The Diligent Woman Podcast

Welcome to The Diligent Woman Podcast.In Season 6 study along as Angela explores the lives of the Men & Women from Scripture: Learning to Live from the Great Cloud of Witnesses. This season the study will focus on the prophets, the kings and the nations to whom God sent messages. Be sure to Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. Clicking “Like” or sharing the link with others helps get word out to even more people.In today’s episode spend some time learning from the prophet Micah.Use the Study Builder to track our study.https://thediligentwoman.thrivecart.com/mwotb-study-builder-kit/Here are the verses mentioned in today's episode:The book of MicahJeremiah 26:18-19Isaiah 1:1Hosea 1:1Share your thoughts - you can reply to this email or comment on the post in Substack.Enjoy!Find more Bible Studies in The Diligent Woman ShopStudy the book of JonahLink to Season 2 A Woman of Valor is…Season 3 That You May UnderstandSeason 4 The Vitality of PrayerSeason 5 Men & Women from ScriptureTo Be a Handmaid of the LordTo Be a Man of GodThe Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to The Diligent Woman Podcast.In Season 6 study along as Angela explores the lives of the Men & Women from Scripture: Learning to Live from the Great Cloud of Witnesses. This season the study will focus on the prophets, the kings and the nations to whom God sent messages. Be sure to Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. Clicking “Like” or sharing the link with others helps get word out to even more people.In today’s episode spend some time learning from the prophet Isaiah.Use the Study Builder to track our study.https://thediligentwoman.thrivecart.com/mwotb-study-builder-kit/Here are the verses mentioned in today's episode:The book of IsaiahShare your thoughts - you can reply to this email or comment on the post in Substack.Enjoy!Find more Bible Studies in The Diligent Woman ShopStudy the book of JonahLink to Season 2 A Woman of Valor is…Season 3 That You May UnderstandSeason 4 The Vitality of PrayerSeason 5 Men & Women from ScriptureTo Be a Handmaid of the LordTo Be a Man of GodThe Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to The Diligent Woman Podcast.In Season 6 study along as Angela explores the lives of the Men & Women from Scripture: Learning to Live from the Great Cloud of Witnesses. This season the study will focus on the prophets, the kings and the nations to whom God sent messages. Be sure to Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. Clicking “Like” or sharing the link with others helps get word out to even more people.In today’s episode spend some time learning from Jotham, King of JudahUse the Study Builder to track our study.https://thediligentwoman.thrivecart.com/mwotb-study-builder-kit/Here are the verses mentioned in today's episode:2 Kings 15:5, 32-382 Chronicles 27:1-91 Chronicles 5:17Isaiah 1:1Hosea 1:1Micah 1:1Hebrews 12:1-2Hebrews 4:11Share your thoughts - you can reply to this email or comment on the post in Substack.Enjoy!Find more Bible Studies in The Diligent Woman ShopStudy the book of JonahLink to Season 2 A Woman of Valor is…Season 3 That You May UnderstandSeason 4 The Vitality of PrayerSeason 5 Men & Women from ScriptureTo Be a Handmaid of the LordTo Be a Man of GodThe Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to The Diligent Woman Podcast.In Season 6 study along as Angela explores the lives of the Men & Women from Scripture: Learning to Live from the Great Cloud of Witnesses. This season the study will focus on the prophets, the kings and the nations to whom God sent messages. Be sure to Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. Clicking “Like” or sharing the link with others helps get word out to even more people.In today’s episode spend some time learning from Hosea the prophet.Use the Study Builder to track our study.https://thediligentwoman.thrivecart.com/mwotb-study-builder-kit/Here are the verses mentioned in today's episode:The book of HoseaLuke 15Ephesians 2:1-10Share your thoughts - you can reply to this email or comment on the post in Substack.Enjoy!Find more Bible Studies in The Diligent Woman ShopStudy the book of JonahLink to Season 2 A Woman of Valor is…Season 3 That You May UnderstandSeason 4 The Vitality of PrayerSeason 5 Men & Women from ScriptureTo Be a Handmaid of the LordTo Be a Man of GodThe Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to The Diligent Woman Podcast.In Season 6 study along as Angela explores the lives of the Men & Women from Scripture: Learning to Live from the Great Cloud of Witnesses. This season the study will focus on the prophets, the kings and the nations to whom God sent messages. Be sure to Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. Clicking “Like” or sharing the link with others helps get word out to even more people.In today’s episode spend some time learning from Amos the prophet.Use the Study Builder to track our study.https://thediligentwoman.thrivecart.com/mwotb-study-builder-kit/Here are the verses mentioned in today's episode:The book of Amos2 Kings 14:23-29Zechariah 14:5Isaiah 1:1Hosea 1:1Ephesians 5:15-17Hebrews 12:1-3Psalm 19:7Psalm 119:130Share your thoughts - you can reply to this email or comment on the post in Substack.Enjoy!Find more Bible Studies in The Diligent Woman ShopStudy the book of JonahLink to Season 2 A Woman of Valor is…Season 3 That You May UnderstandSeason 4 The Vitality of PrayerSeason 5 Men & Women from ScriptureTo Be a Handmaid of the LordTo Be a Man of GodThe Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to The Diligent Woman Podcast.In Season 6 study along as Angela explores the lives of the Men & Women from Scripture: Learning to Live from the Great Cloud of Witnesses. This season the study will focus on the prophets, the kings and the nations to whom God sent messages. Be sure to Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. Clicking “Like” or sharing the link with others helps get word out to even more people.In today’s episode spend some time learning from Uzziah, also known as Azariah, the king of Judah.Use the Study Builder to track our study.https://thediligentwoman.thrivecart.com/mwotb-study-builder-kit/Here are the verses mentioned in today's episode:2 Kings 14:21-222 Kings 15:1-72 Chronicles 26:1-232 Chronicles 27:2Isaiah 1:1Isaiah 6:1Hosea 1:1Amos 1:12 Samuel 241 Chronicles 212 Chronicles 252 Chronicles 322 Kings 20Daniel 4Share your thoughts - you can reply to this email or comment on the post in Substack.Enjoy!Find more Bible Studies in The Diligent Woman ShopStudy the book of JonahLink to Season 2 A Woman of Valor is…Season 3 That You May UnderstandSeason 4 The Vitality of PrayerSeason 5 Men & Women from ScriptureTo Be a Handmaid of the LordTo Be a Man of GodThe Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to The Diligent Woman Podcast.In Season 6 study along as Angela explores the lives of the Men & Women from Scripture: Learning to Live from the Great Cloud of Witnesses. This season the study will focus on the prophets, the kings and the nations to whom God sent messages. Be sure to Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. Clicking “Like” or sharing the link with others helps get word out to even more people.In today’s episode spend some time learning from Jeroboam II,, the King of Israel.Use the Study Builder to track our study.https://thediligentwoman.thrivecart.com/mwotb-study-builder-kit/Here are the verses mentioned in today's episode:2 Kings 14:23-291 Kings 12:25-331 Kings 13:33-34Numbers 34:7-9Ezekiel 47:15-17Exodus 3:4-10Psalm 106:40-46Judges 10:10-16Isaiah 63:7-14Psalm 106:47-48Share your thoughts - you can reply to this email or comment on the post in Substack.Enjoy!Find more Bible Studies in The Diligent Woman ShopStudy the book of JonahLink to Season 2 A Woman of Valor is…Season 3 That You May UnderstandSeason 4 The Vitality of PrayerSeason 5 Men & Women from ScriptureTo Be a Handmaid of the LordTo Be a Man of GodThe Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to The Diligent Woman Podcast.In Season 6 study along as Angela explores the lives of the Men & Women from Scripture: Learning to Live from the Great Cloud of Witnesses. This season the study will focus on the prophets, the kings and the nations to whom God sent messages. Be sure to Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. Clicking “Like” or sharing the link with others helps get word out to even more people.In today’s episode spend some time looking at the nation of Assyria in scripture.Use the Study Builder to track our study.https://thediligentwoman.thrivecart.com/mwotb-study-builder-kit/Here are the verses mentioned in today's episode:Jonah 3:4-10Nahum 3:1-7Isaiah 7Isaiah 8Isaiah 10:5-19Isaiah 19:19-25Genesis 10:6-20Micah 5:6Numbers 24Share your thoughts - you can reply to this email or comment on the post in Substack.Enjoy!Find more Bible Studies in The Diligent Woman ShopLink to Season 2 A Woman of Valor is…Season 3 That You May UnderstandSeason 4 The Vitality of PrayerSeason 5 Men & Women from ScriptureTo Be a Handmaid of the LordTo Be a Man of GodThe Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to The Diligent Woman Podcast.In Season 6 study along as Angela explores the lives of the Men & Women from Scripture: Learning to Live from the Great Cloud of Witnesses. This season the study will focus on the prophets, the kings and the nations to whom God sent messages. Be sure to Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. Clicking “Like” or sharing the link with others helps get word out to even more people.In today’s episode spend some time considering the message sent through the prophet Nahum.Use the Study Builder to track our study - study Jonah, the fishermen on the ship to Tarshish, and the people of Nineveh.https://thediligentwoman.thrivecart.com/mwotb-study-builder-kit/Here are the verses mentioned in today's episode:Nahum - the whole bookShare your thoughts - you can reply to this email or comment on the post in Substack.Enjoy!Find more Bible Studies in The Diligent Woman ShopLink to Season 2 A Woman of Valor is…Season 3 That You May UnderstandSeason 4 The Vitality of PrayerSeason 5 Men & Women from ScriptureTo Be a Handmaid of the LordTo Be a Man of GodThe Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to The Diligent Woman Podcast.In Season 6 study along as Angela explores the lives of the Men & Women from Scripture: Learning to Live from the Great Cloud of Witnesses. This season the study will focus on the prophets, the kings and the nations to whom God sent messages. Be sure to Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. Clicking “Like” or sharing the link with others helps get word out to even more people.In today’s episode spend some time considering the prophet Jonah and lessons to learn from his story.Use the Study Builder to track our study - study Jonah, the fishermen on the ship to Tarshish, and the people of Nineveh.https://thediligentwoman.thrivecart.com/mwotb-study-builder-kit/Here are the verses mentioned in today's episode:2 Kings 14:23-27Jonah - the whole bookShare your thoughts - you can reply to this email or comment on the post in Substack. Enjoy!Find more Bible Studies in The Diligent Woman ShopLink to Season 2 A Woman of Valor is…Season 3 That You May UnderstandSeason 4 The Vitality of PrayerSeason 5 Men & Women from ScriptureTo Be a Handmaid of the LordTo Be a Man of GodThe Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to The Diligent Woman Podcast.In Season 6 study along as Angela explores the lives of the Men & Women from Scripture: Learning to Live from the Great Cloud of Witnesses. This season the study will focus on the prophets, the kings and the nations to whom God sent messages. Be sure to Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. Clicking “Like” or sharing the link with others helps get word out to even more people.In today’s episode spend some time considering the prophet Joel and the lessons that can be learned from the message God gave him to take to the nation of Israel.Use the Study Builder to track our study - simply put “Joel” or "Israel", "the elders", "priests", or even "Tyre" in place of the man or woman being studied.https://thediligentwoman.thrivecart.com/mwotb-study-builder-kit/Here are the verses mentioned in today's episode:Deuteronomy 28Joel - the whole bookHebrews 11:1,2 and 6Share your thoughts - you can reply to this email or comment on the post in Substack. Enjoy!Find more Bible Studies in The Diligent Woman ShopLink to Season 2 A Woman of Valor is…Season 3 That You May UnderstandSeason 4 The Vitality of PrayerSeason 5 Men & Women from ScriptureTo Be a Handmaid of the LordTo Be a Man of GodThe Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to The Diligent Woman Podcast.In Season 6 study along as Angela explores the lives of the Men & Women from Scripture: Learning to Live from the Great Cloud of Witnesses. This season the study will focus on the prophets, the kings and the nations to whom God sent messages. Be sure to Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. Clicking “Like” or sharing the link with others helps get word out to even more people.In today’s episode spend some time considering what it means to be “One Who Fears the Lord” and the lessons you could learn.In 2 Kings 4:1 a woman declares that her husband “feared the Lord” and this is something Elisha knew personally.In 1 Kings 18:12, Elijah’s servant Obadiah declares his having “feared the Lord” from his youth.What did they mean that they “feared the Lord”? Did they mean they spent every day in fear God was going to destroy them?Before we begin exploring the prophets, their messages, and the people who received those messages, let’s establish a thread that can connect them all.The thread is - those who “fear the Lord” and those who do not.This episode will seek to define what it means to “fear the Lord” and then to understand what is accomplished by being one who fears the Lord.Use the Study Builder to track our study - simply put “One Who Fears the Lord” and the man or woman being studied. Here is a list of scriptures referenced in the episode:Proverbs 31:30Psalm 112:1Proverb 1:7Psalm 19:9 (versus 7-11 for the complete thought, the whole chapter for complete context)Acts 9:31Nehemiah 5:9Psalm 111:10Psalm 86:11Psalm 147:11Proverb 8:13Psalm 2:11Proverb 22:4Psalm 15:1-5Proverb 29:25Psalm 22:23Psalm 25:141 Samuel 12:24Psalm 33:18Malachi 4:2Psalm 34:9, 11 (verses 4-14 for context)Exodus 1:15-22 The Hebrew Midwives1 Samuel 15:24 King Saul fears the people more than GodMalachi 3:16-18 (8-18 for context)Isaiah 50:10Share your thoughts - you can reply to this email or comment on the post in Substack. Enjoy!Find more Bible Studies in The Diligent Woman Shop Link to Season 2 A Woman of Valor is…Season 3 That You May UnderstandSeason 4 The Vitality of PrayerSeason 5 Men & Women from ScriptureTo Be a Handmaid of the LordTo Be a Man of GodThe Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

The Diligent Woman Podcast presents Season 6: Men & Women from Scripture: Learning from the Prophets.The Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.As we continue learning to live from the “great cloud of witnesses” in the Bible, this season, join me as we focus on the prophets God sent and the people He sent them to teach.We will learn from, and about, people like Isaiah, Jonah, and Habakkuk. But we will also learn about the kings and nations their messages were sent to redeem.Subscribe to The Diligent Woman Podcast so you don’t miss an episode. You can find it on Substack https://thediligentwoman.substack.com/podcastSpotify Apple Podcasts and other podcast players. Be sure to SUBSCRIBE wherever you listen to get notified of new episodes.The Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

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Today’s episode completes our study of the Esther Cycle. In episode 519 we looked at King Ahasuerus, in 520 we looked at Mordecai, and our last episode, episode 521 told Haman’s part of the story.Today we look at Esther.What stands out to you from Esther's story?Click the image below to sign up to get a FREE study kit to use with your study of Esther and other people in the Bible. https://thediligentwoman.thrivecart.com/mwotb-study-builder-kit/The nation of Judah had been taken into captivity, first by Babylon (Esther 2:6; 2 Chron. 36:9-10) who was then taken over by the Medo-Persians (Jer. 25:12; 2 Chron. 36;20-21; Dan. 6:25-28, 31).The story takes place in Susa, a citadel of Persia (Esther 1:2, 5), in the third year of King Ahasuerus' reign. He gave a lavish showing of the glory and majesty of his kingdom (Esther 1:4). The 180-day event ended with Queen Vashti being removed from favor and losing her place as Queen because she refused to come at the king's bidding (Esther 1:10-20). Then about three years later, the king goes looking for a new Queen (Esther 2:1-4).Mordecai was a Jew whose fathers before him were taken in the captivity of Judah. He lived in Susa and was raising his cousin, Hadassah, who comes to be known by the Persian name, Esther. She was a young woman who was "beautiful of form and face" (Esther 2:7).  The king's decree goes out and Esther is gathered up along with many young ladies and put into the custody of Hegai. Hegai showed favor to Esther and quickly began her preparations to go before the king. He gave her cosmetics, food, and seven maids from the king's palace. He also transferred her to the best living quarters in the harem (Esther 2:9). During this time, Esther heeded the instructions of Mordecai and did not reveal she was a Jew.After twelve months of extensive beauty treatments (Esther 2:12-14) and preparation, it was Esther's turn to go before the king. Instead of choosing for herself, Esther requested only the things Hegai advised her to choose. The king was pleased with Esther. He "loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins" (Esther 2:17). So he made her Queen instead of Vashti. The king gave a grand banquet in her honor and made a holiday throughout the provinces to commemorate the event. In all this time, Esther "did what Mordecai told her" and did not reveal her kindred.Mordecai, along with all of Susa, learns of the plans of a man named Haman to destroy all of the Jews in Persia. Esther was told about his "great mourning". Esther sends one of the king's eunuchs to Mordecai to find out what was causing his grief. Mordecai provides all the details and asks that Esther go before the king to "plead with him for her people" (Esther 4:1-8).  Esther expresses her concern, because her life is on the line if the king refuses to see her. Mordecai reminds her that she is not safe. God will bring deliverance from another place, but he and Esther will not be there to participate in it. "And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" Esther asks that Mordecai and the Jews fast along with her for three days and then she will go before the king, no matter the consequences (Esther 4:15-17). She then has the support of Mordecai and the people as they join in this focused effort to ready herself physically, emotionally, and spiritually for what she is going to do.Esther goes before the king. When he sees her, he reaches out his scepter to welcome her to speak to him. He tells her she can have whatever she wants, up to half of his kingdom! She invites him and Haman to a banquet that very day. The king quickly responds to do as she has asked (Esther 5:1-5). Esther senses that the time is not yet right to tell what she knows. She asks the king and Haman to come again to a banquet the next day.The King and Haman come again for the dinner she has prepared. As they are drinking their wine, the king asks for Esther's request from him. Esther proceeds to plead for her life and her people. She explains the plans and points out that Haman is the man (Esther 7:1-8).The king is so angry that he takes a walk in the garden to calm himself down. While he is gone, Haman dares to beg Esther to preserve his life and falls on her in his desperation. The king returns and finds Haman not behaving towards the Queen in a way that shows respect for her or for the king. His anger is evident and through the course of events, Haman is hanged on the gallows he had intended for Mordecai (Esther 7:9-10). Mordecai is elevated over all that had been subject to Haman.Esther's quest was not finished though; the people were still in danger because the decree still stood. The king cannot remove the decree as it is written, but he can declare another decree. The King gives Esther and Mordecai the same authority he had given to Haman. They were permitted to decree whatever they deemed necessary to confront what was coming from Haman’s decree against the Jews.This second decree gives the Jews the right to defend themselves and "to destroy, to kill and to annihilate the entire army of any people or province which might attack them" (Esther 8:8-14). For one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the Jews would be permitted to destroy as many of the king's own army as they could! The fear of what the Jews would do on this day moved many people to convert and become Jews in order to protect themselves (Esther 8:17).When the fateful day arrived, the Jews killed many people. In the city of Susa they killed 500 people. However, the King found this to be lackluster. He talks to Esther and asks what she would like to do to make a bigger impact. They decided to give the Jews in Susa another day to implement the decree and that Haman’s ten sons would also be killed (Esther 9:11-19). Esther and Mordecai then established the feast of Purim to remember for all time how Haman's evil schemes were turned around (Esther 9:20-32). Mordecai goes on to become second only to the King and becomes a great man in Persia always considering his people in his efforts.What a fabulous story! I know I have said it before, but it bears repeating - the Bible is full of drama, action, and comedy! We should approach the Bible as an enjoyable story to read so that we teach our children that it is an enjoyable book to read.So, what can we learn from Esther? The things that stand out to me are her obedience, her humility, and her wisdom in her marriage.She shows us obedience in the way she deals with Mordecai, Hegai, and the king. Even though she is now a young woman in the palace of the king, she does not put off the teachings of Mordecai. She continues to obey him "as she had done when under his care" (Esther 2:20). Esther recognizes that Hegai will know better what she needs, so defers to his guidance in her preparation to see the king (Esther 2:15). She also shows that she respects the authority of the king by her hesitation to put herself forward - it is her place to wait for him to call her (Esther 4:11). We can imitate her by being obedient to the teachings of our parents (Prov. 4:20-23; Eph. 6:1-3), being obedient to those in authority over us (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Tim. 2:1-3; Eph. 5:22-24), and by being obedient to God (Jn. 14:15; 1 Jn 1:3-6; Titus 2:11-15; Rom. 1:1-7; Rom. 16:25-27).Esther shows her humility in her obedience, but she also shows it when she calls for others to fast with her. Fasting at this time was usually associated with prayer. Ezra 8:23 says, "So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty." David talks about fasting and praying through troubles from malicious witnesses in Psalm 35:11-14. When Daniel realized that the time was near as prophesied in Jeremiah for Judah to return home, he gave his "attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes" (Daniel 9:3). It is reasonable that this is what Esther was asking of her people - that they fast and pray for her before she approaches the king (Esther 4:15-17). Esther knew that her courage was not going to come from within, but rather from the help of the Lord (Deut. 31:6; Ps. 31:24; Phil. 1:14). We can learn to follow her in putting our trust in God, remembering that it is He who lifts us up and gives us wings (Is. 40:27-31; Ps. 29:11; 2 Cor. 12:8-10; Phil. 4:13) to do the work He has called us to do.Esther also shows great wisdom in her marriage. When the king invites her to make her request, note how Esther handles herself (Esther 5:3). She does not throw herself down in tears making a scene. She does not throw blame at the king for putting her into a scary situation. She does not pout because he does not already know what is bothering her. She DOES bring her request calmly. She DOES wait for a more private moment to discuss it. She DOES offer to serve him before asking something for herself (Esther 5:4). Esther shows that she had a plan, she thought through what she would say, and she was certain of her own mind before she said it.Then when she has the king and Haman at dinner, she doesn't fly at Haman. She does not find servants to assassinate him and then explain to the king the reason why. She kept her cool. She waited until she knew the king was ready to hear her. In a situation like Esther's, having the king to herself during a dinner would be very unusual. She was patient and made sure that she had the king's attention by asking for him to come to dinner a second time. This surely had his interest.Esther does make her request at the second dinner; but not as soon as the king walks in the door. She waits until they have had something to drink. He is relaxed and comfortable. She waits for him to invite her to make her request. When she does finally make her request, she is respectful, she is honest, and she states the problem clearly. She shows that she is aware of how things are done and that she is not asking for something that would be unreasonable to ask (Esther 7:3-4). She understood that a soft answer turns away wrath (Prov. 15:1). She shows the wisdom of Proverbs 25:21-22 by showing kindness to Haman, the man scheming to kill her. Esther was able to bring about the saving of her people because she approached her husband with self-control. We women today would do well to learn to follow Esther in this way!Esther was loved and cared for greatly by the king. He shows her great favor several times. He wants to please her. She did not try to manipulate this. She recognized her place and his authority. She addressed him in this way and he responded immediately to defend her. This is how the marriage relationship should work (Eph. 5:22-33).We CAN follow Esther's example. 2 Peter 1:5-11 has the formula and Esther followed it! Recognize that God has given us "everything pertaining to life and godliness" and so apply all diligence and add to your faith the moral excellence to do what is right when it is hard, add knowledge, show self-control, persevere, remain in godliness, show kindness to others, and above all be loving. Esther was fruitful because she did these things. So can each of us!Enjoy!Mentioned in this episode:https://thediligentwoman.substack.com/p/s5-episode-518-boaz?r=2wxszdhttps://thediligentwoman.substack.com/p/s5-episode-519-king-ahasuerus?r=2wxszdMore Studies from The Diligent Woman:To Be a Handmaid of the Lord https://tobeahandmaidofthelord.comStudy the Bible one book at a time through Scripture Writinghttps://bythebookbiblestudy.substack.comStudy Themes in the Bible Using Scripture Writinghttps://scripturewriting.comMore from The Diligent Woman Podcast:https://thediligentwomanpodcast.comSeven Weeks Coffee - (affiliate link) https://snwbl.io/seven-weeks-coffee/DILIGENT Use code DILIGENT at checkout for 10% off your orderShop Young Living - (affiliate link) https://www.youngliving.com/us/en/referral/1533787 Use code SHAREYL at checkout for 10% off your first order of 50 PV or more.The Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.https://thediligentwoman.substack.com Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back!Today, in episode 521, we continue Esther’s cycle: looking at the prominent characters in the book of Esther. We have already looked at King Ahasuerus in episode 519 and Mordecai in episode 520. Don’t worry, we will get to Esther in the next episode.Today’s episode looks at the person who is the cause of all the trouble in the book of Esther. This one man’s pride sets in motion a set of events that could not have been anticipated. Not all people in the Bible are good examples. But all people are an example of some kind. This man is an exceptionally vivid example of what kind of man NOT to be.What stands out to you from Haman's story?Click the image below to sign up to get a FREE study kit to use with your study of Haman and other people in the Bible. https://thediligentwoman.thrivecart.com/mwotb-study-builder-kit/Today, we look at Haman’s story.Some People Just Will Not Be HappySome time after Esther becomes Queen, the king promotes a man named Haman to be his second in command. Haman was given authority over all the other princes of the nation who answered to the King.In the 12th year of King Ahasuerus’ reign, Haman experiences some frustration in his work. When Haman would walk through the king’s gate, all the king’s servants who were present would bow down before Haman and they would pay him homage (worship him, basically). However, there was one man who would not do this. That man was Mordecai.Mordecai’s explanation seems to only be that he is a Jew (Esther 3:4). The other servants don’t make any headway convincing him to show more honor to Haman. The servants told Haman to test Mordecai’s resolve, because “I am a Jew” seemed like a flimsy reason. Haman soon found that Mordecai would not be swayed and Haman was “filled with rage” (Esther 3:5).While there was a standing command from the king (Esther 3:2), there doesn’t seem to be a law for Haman to hold Mordecai guilty of violating. At least he makes no effort to go that route. Instead, it is not enough to punish Mordecai, Haman intends that he will destroy ALL of the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus. All of this because one man hurt his pride.So, we find Haman gambling by casting lots to determine which month he should enact his revenge against the Jewish people. The lot lands on the 12th month of that year.Haman now proceeds to get the king’s approval for this very large undertaking.Haman Hatches a PlanHaman tells the king, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe the King’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain. If it is pleasing to the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry on the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” (Esther 3:8-9).Maybe this is the answer to the question of whether or not Mordecai was doing anything wrong by not honoring and worshiping Haman. If the Jews had the freedom to observe their own laws and not observe the King’s laws, then Mordecai’s answer, “I am a Jew” makes a little more sense. Since we are several kings past Cyrus who came and granted the Jews the freedom to head back to Jerusalem and to build the Temple, their having some freedoms within the nation makes sense as well. Again, they really are not being treated as slaves at this point. They are just part of the fabric of the nation of Persia.OK - Haman keeps it generic, he doesn’t tell Ahasuerus which people are going to be destroyed. He just says these people are trouble and not worth keeping in the nation. To make it more appealing to the king, Haman offers to pay a crazy amount of money to cover the costs of the venture.The king hands Haman his signet ring and tells him to do what he wants, especially since it is his own money being spent.Is it strange that the king didn’t ask for more details? I don’t know. This is his top advisor. The princes were the ones who would be going about the provinces and aware of what was happening directly with the people. Maybe it didn’t occur to the king that someone would unjustly annihilate a whole nation of people who are living among them. Maybe this was more common in their day than we would be used to. I don’t know, but the text makes it clear that what Haman is doing is extreme for the circumstances.So, Haman gets the scribes to write a decree that will make it law for all the provinces of Persia to “destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the 13th day of the 12th month…and to seize their possessions as plunder.” That is a pretty thorough order!The decree goes out, and rightfully so, the people of Persia are confused and concerned. The king and Haman just go on about their business.The Queen Invites Haman to DinnerNot long after the decree goes out, Haman gets a nice surprise - an invitation to dinner with the King at a banquet prepared by the Queen just for them! After dinner, the Queen invites them to dinner again the next night, and Haman heads home feeling pretty pleased with himself. When he encounters Mordecai in the king’s gate, and again Mordecai disrespects him, Haman is filled with anger again. He keeps his cool and goes home, where he sends for his wife and friends so he can complain about his problem.Haman proceeds to list all of his accomplishments and prosperity, “yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”His good wife and friends try to make him feel better by offering a solution to his problem: why not just build a 50 cubit tall gallows and ask the king to hang Mordecai from it tomorrow morning? Then Haman can go enjoy his second banquet with the King and Queen. This pleases Haman, so the gallows are built.That seems a lot to accomplish overnight, but maybe they didn’t mind working through the night. Who knows?An Unexpected ResultSo, the next morning, with new gallows ready and waiting, Haman leaves early to talk to the king about hanging Mordecai. Before he can even ask for an audience with the king, he is called by the king’s servants to come see the king.The king asks Haman, “What is to be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?”Haman, of course, thinks there couldn’t be anyone other than him who the king would want to honor, so he offered a grand idea.“For the man whom the king desires to honor, let them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and the horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown has been placed; and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and lead him on horseback through the city square and proclaim before him, Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.”The king loves this idea! He says, “Perfect. Get the things you listed and do so for Mordecai the Jew who is sitting in the king’s gate.” He adds - do not neglect to do any of the things you suggested.So, on the morning Haman had hoped to be hanging Mordecai from the gallows he had built expressly for that purpose, instead Haman is publicly showing honor to Mordecai, parading him around the city square in the king’s finery, and crying out this is the way the king chooses to honor people.Poor Haman!Well, once he is done honoring Mordecai - Mordecai goes back to the king’s gate, and Haman covers his head and goes home in shame. It says he “hurried home, mourning”. This day is NOT going the way Haman thought it would.Once he is home, he tells his wife and his friends about his humiliation. The response from the people who suggested the gallows and thought Haman was certain to be the man on top for a while? If Mordecai, who you have fallen so low in front of, is of Jewish origin - you will not overcome him. You will fall before him.All confidence is gone.Just then, the king’s eunuchs show up to bring Haman to the banquet the Queen had prepared.I have to say, I can feel his pain. If he weren’t so evil, I would almost feel sorry for the guy. To have been so wrong about your situation! The humiliation is painful to watch. But, wait, we aren’t done.The Hits Just Keep on ComingHaman goes to dinner. When the meal is finished, the king asks the Queen what it is she wants to ask him. Then Esther tells the King who she is and how the decree affects her and her people in a most unjust way. She declares she could have accepted if they had been sold into slavery - but for them to be decreed to be annihilated is just too much. The king asks who would have done this to her and her people. Esther declares, “A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman!”The king is angry - and he has been drinking - so he leaves the room to calm down in the garden. Meanwhile, Haman is panicking. He can tell the King is wanting him dead. He starts to beg Queen Esther to spare his life!Can you imagine the audacity?! This man has spent months preparing to kill a whole nation of people simply because one man offended his sense of entitlement. But now, when his actions are laid out for all to see, he dares to ask for mercy! And in his desperation, he loses all sense of propriety - he dares to hang over the Queen, so much so that when the king comes in after having calmed himself down - this new insult is too much. There is only one answer. Servants come and cover Haman’s face.One of the eunuchs speaks up with some helpful information for the king. “Behold indeed, the gallows standing at Haman’s house fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai who spoke good on behalf of the king!”The king says, “Hang him on it.”Esther 7:10 says, “So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, and the king’s anger subsided.”What poetic justice! On the very day that Haman was seeking to hang Mordecai for offending his vanity, Haman is hanged to die on those gallows for the attempted murder of the Queen and her people and for not showing proper respect and honor to the King by treating his Queen with honor.The Lessons from HamanSo, we talked about how good it would be for a man to be like Mordecai in episode 520. Haman is the direct opposite of Mordecai.Want to teach your son how NOT to be as a man?Read him the story of Haman.A man rises to power, working his way up the ladder. He achieves greatness - but HOW he does so is all important.Haman’s attitude about Mordecai is only validated by his equally evil-minded wife and friends. Their solution to the problem isn’t to be more forceful with the man, no, just kill him! They thought he had a good enough position with the king to ask him to have Mordecai hanged - couldn’t he just as easily have asked him to have Mordecai beaten if what he was doing was against the king’s laws? There HAD to have been some recourse within the law IF what Mordecai was doing was outside the law. None of the servants act like it is. In fact, they seem to encourage him to bow because it will make things easier for him, not because he is doing something wrong. Haman was far too bothered by this one man not thinking him as great as he thought himself.There is nothing manly or attractive about Haman when his pride is wounded.Crawling to his wife and friends to whine about what he perceives has been done to him is completely unattractive. He is not a man. He is a child.Lying to deceive the king about his plans, this shows him to be a lowly person too.Compared to Mordecai, Haman is so small. And he KNOWS it - hence the heated response to Mordecai’s quiet refusal to treat Haman in a way that he doesn’t deserve.Go through Haman’s stories and make a list of all the ways he deals with the circumstances in front of him. There is a bible verse for every one of the vile things he thinks, says or does.Haman is a beautiful story of evil getting their just desserts. It doesn’t happen every day in this life. Sometimes the wicked seem to get all the good things in life. But come the judgment, every wicked deed will be dealt with as soundly and justly as Haman’s were in this story.Men, be self-aware enough to choose NOT to be like Haman.Mentioned in this episode:https://thediligentwoman.substack.com/p/s5-episode-518-boaz?r=2wxszdhttps://thediligentwoman.substack.com/p/s5-episode-519-king-ahasuerus?r=2wxszdMore Studies from The Diligent Woman:To Be a Handmaid of the Lord https://tobeahandmaidofthelord.comStudy the Bible one book at a time through Scripture Writinghttps://bythebookbiblestudy.substack.comStudy Themes in the Bible Using Scripture Writinghttps://scripturewriting.comMore from The Diligent Woman Podcast:https://thediligentwomanpodcast.comSeven Weeks Coffee - (affiliate link) https://snwbl.io/seven-weeks-coffee/DILIGENT Use code DILIGENT at checkout for 10% off your orderShop Young Living - (affiliate link) https://www.youngliving.com/us/en/referral/1533787 Use code SHAREYL at checkout for 10% off your first order of 50 PV or more.The Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.https://thediligentwoman.substack.com Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back!Today, in episode 520, we continue Esther’s cycle: looking at the prominent characters in the book of Esther. The book of Esther ends with these words:“For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews and in favor with his many kinsmen, one who sought the good of his people and one who spoke for the welfare of his whole nation.” (Esther 10:3)As with Boaz, who we talked about in Episode 518, I believe Mordecai gets overlooked when a list of good examples for young men to follow gets compiled.What stands out to you from Mordecai’s story?Click the image below to sign up to get a FREE study kit to use with your study of Mordecai and other people in the Bible. https://thediligentwoman.thrivecart.com/mwotb-study-builder-kit/To put him in a timeline - Nebuchadnezzar takes Jehoiakim as a prisoner to Babylon in 597 BCNebuchadnezzar takes Jehoiachin as a prisoner to Babylon in 597 BCNebuchadnezzar then goes to war against Zedekiah which ends in those who were not killed in the war being taken to Babylon (2 Chron. 36:20) in 586 BC, the temple is destroyed. This would include the carrying away that impacted Daniel and his friends in Daniel 1.They remained captives in Babylon until the kingdom of Persia conquered Babylon in 539 BC with King CyrusIn 537 BC, Cyrus sends Zerubbabel to Jerusalem to build the temple.516 BC second Temple is completed (end of “captivity”) under Darius the GreatIn 486 BC Ahasuerus (also known as Xerxes) comes into power - Esther takes place during his reignIn 458 BC Ezra returns with a second groupIn 445 BC the third, led by Nehemiah, and final group of Jews return to Israel under King ArtaxerxesSo, the book of Esther takes place during a time when the people are not in active slavery, but aren’t all returned back home to Israel either. Mordecai and Esther both seem to have been born during the captivity. Morecai’s father (or great grandfather depending on how you read Esther 2:5-6) seems to have been taken into captivity with those exiled when Jeconiah (Jeremiah 24:1; aka Jehoiachin 2 Kings 24:6; aka Coniah Jeremiah 22:24) was taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. This would have been the first carrying away in around 597 BC. Mordecai’s uncle was also carried away or born into captivity, but had already died by the time of the events of the book. It is 114 years after the first carrying away when King Ahasuerus comes into power and the events of the book begin.OK - back to our story.Good people in a sticky situationIn the city of Susa, Persia a royal problem had arisen. The King was without a Queen. Early in his reign, King Ahasuerus spent six months celebrating the “riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty” (Esther 1:4). The end of the celebration led to his pride and anger bringing him to remove Queen Vashti from her position and banning her from ever seeing him again.When the King’s anger subsided, he remembered his behavior, but the law could not be undone. His servants propose a search be done in all the provinces (there were 127 of those!) for beautiful young virgins to be brought for the King to choose from them a new Queen. The king agrees to this.So, as young women are being found and brought to Susa for their year of beauty treatments, a young Jewish woman, named Esther was also taken to the king’s palace. Esther was being cared for by her cousin Mordecai. Mordecai’s uncle was Esther’s father. When he and his wife both died, Mordecai took Esther as his own daughter.When Esther is taken into the king’s palace, Mordecai spent every day pacing in the harem courtyard in order to get updates about Esther and how she was doing.We learn that Mordecai had commanded her to not tell people about her family or her heritage. Esther respected Mordecai, and obeyed him in this just as she had obeyed him while he was bringing her up. Long story short, Esther pleases the king and he chooses her to be his new Queen.After this, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate when two of the king’s guards started getting angry and planning to kill the King. Mordecai took the details of the plot to Esther and then Esther told the King in Mordecai’s name. The king’s men investigated the claim, found it to be true and hanged both conspirators on the gallows. Then the events, and the part Mordecai played, were written into the Book of the Chronicles.Bad people create bad situationsMordecai seems to work at the king’s gate on a regular occurrance. A man named Haman, who the king had promoted to be in authority over all of the princes who reported to the king, walked through the king’s gate often. Normally, all of the king’s servants would bow to him, and it says this was something the “king had commanded concerning him” (Esther 3:2). Well, Mordecai would not bow and he would not pay homage to Haman! The king’s servants tried to talk to him about this, and still Mordecai refused, stating that he was a Jew (Esther 3:4). I don’t know if the command from the king was to respect Haman’s authority and the servants chose to express that through bowing (respect for authority) and paying homage (worship) or if the command was for people to worship Haman because of his promoted position. Either way, Mordecai making the claim to being a Jew as his reason for refusing makes it seem that he, at least, saw the act of bowing and worshiping this man as something contrary to Mordecai’s allegiance to God. He has already shown respect for the King’s authority, so he doesn’t seem to be a belligerent man who refuses to submit. Whatever the exact wording of the command from the king, Haman is most certainly offended by Mordecai’s refusal to bow and pay homage. More than just offended, Haman becomes “filled with rage” and starts to form a plan for not just revenge, but annihilation.Mordecai learns about Haman’s plans when the rest of Persia does, by the decree that is sent out making it lawful to destroy all of the Jews and plunder their possessions on the 13th day of the 12th month of that year. This information rightly causes the Jews to be upset. Esther learns about the distress of her people. She sends clothes to Mordecai, in hopes that he would put off his mourning. Mordecai refuses to accept the clothes. Esther then sends one of the king’s eunuchs to go to Mordecai to find out what is going on and why. Hathach, the eunuch, finds Mordecai in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai tells Hathach what the decree said, including the amount of money Haman was donating to the king’s treasuries for the purpose of destroying the Jews. He sends a copy of the decree to Esther so she is fully aware of the situation and demands that she go before the king to plead with him for the lives of her people.Esther sends back a reply, “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” (Esther 4:11).Between this decree and the king’s law, Esther is very reasonable to be concerned about inserting herself into things!Mordecai sends a brutal, yet wise answer: “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).To Mordecai, it is very simple. The decree makes it more than possible that someone in the king’s household who knows Esther’s heritage will kill her. Her silence is not a guarantee of safety. The Jews WILL be delivered - of that Mordecai is certain. But he also sees an opportunity here that must at least be tried. Maybe, just maybe, Esther was allowed to become Queen as a means to provide that deliverance for the people of Israel. Courage is the only way to find out. Face what is coming and do what you can, no matter the results. Esther asks Mordecai to gather all the Jews in Susa and have them fast with her for three days. She is going to prepare spiritually, emotionally, and physically before she goes before the king. Mordecai goes and does as she commanded him.Picture that - a whole city of Jews who have been mourning the bounty on their heads will now turn their attention to fasting, and praying as those two usually went hand in hand, alongside of the Queen and her maidens. Esther knew she could count on Mordecai to do what she asked. How it must have encouraged her to know they were all fasting along with her! How it must have encouraged the people to know their Queen was going to go to battle for their lives! After three days, the Queen rises from fasting and presents herself to the King.While Esther is doing her part, Mordecai has another run in with Haman.Haman has had the honor of eating dinner with the King and Queen. He is very full of himself to have been honored this way - but then he comes across Mordecai at the king’s gate. Mordecai still does not acknowledge Haman - he doesn’t get up and he doesn’t cower before Haman. Haman is again filled with rage and goes home to complain about it to his friends and his wife. Little does Mordecai know that Haman is planning to kill him the very next day!Meanwhile, the king has trouble sleeping after the dinner with the Queen and Haman. He asks that the book of records be read to him. The passage that is chosen is the one describing when Mordecai saved the king’s life by revealing the plot of the doorkeepers to kill him. The king seeks to honor Mordecai. Through a series of events, the next morning, Mordecai finds himself being publicly honored by none other than Haman! Haman takes the king’s robe and puts it on Mordecai. He has Mordecai ride one of the king’s horses while Haman leads the horse through the city square proclaiming, “Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.” Afterwards, Mordecai goes back to his business in the king’s gate and Haman goes home with his head covered in shame.Deliverance is made for the JewsBy the next day, circumstances had changed even more for Mordecai. After the events in the city square, Haman had another dinner to attend with the King and Queen that evening. Esther presents the king with her troubles, Haman makes a fool of himself begging for his life, and the king responds to Haman’s audacity by commanding he be hanged on the gallows Haman had built for Mordecai. Then the king proceeds to give all that belonged to Haman into the hands of Queen Esther and Mordecai.The king gave his signet ring, which he had taken away from Haman, to Mordecai and placed him over all that had been Haman’s. The king also declares that Queen and Esther have the authority to, “write to the Jews as you see fit, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for a decree which is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s signet ring may not be revoked.” (Esther 8:8).Mordecai then commands the scribes to write to all the people in all 127 provinces of Persia a decree that granted all the Jews the right to assemble and to defend themselves and to plunder - the same wording as what Haman had ordered be done against the Jews - on the 13th day of the 12th month of that year. Mordecai no longer worked at the king’s gate. Now he goes about in royal robes of blue and white, with a large crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple, and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced! (Esther 8:15).A good man had been promoted in a land that was not his own and it brought about hope and joy for the Jewish people. When the fateful 13th day of the 12th month arrived, the Jews defeated those who came to harm them. It says in Esther 9:3, “Even all the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and those who were doing the king’s business assisted the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them.”Mordecai was great in the king’s house, his fame spread, because he became greater and greater.The Jews won the day, two days in Susa actually, and went on to celebrate with a feast decreed by Queen Esther and Mordecai. The feast of Purim was created so they would remember what had been done for them in Persia. The command of Esther was written in the book.Now we come back to the end of the story, Now King Ahasuerus laid a tribute on the land and on the coastlands of the sea. And all the accomplishments of his authority and strength, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia? For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews and in favor with his many kinsmen, one who sought the good of his people and one who spoke for the welfare of his whole nation.” (Esther 10:1-3).What a story!Like Joseph, Mordecai rises up from unlikely circumstances to become a means of deliverance for the people of Israel.Daniel had a similar story, but even he only achieved being third in the land (Daniel 5:29).Mordecai maintained his convictions and behaved honorably towards everyone. We see another godly man, who shows us godly behavior in a book that never once mentions God by name. His character shines a light on what formed his character. Young men, be like Mordecai. There is no indication that he has a wife. He took in his cousin to raise when her parents died. He did so with honor and taught her well the ways of godliness. He built a reputation by hard work and being steadfast in his principles. He showed courage in the face of great trials and encouraged his brethren to do the same.As we said with Boaz, God does not place expectations on you that are impossible to accomplish. You may have trials and you may have to work to put your will under submission to God’s will - but it isn’t impossible. See the hope and the encouragement in this man. In your life, in your circumstances, be a Mordecai.Mentioned in this episode:https://thediligentwoman.substack.com/p/s5-episode-518-boaz?r=2wxszdhttps://thediligentwoman.substack.com/p/s5-episode-519-king-ahasuerus?r=2wxszdMore Studies from The Diligent Woman:To Be a Handmaid of the Lord https://tobeahandmaidofthelord.comStudy the Bible one book at a time through Scripture Writinghttps://bythebookbiblestudy.substack.comStudy Themes in the Bible Using Scripture Writinghttps://scripturewriting.comMore from The Diligent Woman Podcast:https://thediligentwomanpodcast.comThe Diligent Woman is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.https://thediligentwoman.substack.com Get full access to The Diligent Woman at thediligentwoman.substack.com/subscribe