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READ ESTHER 1:1–8THURSDAYSEPTEMBER1The LORD has established his throne in heaven, andhis kingdom rules over all.Psalm 103:19A Wealthy KingThe book of Esther may remind you ofa classic, “once upon a time” children’sstory with a wealthy king, his beautifulqueen, and an evil villain. But whilethe characters might resemble a fairytale, the book of Esther depicts actualevents that shaped Jewish historyand instituted the festival of Purim,a tradition that continues to this day.Esther’s brave actions saved the Jewsfrom massacre and preserved thelineage of Christ.The opening verses of Esther placethese events in a historical timeline.King Xerxes (also known by his namein Hebrew, Ahasuerus) ruled over 127provinces, from India to Ethiopia (v. 1).At the beginning of this story, KingXerxes was holding court in the city ofSusa, during the third year of his reign.This ruler of the Persian Empire hadincredible wealth. The text records thesplendor of his court with its beautiful6wall hangings and an array of purple,the color of royalty (v. 6). Gold, silver,mother-of-pearl, and precious stonesdecorated the furniture. People drankwine in abundance from golden goblets(v. 7).Xerxes wanted to paint a picture ofa perfect kingdom with no problems.Certainly there was no lack of wealth.Every individual was given everythingthey desired (v. 8). And Xerxes was sureto get the credit for the glamor andabundance. But even the extraordinarypower and wealth of the king hadlimitations. Note how the text highlightsthe number of days his “majesty” hadbeen on display (v. 4). No matter howgrand the court of King Xerxes was, hisreign was limited and pales in contrastwith the majesty of God. God’s kingdomwill know no end. The temporal plansof individuals in this book lay subject tothe will of our Almighty God.APPLY THE WORDPRAY WITH USAs we begin the book of Esther, it is helpful toremember that no matter what evil plans peoplemake, God still sits upon the throne. We can beassured that God is ultimately in control, and thefinal outcome is preserved by Him. It is easy toworry about life from our own human perspective,but we must never forget who is King.Today we invite you to pray forour trustees as they serve Moodywith diligence, dedication, and joy.Please bring before the Lord allthe decisions they make as ateam and ask for His will to bedone for the future of MoodyGlobal Ministries.TODAY IN THE WORD

READ ESTHER 1:9–12For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,but gives us power, love and self-discipline.2 Timothy 1:7FRIDAYSEPTEMBER2A Lovely QueenAfter being imprisoned and threatenedwith execution in Iran, Americanjournalist Roxana Saberi falselyconfessed to being a spy. Later sherecanted, even though she knew thattelling the truth would jeopardize herfreedom. And indeed, rather thanrelease her as promised, her captorskept her in prison for months. She saidabout that harrowing time: “I wouldrather tell the truth and stay in prisoninstead of telling lies to be free.”Standing for what’s right takes courage.The book of Esther includes the storiesof two women who challenged corruptrulers. The first woman we meet isQueen Vashti. We know that she was anincredibly beautiful woman. Just as KingXerxes lavishly decorated his palacewith only the best that money couldbuy, he also insisted that the womenin his life be physically attractive. Hedemanded only the best.While Xerxes was holding a lavishseven-day banquet, the queen presidedover a separate banquet for women(v. 9). On the last day of the banquet,a very drunk king called for his queen(v. 11). He demanded that she come tohim so that he could display her beforethe attendees of his banquet. Somecommentators interpret Xerxes’s requestas a vulgar attempt to force the beautifulQueen Vashti to appear naked in frontof these drunken men. Certainly hisdemand was insulting and embarrassingto Vashti, and she refused (v. 12).Xerxes was not used to anyone denyinghis request. He was furious with Vashti.Not only had she disobeyed the king’sdirect request, she had defied him infront of his guests. She underminedhis illusion of total power and control.Queen Vashti was admired for herphysical beauty. But what makesher stand apart in this text was herwillingness to stand up to a despot.APPLY THE WORDPRAY WITH USWhen is it worthwhile to stand up for what youbelieve? At what cost? While many of us take theroad of least resistance when it comes to conflict,sometimes it is necessary to do what is right, nomatter the cost. Ultimately, our allegiance is to God.He can give us courage to stand up for what webelieve, even when we are pressured to do wrong.Dr. James Spencer, VP and deanof the Undergraduate School,oversees the Moody educationbranch on campuses in Chicagoand Spokane, WA. He welcomesthe prayers of the Today in theWord family today.MOODY GLOBAL MINISTRIES7

READ ESTHER 1:13–18SATURDAYSEPTEMBER3The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul.Psalm 19:7An Act of DefianceThe Supreme Court was first assembledin 1790 as the highest court in theUnited States of America and initiallywas composed of one chief justice andfive associate justices. Members of thecourt are appointed by the presidentand approved by the Senate. In 1869,the number of justices increased to nine.Their purpose at the Supreme Court is tointerpret legislation to see whether it isconsistent with the U.S. Constitution.How would King Xerxes handle the directand very public defiance of his queen?He decided to convene his own so-calledSupreme Court to help him determinethe most appropriate punishment. Heselected seven nobles of Persia whowere given special access to the kingand held in high esteem (vv. 13, 14).Their judgment of the facts of the casewas simple: Vashti had clearly brokenthe law. No matter how sympatheticwe might be to her decision, she had8not obeyed the command of the king.Their judgment of the needed penaltywas quick: The court of nobles agreedthat her actions needed to be punished.If her act of public disobedience wereleft unchecked, it would undermine theking’s authority (vv. 16, 17).But notice how their own self-interestinfluenced their judgment of Vashti.She should have upheld a standard forother wives to follow, and therefore sheshould be punished not only to maintainthe king’s honor but also to keep theirown wives from challenging them athome (v. 18). Their interpretation of thelaw was as much about preserving theirown sphere of power as it was aboutadjudicating fairly.The law was necessary to retain controland order, they said. King Xerxeshad no choice, they said. He had topunish Vashti or else endure no end of“disrespect and discord” (v. 18).APPLY THE WORDPRAY WITH USHuman laws are necessary for governance, butonly the law of the Lord is perfect (Ps. 19:7). God’sWord reveals our sins of pride and temptations topursue power, and it also offers us freedom fromsin though accepting the forgiveness available inChrist. Spend time in confession before God today,and thank Him for His perfect law that restores us.The next two days we’d liketo focus our prayers on theIntercultural Studies departmentfaculty in Chicago. Pray thatthe Lord would continue to useStephen Clark, Samuel Naaman,and Mary Cloutier to impactstudents’ lives.TODAY IN THE WORD

READ ESTHER 1:19–22You intended to harm me, but God intended it forgood to accomplish . . . the saving of many lives.Genesis 50:20SUNDAYSEPTEMBER4Vashti Is PunishedSome archaic laws are still on thebooks, specifically pertaining to women.For example, in Vermont, women musthave permission from their husbandsto wear false teeth. In Michigan,women cannot cut their hair withouttheir husband’s approval. And, in oneCalifornia town, it is illegal to wear highheels unless you are carrying a permit.Queen Vashti had defied Xerxes byrefusing to appear before his guests. Hewas furious and realized that her publicdefiance must be punished. Now wesee the pronouncement of judgment:the king’s advisor recommended thathe issue a royal decree preventingVashti from ever entering his presenceagain. She was banished from heresteemed position and from theprivilege and entitlement that came withit. She would no longer be queen (v. 19).But the advisor suggested even moreaction. He said the king should makean example out of Vashti, replace herwith a new queen, and put in placea rule for all married couples. Hisrecommendation pleased both the kingand his court (v. 21). So the decree wascarried out to the kingdom, announcingthat every man should be considered a“ruler” in his own household (v. 22).Vashti’s act of public defiance had a lifealtering consequence, which no doubtsatisfied the anger of King Xerxes.But what the king did for personalreasons, God used for divine reasons.With Vashti deposed, the stage wasnow set for the arrival of a new queen,Esther, who would save her people fromdestruction. The story echoes Joseph’strial and unjust treatment described inthe book of Genesis. Only later in hislife did Joseph realize that God hadredeemed his suffering for a divinepurpose (Gen. 50:20). Certainly, God’splans surpass our own.APPLY THE WORDPRAY WITH USSometimes our circumstances truly are not fair.Why would God allow injustice to happen? Why dowicked people seem to triumph? Scripture revealshow God’s divine plan supersedes and even worksbeyond man’s plans. What Xerxes intended forhis own satisfaction, God used for the good of thenation. Ask God to work His perfect will in your life.Today we continue to support inprayer the Intercultural Studiesfaculty—Michael Rydelnik, MariaMocuta, Timothy Sisk, and CliveCraigen. Pray that the Holy Spiritwill touch the heart of everystudent through their lecturesand seminars.MOODY GLOBAL MINISTRIES9

READ ESTHER 2:1–4MONDAYSEPTEMBER5People look at the outward appearance, but theLORD looks at the heart.1 Samuel 16:7A Search BeginsIn Montclair, Calif., Melissa Andradedreamed of being crownedhomecoming queen. But Andrade hascerebral palsy, and it seemed unlikely—even impossible. One member of thefootball team decided to step in andhelp. He invited Melissa to the danceand led a campaign to name her queen.Her classmates joined in, and, in afairytale ending, Melissa was crownedhomecoming queen and became, inher own words, “the happiest girl inthe world.”The court of King Xerxes needed anew queen, now that Queen Vashti hadbeen deposed. How would the leaderof the world’s most powerful empirefind a suitable woman? His advisorssuggested a thorough search to find themost beautiful young woman to be hisbride (v. 2). They combed the empire tofind a collection of beautiful women andthen pampered them to maximize everyattractive feature (v. 3).But remember the story of David’sselection to be anointed king. TheLord instructed Samuel to appoint anew king and sent him to the familyof Jesse in Bethlehem. Tall andstrong and handsome, Jesse’s sonslined up for scrutiny. But rather thanchoose someone based on externalappearance, God looked at the heart.“Do not consider his appearance orhis height, for I have rejected him”(1 Sam. 16:7). God selected David, ayoung shepherd boy, whom no oneconsidered a candidate for the throne.In the same way, we see God’s handat work in the selection of Xerxes’queen. The king and his advisors wereconsidering only physical beauty.They didn’t realize that God was atwork to select a queen who wouldpossess godly character and a beautifulcommitment to her people.APPLY THE WORDPRAY WITH USWhen we choose anything—a college for ourchildren, a new home, a car—we may focus onwhat we want and what would make us (or thosewe love) happy. But God knows what is best for us.Ask God today to help you make wise decisions,choices that will bring Him glory and will work Hisdivine will in your life.Please join us as we lift up toGod in prayer Moody students—undergraduate, graduate, anddistance learning—on our threecampuses. Pray for their walk withGod and spiritual growth duringthis school year.10 TODAY IN THE WORD

READ ESTHER 2:5–7TUESDAYA star will come out of Jacob;a scepter will rise out of Israel.SEPTEMBERNumbers 24:176Mordecai the JewThe phrase “damsel in distress”describes many female characters infairy tales. They need to be rescued,preferably by a handsome prince. Butwhen Disney created their updatedmovie version of the story of Rapunzel,they wanted a different heroine. InTangled, a tough, independent femininecharacter could take care of herself.In today’s passage, we meet an unusual,brave, quick-thinking heroine namedEsther, along with Mordecai, her cousinand adopted father. Mordecai and Estherlived in Susa when the decree camefrom the king’s palace to bring everybeautiful, eligible young woman forconsideration to be his next queen.Mordecai was a Jew from the tribeof Benjamin, and he is depicted inScripture as a man of courage. Hisfamily had been carried into exileby King Nebuchadnezzar and theBabylonians (v. 6). In addition to hisbeautiful cousin, Mordecai himselfwould play an important role in therescue of God’s people.Finally, we learn that our heroine hadtwo names. Her name Hadassah comesfrom the Hebrew word for “myrtle tree,”known for its beautiful sweet smell. Theprophet Isaiah uses the myrtle tree todescribe life and abundance instead ofdrought and death, because the myrtlehas deep roots that can find water (seeIsa. 55:18). God chose Hadassah for herheart and inner beauty that would standfirm in the face of challenges.Her second name, Esther, is derivedfrom the Persian word for “star.” Thisradiant young woman was prized byKing Xerxes and the Persian courtfor her physical beauty, but God hadchosen her to shine a light in thedarkness of that court in order toprovide deliverance for His people.APPLY THE WORDPRAY WITH USEsther, the star, points ahead to Jesus Christ, the“star who will come out of Jacob; the scepter willrise out of Israel” (Num. 24:17) in order to deliverHis people forever from the darkness of sin. Herfaithfulness foreshadowed His perfect obedience.We can shine the light of the gospel in the darknessaround us when we tell others about Jesus.Today, as we continue to pray forMoody’s education branch, pleaseinclude in your time with God theministry of Dr. Junias Venugopal,provost and dean of Education.Thank you for supporting Moodyeducation’s mission and vision!MOODY GLOBAL MINISTRIES 11

READ ESTHER 2:8–14WEDNESDAYSEPTEMBER7The unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,which is of great worth in God’s sight.1 Peter 3:4The Royal Beauty TreatmentElizabeth Arden opened the firstmodern beauty salon in America in1910. In 2016, the cosmetic industryin the United States is expected toearn an estimated 62.4 billion. Today,Americans spend more on beauty eachyear than they do on education.Today’s passage is all about beauty.Esther was brought to the palace inSusa, one of many who were selectedto compete for a desirable position:becoming the next queen (v. 8). Butthe road to royalty was not easy. Eventhough it was clear that Esther wasnaturally beautiful and had won thefavor of Hegai, supervisor of the harem,she still had to undergo twelve monthsof beauty treatments (v. 12).The verses describe what sounds likea modern-day exclusive spa. Estherwas given treatments with oil, myrrh,perfumes, cosmetics, a special diet,and seven female attendants. Due toHegai’s favor, she was moved into thebest place in the king’s harem.But while everyone fussed over whatappeared on the surface of this youngwoman, there was one thing they didnot realize. Esther was a Jew. She hadbeen told by Mordecai to keep hernationality a secret (v. 10). Mordecaicontinued to demonstrate his love andcare for Esther, making sure she wasbeing treated well (v. 11). He alone knewthe truth about who she was.Imagine twelve months of being judgedsolely on your external appearance,twelve months of rooming with otherbeautiful women who want to displaceyou in the king’s favor. Certainly Estherwas getting the royal beauty treatment,but she was also enduring scrutiny andjudgment and competition, with lifechanging stakes. The road ahead wouldnot be easy.APPLY THE WORDPRAY WITH USMany of us get discouraged when we look in themirror. The cosmetics industry thrives on theseinsecurities. But in Scripture, we read again andagain that our God looks beyond the physical.What pleases God is a beautiful heart. Ask Godtoday to create a gentle spirit within you, one thatHe can use to do His will.Would you pray for Troy Fichterand Josie Scott, as well astheir part-time student staff?They operate the SolheimCenter, Moody’s athletic facilityin Chicago, for the benefit ofour students, staff, and thesurrounding community.12 TODAY IN THE WORD

READ ESTHER 2:15–18Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her.Esther 2:15THURSDAYSEPTEMBER8Winning the King’s FavorThe word favorite was used in the late1500s to refer to a person who gainedinfluence over a superior. Traditionally,the word is an adjective indicating thatthe object is preferred before all others.As a noun, the word refers to a personor thing that is particularly well liked.Today, we discover that Esther has wonthe king’s favor. She is his favorite. Aftertwelve long months of preparation, itwas Esther’s turn to meet King Xerxes.We can only imagine her nervousness.In previous verses we have learnedthat Esther was orphaned and quitebeautiful, in today’s passage we learna few things about her character.Esther was not demanding—this wasno diva in training. Esther could takeanything she wanted “from the haremto the king’s palace,” but she asked for“nothing other than what Hegai, theking’s eunuch who was in charge ofthe harem, suggested” (vv. 13–15). Shekept her requests modest and followedadvice. She was not filled with herown importance, issuing outrageousdemands.We also learn that Esther wascongenial. She “won the favor” ofeveryone she met (v. 15). More thansimply being popular, Esther wassomeone whom other people feltcomfortable around. The king feltthe same way. His attraction to hersurpassed how he felt about any otherwoman he had met.In verse 17, King Xerxes made Estherhis queen. She was given the royalcrown and replaced Vashti in thepalace. The event was so joyous thatthe king declared a holiday and gavea banquet in her honor. Esther hadfound the king’s favor. She had alreadybeen favored by God, and now was ina special, honored position—exactlywhere God wanted her to be.APPLY THE WORDPRAY WITH USDo you “win the favor” of those who know you?While we are not required to win a popularitycontest, we are called to reflect the heart and mindof our Savior. Are you a unifier? Do you speakgraciously to others? Do you reach out to thosearound you with kindness? Consider how you canshow God’s love today to those around you.Dr. John Jelinek, vice presidentand dean of Moody TheologicalSeminary, invites you to pray forMTS’s open house, Next Step, onMoody’s Chicago campus. Askthe Father to bless the participants and to show them His willfor their ministry.MOODY GLOBAL MINISTRIES 13

READ ESTHER 2:19–23FRIDAYSEPTEMBER9Honor your father and your mother,so that you may live long in the land the LORDyour God is giving you.Exodus 20:12Honoring MordecaiThere have been more than twentyattempts to assassinate sitting andformer United States presidents. Fourpresidents have been killed in office:Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield,William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy.In today’s passage, King Xerxes is thetarget of an assassination plot, and thehero of the story is Mordecai.Esther and Mordecai continued tohave a close relationship even aftershe became queen. She obeyed hisinstructions to keep her nationality andfamily background a secret; knowingwhat his own family had suffered in thepast, Mordecai had good reason to beconcerned for Esther. He knew that shecould easily become a target of jealousrivals in the court, and the popularityshe now enjoyed could quickly turn intopersecution.Esther respected Mordecai. Even thoughshe was married to a king, she honoredhim as a father and turned to him foradvice. As a Jewish girl, Esther was nodoubt familiar with the commandmentin Exodus 20:12. The Hebrew wordfor honor suggests a significant,lifelong responsibility. It means to givehigh

for the Jewish people. Everyone must place their faith in Jesus Christ in order to experience forgiveness and salvation. Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah and the hope of Israel (Acts 26:6; 28:20). He is the key that unlocks all the promises made to the Jewish people. His resurrection is t