What The World Says Is Better Is Always Worse - 12/3/25 - Pastor Charlie Branch

Welcome to Meadows Baptist Church of

Walnut Cove, North Carolina. We're so

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Now, let's join Pastor Charlie Branch

with a word from God.

Amen. And if you have a Bible tonight,

I'll invite you to turn with me to the

book of Esther. Book of Esther, chapter

number one.

Book of Esther, chapter 1.

Esther 1 · chapter mention

And I've been praying about where the

Lord would have us to be. I don't know

uh how he's going to lead us from here.

I do know that this chapter, this

portion of scripture is what he's put on

my heart for tonight. And I don't know

if he wants us to go through the rest of

the book or not. I'm just trying to

follow him day by day. and uh he knows

what we need and so I just want to be

obedient to him. Esther chapter number

one,

find the book of Nehemiah, you need to

go forward. And if you find the book of

Job, you need to go backward. All right?

Little book of Esther, 10 chapters we'll

find in here.

And uh just on the outset of this

tonight, you will find understanding

studying your Bible uh that the word of

God is not written in chronological

order. Now you'll look at these uh these

epistles really of captivity, the book

of Esther, uh the book of Ezra and the

book of Nehemiah. All of these all of

these uh these books uh in the word of

God really apply to those latter

prophets uh later on uh in the Old

Testament. And I was praying about where

the Lord would have us to be. I believe

he'd have us to be here uh for this

service tonight. And we'll share a

thought with you out of this text. Now,

the book of Esther tonight is it's been

much debated uh whether or not the book

of Esther really should be in the canon,

but I'll be honest with you, I'm just as

sure of it as I am John 3:16. And uh you

John 3:16

say, why why do you say that? Well,

there's a lot of question about the book

of Esther. mainly reason being is

because God is not the name God is not

even mentioned in the book of Esther. Uh

but you'll see his handiwork all

throughout this book. And I love the

book of Esther because it brings us a

picture uh that that really it's it's uh

unlike anything else in all the

scripture. And so I want to try with the

help of the Lord to begin looking at

this tonight. I want to look verse

number one of chapter 1. The Bible says,

"Now it came to pass in the days of

Ahascerus, this is Ahaserus, which

reigned from India, even unto Ethiopia

overund and seven and 20 provinces, that

in those days when the king of Hasserus

sat on the throne of his kingdom, which

was in Shusham, the palace, in the third

year of his reign, he made a feast unto

all his princes and his servants, the

power of Persia and Media, the nobles

and princes of the provinces being

before him. When he showed the riches of

his glorious kingdom and the honor of

his excellent majesty many days, even in

104 score days, when these days were

expired, the king made a feast unto all

the people that were present in Shushan

the palace, both unto great and small,

seven days in the court of the garden of

the king's palace, where were white,

green, and blue hangings, fastened with

cords of fine linen, and purple to

silver rings, and pillars of marble. The

beds were of gold and silver upon a

pavement of red and blue and white and

black marble. And they gave them drink

and vessels of gold. The vessels being

diverse one from another and royal wine

in abundance according to the state of

the king. And the drinking was according

to the law. None did compel. For so the

king had appointed to all the officers

of his house that they should do

according to every man's pleasure. Also,

Vashi the queen made a feast for the

women in the royal house which belonged

to King Ahasser. And on the seventh day,

when the heart of the king was merry

with wine, he commanded me human, Bisa,

Harbona, Bigith, Agabatha, Zthar, and

Carcass, the seven chamberlains that

served in the presence of Ahazerus the

king, to bring Vashi the queen before

the king with a crown royal, to show the

people and the princes her beauty, for

she was fair to look on. But the queen

Vashi refused to come at the king's

commandment by his chamberlains.

Therefore was the king very wroth, and

his anger burned in him. Then the king

said to the wise men, which knew the

times, for so was the king's manner

toward all that knew law and judgment,

and the next unto him, all those names

once again, which saw the king's face,

and which sat the first in the kingdom?

What shall we do unto the queen Vashi

according to the law, because she hath

not performed the commandment by the

king of House, by the Chamberlains? And

skip down with me to verse number 19.

The Bible says, "If it pleased the king,

let there go a rule commandment from

him, and let it be written among the

laws of the Persians and the Mes that it

be not altered that vastly come no more

before King of Hazerus, and let the king

give her royal estate unto another that

is better than she." Father, I thank you

tonight for this text of scripture. And

Lord, I thank you tonight, God, that I

know by the spirit of God that lives

within my heart that this text is

inspired. And Lord, that it is preserved

for us, Lord, here tonight in this

service. And Lord, I believe your word

just as much as I ever have when you

said that all scripture is profitable.

Uh Lord, for for doctrine, for reprove,

for correction, for instruction and

righteousness. And so, Lord, I pray that

you would help us tonight as we consider

these verses. Lord, I pray you give us

open ears, attentive hearts. Lord, keep

our attention tonight. And Lord, I pray,

Father, that you'll speak to us and

through us. Get glory to yourself. We'll

ask it in G. We all ask it all in Jesus

name. Amen. This text tonight, Esther

Esther 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1. This begins the story of

Esther. And what's interesting about

this book is is you're not going to find

Esther mentioned in chapter 1. Esther is

not even brought into this story until

chapter 2. But the setting up of this

story is found here in chapter 1. Now I

want to lay the foundation work for this

message tonight with the help of the

Lord. And so I need you to stay with me

for just a minute. All right. In this

text. Now when you consider the book of

Esther, Esther is a story of God's

providence, God's positioning, and God's

preservation of his people. And it's a

story of all of those things amid wicked

leadership. and also uh describing a

victim of wicked happenings and God

bringing deliverance through those

circumstances. And what you discover

throughout this book is sin is rampant

throughout this book. Everything almost

everything that happens in this book is

sinful. But God orchestrates the events

that happen in this book to bring

deliverance to the children of Israel.

And I just want to say this tonight on

the outset. God can take the wicked

powers that be and manipulate them to do

what the church, what Israel, and what

his people need in any day, in any

generation, in any dispensation. God is

going to look after his people. And

that's what the book of Esther is about.

And so when we come to the book of

Esther, I want you to note two things in

this chapter. And I'm going to say a lot

about these two things. All right? So I

want you to stay with me tonight. I want

you to consider first of all the state

of the kingdom. Now, of course, the book

of Esther is a book describing here a

group of people that have been brought

out in captivity. Chapter one does not

reveal to us any of Israel. Does not

speak of any of the children of God, but

rather it is showing us the state

presently under the kingship of the

Persian Empire. And we are introduced to

this man by the name of Aasserus. and he

is believed to be the third king in the

Persian Empire. We know that in the book

of Daniel we are told that the kingdom

is taken from Belshazzer under that

rulership of Babylon and it is handed

over to the Meo Persian Empire in the

book of Daniel in chapter number five.

And so this empire has been handed over.

And Aoserus here in this text is said to

be the father of Darius II which is

mentioned in Daniel chapter 9 and verse

Daniel 9 · chapter mention

number one. He is mentioned as well in

the book of Ezra 4:es 5 and 6. And so

there is some history tells us the Bible

only gives us about four or five. There

is Darius, there is Cyrus, there is a

house and there is Ardiseries. There's

four kings that are mentioned here in

the word of God concerning the Persian

Empire, but secular history tells us

that there's 12 of those. And so there's

a Darius the first and the second.

There's an Artiseries all the way the

first through the fifth and Cyrus the

Persian and all of these others. And you

say, what is the benefit of that? Well,

I'm just telling you there's a lot

that's went on in this time in history.

Okay? And so this kingship, the ruler

here, the rulership of Persia, they are

reigning over the known world at this

time. And I want you to note something

in verse number one. We consider him the

state of the kingdom here. The potentate

is a house. He is the king. He is son uh

of Darius. He also is the father of

Darius II mentioned in verse one. But

the Bible says this is a house which

reign notice this from India even unto

Ethiopia. Now what is this describing?

Well, you'll notice in this text he's

mentioning the land here that's pointed

out. And from India to Ethiopia, this is

not the modernday India and the

modernday Ethiopia, but this is a span

of land that covers some 1500 miles that

this man is reigning over. And you'll

notice it's described not only the size

of the land, but notice who he's lording

over in verse number one, over 107

and 20 provinces. And so you don't have

to take the land into account to

understand that this kingdom is

swelling. You say, "Well, how do you

know that?" Well, you note these 120

pro provinces that are mentioned here.

Notice Daniel chapter 6. When we talk

Daniel 6 · chapter mention

about when we went through the book of

Daniel, we're still going through it

there on Sunday. We took a break from

it. But Daniel chapter number 6 is

mentioned here. The provinces here. I

want to get this pointed out to you.

Daniel 6 and verse one. The Bible says

in Daniel 6 and verse one, it pleased

Darius to set over the kingdom and 120

princes which should be over the whole

kingdom. And so incl so including these

120 this king a house they have added

seven other provinces here in the book

of Esther. Now I don't know exactly the

amount of years that have unfolded but I

do know that this is probably one of the

highest points in this kingdom and

you'll see that as we continue this

study. And so his rulership is spanning

some500 miles, some 127 provinces. And

he is the greatest nation in the entire

world at this time. And Israel is

captive to these people. Judah is one of

these 127 provinces that are mentioned

in verse number one. And and this Hindu

valley here that he's talking about when

he says to India, he's literally talking

about the modern-day Pakistan. That is

where this land is located. And you come

back just west from that, that is where

this man is reigning in a little place

called Susa. You notice there in verse

two, the Bible says that in those days

when the king of Hasseras sat on the

throne of his kingdom which was in

Shusham, the palace. Now the palace got

its name from the valley that it was

that it was built in in that valley of

Susa. And it would be east of Babylon in

that land and it's some 900 miles from

the land of Israel. And the children of

Israel are living around this kingdom.

They are living in this city with these

people. And the book of Esther

highlights the story of Mori who was the

cousin of Esther. He comes on the scene

first. And then Esther shows up later.

And God uses two of his children in that

land. He uses Morai is the one who would

orchestrate all of the dealings. And

Esther who would be the one that God

would use to become queen in chapter

number two. He is going to spare the

entire nation of Israel all throughout

this country. And God is going to

protect them by these two people in this

foreign place some 900 miles away from

where they were supposed to be. You say,

"Preacher, what's the emphasis of that?"

Well, let me just say this simply put

tonight. Atmosphere does not affect who

you are in Christ.

>> Right?

>> Amen. And it does not matter where you

go. It does not matter who you are. If

you are saved, born again by the grace

of God, God has put you the place where

you are for a purpose.

>> Right?

>> And so we consider here the king and his

rulership, the state of the kingdom.

Now, so the Jews here, they've been

taken captive to Babylon. The book of

Daniel tells us about that. The Persians

take take over in Daniel 5 verse number

31. And here in this text, we have this

man, Ahazerus. And so he is the third

king. And the Bible says in verse two,

we note not only the state of the

kingdom, I note second of all, and this

is where I want to spend the majority of

my time tonight. I want you to note this

king. And I want to say this, describing

this king, what you're going to find all

throughout the book of Esther is one

word. There's one word that describes

this man of house. And he is a sensual

man. He is a sensual man. I want to talk

to you tonight about the sensuality

of this king. Now notice in this text

the Bible says in verse two that in

those days all right he is reigning over

this large land mass. He is reigning

over this large multitude of people. And

the Bible says when the king of Hassra

sat on the throne of his kingdom which

was in Shandan the palace. In the third

year of his reign he made a feast unto

all his princes and his servants. Now I

want to highlight three things tonight

concerning the sensuality of the king.

And the first one I want to mention to

you tonight what you're going to

discover in this chapter is there is a

feast that is made. And I want to talk

tonight about the pump of this feast.

Now what is this feast? Well, the Bible

says that he has made a feast here in

verse number three. And you'll note his

dignitaries that are mentioned there in

verse three. He made a feast unto all

his princes and his servants. So these

are all the men, all of those 127

provinces. They would all have a leader

that would rule over them. And so out of

all of those provinces, all of those men

would come in and also his servants that

stayed in the palace with him. In verse

three, it says, notice how they're

described, the power of media and

Persia. Now, he was operating this as a

king, but he was never able to oversee

the whole thing. And so, he had men that

were delegated to these 127 provinces.

And verse three, the nobles and the

princes of the provinces being before

him. So the dignitaries are brought in

in verse number three. And then the

people are shown in verse number verse

number three as well. There's a great

crowd of people that's brought in beside

of those. And I'll get to that in just a

minute. But this feast he's brought them

in. You say, "Well, what's the reason

for this feast?" Well, uh there's not

really any description given to us.

History says that they were celebrating

deliverance from an enemy. But I will

say this, what you're going to find here

in this feast is everything that you see

in this text is a house making himself

look big. Notice the first four words of

verse number four. What's those first

three words? When he showed, and that's

going to be a redundant theme throughout

this. All he's doing throughout this

text is showing things. And what does he

show? Well, you see the dignitaries

here. There is the the the rulers are

present in verse number three. The

riches are are presented in verse four

when he showed the riches of his

glorious kingdom and the honor of his

excellent majesty many days even four

score days. And so this man is wealthy

so much to an extent that he pretty much

puts on a party that lasts six months.

He has got all of these people gathered

together, hundreds upon hundreds of

people, and he is making this show of

his great riches. And so you see the

rulers that are present, the riches that

are presented. Note the realm that's

participating in verse number five. Look

what the Bible says. And when these days

were expired, the king made a feast unto

all the people that were in present in

Shushan the palace, both unto great and

small, seven days in the court of the

garden of the king's palace. And let me

ask you this tonight. I'm losing about

half of you. Okay? Do you believe the

Bible is is all completely inspired of

God?

>> Amen. Amen. Do you believe it's

beneficial for our learning?

>> Amen. So, we got to study this.

>> Okay. Bear with me. All right. I'm going

to get somewhere. I promise. When I look

at this text, we we've considered this

this feat. The rulers are present. His

riches are being presented. His entire

realm is participating. What does that

mean? Well, the entire city, notice that

in verse 5, all the people that were

present in Shusha and the palace, that

means everybody that was living around

there, everybody that was coming in

their own business, everybody that was

visiting, he said everybody that came is

invited into this feast. And notice

where he's having it in verse 5. He

invites both great and small. That's the

wealthy and those who are poor. And he

does this for seven days. So 180 days

he's feeding his princes. He's working

with those men of his provinces. And an

entire week, he's going to feed

everybody that comes through the court

of the king's palace, everybody that's

in the city. And the Bible says in verse

number five that he brings them into the

court of the garden of the king's

palace. Now, you're fixing to see a

description of what this looks like. He

points out here the dignitaries in

verses 3, four, and five that are

mentioned, these people that are

brought, but note the decorations in

verse six. Look what your Bible says.

Now, I really want you to get this,

okay? You got to see this. All right?

The reason why this is put in there, and

let me just say this, okay? The Bible is

a book for people that have an

imagination.

>> Amen.

>> You've got to see this in your mind.

Look at this with me tonight. The Bible

says in verse six, "Where were white,

green, and blue hangings fastened with

cords of fine linen, and purple to

silver rings, and pillars of marble. The

beds were of gold and silver upon a

pavement of red and blue and white and

black marble. Now, what is all that?

This is the decorations

of the court that was in the garden of

the king's palace in verse 5. What does

he describe? Well, verse number six,

you'll see first of all, there are

white, green, and blue hangings. What

are those? Those white, green, and blue

hangings there. These are curtains that

are hung there. They're blue, some

white, some speech that there's the the

white that's that pearl color, the green

and blue. And then notice what the Bible

says. They're hanging, they're fastened

with cords of fine linen. So, you've got

all of these color colorful tapestries

that are hanging. And they're not only

just hanging on rope, but they're

hanging on cords tied of fine linen.

That is the the purest of cleanest white

linen. And also, not just fine linen,

but purple. These things are wrapped in

ropes and they are made of purple.

They're fastened with these cords

hanging up all through this garden

court. And the Bible says that they're

hanging on these cords of fine linen and

they're fastened in verse six to silver

rings and pillars of marble. So these

silver rings are literally silver

eyelets made out of pure silver. And

notice what they're attached to. Pillars

of marble, the columns.

Picture the beauty of this thing. All

the brightness, the tapestries that are

hanging, even the ropes that are holding

the tapestry up are of fine linen and

purple attached to silver rings that are

made out that are hanging on solid solid

pillars of marble. And then in verse

six, you'll note not only what's hanging

there, but notice the sitting

instruments. The Bible says the beds.

The beds, that's the couches. That's a

couch. It's not a literal bed, but it's

a seat that's in the middle of this

garden in this banqueting place. The

Bible says they're made of gold and

silver.

These seats are are made of solid gold

and of silver. Now, just think for

yourself for a minute. Think about the

expense of this.

These seats are solid gold and silver.

And who's he invited into this? He's

invited all everybody that'll come see

it. You know, I thought to myself when I

was reading this, man, this looks real

good at the start. You know, he's

inviting everybody, everybody come in.

Come and see this. But you know what he

was doing? He was pumping up his pride,

>> right?

>> And the Bible says there there's there's

their beds, gold, silver, seats, couches

upon a pavement of red and blue. That

red there is a uh I can't say that word.

You ever got a word you can't say? It's

like that red. It's that red stone. You

find it in a gravel yard. It's porf

pfery. Pfari. I can't remember how you

say it. But there's there is this red

pavement. Notice what he says. Red and

blue. That blue is a literal violet

colored pavement and white. These

pavement stones were made out of pearl.

And then there's also mentioned red,

blue, and white and black marble. And so

there were some places, one writer said

this, there were some places that were

multicolored. They were blue, red, and

white. They had the American flag out

there.

And then there were some places that

were like black and white tile.

Picture that in this garden. Black and

white place tile. I'm just saying you

picture the beauty of this thing. He's

brought all these people in here to show

them these decorations. And then it goes

from the the decorations to the dishes

in verse 7. And they gave them drinking

vessels of gold. The vessels being

diverse one from another. And these

these vessels, he literally had a

abundance of vessels. None of them were

made of the same style. They were all

different. They were all made of gold,

but they were all different styles. And

one writer said that it could have been

possible that he brought some of the

vessels that Belshazzer used when he

drunk out of them from the house of God

and used them and God cursed him from

that. And they were using those same

vessels in this place. I don't know. All

I know is this man's laid it all out.

>> He's put everything that he's got out

and there's only one thing he's got

left. The Bible says in verse 7,

he said the they gave them drink and

vessels of gold, the vessels being

diverse one from another and royal wine.

Notice that in abundance according to

the state of the king. So you consider

here in this text the pump of the feast.

All right? You see the beauty of this

and I've done a terrible job painting a

word picture of this, but I hope you can

see it. And so we see not only the pomp

of the feast, but notice second of all

tonight the prompting of the flesh in

this text. the prompting of the flesh.

What is that? What is that phrase? Verse

number eight, and the and verse number

seven. And they gave them drink and

vessels of gold. Verse number seven, and

royal wine in abundance according to the

state of the king. So this party, he's

gathered all these people together and

and they are all there in his garden

banqueting house seeing all of this

beauty. He's opened it up to the entire

public. And now he is bringing out his

royal stash of wine.

Notice what the Bible says concerning

this wine. There is loads of wine. In

verse 7, he brings out royal wine in

abundance.

So he's bringing all these people in

from all all places and he's given every

one of them the same opportunity to take

part of this wine. Royal wine in

abundance. These loads of wine. Verse

eight, notice mentioned not only the

load of wine but the law of wine. Verse

eight, and the drinking was according to

the law. Now what does that mean? The

drinking was according to the law. He

had established a law in this for this

event that said nobody could become

drunk at this event.

Now, isn't that sad that a wicked ruler

like this would say that about an event

he's having at his own house, but people

just go out, church people go out and

drink and just get wasted in this day

and time,

>> right?

>> I don't know why it got so quiet, but

that's just the truth. Amen.

>> He put he basically what this is saying

is is this this crowd here, there was a

there was no there was a prohibition

against drunkenness, but also there was

no promotion of the drinking. In verse

8, he said, "The drinking was according

to the law. None did compel." So they

were not bringing it around, trying to

shove it to them, trying to make these

people drink. But there was obviously a

a place, there was a a bar there where

they had it offered where you just come

get what you want. You notice there in

verse number eight, the Bible says, "For

so the king had appointed to all the

officers of his house that they should

do according to every man's pleasure."

And so this is the theme of this party.

The theme is is pleasure. We we're we're

we're going to keep everything

contained, but but we're all everybody's

going to get what they want.

>> Notice that in verse eight, that they

should do according to every man's

pleasure. Now, I'm starting to get to

the message here now. Okay,

this is where the problem comes in where

we live at today.

Everything in our life is ordained for

one reason and one reason only, and

that's for our ultimate satisfaction.

We live in a humanistic society,

>> right?

>> And what you see in this text right here

is this. This is an image of a

socialistic economy.

>> Isn't that interesting? Notice it again

with that in mind. Verse number eight,

he he said, "So the king had appointed

to all the offers officers of his house

that they should do according to every

man's pleasure. Everybody that come in,

get whatever you want. Get whatever you

want." What happens out of that? Well,

as the flesh is being prompted, the the

wine is brought in in loads. There's

abundance of it. They made a law against

it. Not but so much, but but it wasn't

enough to stop him because the one that

made the law, he finds himself breaking

the law. Verse number 10. Look what the

Bible says. On the last day, on the

seventh day, isn't that interesting? The

seventh day of the feast, he's been

drinking all week long, but he's not

been drinking too much.

Okay, let me just put this out there.

This is how you sound when you say,

"Preacher, I can drink a little bit, but

I don't get drunk."

>> This is how you sound. Okay?

>> He's made a law. He's told them, "Hey,

look, we we're not you can't be drunk.

We've got it out here for YOUR PLEASURE,

BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE A SCENE IN

my house. There ain't going TO BE NOBODY

MESSING UP MY GARDEN."

But he's brought out everything in the

royal treasury that he had.

Verse 10, what happens? He becomes

victim in his own stupid circumstances

>> on the seventh day when the heart of the

king was merry with wine. So we

considered the the loads of wine the law

of wine but now it turns here this wine

becomes leader in verse number 10 the

heart of the king was merry with wine.

He commanded all of his chamberlains

here, the the the seven that are serving

in his presence in verse number 10. In

verse 11, he commands them, look what he

says, to bring Vashi the queen before

the king with the crown royal to show

the people and the princes her beauty,

for she was fair to look upon. Now, when

I was reading this this afternoon, I'm

thinking, Lord, I don't know have have

the slightest idea what you going to

have me to say out of this. But what you

discover in this text is where one woman

decides she's going to protect her

character

>> above the decision of the greatest ruler

in the country

>> right

>> in the world. And in this text, what you

find is the prompting of the flesh, the

leadership of this wine, it overrode the

law that he himself had made. Let me

just put this out there to you. You'll

do things when you're drunk that you'll

never do sober.

>> Amen. And in this text, I believe from

what I've read of this text and what

I've studied about it, this king loved

his wife,

but he was under the influence of this

alcohol. And so he makes this command in

the text. He he there's a demand that he

makes in verse number 10. There is a

defilement that he points out in verse

number 11. The Bible says he wants to

bring Vashi the queen before the king

with the crown royal. And notice that

those next two words again to show.

You see, he was showing all of that

other stuff in his kingdom. And I've

said everything I've said up to this

point for this reason. All right?

Everything that he had in his kingdom

was beautiful. And you know what? It was

freely. It was not sin for everybody

else to look on those things.

>> But you know what? When he got drunk, he

decided to go and get the thing that

nobody else should have looked at.

>> And bring it before their eyes. Why is

that? Because the pride that he had when

he was sober has now become the pride

that he has when he's drunk.

>> So look what happens here. There is the

defilement in verse number 11. I'll say

more about that in verse number twe

number in a minute. But verse 12, there

is the denial by the queen. But the

queen vastly refused to come at the

king's commandment by his chamberlain.

Therefore was the king Ver Roth and his

anger burned in him. Now what's

interesting about this text is here I I

I even read one writer said this. Well

the queen should have came and and done

what the king asked her to at his

commandment. Now that's just poor Bible

study

>> is what that is. And I'm saddened by the

fact that I read that in a commentary

somewhere.

And and when I read this when I when I

thought read this text for myself and

thought about it for a minute. Well,

what is the what is the picture that is

being portrayed here? Well, if you look

at the words that are used in verse

number 11, the Bible says he he wants to

bring her out to show the people and the

princes her beauty for she was fair to

look on. That word fair, all right, in

verse number 11, that word fair in the

translation, the Hebrew translation is

the exact same word that's used in the

book of 2 Samuel 11.

Listen to this. 2 Samuel 11:2.

2 Samuel 11:2

And it came to pass in an evening tide

that David arose from off his bed and

walked upon the roof of the king's

house. And from the roof he saw a woman

washing herself, and the woman was very

beautiful to look upon. That word

beautiful there is the same word

translated fair in verse number 11. So

he was not just asking her to come out

in her dress.

Good.

>> Look, I'm not trying to be vulgar

tonight, but this is what I'm the point

I'm trying to make is this right here.

This was a wicked desire

>> by a wicked man because he was so full

of alcohol that he lost all sense of

discernment.

>> What you read in chapter number two and

verse number one really kind of paints

the picture that he was he was upset

about what he did after he became sober.

But you see, it doesn't stop here in

this text. She denies it. And for this

text, we know then this we remember this

lady Vashy as a woman of character

because she refused to do this.

>> Right?

>> That's all we know about her is that she

had enough character to reject his

advances. Let me say this to you

tonight. I don't care who it is. Young

ladies, listen to me. I don't care who

it is. I don't care how good he looks.

>> If their advances are wicked like this,

>> no. Amen.

>> Amen.

>> Young men don't ever be this type of

man.

>> And people say, "Well, it happens.

There's ladies that make advanced."

Look, okay, let's just let's just back

up for a minute. All right. When you

talk about the day in which we're living

in, okay,

stay with me. All right, this is

serious.

>> It's time for men to step up.

>> I don't get nervous about that. The

reason why we've got a problem with

women is because the men have not done

what they're supposed to do.

>> And this problem was not her problem. It

was his.

>> And the fact that some people would even

go to the extent to say that she should

have obeyed the king.

>> Amen.

>> The truth of this text is telling us

this. It's always right to do what's

right regardless of who asks.

Notice here you see the in the

sensuality of the king. You see the pomp

of his feast. You see the prompting of

his flesh. But now notice his produced

fury in this text. Verse number 12. But

when the queen the queen vastly refused

to come at the king's commandment by his

chamberlains, therefore was the king

very wroth and his anger burned in him.

Now there's a number of sins that this

man commits in this chapter. He he's

full of pride. That's the way it starts.

All right. Then he c turns into a

pervert after he has become drunken by

his alcohol. And then it ends with this

rage, unchecked rage. And this is pretty

much what describes the life of a

drunkard. You're

>> right.

>> It's his pride that causes him to drink.

And what comes out after him is the

perversion that's in his heart. And then

he ends up angry after all of that.

You're

>> right.

You

>> say, "Preacher, it's the Wednesday night

crowd. They don't drink." I swear to God

hope they ain't nobody here tonight that

drinks. Verse

number 12. Bible says he was wroth. His

anger burned into him. Burned in him. I

want to give you three things here and

I'm done tonight concerning this. Let me

just say this. All right. There will

always be men or women to side with the

wrongdoer.

>> Right?

>> All right. And they will always be men

or women that will side with the

wrongdoer and aid and abet his or her

crimes. And notice what happens in verse

number 13. Then the king said to the

wise men, which knew the times, for so

was the king's manner toward all that

knew law and judgment, they give the

list of their names. In verse 14, he

asked in verse 15, "What shall we do

unto this queen?

What shall we what shall we do unto her

because she has refused the king's

commandment?" Now, the law of the Mes

and Persian says that she should die.

And so, they don't put her to death in

this chapter. And I guess you could say

it was their mercy, but it was an

unrighteousness. The Bible says that

they they they he consults his

dignitaries and out of his consulting

them, what do they what do they come up

with? Well, they they conceive a divorce

there in verse number 19.

Because what are they afraid of? Notice

verse 16. Let me I got to point this

out. And uh this man answered before the

king and the princes. Vast the queen

hath not done wrong to the king only,

but also to all the princes and to all

the people that are in all the provinces

of the king a house. And basically what

he's going to say is this is that out of

her deed she's going to cause all the

women in the country to rebel against

their husbands.

How ignorant they are. Number one.

Number two, the truth of this text is

showing us that when sin comes about,

what they have to do is they have to sin

again to prevent more problems for them.

Amen. Amen.

>> Cuz they're thinking in their mind,

well, we're not going to be on the hot

seat anymore. We're not going to be the

top dog, the ruler of the family because

of this woman has rebelled against the

king. So, we must make her an example.

This is the way the world will do you.

By the way, let me just point that out

there. Okay? The world will always make

you an example to benefit themselves.

Yes.

>> And the Bible says in verse number verse

number 19, "If it pleased the king, let

there go a royal commandment from him,

and let it be written among the laws of

the Persians and the Mes that it be not

altered that vast come no more before

King Ahazerus, and let the king give her

royal state unto another that is better

than sheep." Well, what was their

description of better?

Somebody do what he wants.

>> Right?

And I don't know why the Lord put all

this on my heart tonight, but here's

what I know. And that that that phrase

right there is what jumped off the page

at me when I was studying this. Verse

19. Give her royal estate unto another

that is better than she. And this is the

thought that I had when I read this this

afternoon. What the world says is

better.

>> Right.

>> I mean, is anybody with me?

>> What the world says is better

>> is always worse. You're right.

>> Without fail.

>> Every single time. You say, "Preacher,

that's simple." It's right.

>> That's right.

>> Amen.

>> What do we succumb to so many times?

What the world says is better.

>> Amen.

>> And it ain't don't it ain't just sins

like this, but we got to have the

newest, nicest, next thing.

>> Amen.

>> You're right.

>> And it's whatever level it is. It's

because the world says it's better. Now,

you say, "Preacher, what is this?" The

whole grand scheme of this story is is

that vast has to be put out. But you

know that it wasn't right the way they

did it. That's right.

>> But God uses the wicked decisions of

wicked men to orchestrate deliverance

>> for his people. Notice what happens in

this chapter. He consults his dignitary.

They conceive this matter of divorce.

And then he co-signs a decree in verse

number 20 21. And when the king's decree

which he shall make shall be published

throughout all his empire, for it is

great, all the wives shall give to their

husbands honor, both to great and small.

And the saying pleased the king and the

princes, and the king did according to

the word of that fell. Verse 22. For he

sent letters into all the king's

provinces, into every province according

to the writing thereof, and to every

people after their language, that every

man should bear rule in his own house,

and that it should be published

according to the language of every

people. So, out of this one event, you

know what's happened? An entire nation

has been sent a letter.

One woman refused to do what the king

wanted. And now they're going to send

out an entire letter to every house,

every nation of every person in this

entire nation because of what she

refused to do.

>> You say, "Preacher, what's your point by

that? If you stand up against sin, the

whole world might know about it."

>> You're right.

>> Amen.

>> And it ain't necessarily going to be

right.

>> Preacher I like to listen to, he says

this sometimes. He says, "You can't do

wrong and get by." And that's true. You

can't do wrong and get by. But he said

this, and I think it's right, too. He

said, you can't do right and get by.

>> Right.

>> She gets put out of the king's house.

Chapter 2, verse number one, Bible says

in verse number one that he remembered

Vashy after his wrath was appeased and

what she had done and what was decreed

against her. I think that remembrance,

that statement there was revealing that

he regretted what he did. Right?

>> You know what? The world will smear us

for what we're not willing to do. That's

right.

But you know what? At the end of the

day, after all the dust is settled,

those people though they won't say it,

they'll know we're right.

>> Amen. They'll know we're right. You say,

"Preacher, what's your title?" What's

what the world says is better

is always worse.

>> Amen.

>> When I consider this text, and I there's

a lot of different things I could have

brought out in this, but this was the

biggest point that I wanted to make.

There's always going to be people

that'll side with those who will do you

wrong.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. There's always going to be people

that decide to do evil. There's always

going to be people that decide to

support what's wrong. It's because

that's what in every one of us's nature

to do that.

>> And when somebody does wrong, just know

they can't help it most of the time.

>> You say, "Preacher, they could do

better." Yeah, they could. But you know

what? Their nature causes them to do

that.

>> You know who don't have an excuse?

>> You're right.

>> We know better, don't we?

>> Amen. Brother Grley said this year, and

I'm done tonight. Brother Gravely said

this here, I believe it's Friday night,

the Jubilee, he said, he said, "People

come to me and tell me all the time

talking about standards and stuff, doing

different things, and and uh I know it's

been different tonight, but I just felt

this is what God put on my heart." And

uh he said this he said ' Dave people

come to me tell me said preacher I just

don't know about all that and uh he said

I just he said he said they say this he

said this is what their favorite term is

I don't see anything wrong with that he

said I used to not believe them used to

think they're just crazy he said but now

I believe them he said you know why he

said because I really don't think

they're saved

>> amen

>> and the reason why they don't see

anything wrong with the things that we

know is wrong I was talking to a man

this week and this is what he said he

said, "It's so different

being right with God that when you hear

a cuss word come out of somebody's

mouth, it grieves you."

>> Right?

>> And if a cuss word grieves you, there's

a lot worse stuff than that.

>> Amen.

>> The wickedness of this country grieves

me.

>> The wickedness that's around us grieves

me.

>> But you know what? Let's do right.

Will you? Let me ask you that. Will you?

If you was in that place, would you do

right?

>> You might have been in that place this

week.

You might be in that place later this

week. Will you do right, Father?

Lord, I thank you for this time, Lord. I

know this is what you had me to say

tonight, and I pray, Father, that it

landed on the good ground. I thank you

for it. I ask you that you would help

our church. Draw us near to you. God,

help me, Father, to be the same way.

Trust you always, Father, and choose you

over everything else. Lord, I sure love

you.

>> Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it if you'd join us in person

the next time you are able at Meadows

Baptist Church. Our physical address is

2988

Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. Our service times are Sunday

school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning

worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening

worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday

evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more

information, visit us at

meadowsbaptisturch.com.

Thanks again for tuning in.