In the opening pages of the Book of Esther we get a glimpse at what can happen when

you fuel an oversized ego with bad advice and too much wine. It is not pretty. Today on Truth for

Life we'll find out how one impulsive moment can cause lasting damage. Alistair Begg is continuing

our study in the Book of Esther with a message she's titled Wine, Women and Self.

I invite you to turn with me to the Old Testament to the Book of Esther where we'll read a

selection of verses. We'll read from verse 10 of chapter 1 to begin with. On the seventh day when

the heart of the king was married with wine he commanded Mechuman, Bistha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abhaegtha,

Zethar and Carcus. If you're looking for names for your grandchildren I suggest you steer clear of

this. The seven unix who served in the presence of king Hazweris. To bring Queen Vashday before

the king with her royal crown. In order to show the peoples in the princess her beauty for she was

lovely to look at. But Queen Vashday refused to come at the king's command delivered by the unix.

This the king became enraged and his anger burned within him. The writer then tells us that he

inquired of his wise man as to what he ought to do. Their answer was you should issue legislation.

And in verse 19 this is what they say. If it pleased the king let a royal order go out from him

and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Meads so that it may not be repealed.

That Vashday is never again to come before King Ahazweris and let the king give her royal

position to another who is better than she. So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed

throughout all his kingdom for it is vast all women will give honor to their husbands high and low

alike. This advice pleased the king. In the verse 1 of chapter 2 after these things when the anger

of King Ahazweris had abated he remembered Vashday and what she'd done and what had been decreed

against her. Then the king's young men who attended him said let beautiful young virgins be sought

out for the king and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all

...