtered and wiped off the face of the earth. In the former chapter, Queen Esther had just informed King Urxes of the plot to exterminate the Jews, a plot that had been schemed by the Prime Minister Haman. filled with extreme prejudice and bitter hatred toward the Jews. Haman had led King Aarxes to issue the decree of extermination. And when Esther exposed the plot, Haman was immediately executed. And although Esther and Mordecai were now safe under the protection of the king, all the remaining Jews were still doomed. The decree of extermination was irrevocable. so unless Esther could intercede before the king and lead him to put an end to the evil plot. And so there was no hope. Intercession was the answer to save the Jews. And intercession is the answer to protect us from the threats and the evil of this world. And so, in verses one and two, Esther's honor and Mordecai's elevation by the king, we see a portrayal of how believers are honored for their loyalty. and their devotion. And so Esther has given her second banquet for the king and Haman. And it is here she revealed she was a Jew. Her life was in danger. Haman was responsible. And upon hearing this, the king in his anger goes out to the royal gardens, perhaps to consider what to do next, while Haman pleads with Esther for his life and presses upon her bed, desperate for his life. And at this moment, The king walks back into the room and sees Haman on Esther's bed and believes that he's trying to harm her. Haman's head is covered. and the king orders him hung on the gallows built for Mordecai. Quite a day, but it's not over yet. Esther and Mordecai are delivered from one enemy and now enjoy the delights of the enemy. And so Haman was a condemned criminal. His property reverted back to the crown. The king in turn gives it to Esther to atone for her trials and their tremendous amount of wealth illustrates the truth of the following verses, that surely every man walketh in a vain shoe. Surely they are disquieted in vain, heaped up in riches, and knoweth not what shall gather them. And so the ring Haman used to seal Mordecai's death is now on Mordecai's finger. And the ring of the king brought a swing and power, a sting to the enemy, and a cause for the Jews to sing because the king was making Mordecai the prime minister of the Persian empire. And this ring was the signature of the king that was stamped in wax or clay. Esther delegated the responsibility of her new property to Mordecai. He now lives in the home of the one who tried to kill him. And so when we look and realize that each and every one of us on that same day of Esther's banquet and the hanging of Haman, Esther was greatly rewarded, Mordecai promoted by the king and gave all of Haman's estate to Esther. So when we look and realize through this, Mordecai is a strong example of a believer who was rewarded for faithful service to the Lord and his people, and he was a man of deep conviction, a responsible man with a tender and a loving heart. He was courageous, just, and humble, and modest, dedicated to serving all nationalities as well as his own people, the Jews. And so I'm glad that as we look at all that had transpired If we know the Lord and we're worshiping and serving the Lord and are truly faithful and live in righteous lives, God promises to reward us. and the rewards are great. In truth, they are beyond our comprehension, our imagination. And so, as we look, we will inherit all that God has and all that Christ is and has, and will be given the privilege of sharing in all things with the Son of God Himself. To be a joint heir with Christ does not mean that we will receive an equal amount of the inheritance with Christ. Rather, it means that believers are fellow heirs with Christ, and that is we'll share in the inheritance of Christ, or we'll share Christ's inheritance with him. Being a fellow heir with Christ means at least three glorious things. It means that we will share in the nature the position and the responsibility of Christ. fellow hairs by nature, Christ is the Son of God, the very being, the energy of life and perfection. So we'll share in the inheritance of his nature. We'll receive an adoption as a son or a daughter of God, a sinless and a blameless nature, eternal life, lasting possessions, a glorious body, eternal glory and honor and peace, eternal rest and peace, and a crown that will last forever, and an incorruptible body, a righteous being, Not only fellow heirs by nature, but fellow heirs by position. Christ is the exalted Lord, the sovereign, the majesty of the universe, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. And therefore, we will share in an inheritance of his position. will receive the position of an exalted being, a citizen in the kingdom of God, an enormous treasure in heaven, unsearchable riches, the right to surround the throne of God, the position of a king, the position of a priest, and the position of glory. And last but not least, we'll be not only fellow heirs by nature, fellow heirs by position, but thirdly, fellow heirs by responsibility. Christ is a sovereign majesty of the universe, the one that is ordained to rule and oversee all. Therefore, we will share in the inheritance of his responsibility. We will receive rulership over many things, the right to rule and hold authority, eternal responsibility and joy. ruling authority over cities, thrones, and the privilege of reigning forever. And so, in verses three, four, five, and six, the request of Esther, she goes before the king again, weeping at his feet, interceding for the life of her people, and the second time she appears, she comes boldly before the throne, confident of the king's love. Esther has riches and wealth, but she seeks deliverance. And still, the problem is the law that demands death. And out of the 100 million people in the empire, 15 million are Jews that would be slaughtered in nine months. But long after the wicked are gone, their evil deeds still have an impact on people's lives. Hitler's tyranny removed 6 million Jews from the earth during World War II, where he started and deliberately started the war with Poland. out of a lot that brought all the countries in the second world war in nineteen seventy three seven men on the u s supreme court said it was okay to kill unborn babies they're gone but their decision still fix affects the united states we realize that four thousand babies that are was aborted everyday in the nation since nineteen seventy three forty-two style of forty-two uh... as we look at all of the babies through the years uh... that have been killed uh... babies that have been aborted at the time of all of this and all of america that they've done that they need to look in the mirror because even these current politicians today wanted to continue to kill babies and will continue to try to kill more babies in the coming future and so as we see that Moses was willing to have his name blotted out. Paul was willing to be accursed. Elijah interceded at Mount Carmel. Nehemiah, Ezra, and Daniel interceded for others in prayers. And so, Every one of us, Esker asked the king to reverse the law, and her petition was a pattern for prayer. And of the four points in her prayer, two would deal with the attitude of the king, and two would deal with the actions of prayer. The attitude of the king, if it pleased the king, and seemeth to be right, are her words that address the attitude of the king. that whatever the king's will was her prayer, a reminder that we're to pray according to the will of God too. And so not only the attitude of the king, but the actions of prayer, she asked if she had found favor in his side and was pleasing in his size. And we ought to be concerned about our actions too, and be concerned that our life is pleasing to the Lord. And so The king could not change the law of Haman. The law of the Medes and Persians could not be changed. The king does not tell them to write a new law that would counter Haman's law, and it is sealed with the king's ring. The king has given Esther and Mordecai a blank check, and so Esther was experiencing all of these things, falling at the feet, weeping, begging him to stop Haman's evil scheme, and If favored her, if he thought the request was wise, then she begged him to grant her wish. For believers, the story of Esther is a strong example of power and of intercession. Esther and Mordecai would be safe from the decree of extermination because of the king's protection, but Esther could not rest in the comfort, the provision, the pleasure, and the security of the palace, not while so many people were living under the weight of fear, insecurity, uncertainty, distress, hatred, and discrimination. How unlike so many of us today, while we live in comfort, plenty, and security, and have the freedom to enjoy recreation and other pleasurable events, so many in the world are living lives that are the very opposite. Poverty, hunger, disease, imprisonment, financial difficulties, unemployment, oppression, enslavement, abuse, depression, discrimination, hatred, unsanitary living conditions, inadequate lack of housing. And instead of serving the Lord, we're serving ourselves and ever seeking for newer and bigger and better possessions, pleasures, and recreation. Not that possessions and recreations are wrong. They're not. But God expects us to enjoy life to the fullest. But enjoying life is not the problem for most of us. Most of us live self-centered lives, serving ourselves, giving little time and service to the Lord, and few of us bear strong testimony and witness for the Lord. Far too many people think that attending and supporting the church financially on occasions makes us true followers of Christ and that it fulfills our responsibilities to the Lord. And few of us spend much time in prayer and intercession for others. And when so many people are hurting, too few of us have a heavy burden for their souls and for ministering to their needs. We desperately, desperately need true prayer warriors and intercessors that are needed. And so we turn the tables of triumph, the provision of grace, and the reversal of fortunes and the elevation of the fateful as well. And so, when we look, Mordecai was promoted to Haman's position. In Psalm 75, verses six and seven, that reminds us, for promotion cometh neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south, but God is the judge. And so, when we turn the tables of triumph, the provision of grace, the reversal of fortunes, the elevation of the faithful and the security of God's people. The Jews were no longer helpless. They were now empowered. Philippians 4.19 says, but my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. And so when we turn the tables of triumph, We see the provision of grace, but secondly, the power of the pen. Write ye also for the Jews as it likened you. In Esther chapter eight, verse eight, it goes on, it says, in the king's name and seal it with the king's ring. Esther and Mordecai were authorized to write a new decree, demonstrating the power of words to shape outcomes. And so, through the power of the pen, the authority is given. And the king gave Mordecai authority to issue a new decree. In Matthew chapter 28 verse 18 it says, all power was given unto me in heaven and in earth, and as believers we operate undivine authority. Not only the power of the pen that the authority is given, but the urgency of the action. The decree was written quickly to ensure that it reached every province, that Romans chapter 13 verse 11 urges us, now it is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. And so, when we see that we turn the tables of triumph, the provision of grace, and the power of the pen, that the authority that was given, the urgency of the action. Thirdly, we see the impact of that proclamation. The new decree empowered the Jews to defend themselves. And Isaiah 55 11 assures us, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth, it shall not return unto me void. And so we see that we turn the tables of triumph, amen. And so, in doing so, the Jews' deliverance from extermination was assured in the new proclamation of the Persian law that had been stated that was irrevocable. Consequently, the degree of extermination against the Jews could not be cancelled. But today in democratic societies, laws can be reversed by legislative acting or by being overridden by the Supreme Court. But this was not true in the ancient Persian. Once a decree had been signed by the king, it was a law never to be revoked. In light of this fact, And despite the tenderness of the king's heart toward Esther, Erxes was handicapped. How was he going to respond to his dear wife's broken heart and her fearful request for mercy upon her people? Well, the king gave a positive answer to Esther's plea for mercy in behalf of the Jews. And so, I'm glad in verses seven down to verse 17, a picture of declaring the salvation and the deliverance of God's people, that a decree that ensured the Jews' rescue. Because in doing so, the new Prime Minister Mordecai summoned the royal secretaries immediately to begin preparing the new proclamation. And this new decree would hopefully save the Jews from extermination. And so the date is the 23rd of Savan, which was June the 25th, 474 BC. The death decree was issued on April the 17th. Haman's Law was in effect for 70 days. The number 70 is the number of spiritual perfection and order. 70 years of captivity, 70 in the Sanhedrin, 70 in Jacob's family in Egypt, and the Jews were waiting a period that reached maturity. And God's order of deliverance was right on schedule. There was approximately nine months to go before the day of death. And if you had nine months to put your life in order, what would you do? What would you accomplish? What would you do today or this month? The decree was written in the language of 127 provinces with hundreds of documents in each province. What did this new law contain? It was the right to defend. In verses 11 and 12, the Jews were given the opportunity in Esther chapter 8 to defend themselves and destroy their enemies. And there was a rush to deliver because the letters that were delivered by mules, camels, and dromedaries were the Federal Express of that day because they were chariots, steeds, or race horses that were bred from royal mares. They were included camels that could travel up to 200 miles a day and they were in a hurry and they were pressed by the king. And so the 23rd day of the third month, the month of Simon, which was a little over two months after Haman had issued the original decree of extermination. Amen. The new decree granted the right of self-defense to the Jews. And in verses 11, 12, and 13, they were given the right to assemble to protect themselves against any armed force or nationality that might attack against them. The time was limited to just one day, the 13th day of the 12th month, the month of Adar. In verse 12, that the copy of the Decree of Self-Defense was to be issued in every providence and district throughout the empire, and within the cities of the nations, the Jews were allowed to band together to defend themselves against any citizen or group of citizens who attacked them. Anti-Semitism was everywhere throughout the empire, but this Decree of Self-Defense meant that the Jews would at least be able to stop the extermination of their race, and most likely only a few of them would die. Most of the citizens throughout the empire would now know that the king supported the Jews and that the prime minister was Mordecai, a Jew himself. And so, as soon as the decree was finished, Mordecai had it rushed out to the empire by couriers and messengers in verse 14. And by the time that it would take to reach the furthest points of the empire, he no doubt ordered them to rush as quickly as they could, as they went out, And as he expected, the response to the proclamation was that of great joy in verses 15, 16, and 17. The royal apparel because in verse fifteen it said and Mordecai went out from the presence of the king and royal a pair of blue and white and with a great crown of gold and with a garment of fine linen and purple and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad as I read earlier and so the colors of Mordecai's robe illustrated the ancient ancient Persian view of the rulers of the universe. White stood for light, blue stood for the sky, and purple for the sun. And so the results of the law in verses 16 and 17 was joy. The Jews had light, they had gladness, they had joy, and they had honor. The light equaled the joyous prosperity. Billy Sunday said one time, if you have no joy in your religion, then there's a leak in your Christianity. I'm glad that there was light, there was gladness, honor. Christians can have this too, if they'll put the Lord first in their life and obey him. Haman is not mourned at all. Mordecai is a ruler now. And God's people have gone from victims to victors. They've got a new beginning. And this was the eighth feast. The Jews are recruited. The people realize that the God of the Jews is protecting them. They side with God's people. And some convert over to the worship of Jehovah and the Gentiles that supported God's people. What a tremendous message that is here, because the first degree of the gloom, the sentence of death was upon the whole Jewish race. The sin of humanity puts them under the sentence of death. The Jews believed this decree was sorrowful of what was to come. The destiny of spiritual death for unsaved men and women must be believed by the lost and by the saved too. The lost need salvation through Christ, and the saved need to get that message to the lost. Many don't because the reality of hell has not really set into their souls. Many deny the destiny of hell, but it is still true. You can deny that 2 plus 2 is 4, but the truth of the matter is it's still 4. Truth does not change. The second degree was of grace. Not only the first degree of gloom, but the second degree of grace. This decree is a picture of the gospel and the good news because the gospel does not cancel the law of sin either. The second decree declared how a person could be liberated from death, how they could be saved from the first law of death, the message of the cross, and explains how to be saved from the law of sin. And the second law had to be believed and accepted if they were to find deliverance. Ignoring it would have meant death, but when the day of death came, they would have died if they were unprepared. Their enemies would have wiped them out. The same manner deliverance from sin comes by believing the gospel and trusting Christ as our Savior. And so I'm glad that each and every one of us, when we look and realize that the turning the tables of triumph, we saw the provision of grace, secondly, the power of the pen, but thirdly, in closing, the promise of victory, because through that promise of victory, we saw in verse 17, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. What began with mourning turned into rejoicing as God granted victory to his people, and the overthrow of the enemy, Haman's decree was counted. It was ensured that the Jews' survival. And Paul said, but thanks be to God, which giveth us a victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And so, the promise of victory, the overthrow of the enemy, but secondly, the celebration of deliverance. The Jews rejoiced, feasting and celebrating their salvation. Psalms chapter 30 verse 11 says, thou hast turned for me by morning into dancing. And so, the overthrow of the enemy, the celebration of deliverance, but also the expansion of God's kingdom. Many non-Jews became followers of God due to the Jews' victory. In Acts chapter 6, verse 7, the Bible says, And the word of God increased, and the number of the disciples multiplied. And so, I'm glad that as throughout the empire, I'm glad that Mordecai, Esther, and the Kurds rushed as swiftly as they could to get the good news out to the condemned Jews and the good news of the decree of self-defense. The same should be true with us. We should be quick to get the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ out to the world, out to our jobs, out to the school, out to where our living and impact of life is. And just as the Jews were condemned to death, So any person without Christ is condemned to death, eternally separated from God. Just think about the good news of a gospel. A person can be set free, liberated from sin, death, and hell. No person has to be enslaved by the sins of this world, held in bondage to the addictions that captivate our flesh. We can be set free from the enslavement of drugs, tobacco, alcohol, gluttony, immorality, evil thoughts, sexual bondage, habitual stealing, and the host of other emotional, mental, and physical enslavements. No person has to be enslaved by the sins of the flesh or the mind. The good news of Jesus Christ can set us free from the bondage of sin. Hallelujah. Praise the mighty name. But this is not all. Jesus Christ can set us free from the enslavement of death and the human race is enslaved by death in that we will all die. But we can escape this terrifying bondage for God never created us to die. We die because of sin, and therefore when God delivers us from sin, he saves us from death. We're free, delivered from death by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. But even this is not the only liberty that we have in Christ. Jesus Christ delivers, sets us free from hell, and once we receive Christ, we never have to face the judgment of God ever again. Christ himself bore that judgment for us, for God, on the cross of Calvary. He set us free from judgment, making us accept God through his righteousness and perfection. And all the good news of the gospel of Christ must be carried, needs to be carried, has to be carried to all the world. Just as the messengers of Esther's day rushed the good news to the condemned Jews throughout the entire country of Persia. So must we rush the good news of Christ to the condemned of this world as well. Esther chapter eight is a testament to God's ability to turn the tide of adversity, the provision of grace, the power of the pen, the promise of victory that reminds us that no situation is too dire for God to reverse. He can transform despair Into the light and trials into triumph. Remember when life feels like a runaway car headed for disaster God is in control of the brakes. Hey, do you trust God to turn your trials into triumph? Reflect on your challenges and commit them to God and believe that He works all things for the good. Are you using the authority God has given you through His Word? We need to speak God's promises over our lives, over our situations, knowing that His Word does not return void. Remember Isaiah 55, 11. And do you celebrate God's victories in your life with the joy, with the gratitude? Please, sometime soon, take time to praise God for his deliverance and share your testimony with others. And you can turn the tables of triumph. Father, Lord, as we close out in Esther chapter eight, you are the God of reversals and you turn mourning into joy and despair into hope. Thank you for the lessons in Esther chapter eight. Help us to trust in your sovereign plan to walk boldly in hope. the authority that you've given us and to rejoice in your victories. We pray for those who have yet to know your saving grace. Draw them into your fold. For believers, strengthen us to stand firm in our faith, clothed in the armor of God. And may we leave here emboldened by your word, ready to shine your light in a dark world. Father, I want to pray for these lost sinners. These folks that don't know Jesus Christ, that have no peace whatsoever, that are miserable, and they're just living for this old natural world of material possessions. Father, I pray, Lord, give us an opportunity to witness to them all and to speak your truth of righteousness to all of their lives. In all that we do, may we turn the tables of triumph in Jesus' marvelous, powerful name that we pray. Amen. you