This week on Hardheaded, Chet shares a Bible Story about the Persian Empire. Then, the guys jump into a powerful and inspiring discussion about their top 3 big risks. The show wraps with a good word from Troy. 

**Topics discussed:** 1. What's On Your Mind: Book of Esther: Don’t miss out!  2. Top 3 Riskes we took that paid off: 3. Bravely asking about Employee Engement Survey results in an all-salary staff meeting.  2 Moving to Wichita (family followed) 1. Making some life choices to have a chance at things working out up to marry Ashley 3. Moved a lot in past 10 years: Shreveport to Wichita worked for a ministry 2. Quitting job and going full-time with Trussell media. 1. Marrying Hannah - quickly  3. Joining the Marine Corps - 2006  2. Marrying Audrie 1. Platoon leader as a young corporal tried to court martial, culpable inefficiency  3. A Good Word from Troy

Album title → culpable inefficiency 

“Do it so youdon't miss out."

Calculated

Esther: Background, Overview, and Application December 17, 2023   1. Who wrote Esther? We don’t know. Some say Mordecai 2. Is the book of Esther true? Some say it is fiction. Why? It is written like a movie plot. Herodotus: Greek historian. “father of modern history” several corroborating events. 1.     Historian Herodotus describes Xerxes I as being susceptible to women and in the habit of making extravagant offers to them, just as he did to Esther ("up to half my kingdom"). Herodotus mentions that the Persian empire stretched from India to Ethiopia and also refers to the magnificent royal palace in Shushan (Susa), corroboration of what is stated in the Book of Esther. In addition Herodotus mentions an assembly of Persian nobles called by Xerxes to advise him on the proposed war against Greece. Although Herodotus does not give the location of this assembly, the date – "after Egypt was subdued" – corresponds to Xerxes' third year when Esther records an assembly of Persian nobility at a feast. (Histories VII.8)(Histories IX.108) Herodotus relates this occurred in the tenth month of his seventh year as king – the same time Ahasuerus was choosing beautiful women for his harem (Esther 2:16). 2. Annals from the reign of Xerxes 1 mention an otherwise unattested official by the name of “Marduka”, which some have proposed refers to Mordecai, as both are mentioned serving in the kings court.   3. What historical context does the book of Esther find itself? Jews in Babylon under Nebuchadnezzer. Ezra, Nehemiah, Zerubbabel. Some return, some stay. Some say the events of Esther falls between Ezra 6 and 7.   4. Where are we? Iran. Capital of Persian empire. (Babylon was in Iraq. Jews all over middle east. 5. Now it is time to explore the story of Esther. 1. Xerxes or Ahasuerus fueled from India to Egypt.

Interestingly, we see that Mordecai tells Esther NOT to inform those around her of her people and heritage: Now when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him. (Esther 2:19-20)   Now, the REASON for this matches what we read in Ezra, that there had been an accusation against the Jews that was written to the king at the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, who we call Artaxerxes: And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. (Ezra 4:6) That’s a funny little detail that only makes sense in the context of all that is going on.

  12. WHERE IS GOD????? Esther’s story is much like ours. We don’t have angelic messengers. We don’t hear God’s audible voice. The “finger” of God is woven throughout the book of Esther. Events are divine only after we see the full picture and look back. Let this be an encouragement to you. 13. What happens after this? DEATH/MURDER How long did Esther live? An historical approach to the biblical account may, however, reveal an unexpected twist to the lives of the main characters. If we accept the scholarly consensus identifying Ahasuerus with Xerxes I, we know he came to the throne in 486 BCE and met an untimely and violent death in 465 BCE as a result of a court revolution. This was instigated by one of his own ministers, Artabanus, with a view to enabling Artaxerxes — Xerxes’s son by his first marriage to Vashti — to succeed to the throne. BY RABBI DR JEFFREY COHEN RABBI JEFFREY COHEN MARCH 06, 2020 10:14

**Links** * http://admiralspennant.com/ * https://www.hardheadedpodcast.com/

Hosts: Matt Amos Chet Sears Troy Trussell

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