Esther Part 2 • Dr. Barbara Morgan Gardner • August 3-9 • Come, Follow Me

It's jump into Chapter 3. It's actually pretty fun because now we get a new character. His name is Hayman. I encourage you to compare Hayman with Mordekai. These are two different men.

“And there's going to be some clear distinctions in leadership. I believe between Hayman and Mordekai.”

Starting in verse 1, after these things did King Hasserus promote Hayman, the son of Hamadatha, the Agadai. We know a little bit about him. We see that Hayman is an Agadai. So this is a different country different ruling. We don't know why Hayman has been promoted though. I wish we knew. I don't know if he had something to do with saving the King here. Somehow he was involved. We just don't know. We just know that he was promoted. We know that he's advanced and it says and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

Something that Hasserus is seeing with Hayman causes him to promote him. And now he's in this very serious position of leadership.

Second only to the King. We see him verse 2. And all the King servants that were in the King's Gate bowed and revered at Hayman.

Now we're starting to see, we have this man. He has just received a new responsibility. It's back to section 121. I'll just say this as a foreshadow. This man just got a whole level of authority and power. Let's see what happens to him. Oh boy. Oh boy. So for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordekai bowed not nor did him reverence. We have this person. Mordekai we can see he has a backbone. And everybody else is going to be bowing down to Hayman.

“Mordekai refuses to bow. Then the King servants, which were in the King's Gate, said to Mordekai, why transgresses that the King's commandment?”

Now it came to pass that when they spake daily under him and he harkened not into them. It didn't matter how many times they try to get him down from the mountain. He wasn't coming down from the mountain. He didn't matter how many times they asked him to bow, he would not bow. He's keeping to his guns. He knows the principles that he's basing his life on,

and he's not going to budge and compromise his principle. They told Hayman to see whether Mordekai's matters

would stand for he had told them that he was a Jew. Which brings it another a whole other element. Up to this point, Esther hasn't said anything about being a Jew, but we know that Mordekai has. Mordekai has made that known. Esther has not made that known. And when Hayman saw that Mordekai bowed not nor did him reverence, Hayman was full of wrath. Verse 6, "And he thought squorn to lay hands on Mordekai alone. It's beginning to bug him so bad that he's thinking about, what could I do to this guy?

How could I get him alone? How can I hurt him? But they had showed him the people of Mordekai wherefore Hayman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Hasseris, even the people of Mordekai. This is what people are warned of over and over and over again in

the scriptures, especially in the doctrine of Covenants, and especially when it comes to leadership and power and authority.

He's not just bugged at one person. He is going to destroy the whole Jewish. I mean, talk about going to extremes, right? This guy's not going to bow to me. So I hate everyone that has anything to do with them. This is racism at its finest. This is what President Nelson and President Oaks have taught us so recently, root out racism. What's interesting about Hayman is he does have a wife, but he doesn't have the right kind of wife. Apparently, again, I don't want to judge his wife, but what you see in chapter six,

you're mentioning wife here, and Hayman told Zerish his wife, and at all his friends, everything that had been fallen, it would have to go back to this to see what his wife says. Then said his wife has been in Zerish his wife unto him. If Mordekai be of the sea of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shall not prevail against him. Zerish his wife is going to become pretty obnoxious. She's actually going to say, yeah, go ahead. Let's kill Mordekai. Let's put

“him up and hang him. Who are you surrounding yourself with? Who are you marrying? Who is lifting and building?”

And these two, the husband of wife here, this is not a good couple. This is a couple who is prideful together, and that he goes back to his wife and tells him the story and she eggs him on in a negative way. They're trying to decide, what are they going to do? They go back to the key. We're seeing this ugly flattery. There's so much flattery that is associated with pride, but watch the flattery here, and Hayman sent into king a hazardous. There is a certain people.

Notice he doesn't even mention who the people are. There is a certain people, scattered abroad, and disperse them in the people in all the provinces that's I kingdom, and their laws are diverse from all people, neither keep they the king's laws. Therefore, it is not for the king to profit to suffer them. If it pleases the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed. It's so frustrating. Hayman has one person

that would not bow down to him. Instead of acknowledging to the king that there's a man who won't bow down to me, he's putting that on the king and saying there are a number of people who are not being obedient to you. This is so destructive. He has convinced the king that people are against him in reality. No one is against the king. We're going to see this for the next few chapters with Hayman. His anger and his pride literally overtake his entire personality, because one person will not

But he is just sealed his own fate as he continues down this path. He thinks he's winning.

“Yeah. Then we see the king's cut-up in this wet. There's somebody who's not bowing down to me.”

Well, we already know how the king treats people who don't bow down to him. He was just convinced by all these people that he was going to let his wife go. He's delegating his power to someone else without actually understanding the situation, without finding out more on his own. It says, "King said unto Hayman, the silver is given to thee. So yes, go ahead. You have my permission.

Then the king scribes wrote down basically this law. And if you jump over to the end of

her 12, he is able to write in the language in the name of King a hashrice, which is was it written and sealed with the king's ring. The letters were sent by the post and all the king's provinces to destroy, to kill, and to cause parish all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women in one day, that's just sick. This is leadership at its worst. This is the opposite of peacemaking. President Hinkley has a great talk where he talks about how anger really can destroy a person,

how anger causes people to end up in jail and imprison it. The anger is not only taking away the agency of the people who are going to be killed or who are in line to be killed, but very clearly the anger is taking the agency of Hayman. He cannot control himself right now. It's changing him as a man.

The king is so disappointing here too. He's the most powerful man in the kingdom. And yes,

“you feel like he has zero control. It's an extremely important point when it comes to”

leadership, especially with the church and families. We have to know our own power. We have to recognize our own authority. We have to recognize when a prophet is speaking or a bishop is speaking or a state president or a leave society president or a father or a mother. It's going to take different way depending upon the power they've been given. A mission president can make a statement that will affect a missionary for a good or bad with the rest of your life because of the trust

level between the missionary and the mission president. The mission president learns I need to be careful with how I use my words and how I guide and counsel. He makes zero decisions for himself.

The only decision I see him making is in chapter one when he wants Bosch D to come parade out.

When she doesn't do that, he's just really angry, but other than that, everyone else is telling him what decisions to make. To me, it seems that he has not based his leadership on principle.

“This is from President Kimble. This isn't a very important point when it comes to leadership,”

Christ's leadership, covenant leadership. He says this, Jesus operated from a base of fixed principles or truce rather than making up the rules as he went along. Thus, his leadership style was not only correct, but also constant. Jesus said several times come follow me. His was a program of do what I do rather than do what I say. His innate brilliance would have permitted him to put on a dazzling display, but that would have left his followers far behind. He walked and worked with

those he was to serve. He was not a long-distance leadership. His was not a long-distance leadership. He was not afraid of close friendships. He was not afraid that proximity to him would disappoint his followers. He's a true leader. Jesus Christ leads based on principles. He's not changing his principles based upon what his cohorts or his colleagues or his counselors are saying. The principal stand say the same regardless. You're helping me see here why Esther is so fearful

to do what Mordecai asks because he is the king is so unpredictable and so easily manipulated. You see this next part. Mordecai rents his clothes. You recognize is what's happening. Satcloth with Ashes were in chapter 4 now, went out in the midst of the city and cried with a loud and bitter cry. Mordecai not only will he not bow down to him, but he is going to make Esther. It says, and came even before the king's gate for none might enter into the king's gate

closed with Satcloth. He's not sitting in a corner trying to save himself. He is going into the most public place in an area where he is going to be noticed. He's satcloth at Ashes. He's making a scene, but he's making a scene to save his people. Then it says in verse 3, "In every province, whether or so wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was a great morning among the Jews and fasting and weeping and wailing and many lay in sackcloth and ashes."

This is the scene that we have set up now. All the Jewish people are going to be killed. They have the date. They have the paper. Mordecai knows about it. He is going to do everything in his power, which isn't much. He doesn't have a ring. He doesn't have a say, but he does have a daughter. He's going to take advantage of this moment, putting himself in a position, fasting and praying, having other people help, but he's going to use the person not using a negative way. He's

going to take advantage, rightfully, of a person he has trusted and he has raised and he has loved and cared for so that he can save his entire people. Which then takes us into verse 4. Verse 4, we're seeing Esther's maids, Andrew Chamberlain, came and told her,

She doesn't even know what's happening. It doesn't seem like she knows of this mandate

“that all of her family and friends and father are going to be killed and frankly, even herself.”

She sent Raymond to kill Mordecai. He's out there crying and fasting and wailing. He's run these clothes and now he's wearing sackcloth and ashes, but she doesn't know why. So she's like, "Somebody take these clothes and go, dress him." This says, "And to take away his sackcloth from him, but he received it not." So it seems like at this point there's something that's going on. Esther starting to recognize

there's something seriously happening. Mordecai is making it very clear. There's no way Esther can not see that there's a problem here. She needs to know and Mordecai needs her to know.

Now there's this critical relationship between a father and a daughter. These two are going to work

together to save souls. Then called Esther for Hattauch, one of the king's Chamberlain's whom he had appointed to attend upon her and gave him a commandment to Mordecai to know what it was

“and why it was. She's asking, "What is going on?" Hattauch went forth to Mordecai into the street of”

the city, which was before the king's gate and Mordecai told him all that had happened unto him. And of the sum of money that Hamid had promised to pay to the king's treasures for the Jews to destroy them. You can see, "Oh my goodness, Esther is hearing this." Also, he gave him the copy of the writings of the decree that was given to Shushan to destroy that. Not only is she hearing it, he is giving her proof. Esther, everyone is going to be killed because of Hamid. To show her

unto Esther and to declare it unto her and to charge her that he should go into the king to make supplication unto him and to make request before him for her people. Now, this is getting scary. There's only one person that can change the mind of the king and it is going to be Esther his wife. And Hattauch came in and told Esther these words of Mordecai and Esther spake unto Hattauch and gave him commandment unto Mordecai. So you can see, she has just been given a bombshell.

Everything is happening. All of my people, everything that I have ever loved is about ready to be destroyed, but she recognizes as you are just saying, this is a big deal. You don't just walk into the king. He's already deposed of his last wife. He's not kidding and he really does have power to destroy and he has shown that he will. This is what Esther sends back. All the king servants and the people of the king's provinces do know that whosoever, whether man or woman

shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called that is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may live, but I have not been called to come into the king these 30 days. This is the letter that's being sent. Mordecai, dead, do you understand that if I do what you ask me to do, the likelihood of me being killed is like close to 100%. You're asking a lot. I just want you to know that there have been

other virgins that I've been killed on all tours before. The last king has been disposed of. We don't even know what happens to her. We've seen the king acting in ways that are pretty scary and he has a lot of men around him and he's very easily swayed. If any of these men sway the king and anyway, I just want you to know, Dad, I will die. Here's your letter and they told Mordecai Esther's words. Now we have this letter that's being passed. I almost want to wait during this

passing at the letter time, sometimes I wondered if this servant would actually read the letter. I mean, I'm sure he's trusted person, but there's this waiting time now. This is not text message. This is not a quick email to somebody. There's this period of time where they're both recognizing that literally their lives are on the line. They're just now what. I would imagine there's this period of pondering. There's a period of praying. There's a period of understanding.

There's deep contemplation. Like President Oaks has just said, this is real for them. This is real. Courage is not the absence of fear. It is feeling great fear and doing it anyway. Yeah,

“having great resolve. Wow. I think of Esther really what do you do? It's very scary.”

It's Daniel in the lion's den. I mean, do you keep praying out loud? Or do you stop? Also, Barb, the amount of money that's involved. I know that seems like, oh, that's not a big deal. But to a king, to hayman, money changes people. It can cause you to do some things you

maybe would never do. She probably knows who hayman is and the power that he has.

This doesn't sound like a guy you get in his way. If hayman sitting there and he says to King of Hastiness, yeah, don't let her talk. Well, she's done because he falls for everything. It seems whatever they can do to make the king prideful and make him worship himself, he's going to do is whatever benefits the king, it seems he's going to do. It's so wise what Esther's going to do in the future. But to get back to the story,

then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, think not with thyself that thou shalt escape and that king's house more than all the Jews. Esther, they're going to know you're a Jew.

Regardless of what you choose, if you say nothing, you're going to die. If you say something,

you might die. I mean, there's this risk that's involved. The best risk really for her to take and the courage for her to take is to choose to go to him because she will die, otherwise,

“and all of her family will die because she is a Jew. I think it's very tender when he says,”

think not, thyself that thou shalt escape and the king's house more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether hold aside peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jew from another place. But thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed. Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther, everyone's counting on you now. Everyone, including me, and I love you, dearly, and please help us.

Clearly, she is come to the kingdom for such a time as this. I see Mordecai, he's fantastic mentor.

Teaching, helping, shaping, but then the moment comes, and you can do this. It's an interesting situation when there's this law as we read in verse 11. And she has seen it happen before. Others get killed just for approaching the king without permission. Oh, yeah. For most of us, we don't ever have to go through this kind of extreme situation. But that very simple principle, who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

I hope we don't go over that too quickly, because there's a reason everyone was born on the earth when we were born on the earth. The families that we were born into, etc. If we all really thought about it, there is a reason why every single person,

you who are listening, you are born for such a time as this. This is a make it or break it moment.

“For such a time as this, there comes a time when you have to say, "I'm either all in or I'm not all in."”

I love this quote by Sharon Larson. She says, "If we're going to lead in righteousness, there can't be any question where we stand. Educating our desires so our standards are the lower standards since a clear message that in the lower kingdom there are no double standards. We have made covenants with the Lord and leading often tests the level of our commitment to those covenants. I love that phrase leading often tests the level of our commitment to those covenants.

We're put in a position to make a decision. Then we understand how in we really are, are we really going to follow through with this? Are we really going to follow the spirit? This is her position right now. President Nelson was a modern day, Mordecai don't you think? Listen to this from the talk,

“the hope of Israel. If you choose to, if you want to, you can be part of it. You can be a big”

part of something big, something grand, something majestic. He says, participating in the gathering of Israel will require some sacrifice on your part. It may even require some changes in your life. It will definitely take some of your time and energy and your God-given talents. Are you interested? Very much. This is your moment. This recent high school graduation. I started seeing these pictures circulate of all of the young men and young women, seniors who had received

mission calls, taking these huge pictures in front of the school in front of the temple. I think my daughter is in one of them and it's like, wow, look at this. Look at how many of them and I was marveling and my wife said, oh, a lot of schools are doing that and they started showing all these pictures thinking of President Nelson's talk as you mentioned. This hastening the work, it is all happening. I love the phrase, you are sent for such a time as this. The mission age

being lowered for the sisters, wow, look at him go at this time. Back to President Nelson here, John, you're right on. This gathering should mean everything to you. This is the mission for which you were sent to earth. That's Mordecai in our day. If this is their mission, then what is the mission of their leaders? What's the mission of the fathers and mothers? What's the mission of the seminary teachers and the young men and young women leaders? We are the ones, the grandparents. We're the

ones who have been called to train them on how to do this. If they're the ones that are doing it, and I hope that we're the ones that are preparing them to do that. And preparation is a huge element of this story. Esther had to be prepared. It doesn't say who knows whether that will come. Yes, she has come to the kingdom for such time as this. There's a lot of preparation that's being done by Mordecai to get her to this point and by the Lord and by others to get her here.

The question is will she actually do it? I think that that's the question for so many. There's a quote that I found by Lorenzo Snow that I think actually really homes this in for me. He says this in many instances of a similar nature where the destruction of

a rather that had been prepared for their salvation to avert the impending destruction. We find

“this in the case of the Israelites when led by Moses. When they came to the Red Sea and the Egyptian”

army and their rear threatened their destruction, there seemed no way of escape. But at that very moment when deliverance was required, behold, it appeared and they were delivered. So it has been and so it ever will be with us. Notwithstanding our difficulties may appear very great yet there will be means provided for our escape if we ourselves perform the duties in comfort upon us as the children of God. But it may become necessary in the future and this is the point I wish to make,

he says, for some of the saints to act the part of Esther, the queen and be willing to sacrifice anything and everything that is required at their hands for the purpose of working out the deliverance

of the Latter-day Saints. I heard a wonderful story of a dear friend of mine recently who was

offered an extremely lucrative position in her field. So much so that she actually called many people to give her feedback on whether or not she should take it. Many people wanted her to take it because it would put her in a leadership position that would be extremely influential and people would even recognize her name in the church. It would be good for the church so she thought so she took it to the Lord. The response was interesting that she felt the inspiration of the spirit just saying,

"You can, but if you do, you will not be able to be a temple ordinance worker because you won't have enough time." Which it sounds like a very random response. She wasn't a temple ordinance worker. What she recognized was the Lord was saying to her, "I think you ought to be a temple ordinance worker instead." She chose the temple. For such a time as this, the key is to follow the spirit and do what is right with the Lord. For such a time as this is going to be different for every person. This is an

interesting and extremely important point too for us. We said this at the beginning, what's right

“from one person is not right for another person. You need to know what it is that the Lord wants”

you to do and what mission he has for you at this time in your life. Stay close to him and ask for such a time as this because everybody has for such a time as this in their life. Don't base it on what everybody else is doing. This has to be a vertical decision. This is you and the Lord. If I perish, I perish. She's grown up in a hurry. If I perish, I perish. If they kill me, they kill me. It's Joseph Smith going to Carthage jail. I go like a lamb to the slaughter. He's

expecting that he'll be killed. For all we know, Esther was expecting to be killed. She's just putting her life on the line. No different than a Joseph Smith was putting his life on the line. She is giving it all to the Lord. Putting her entire soul on the altar and leaving it in his hands. For such a time as this for her and she's just going to see what is the Lord going to do about it. For Abraham, the Lord saved him, but for those three virgins in the days of Abraham that Abraham

was a witness to, they put their life on the altar and they died. But if not, I'm just going to trust the Lord. This isn't a benedite moment. This is a Joan of Arc moment. These are those moments of who am I really. If they hate me, they hate me. If they mock me, they mock me. It's all those things that we may be afraid of. If I no longer have friends, if I'm poor, I'm poor. If I lose my job, I lose my job. It's the elder scar when he was being called as a

mission president. And he says, I'm being called on this assignment by the corps of the 12. And I want to take this job and his boss says, well, you can take the job. But if you do, you're not going to be hired when you get back. You have no job. What does he do? He makes the statement. You choose the right and let the consequence follow. If I perish, I perish. We could take that little phrase, if I do this, then I do this and let the law fall as it may. But I will

put the Lord first no matter what. When you really get into this story, your heart starts beating.

You're like, okay, even though I know what's going to happen, I'm still, this is intense. We're bringing in chapter five. It says, I'm decaying to pass on the third day that Esther put on her royal apparel. She is not going in there to slamming her hands and yelling at people and saying, it's not fair. She's not trying to tell somebody what to do. She's not telling anybody off. She is very composed. She's dignified. She has a plan. We have to go back to verse 16, go gather all the

Jews that are present in Shushan and fast-geaf for me and neither eat nor drink three days night or day. I mean, this is a big request, but their lives are on the line. I also and my maidens will fast likewise. So I will go into the king, which is not according to the law and if I perish, I perish. What is it going to do to the hearts and minds of all of these women, children, men, individuals when they come as united unified body of covenant people fasting together? What is

“going to be the result when either she dies or she lives? But what does that do to the unity?”

Regardless of what happens to Esther, Esther has just provided an opportunity for everyone to experience

I love that about Esther. She could have just said, "Don't tell anyone. You and I are going to

“figure this out. We'll just take it to the Lord." But she doesn't do that. She does the opposite. Tell everyone”

to fast and to pray. Get the faith of every person you possibly can. I will do the same and I will tell these women who are likely not Jewish people to also fast and pray for us. Then let's turn it to the Lord. She needs a miracle. He needs a miracle and fasting often does provide miracles. It can testify that till and blew in the face. Fasting works. It's another level of commitment and it's showing the Lord that you're consecrated and putting it all on the altar. You're fasting. It came to pass in the

third day that Esther put on her royal apparel stood in the inner court of the King's house over

against the King's house and the King sat upon his royal throne in the royal house over against the gate of the house. You can just see the royalty, the pomp and circumstance of this whole thing and Esther is just coming in as confident as she can. And it was so when the King saw Esther the Queen's standing in the court that she obtained favor in his sight. Oh thank goodness. And the King held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near and touched the top of the

scepter. And then said the King unto her what will thou Queen Esther? And what is that request? It shall be even given to the half of the kingdom. Esther asked me anything you want and I will give you have the kingdom. Clearly now to see this change in King of Haserus. We get the sense that there is a deep level of

respect that the King does have for Queen Esther at this point. He is willing to put the scepter up to her.

She has gained his trust in some way. She has gained his love. Esther answered if it seemed good unto the King let the King hayman come this day unto the banquet that I had prepared for him.

“She doesn't even just say right then this is what I want. This is what you need to give me. This is”

what's happening with the Jewish people. She has a plan. She has thought through this very carefully. She is not going to go throw it all at him right now. There is wisdom. There is planning. There is a level of thoughtfulness that's going into this. And I think that fasting and praying is what's honestly helping her to think through this. She's receiving revelation. I think she's being guided by the Lord very carefully. She is careful. Very, very careful. She's been given this insight. It seems

into the personality of the King, the personality of Hayman saying if I do this right here,

it's not going to go well. I've got to get this in my home court. I've got to control the environment. I think she is calling upon her spiritual gifts. I think that she has one that is obviously that she's a beautiful woman. She also seems to have a spiritual gift to calm the situation. She seems to be able to do that. She seems to be a peacemaker by her nature. She also seems to have this gift of discernment. She can see clearly what's happening that may be coming because of the

fasting of the people. But she recognizes that she's doing a lot of observing in her life so it appears. On a funny note, maybe, but I also think this is real. She seems to have a gift to be a very good cook or to be able to put together a very nice banquet. I'd actually mean that in serious this, she's trying to get the heart of her husband. That sounds so weird to say that. But it seems that he likes food and it seems that he's liked wine in the past and he likes big banquet. So she's

“playing to him saying, "How do I love him? How do I show him that this is so important to me”

that I will provide for him whatever it takes so that he can see that this is real. This is serious. I am paying a very heavy price. It may not be what she wanted, but she's trying to prepare his heart and she's trying to prepare his mind because he is about ready to make a decision that's going to make it a difference in the entire people. I do believe that these are part of her spiritual gifts that she has for such a time as this. All of us have spiritual gifts and they need to

be used at these moments. She's going to use hers. The Lord clearly knew who she was and what gifts she had and what she was able to do. Then you see for six and the King said into Esther at the banquet of wine, what does I petition and it shall be granted the? And what does I request even to half of the kingdom? We see this again. She'll be performed. Then answered Esther and said, "My petition and my request is, now again, you see her, she's not just going to say her request again.

She is going to double down and really make sure she is going to pin point it like nobody's business. Rather than having that, she says, I have found favor and nice sight of the King, and if it please the King to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the King and Hayman." This is a level of wisdom. This is a level of reading the scene and understanding who the King is and what he wants. Bring Hayman with you to the banquet that I shall be

prayer for them and I will do tomorrow as the King has said. Then what Hayman and this is the irony of the whole situation is we can continue to see this irony. Then what Hayman forth that day joyful with a glad heart, but when Hayman saw Mordecai and the King's gate, he stood not up nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai. Hayman was just invited to be at

that who gets invited to have a personal dinner with the King and the Queen. But he cannot keep

“that in his head long enough to walk by and see a man not bow down to him. That's how base this is.”

It's how demeaning his pride has become in his own heart. He cannot look past Mordecai's unwillingness to bow down to him and be grateful for the opportunity to have dinner. If you see this wickedness here, this pride that is just destroyed, it's a poison. Nevertheless, Hayman refrained himself. He didn't say anything to him but it's just building up inside of him. When he came home, he sent and called for his friends and zirish his wife.

This is the part that we were talking about before where I just want to say to Hayman and zirish. Now, the distinct difference between zirish and ester becomes very clear here.

Hayman told them of the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children, and all the things

were in the King had promoted him and how he had advanced him above the princes and the service of the King. I mean, he's just so boastful. And Hayman said moreover, "Yay, ester the Queen did not

“let no man come in with the King into the banquet that she had prepared but myself and tomorrow,”

am I invited unto her also with the King?" Yet all this, and this is the ugliest verse. All of this availeth me nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Jews sitting at the King's gate. Talk about the poison of pride. It's so ugly here. It is every warning that President Benson and we've had other prophets that give this as well. Here's your President Benson quote, "Fear of men's judgment manifests itself in the competition for men's approval. He cannot get him to bow.

He wants his approval. The proud love, the praise of men more than the praise of God.

Our motives for the things we do are where the sin is manifest. Jesus said he did always a thing

that pleased God. Would we not do well to have the pleasing of God as our motive rather than try to elevate ourselves above our brother and outdo another? Some prideful people are not so concerned as to whether their wages meet their needs as they are that their wages are more than someone else's. Their reward is being a cut above the rest. This is the enmity of pride. When pride has hold on our hearts we lose our independence of the world and deliver our freedom

to the bondage of men's judgment. This is what he's lost. He's lost his independence. The world shouts louder than the whistings of the Holy Ghost. The reasoning of men overrides the revelations of God and the proud let go of the iron rod. This is Hamin. He cares more about one man that will not bow down to him than he does about his entire relationship with the King in the Queen. He cares more about it than his wife. He cares more about it than his men. All he wants

is one person to bow down to him because of this. He's going to lose everything. Pride. Pride come with before the fall. It's the scripture that we know. It's President Benson and we are watching it happen in real time with Hamin right here. Then if I may, this part is so buggy, verse 14. Then said, "Zerish his wife." I mean it's his wife. Come on. Just say to him, you're being so prideful. Hamin, call him on the carpet. Like Hamin grow up. Hamin, maybe think of somebody

else beside yourself. There's so many things that she could say here. Hamin, as Sister Nelson did, are you done crying yet? Okay, now go back to work. She doesn't. She feeds it. Then says, "Zerish his wife and all his friends." And I would put friends in quotes because clearly they're not much of a friends. Let a galobie made of 50 qubits high into maros. Speak that down into the king that Mordecai may be hanged there on. Then go that one merrily with the king

onto the banquet. The king please Hamin and he caused the galos to be made. Yes, dear sweet Hamin, go build the galos and kill Mordecai. He's done nothing wrong but just kill him. Kind of wife is doing this. So yucky. Yeah, they're helping him destroy himself. They don't know it. He doesn't know it. But when he's building his own depth. What is sad here is again, this is a relationship

“between a couple. At some point, you have to get over yourself. At some point, you have to care”

more about the other person than you do about yourself. And Zerif hasn't learned that lesson either. She's also not willing to put him in his place. She has a little level of pride or fear. I don't know what it is. But she's not helping. We know what happens. This is where the whole paradox comes in. This is like a Shakespeare play. We're just watching the ridiculousness of this story. But this part, I think is so fun. Chapter six, the people are fasting. The Jews are fasting. Esther is fasting.

Mordecai is fasting. The children are fasting. Women, even the handmaids are fasting. And while they're fasting, this is so profound. On that night, could not the king sleep. And he commanded to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. And it was found written that Mordecai had told a big thana. Again, we have big. And Terish, two of the king's Chamberlains, the keeper of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king at hashrice. To me, that

is an absolute answer to their fasting and to their prayers. What else could have happened in order to make the king recognize that there is some Mordecai that needs to be saved out there. The only

only be saved if the Lord steps in. This is the parting of the Red Sea for Mordecai and the Jewish

people. It's just as strong. The king now is going to think to himself whatever happened to this guy. Well, why is he thinking this? Because the spirit is guiding him to this. What does the king do? Of course, he wants to honor this Mordecai because he saved his life. I mean, the timing of this, too. Then said the king servants that ministered unto him, there is nothing that's been done for him.

“Whatever happened to Mordecai, remember that guy that saved my life? Whatever happened to him.”

Well, nothing ever happened to him. Nobody gave him anything. He hears some noise down below and he recognizes that Hayman is there. So he calls Hayman in. Then there's the play again. He says to Hayman, verse 6, king said unto him, what shall be done into the man whom the king delighted to honor. Now Hayman is so prideful again. Hayman thought in his heart to whom with the king delight to honor more than me. Who could this possibly be? It's got to be me.

And the greatest of all, you know. Of course, what is Hayman going to do? He's going to say, give him the royal apparel of verse 8, which the king used it to wear and the horse at the king right at the pond and the crown royal which is set upon his head. I mean, these aren't even okay things. Give him everything. Let this apparel and the horse be delivered to the hand of the one that kings most noble princes that they may array the man with all of whom the king delighted to honor

and bring him on horseback through the street of the city and proclaim before him, thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighted to honor. This isn't the tender mercies of the Lord. This is the bitter irony of the Lord's rights. Do you imagine that moment or he says, "Hey, go get more to Kai and do that." What? Yes. I mean, it's so sickly, he's sadly funny. The irony of this situation. The king said to Hayman, "Make haste and take the apparel

and the horse as thou has said." And you're just waiting for this next, take haste and go do all these things to Mordekai. Bum-bum-bum-bum. You just feel like what? You guys just see him like Hayman just fall like wait to who? Mordekai, this man who won't bow to me. It's almost like you want Hayman to respond, but Hayman stays silent. What do you say to the king who his best person? This one, it's not him. His worst enemy just got his job. He's been fighting this man and the man that he

could not stand more than anyone else on the entire earth was just given everything that he thought he deserved. Then took Hayman the apparel and the horse and arrayed Mordekai. To be a fly on the wall when Hayman is giving the apparel of the king to Mordekai. I mean, he's putting, it says Hayman does this and brought him on horseback through the street of the city and proclaimed before him, thus shall it be done into the man whom the king delights to honor. At this moment,

I can't help but think of the premortal realm. How mad Satan was when God cast him out and gave the honor to Jesus Christ and gave the authority to Jesus Christ and how mad and angry Satan

“was that he just wanted to destroy everyone. If you want to see somebody mad, see Hayman put a robe”

on Mordekai. Turn that authority over to somebody else. I'm sure he is absolutely boiling right now. I'm also assuming he's absolutely full of fear. I think that that's one of the reasons why Satan is the way he is is because he's full of fear and he's full of anger. When we put that combination of fear and anger together, it is an ugly, ugly situation. He's full of fear because he's seeing that Mordekai, the person he hates is now taking some lead and it's ugly. Mordekai

came again to the king's gate but Hayman hasted to his house morning and having his head covered, morning as an understatement. Hayman told Xerish his wife and all his friends everything that had be fallen him. Then said his wife we looked at this before and the wise men's Xerish's wife unto him,

if Mordekai be of the seat of the Jews, now finally his wife is making a little bit of sense.

Well, Hayman, if Mordekai be of the Jews, guess what? You're not going to prevail against him because God is the God of the Jews and you are nothing. Good luck, sweetie. Yeah, you're right. You're dead meat and Mordekai, you are something else as this humble leader and Hayman, you're in trouble. Well, they are yet talking with him, came the King's Chamberlain's and the haste to bring Hayman unto the bank with that Esther had prepared. Now the plot thickens.

Chapter 7, the King and Hayman came to the bank with Esther the Queen. Now Esther has been praying and fasting. Does Esther know that Mordekai has been just given this great award? Does she know how much Hayman hates Mordekai? We have some idea that there is a hatred between the two and Hayman's ways but we don't know enough here. It seems like it's a quick, I mean this is happening in a period

of hours. It seems and the King said again and to Esther on the second day at the bank would have

“won. What is that petition, Queen, Esther? I think that that's a tender phrase.”

Esther, what do you want? How can I serve you? I'll give you anything. I've already told you I'd give you half of the kingdom. Here you have us together. Clearly, you're doing all you can.

And it shall be performed. Again, he says even to the half of the kingdom. And Esther, the Queen answered

“and said, "Now here, you could just see the praying in her mind at this moment. I am sure she is”

just pleading. Heavenly Father, please. God is not written here, but he is clearly seen. If I have found favor and eyesight, O King, I have done everything I can. King, I have served you. I've come dressed nicely. I have given you dinner. I have waited. I've been patient. I've done everything I can. If it pleases the King, let my life be given me at my petition and my people at my request. For we are sold. I am my people to be destroyed, to be slain and to perish. But if we had

been sold for bomb and and bond women, I had held my tongue. If we had been dislayers or if we had been sold to somebody, I wouldn't even say anything. I don't want to put you in a position.

I'm not trying to use you. I'm not trying to abuse my power. People were just slavery. I wouldn't

come to you. But we're being destroyed. Then she says, "Although the enemy could not countervail the King's damage, then King Hazerus answered and said unto Esther the Queen." And you can see he is just completely confused right now. This is taking him totally off guard, but he has enough composure to sit there and say to her, "Who is he? Where is he that just presumed as heart to do so?" Esther said. The adversary and enemy is the wicked Hayman. Then Hayman was afraid before the King in the Queen. That moment

there'd be a fly on the wall to see Hayman's face to see King Hazerus's face to see Esther's face and there's this recognition these three people intimate relationship. I mean, this is to be very clear, this is the King's right hand man. As far as the King has concerned, this is his most trusted counselor. This is someone that he trusts. This is someone he's given his ring to in times past. This is someone that he has brought into and is allowed to be in his most intimate quarters. When he comes

into the place, the King invites him to be exactly where he is. There's no other person that we're seeing the King doing this. So he has the two people that are the most trusted. His wife, it seems and Hayman. He is seeing the accusation of his wife against Hayman. Now in the past, he would have gone with Hayman. But there's something that Esther has done that is causing him to believe Esther instead of Hayman. In the story of Joseph and Egypt, Potter for doesn't believe Joseph or it seems that he

doesn't. For whatever reason he's still is going to side with his wife. He's going to decide and decay in his sense with the enemy. But somehow, King Hazerus is not listening to his right hand

man. This is the first time we've seen the change. There's something that has happened. It's the

fasting and praying. It's the spirit. It's something has caused him to change his mind here. Then Hayman was afraid before the King and the Queen, which again says a lot that he's afraid of the Queen. And the King rising from the bankot of wine and his wrath went into the palace gardens. I love that the King, again, talk about two different personalities. The King now different than he did at the very beginning. Rather than making a judgment, rather than losing it right there, he steps away

“from the situation. I think this is an important leadership principle. He doesn't just get mad and”

make a decision and cut off people's heads. He gets up and he walks away into the palace garden. In other words, it seems like he's pondering. He's thinking. He's taking control of himself and he's by himself. He's not listening to Hayman anymore. Hayman stood up to make request for his life to the Queen Esther. This is ugly. For he saw that there was evilly termed against him by the King. The King returned out of the palace garden. It seems like he is now there. It went back into the

banquet and Hayman was fallen upon the bed where on Esther was. The King will force the Queen also before me in the house. It seems as if it's an accident. It seems as if Hayman falls on the bed. We don't know for sure, but what we do know is it sets the King off, which it should have, set the King off. He's already seen this man that has been accused of killing his wife and his and her people. And now he's seeing this man in a position where it is a position only he should

have as the King. He isn't this very private circumstance. Why Hayman would be in the bedroom of the Queen? That's a whole different question. But the King sees it and he is very, very angry. So it says that people came in and covered Hayman's face. For a moment we pause, I have to just say, we recognize the hand of the Lord in this story and see very clearly the divine signature of God. As he has absolutely taken a people that were about to perish, change the whole story. The King

has a dream. Esther is able to go in and enter into this area and the tale has completely flipped

“on its head and the only way that could really happen is God allowed it to happen. I don't want”

to say made it happen because it's difficult to put that into God, but he allowed it to happen. Then Harbano, one of the Chamberlain said before the King, behold, also the Gallos 50 cubits high, which Hayman had for Matt Mordakai, who has spoken good for the King's dad at the

Mordakai as we know. What is the King going to do with him? He's digging his own grave. Like

literally he has just dug his own grave. They hang Hayman on the Gallos that he had prepared for Mordakai, then was the King's wrath pacified. It's really a sad, sad story. It's the story we hear so often, especially with anger. Anger is poison. As we do with anger, we drink the poison that we intend for somebody else. What you just said about anger reminds me of a Stephen Covey example. He talked about a rattlesnake that bit somebody and this guy picked up a sticker something is started chasing

this snake. He said it wasn't the bite they killed him. It was him chasing the snake and circulating

“that venom throughout his body because he was angry. It's just an analogy I think. But the idea”

of the anger was what got him, not the poison of the snake. Maybe if he seeks attention right

away, who wouldn't happen. I don't know if medically that's exactly right, but just an analogy that the anger is what got him. You had said something about Esther being a type of Christ and I wanted to go back to that. This I perish, I perish, but I'm going to save the people. Is that what you were talking about because I see Hayman is actually called the adversary, Esther chapter 7, verse 6. As I was listening to what I couldn't help myself, Esther is coming out of nowhere. She's an orphan.

She is being raised in a family and in a situation that is impoverished. She has so it seems been put to the lowest of low. You can't be much lower than a girl parentless as we mentioned before.

“In that country that doesn't respect or have anything given to a child in this nature. This would”

be very similar to Jesus Christ. He is then like Esther for a number of years, not that people didn't

know he was a Jew, but they didn't know he was the savior. Esther keeps it to herself that she's a Jew and it's not until it's necessary. Does she actually show the world, the people in her world, who she really is? Then we get to this point where Christ himself is going into this sacred garden of Gassemony. Father, thy will be done and take this cup from me. If I perish, I perish. He's put it all on the line. Esther is in a similar way. She's going to, in this case,

please take this cup from me. Take this bitterness from me. My people are all going to be killed and Christ is in a position where he is going to save the entire human race and Esther is in a position that she can save her entire population of people and they both have to completely put their lives on the altar and turn it completely over to someone else. Esther's case, she turns herself to the king and he makes a decision. In Christ's case, of course, he turns it to the king, his father.

I wonder about Vashty and her role in this. Vashty comes before Esther and provides the way. Just as there's a John the Baptist coming before the Savior and he's providing the way. As we know, he has the last supper. He has a meal with these people. He has a meal with those. He loves the best, including the person who was going to kill him. Esther has a meal with her people, the king and the man who was trying to kill her. Esther was willing to put her life on the line.

Just as a Savior was willing to put his life on the line. Yes, I think that there is a serious connection as a type of Christ here. We don't see women as types of Christ as I've said very much, but to me, as the more I read this, I just think, wow, this is Esther. She is a covenant woman. She is called of God for such a time as this as the Savior was to perform and save an entire group of humanity

“and the only way she could do it was to put her life on the line. To me, this is a very sacred moment”

who is that that puts Mordakai in this position. Esther is the one that crowns Mordakai. Esther is the one that makes it so he becomes the new ruler. I think it's very fascinating in this relationship that it's the woman who puts the man in position here and the man rules seemingly in righteousness to fulfill the purposes. It's a father-daughter, but it's a very sacred moment. What is given, the authority that Esther is given by the king for other people is not only symbolic, but extremely sacred.

I was thinking about Heyman and do you both remember the verse in Isaiah where Isaiah says, "Don't fight against Zion." You'll be like a person who is dreaming and in their dream they are eating, but then they wake up and they are starving. Yes, exactly. Yes, it's so bad. Through the whole story it looks like Heyman's going to win and then at the last moment, it's completely swapped in our world today. Sometimes it looks like the adversary is going to win but hold on, the story flips.

Isn't it great? Isn't this such a great book? That was a lot of fun. Yeah, you had me on the edge of my seat

and I knew what would happen. That moment where she goes in, I can't imagine that deep breath of okay. I really do believe that as we continue to read the scriptures, even if we've read the same verse a thousand times, the Lord will teach us something different depending on our state and life. For me, that's been the case, but studying again, Esther. So I appreciate this opportunity because I've learned a lot from my own personal life and how to grow and lead and how to be careful and

“wise and patient and temperate as elders, what I recently talked about, those important things.”

Chapter eight, verse 11, "We're on the King granted the Jews which were in every city together themselves together and to stand for their life. I love that they're standing for their

life. He's not asking them to bow down to him. He's saying, "You Jews, you have a right to stand

up for your life, to destroy, to slay and to cause to perish. All the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women to take the spoil of them for a prey." And then upon one day, the provinces of King Aastras, namely upon the 13th day. So this was what they were allowed to do. They don't do it exactly like that. They don't take the prey. There's a whole lot of story behind that. I love also in verse 15 and Mordekai went out

from the presence of the King in royal apparel. This is the prototype in royal apparel of blue and white and with a great crown of gold. And with the garment of fine linen and purple and the city of shushan rejoice and was glad. And the Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor. I love that verse. The Jews had light, gladness, joy and honor. I mean, talk about a flip. They went from fear. They went from death. They went from all these things. They fast and prayed. And now, again, the flip

joy, light, honor. In every province and in every city with us, whoever the King's commandments and his degrees came, the Jews had a joy and a gladness and 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. I don't

“think that they're afraid of the Jews. I think that it's again, it's that fear. It's that recognition,”

it's that respect of the Jews came upon them. Then we have this last part, which I think is very

very powerful. It's this feast of Purim. It's this to this day, as we know, the Jewish people

still celebrate this incredible day when they were free because of Esther. Hank, Barbara, I'm looking in my kids application Bible. That's written just for guys my age. Hey, I got a senior discount at Great Clips, but it has this little thing about Esther. It says, how to defend those who need help and then it gives three steps. Pump up, step up and speak up. Step one, decide to help, then pray and get yourself ready. Step two, when the King held

out ofceptor she approached and touched it. The tip, don't hide in your room and the time comes for action. That's step up. Step three, God is just as willing to give you the right words at the right time. Don't worry about how people respond to your words. That's between them and God, speak up.

“So I like that. Pump up, step up, speak up. That's what Esther did. It is John the quote from President”

Kimball that was quoted by President Nelson. In 1979, President Kimball and then President Nelson asked to it. And we've heard this so many times, but I cannot help but go back to this because this is Esther. And this is what the women of the church are being asked to do. But I think it's important that we also see the men of the church being asked to do this. He says, "Much of the major growth that is coming to the church in the last days will come because many of the good

women of the world will be drawn to the church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the church reflect righteousness and articulate this in their lives and to the degree that the women of the church are seen as distinct and different and happy ways from the women of the world." Then President Nelson says, "My dear sisters, speaking to us today, you who are our vital associates during this winding up scene. The day that President Kimball

for Sao is today, you are the women he for Sao. Your virtue, light, love, knowledge, courage, character, faith, and righteous lives will draw good women of the world along with their families. Their husbands and children to the church in unprecedented numbers. We, your brethren, need your strength, your conversion, your conviction, your ability to lead, your wisdom and your voices. The kingdom of God is not and cannot be complete without women who make sacred

covenants and then keep them, women who can speak with the power and authority of God. We need women who are organized, women who can organize, women with executive ability, who can plan and direct and administer, women who can teach, women who can speak out. We need women with the gifted discernment who can view the trends in the world and detect those that however popular are shallow or dangerous. And then he says, "Today let me add that we need

women who know how to make important things happen by their faith and who are courageous defenders of morality and families in a sin-sick world." I mean, this is Esther. And this is what he's saying,

covenant path towards exaltation, women who know how to receive personal revelation,

“who understand the power and peace of the temple and down it, women who know to call upon the”

powers of heaven to protect their strength and their children and their families, women who teach fearlessly. You think of what he's trying to say to the women of the church today, unless any women thinks, "Well, yeah, that's Esther not me." No, it's you. This is President Nelson talking to women of the church today. President Oaks is very similar. President Oaks is a man who has called upon the women of the church to speak up and speak out. He says it is his own mother that he learned

this from. And talking about that relationship with those leaders, whether it's a husband or a leader in the church government structure, he says this and back to Vashdi and King of Asuras. My dear sisters, whatever you're calling, whatever your circumstance, we need your impressions, your insights, your inspiration. We need you to speak up and speak out to what you're just saying, John. In word and state councils, we need each married sister to speak as a contributing and full

partner as you, night with your husband and governing your family. Marjorie's single, you citrus-possessed is distinctive capabilities and special intuition that you have received as gifts from God, again, back to spiritual gifts. We, brethren, cannot duplicate your unique influence. I just throw that out to all of our women and all of our men that we understand that about each other, that there are unique gifts, unique talents, we need each other. We have to be converted to the

gospel of Jesus Christ and in our day. It just doesn't work to sit behind and hope things happen. If Esther would have sat behind and just decided that it was just too hard or uncomfortable,

or she was afraid, or whatever excuse she could have come up with, I think it is absolutely critical

in this story that we see that Esther's righteousness and covenant keeping is not tied to marital status or gender or age. What it is tied to is covenants. It's tied to her relationship with God. There are single women in this church who are saving families and saving the world by being ants, by being sisters, by being relief society, leaves, by being teachers, by being good neighbors. We're talking about Esther as not a mother and as a single woman going into this

experience now married, but it's not the marital status that matters. What matters is as we have been taught. Sister Joy Jones talked about this. It is that you are a covenant keeper. If you want

“to give somebody a compliment, call them a covenant keeper. That's what this is. She's not important”

because she's married. She's not important because she's not important because she does or doesn't have children here. Her identity with God is what matters and the way we understand our identity

is by making and keeping sacred covenants with God. It is critical to me that this is a story not

necessarily just about her as having children, but she is a mother, regardless of children as we know. She is a mother. She is a covenant keeper. She's a mother because she's a woman and she's a covenant keeper. That makes her a mother. That makes her her an nurture. That makes her powerful instrument in God's hands. Thank you, friends. Thank you for being these wonderful people. We love being with you. I knew today would be fantastic, but I didn't know it would be this. Fantastic. I

have a brand of places to write in this book. I don't know how I'm going to ever study it again. I've nowhere else to write anything. So much to think about. Thank you, Barb. This has been a wonderful day. With that we want to thank Dr. Barbara Morgan Gardner for being with us today. We want to thank our Executive Producer, Shannon Swanson, our sponsors, David and Verla Swanson, and every episode we remember our founder, Steve Swanson. We hope you'll join us next week.

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