A Chapter a Day w/ Connie St. John

King Xerxes couldn’t sleep one night so he starts reading his chronicles (actually having them read to him). When he hears about Mordecai exposing the assassination plot he wonders what has been done to honor Mordecai.

Just then, Haman shows up in the king’s outer court. He’s actually there to get permission to hang Mordecai on the gallows. But before he can ask, the king asks him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?”

Of course, the arrogant Haman believes the king means him so he lays it on thick – a royal robe the king has worn, a horse the king has ridden, and then one of the king’s most noble princes proclaims “this is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!” (Verses 8 and 9)

When King Xerxes tells him to do all that for Mordecai, he’s mortified and humiliated.

Corporate Soft by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/positive-background-music/ 

Sovereign by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/ 

In this chapter, Esther has summoned up the courage to approach the King. She asks if he – and Haman – can come to a banquet that she’s going to prepare for them. Then she’ll tell him what she wants to ask.

However, she couldn’t get up the nerve to ask him, so she invited them both for another banquet the next night.

Haman is so excited and happy to be included in this invitation. He goes out but when he sees “Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai.” (Verse 9)

He talks to his wife and friends and they tell hi he should build a gallows and hang Mordecai on it.

Corporate Soft by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/positive-background-music/ 

Sovereign by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/ 

When Mordecai found out that all the Jews were slated to be annihilated, he reached out to Esther for help. He needed her to convince the King not to allow it to happen.

Esther was afraid to approach the King. She asked Mordecai to gather together all the Jews in Susa and fast for her for three days and nights.

----- 

Corporate Soft by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/positive-background-music/ 

Sovereign by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/ 

Haman was one of King Xerxes most trusted advisors, and he had a huge ego. He liked that everyone bowed down to him when he would pass by.

The only one who wouldn’t was Mordecai. This enraged Haman.

He hatched a plan to eliminate the Jews and got the King to sign off on it.

Corporate Soft by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/positive-background-music/ 

Sovereign by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/ 

Esther, also known as Hadassah, is one of the beautiful virgins selected to be considered. No one knows her nationality, but she’s Jewish. Her uncle Mordecai has advised her not to tell anyone about her family background.

Verse 17 says, “Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.”

Also in this chapter, Mordecai overhears two of the king’s officers conspiring to assassinate the king. He tells Queen Esther who reports it to the king. The two officials were found guilty and put to death.

Corporate Soft by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/positive-background-music/ 

Sovereign by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/ 

King Xerxes gives a banquet for all his nobles and officials and then tries to parade his wife, Queen Vashti, out in front of them but she refuse to come. This made the king furious.

He checked in with his boys and they told him to depose her and bring in a new queen by putting out a call for all the beautiful virgins in the kingdom. He decided that what was a good idea.

Corporate Soft by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/positive-background-music/ 

Sovereign by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/ 

One of my all-time favorite verses is in this chapter: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” (Verse 7)

----- 

Corporate Soft by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/positive-background-music/ 

Sovereign by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/ 

In this chapter, Paul tells the Galatians if they let themselves be circumcised that they’ll be obligated to obey the whole law. (Verse 3)

He reminds them to live according to the Spirit, not according to the flesh. (Verses 13-26)

The “fruit of the Spirit” is shared in verses 22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Corporate Soft by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/positive-background-music/ 

Sovereign by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/ 

Verses 8 and 9 say: “Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God – or rather are known by God – how is that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces?”

Such a good reminder to us all.

Corporate Soft by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/positive-background-music/ 

Sovereign by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/ 

Paul continues trying to reason with the Galatians in chapter three. He’s trying to get them back on track in their thinking. In verse 3 he asks: “Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?”

One of my favorite passages is verse 28: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Corporate Soft by LesFM | https://lesfm.net/positive-background-music/ 

Sovereign by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/