Worship service 9/21/25.
Greetings and call to worship.
Greetings and good morning, saints and holy brethren, the called and blessed of the Lord, those looking for and patiently waiting for the coming of the great day of the Lord. We come together once again on His holy day to proclaim that great and blessed and glorious truth that Christ shall come again and save us from all our troubles. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 says, “’ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.’ Therefore inasmuch as He hath saved us from accursed idolatry, and we see more and more clearly the abyss of sin and misery that we were and are delivered from, let us give thanks that He has made known His word to us, and taught us His righteous judgments, the means of our deliverance. A Puritan minister writes, “When hearing the word preached, lay aside partiality. Partiality in hearing is, when we like to hear some truths preached, but not all. We love to hear of heaven, but not of self-denial; of reigning with Christ, but not of suffering with him; of the more facile duties of religion, but not those which are more knotty and difficult; as mortification, laying the axe to the root, and hewing down our beloved sin. ‘Speak smooth things’ (Isa 30: 10), such as may not grate upon the conscience. Many like to hear of the love of Christ, but not of loving their enemies; they like the comforts of the word, but not its reproofs. Herod heard John the Baptist gladly; he liked many truths, but not when he spake against his incest. Lay aside censoriousness. Some, instead of judging themselves for sin, sit as judges upon the preacher; his sermon had either too much gall in it, or it was too long. They would sooner censure a sermon than practice it. God will judge the judger. Matt 7: 1.
Prayer unto the public reading of the Holy Scripture:
Our holy and righteous Father,
Eternal, immutable, and full of all glory, justice, and righteousness,
Merciful, compassionate, and faithful—The God who will by no means clear the guilty, yet showing mercy to thousands that love thee with the whole heart and keep thy commandments:
We come before thee solemnly and sincerely, as those whom thou hast redeemed and purchased by the precious blood of thy Son, called out of darkness and into the marvellous light of the gospel and the kingdom of Jesus Christ. According to thy word, we are bid and commanded to draw near to thee humbly, with a single heart and upright affections; and therefore we ask thee to grant it unto us, that it may be even so—Acknowledging that thou art incomprehensibly great, holy, and excellent, Glorious in power, fearful in praises, doing wonders. We are therefore careful to approach thy altar, knowing the severity of thy law, the holy requirements of the gospel, as well as our own vileness and unworthiness to draw so near unto thee.
We freely confess, O Lord, that apart from the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are justly denied entrance into thy glory, and must be cast from thy presence as an abominable thing. For we are guilty and polluted, unable of ourselves to repent or return, and altogether unfit to render thee any service that is not defiled by sin. Yet we believe that thou art our God, and the rewarder of them that diligently seek thy face. Therefore, we boldly cry unto thee for the free gift of thy grace: For pardoning mercy to cover our iniquities, And sanctifying mercy to make us meet for thy presence. Hear our prayers, deliver us from all trouble, cleanse us, we pray, by the blood of Christ. Assist us by the power of thy Spirit. Defend us from all evil, Strengthen our faith, subdue the lusts of the flesh that swell within us, And enable us to perform this holy service, Not in our own strength, But in the virtue which thou dost supply of thine own free goodness. And now, O Lord, as we come to the reading of thy holy word, we pray for a special blessing upon this portion of Scripture, that it may be effectual to build up thy holy church, which thou hast called thy special possession, and thy little flock. Open our hearts to receive it with meekness; Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and cause us by thy grace to worship thee by it; And may the same Spirit who spake unto the fathers, apostles and prophets, the reformers and Puritans, so guide our whole lives, That we may grow up in Him in all things, even He who is the Bridegroom and Head of the Church, Jesus Christ, our Prophet, Priest and King. All this we ask in his most worthy name,
Amen.
Devotional and doctrinal exposition on the Psalms:
Psalm 26 [13] (Verse 9-11): 1 David oppressed with many injuries, finding no help in the world, calleth for aid from God: and assured of his integrity towards Saul, desireth God to be his judge, and to defend his innocence. 6 Finally he maketh mention of his sacrifice, which he will offer for his deliverance, and desireth to be in the company of the faithful in the Congregation of God, whence he was banished by Saul, promising integrity of life, and open praises and thanksgiving.
A Psalm of David.
1 Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.
2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
3 For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.
4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.
5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.
6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord:
7 That I may declare with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.
8 O Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.
9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:
10 In whose hands is wickedness, and their right hand is full of bribes.
11 But I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.
12 My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord.
Exposition:
We saw previously that the righteous believer in the person of David pleads with God not to be bound together with the wicked on the day of judgment. For as surely as there shall be a judgment, and there shall be no escape from that conscription, it must be said that it shall undoubtedly be in some manner according to works. Not insofar that the righteous shall be acquitted or made just on the ground of their works—for Christ alone is our righteousness—but inasmuch that the reward bestowed shall nonetheless take these works into account. For we must say again that David does not merely wish to be separate from sinners, but from sin itself, the root of their misery and the grief of his own soul. When believers filled with the Spirit of God lift up their voices and cry against iniquity, it is not so that they may rejoice over others, imagining themselves pure in themselves, but so that men might turn and repent, and if they will not, as undoubtedly the masses will flock to damnation, and the greater part of the world turn its ears away from the truth, then they shall know that a true minister has been among them and they will have no excuse for their sin.
Therefore, inasmuch as every true believer both loveth God and endeavoureth to keep His commandments, according to the strict and precise doctrine of His holy word, so those who are destitute of good works cannot be said to have faith at all. As the apostle speaketh, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). Note well: not faith is dead without works, as the Papists dream, grounding justification on merit, and making a true and satisfactory faith void without the works that they prescribe—but faith without works is dead: that is, it is not true faith at all. Hence James asks, “Can that faith save him?” (James 2:14, GNV). For there is a faith that is not by the gift and power of God that the multitudes are possessed with, a faith in miracles, and the faith of devils, as it is written, “even the demons believe”. Believe what? Certainly not that they are sinful creatures, their condemnation is just, and Christ is the only Mediator, for verily, Christ was not sent for devils, inasmuch as he was not sent for the reprobate, and therefore the faith of Christ, the scripture speaks of everywhere, cannot be what is referred to here, as some lazy and unlearned theologians in our times have erroneously suggested. Thus to be condemned on the last day is all the same as to be found without faith, and therefore without works pleasing to God. The wicked are inclined to many works, as the Papists to their idolatrous prayers, and the Mass, the Mormons to their missions, the evangelicals to their rock concerts, and the modern-day Calvinists to the adoration of their favorite celebrity preacher. But what does all this avail being utterly without faith? Surely these works are worth nothing, because they come from an unsanctified and unclean heart. It is the doctrine of the gospel alone that makes us meet for God’s presence. The doctrine of the gospel, understood and applied to the condition of the sinner.
It is therefore not enough to have works, but that these works must be approved by God, commanded in His word, performed by a member of the covenant household of God, and done with faith and with a single eye upon the glory of God.
David therefore affirms his integrity and resolves to walk in covenant with God. He sees that the end of the wicked is near, very near, and therefore earnestly beseeches God that his soul may not be gathered with theirs when God calls the world into account. In short, he hopes to be purified by faith and sanctified unto a life of good works which will set him apart from those who are prepared for the fires. For, “God made all things for Himself, even the wicked for the day of doom.”
There is a great difference then (even if the blind and reprobate in the world cannot see it) between the righteous and the wicked, even in this life. David here names sinners by way of Hebrew parallelism—first “sinners,” then “bloody men.” in order to show that all bloody men are sinners, and all sinners are, in God’s sight, bloody men. Let not the hypocrite flatter himself then. For “Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). Thus every sinner is a murderer in seed form and in principle. The Calvinists and other high minded sinners hope to excuse themselves, saying, “Not every man is as wicked as he can be.” But David here condemns all sinners alike: “bloody, dissemblers, full of mischief.” The apostle proves it likewise: “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” (Rom. 3:9–19). And the Puritan Richard Rogers also anticipates their unbelief saying, “the most ungodly which can be heard of, will have some goodness to be found in them: so far off is it, that they will yield to this censure, that all their life is sinful. And therefore it is no marvel though men account of themselves as they do, everyone flying to this shelter, that he hopeth he is not the worst of others.”
So then we see clearly by all this that all are sinners, all are bloody men, all are filled with mischief, and there is no fear of God in them. Let no man deceive himself. If he has not killed, stolen, abused, blasphemed, lived in abhorrent vanity, it is not because he does not desire to. His soul is the habitation for every unclean thing, and a fountain spewing forth all kinds of iniquity. John Calvin writes, “For within man there is found, as it were, a world of miseries; and our shameful nakedness, exposed by the stripping away of the divine adornment with which we were clothed, uncovers an immense heap of reproaches. Each person, being conscious of their own unhappiness, is necessarily pricked to some sense of God. Thus, by the awareness of our ignorance, vanity, poverty, weakness, perversity, and corruption, we recognize that the true light of wisdom, solid virtue, the complete abundance of every good thing, and the purity of righteousness, are all found in the Lord alone. Indeed, it is by our own evils that we are roused to consider the blessings of God, nor can we sincerely aspire to Him until we have begun to be displeased with ourselves.”
Therefore, the condemnation of the sinner on the last day shall be most just, no one will have an excuse for himself, and David shows himself wise and holy to wish to be separate from them on that great day when all the world is judged.
David Dickson,
Now he prayeth to be exempted from the company of the wicked in their punishment, seeing he hath gotten grace to resolve not to walk in their sin. Whence learn:
- The Lord hath a harvest and a gleaning time also, set for cutting down and binding together in the fellowship of judgments, God’s enemies, who have followed the same course of sinning: for here we are given to understand that God will gather their soul, and so will let none escape.
- Such as separate themselves (not from the lawful society, but) from the sinful ways of the world, shall also be separate from the society of their punishment. The soul of the one and the other shall not be gathered together. Gather not my soul with sinners.
- Ungodly men will never stand to consent to the taking of the life of the godly, if by a fit temptation they be put to it. A bribe, or fear (which is all one), will do the turn; for sinners here are declared bloody men, in whose hands a mischief is, and their right hand is full of bribes.
- It is the mark of a wise and godly soul not to be diverted from his God or godliness by the temptation of loss or gain, which overturneth the worldly man; for David resolveth, Go others where they will, as for me, I will walk in mine integrity.
- A man so resolved—that is, who hath chosen God for his Redeemer, and God’s ways for his rule—may be sure to be borne through all difficulties, all troubles and temptations, and to meet with mercy in the course and close of his life. For David, after resolution of faith in God, and resolution honestly to endeavour obedience to God in his course, he prayeth (which is as good as a promise to us), Redeem me, and be merciful to me.
Opening Prayer.
Our glorious and righteous Father, Thou who art full of compassion and rich in mercy toward thy people: Have mercy upon us, and deliver us from our many afflictions. For our troubles abound, and they that contend against thy holy doctrine have multiplied. The faithful are few; the godly man ceaseth from among the children of men. We see not thy signs; the prophet’s voice is seldom heard in the land. Truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter. Many lift up the banner of philosophy and vain morality, But who shall stand in the breach for thy truth? Thy doctrine, O Lord, is a fountain of life, Precious to the saints, and more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold. Yet it is scorned by the proud and trampled by fools. Therefore we pray unto thee in these days of heresy and apostasy: Raise up thy church from the dust; Break the arm of the wicked and uphold the upright. Clothe thy ministers with righteousness; Cause thy servants to preach with boldness and power, Not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, But in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. Appoint faithful officers to walk before thee with integrity; Give them grace to serve without fear, in holiness and truth. Convert the souls of sinners by thy word; Open blind eyes, soften hardened hearts, And bring thy sons unto glory. Grant us faith to walk uprightly in this crooked and perverse generation Let us not be overcome by the snares and sorceries of the devil, Who hath bewitched the multitudes and led them astray after lies. But cause us to resist with holy hatred and sincere gratitude, Knowing it is not of ourselves, but thy Spirit who strengtheneth us. Bless us with hope to endure, With patience that fainteth not, With joy in tribulation and peace in affliction. For we wait for thee, O Lord, And for the revelation of thy blessed and dear Son, Jesus Christ, our Righteousness, our Redeemer, and our King. In His hallowed and most excellent name we pray,
Amen.
Lesson 50. [1.2.25.] The Contents of Holy Scripture: The Histories: Esther.
Westminster Confession of Faith 1.2
Under the name of holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments,
Genesis-Nehemiah, Esther.
All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.
Intro.
Francis Turretin. Book 3. 18th Topic. 9th Question.
On the Splendor of the Church.
“’The king’s daughter is all glorious within: Her clothing is of wrought gold. ‘
Psalm 45:13
Lesson. Introduction to Esther.
A Question on canonicity.
We must not suppose these marks shine equally and in the same degree in all the books of the Bible. For as one star differs from another star in light, so in this heaven of Scripture, some books send out brighter and richer rays of light; others far more feeble and fewer in proportion to their being more or less necessary to the church and as containing doctrines of greater or lesser importance. Thus, the gospels and Paul’s epistles shine with far greater splendor than the book ofRuth or Esther; but yet it is certain that in all are these arguments of truth and majesty, which by themselves prove a book divine and authentic (or at least that nothing can be found in them to make their authenticity doubtful)
-Turretin
Introduction
The book of Esther records God’s providential preservation of His covenant people during their exile under Persian rule. Though the name of God is not once mentioned, His hand is everywhere evident—in the rise of Esther, in the sleepless night of Ahasuerus, in the reversal of Haman’s decree, and in the deliverance of the Jews. The central theme is not human courage or Zionism but the invisible sovereignty of God, who preserves His people even when His face seems hidden. God’s promises were to Abraham and his seed, even when they were in their enemies lands and walked contrary to the commandments. (that which the modern church fails to grasp)
Historical and Canonical Controversy
- Omission of God’s Name – Nowhere in Esther do we read the name of the LORD. For this reason, some Jews in antiquity and later some Christians questioned its place in the canon. Martin Luther himself was uneasy with it, calling it “too Judaizing.” And saying it should be taken out of the canon. Considering the evil influence of the Jews, and Luther’s experience with them and their use of this text as justification, it’s not difficult to gather why. Calvin affirms it as canon in his French confessions, Turretin also in the above-mentioned quote.
- Heathen Naughtiness.
In the book of Esther we are presented with a range of characters who do not fit into category of exemplars. Hardly a surprise for a canonical book, as Daniel speaks of the rash decrees of Nebuchadnezzar, and no one seems to be questioning the canonicity of Daniel. A few of the indiscretions can summarize their complaints. 1. Esther 1:10, Trapp comments, “On the seventh day — Here we have Luxuriosi convivii luctuosum exitum, a sad end of a luxurious feast. Sin usually endeth tragically. On the six former days of the feast, having farced his body with good cheer like a woolsack, and inflamed it with wine wherein was excess, he bethinks himself of other pleasures. Vina parant animos Veneri (Ovid). Aristophanes calleth wine the milk of Venus and fuel of lust. Ambrose saith that lust is fed with feasts, nourished with delicacies, kindled with wine, set on flame with drunkenness (lib. i. de Paenit. c. 4). A belly filled with wine foameth out filthiness, saith Jerome. When the heart of the king was merry with wine — The property whereof is to exhilarate the heart of man, as the Scripture speaketh, Judges 9:13 Psalms 104:15 . Pluto calleth wine the mitigator of man’s misery. Euripides saith, Qui non hilarescit bibendo, nihil sapit. He who is not gladdened by drinking, understands nothing. But Ahasuerus’s heart was too merry; the wine was so in, that the wit was out; drunkenness had bereft this Polyphemus of his eye of right reason. This is a vice hateful in all, but in a ruler most of all. See Proverbs 31:4 , See Trapp on ” Proverbs 31:4 ” What mad work made Alexander the Great many times in his drunkenness, killing those then whom he would afterwards have revived, if he could, with his own heart blood! Therefore it was that the Carthaginians forbade their magistrates all use of wine. Solon punished drunkenness in a ruler with death. And Ferdinand I, emperor of Germany, sharply reproved the ambassadors of the electors and princes sent to an imperial diet, for their quaffing and careless performance of their trust, saying, Abstinete a maledicta ebrietare, …, Abstain, for shame, from this cursed drunkenness (which is neither good for body nor soul), and look better to your offices.” 2. Vashti refuses impudently and stubbornly. To aggravate the fault. 3. The king calls for virgins to be brought at the counsel of the nobles. 4. Mordecai does not go up to Jerusalem with the other Jews, perhaps because of weakness, perhaps because of inability. 5. Esther is taken into Xerxes harem, but because of her natural beauty and humility, adored with grace, she is chosen, loved and crowned, as Trapp comments. God is ever able to keep from lust those who are the subjects of it. Esther did no sin in being taken to be Xerxes’ wife, but indeed became the preserver of her nation and people in Persia.
6. Esther appears too vindictive of their enemies and approving of their slaughter. But the text does not say the Jews went about killing as their enemies might have done, but that they were given lawful permission to defend themselves. - Answer: Christian doctrine: Providence and Covenant – Though God’s name is absent, His covenant promises are fulfilled. The book demonstrates the hidden providence of God amd the preservation of His people even among the heathen (for the sake of argument, even when they stray far from his covenant ordinances, where sin is not approved of in God’s people it is ever forgiven through Christ our Savior): “Truly thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour” (Isa. 45:15). We must trust Him where we cannot trace Him. God is known by His works inasmuch as by His name.
Structure and Contents
- Chapters 1–2 – Vashti deposed; Esther chosen as queen.
- Chapters 3–4 – Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews; Mordecai’s lamentation; Esther’s resolve “If I perish, I perish.”
- Chapters 5–7 – Esther’s banquet; Haman humiliated; Haman executed.
- Chapters 8–10 – The king’s counter-decree; deliverance of the Jews; institution of Purim; exaltation of Mordecai.
Christian Doctrine in Esther.
As the name of God is not expressly mentioned, the works of God as they are wrought through the book are not expressly attributed to Him. This encourages the reader to trace the finger of God through the work and assumes they have some experience with the scripture, and the manner of, “necessary consequence.” Thus, the Jews prohibited the reading of it before age thirty with the Song, as it requires maturity and faith to discern. The maturity and faith even Luther lacked and this modern era is utterly devoid of. Since we find Christian doctrine therein, and no argument can be made against its infallibility, its place in the Canon stands firm.
- The Doctrine of Providence – God governs even the smallest details (Esth. 6:1, the king’s insomnia). “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will” (Prov. 21:1).
- The Preservation of the Covenant People – Though scattered and exiled, God’s people cannot perish. This points forward to Christ, the true Seed, through whom the promise stands sure. Compare Rom. 11:1–2, “God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.”
- The Reversal of Judgment – The decree of death is overturned, prefiguring the gospel where Christ delivers His people from condemnation. “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us… and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (Col. 2:14).
- The Role of Mediation – Esther risks her life to intercede for her people, foreshadowing Christ who entered the king’s presence on behalf of His own. Heb. 9:24: “Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands… but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”
The Place of Women and Marriage in the Narrative
The contrast between Vashti (cast out), Esther (humble, faithful), and Zeresh (Haman’s wife, whose counsel led to his ruin) illustrates the biblical pattern: a godly woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down. Compare Prov. 14:1: “Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.” Esther’s obedience becomes the means of deliverance, while heathen women (as we saw also in Ezra/Nehemiah) bring destruction.
Conclusion
Though silent on the surface, the book of Esther openly manifests the doctrine of divine providence, covenant faithfulness, and sovereign deliverance. Its controversy—namely the absence of God’s name—becomes its very strength, for it shows us that even in exile, in silence, and under foreign rule, the Lord reigns. Let His people tremble in prosperity, and in exile and captivity.
Conclusion.
Closing Prayer.
Our blessed and righteous Father,
Who dwellest in the highest heavens,
Thou who art full of glory and exceeding majesty,
Thou art exalted far above all blessing and praise.
Heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee,
How much less the prayers of dust and ashes!
Yet thou hast regarded the low estate of thy servants,
And made known unto us thy covenant mercies.
We confess, O Lord, that we are but creatures—frail,
Feeble as grass, fading as the flower of the field.
The heart of man is deceitful, and our thoughts are vanity,
But thy truth endureth to all generations.
Thou art our Maker and our Redeemer,
And as a loving Father pitieth his children,
So thou hast compassion upon them that fear thee.
Thou hast numbered the very hairs of our head,
And written our names in the Lamb’s book of life.
Therefore, inasmuch as thou hast been pleased to care for us,
Continue thy lovingkindness, which is better than life.
We bring before thee our many cares and burdens—
Not as those without hope, nor as those overcome—
But as children who believe thy word,
That thou wilt do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think.
For we know that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous
Availeth much,
And thou wilt perfect that which concerneth us.
Give us grace to trust thee in silence and in speech,
To wait with patience and rejoice in hope,
For thy thoughts toward us are peace, not evil,
To give us an expected end.
Do this for us, O Lord,
Not for our righteousness, which is as filthy rags,
But for the sake of Jesus Christ,
Thy Son, the Mediator of the covenant,
In whose holy and most excellent name we pray,
Amen.
Fearless Puritan: 