Connect
Stream
Esther appeared before the Persian king uninvited and took the risk of death punishment even being a queen
She had to do this for her people because Haman had resentment for Mordecai and took it out on the Jews when he discovered Mordecai was a Jew
Unknowing to him Esther was also a Jew and Mordecai’s cousin
Haman initiates an attempt of genocide against God’s people by persuading the king to issue a decree to destroy the Israelites everywhere in the Persian Empire
Mordecai appealed to Esther to stand up for the Israelites in such a difficult time, for he believed God had put Esther in a position because of such a time
In the end, Esther obliged “and if I perish, I perish”, she requested twice a banquet with the king and Haman
The Jewish religious leaders persecuted the apostles out of jealousy that the apostles’ influence was growing among the people
They preached before the Sanhedrin (the highest leadership council in Israel) who took offense to the accusation of killing Jesus Christ; the Messiah
The one whom God had raised from the dead so that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins
But Gamaliel, one of the leading rabbis of his day, though a Pharisee stood up against the bid to put the apostles to death
He mentioned Theudas and Judas, who once had great followers but dispersed after their leaders were killed, and asserted that the disciples of Jesus would also disperse since Jesus has been killed
However, he added that the men be left alone, for if it is from God, they will not be able to stop them.
And so throughout Acts, the Church as well as the gospel, advanced unhindered
The Apostles not only rejoiced for being flogged for the sake of the gospel but continued preaching