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Apples of Gold
Radio Script for October 28, 2009
“Purim”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
King Ahasuerus was also known as King Xerxes, which I’m going to use because it’s spelled with two X’s, and it’s easier to pronounce. (ZERK-zeez)
About 460 years before Christ, King Xerxes was a big dog, ruling over 127 provinces stretching from India into Africa.
At one point he held a six month long session of his top leaders and advisors, and it was a grand, royal affair. At the end he threw a week-long celebration. And his wife, Queen Vashti, threw a party for all the women in the royal palace.
There was a lot of drinking, the king was loaded, and on the seventh day he sent for his wife to come and show off her great beauty.
She refused to come.
And the word spread like wildfire. “The king called for the queen and she refused him.”
So the king turned to his advisors and said, “Now what?”
“At this rate,” they said, “women everywhere will disrespect their husbands. Better make an example of her.”
So the king declared that Queen Vashti would never again enter his presence, and that men everywhere are the rulers of their own household.
Then the king sobered up and realized that he basically had no queen, so he turned to his advisors who said, “Let’s get all the prettiest girls in here and you can pick the best one as your next queen.”
One of the girls chosen was named Esther, who quickly found favor with the king’s servants. Esther was an orphan who was raised by an older cousin named Mordecai.
Now Mordecai and Esther were Jews, but when the king’s men came calling Mordecai told Esther to keep that Jewish part on the down-low.
Well Esther “won the favor of everyone who saw her,” the Bible says, and she was crowned the new queen by King Xerxes.
So life went on, and Mordecai stayed in touch with his young cousin, the queen.
Then one day Mordecai found out about a plot to assassinate the king. He told Esther, who told the king, who had the men executed. And the queen made sure that Mordecai got the credit.
Then there was a guy named Haman who quickly rose up in the ranks and next thing you know he was the right hand man to the king. The king ordered everyone to honor Haman, even bow down to him. And everyone did . . . except Mordecai.
So Haman hated Mordecai, and when he found out he was a Jew he came up with an evil plan – to eliminate all the Jews throughout the kingdom of Xerxes.
Haman told the king, “There is a certain people scattered throughout your kingdom that do not obey your laws. I advise that you not tolerate this behavior.”
“Fine,” said the king, “do with them whatever you please.”
So Haman sent forth the order, in the king’s name, that every single Jew, young and old, male and female, would be killed, and all of their possessions plundered, on one specific day.
As the word got out, Jews everywhere wept. And fasted. And that included Mordecai.
Then Mordecai sent word to the queen, “You need to go into the king’s presence and beg for the life of your people.”
“I can’t,” she said. “Everyone who goes into the king’s presence without his invitation is killed, unless he extends the golden scepter.”
Mordecai replied, “Don’t think you will be spared just because you are in the king’s house. If you remain silent, deliverance for the Jews will come from somewhere else, but you will perish. And who knows? Maybe you have come into the kingdom for such a time as this.”
“Okay,” the queen replied. “Have all the Jews in the city fast for three days, and I and my maids will fast as well. Then I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
After three days of fasting the queen got all dressed up and went to the king’s hall. When he saw her he was very pleased with her and held out the golden scepter.
She approached and touched the tip of the scepter, and the king said, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom.”
Well the queen invited the king, and Haman, to a banquet. And Haman was very excited, until he walked past Mordecai who, as always, did not bow.
Haman went home and complained to his wife and friends who said, “Build a huge gallows, and go ask the king to hang Mordecai.”
Meanwhile, the king discovered that he had never properly thanked Mordecai for uncovering the assassination plot. As the king was thinking of how to honor Mordecai, Haman walked in.
“How can I honor someone who truly needs to be honored?” the king said to Haman. Well Haman thought he was talking about him, so he laid it on thick, listing all the great things the king should do to honor that man.
“Good,” said the king. “Go and have all those things done . . . for Mordecai.”
Then came the queen’s special banquet with the king and Haman. And the queen spilled the beans about Haman’s evil plot to kill the Jews.
In the end, Haman was hanged on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai. And Mordecai was elevated to second in command under only the king himself.
And instead of being annihilated, the Jews declared a time of rejoicing.
And Jews to this day celebrate Purim each year, remembering the day they were delivered and their weeping was turned to joy.
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
(Close with chorus from the Purim Song.)
© 2009 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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