The King’s Gate

Claire Black: Welcome to True Girl, a podcast for girls and their moms. Together we’ll explore God’s truth for us one drive at a time. Buckle up! You’re about to grow closer to each other and closer to Jesus! 

This season we’re Finding Esther. There’s so much we can learn from the Bible about Queen Esther’s life, as well as that of her cousin Mordecai, who raised her. Esther, you see, was orphaned and then adopted by a kind man. And after Esther became the Queen of Persia and began to live in the palace, he still kept a good eye on her. Do you know where he sat when he watched for her?

Let me read Esther 2:19–23 to you. It contains the answer to that question and a lot of good background information for our learning experience today.

Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate. Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him. In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus [same as King Xerxes]. And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai. When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows. And it was recorded in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king. (ESV)

Ok, so now do you know where Mordecai watched from? Yes! The King’s Gate. In fact, that’s the title of today’s episode. Let’s get it started.

Dannah Gresh and her cohost Staci Rudolph have just arrived at the world-famous art museum, the Louvre. It’s in France. They’re trying to find the Persian Collection. 

Here’s Staci. 

Staci Rudolph: Let me read these directions again! We’ve been walking for so long. I think we should be there by now.

“First, take the escalator under the glass pyramid.” 

Dannah, check this out and see if I missed a turn or something.

Dannah Gresh: Escalator. Glass pyramid. Check.

Staci: Then, turn right and enter the Near Eastern Antiquities section.

Dannah: Check.

Staci: Then you walk straight until you reach a flight of stairs. Climb the stairs.

Dannah: Double check! That was a lot of stairs!

Staci: Continue through Room 231, turn left at Room 305 and keep walking until your destination, which means we should be . . .

Dannah: Yup! There it is! Welcome to the Persian Collection!

Staci: Whoa! Look at those columns. They’re huge! I never expected big stuff. I was thinking little dinky things like clay pots and stuff.

Dannah: Well, that is surely not what I’d call a “dinky” artifact. This sign says it’s called “Bull Capital.” Oh, I like reading signs at museums. This one says, “These two massive sculptures of bulls back-to-back hover under the enormous beam that was originally in the great hall in Susa.”

Staci: The great hall!? As in the one where King Xerxes threw his party?

Dannah: Yes! That’s the one. It’s also where he threw Queen Vashti out of the palace. 

Staci: So, we’re standing under an arch that King Xerxes stood under?

Dannah: Most likely yes. And Queen Esther probably had events in the great hall too! So, she probably saw this with her own eyes. That’s what is so amazing about the excavation of the city of Susa. Because the Book of Esther was so detailed and because the excavation site is so well-pieced together, we know exactly where Xerxes sat on his throne, where and Mordecai overheard the conspiracy to overthrow the King, and where the bad guy, Haman, waited in the courtyard.

Staci: Amazing! Look at that. The sign says the “Bull Capital” is four stories tall and it weighs twelve tons!

Dannah: That’s huge! Just think about it. Esther saw that, Staci!

Oh, if we could actually go to Susa, we could stand in several places and say, “What I read about in the Book of Esther happened right here on this spot!”

Staci: That is cool!

Dannah: I know! And today, we’re going to stand in front of something that, according to Dr. Todd Bolen, both Esther and Mordecai also stood in front of. Often, in fact.

Staci: What’s that?

Dannah: Well, let’s see if we can find it. It’s a statue.

Staci: This is a statue, but it's a girl. “Napir Asu” was her name. She was a queen of Persia, just like Esther.

Dannah: That’s not it. Oh, hey, maybe it’s over here. Let’s check out this one. Yep! Here he is. “The Statue of Darius the Great.” 

Staci: Um, he’s not lookin’ so “great.” Dannah, he’s headless!

Dannah: Well, he is nearly 2,500 years old! One tends to lose parts.

Staci: Touché! But I thought we were gonna learn about Esther and Mordecai today. What’s with Darius?

Dannah: Darius was, you may recall, the father of King Xerxes, Esther’s husband. So, Darius was Esther’s father-in-law. History books noted that he undertook a lot of great building projects, and he was often referred to as “benevolent.” That means he was well meaning and kind to lots of different types of people.

Staci: Hey, is that the same Darius we read about in the book of Daniel. The one who was sad that Daniel got thrown in the lion’s den and was so happy he didn’t get eaten?

Dannah: Yes, that’s the one!

Staci: Interesting. But I thought he lived in Babylon?

Dannah: Remember, Persia had four capitals. Babylon was one of them. Susa was the winter capital. Because it was too hot to be there in the summer. Darius actually built Susa. It was one of his projects.

Staci: He did like building!

Dannah: And he liked statues. After Darius conquered Egypt and took it over as part of Persia, he had this statue built to commemorate his success. 

Let’s read this sign. “An inscription on this statue reads, ‘This is the statue, made of stone, which Darius ordered to be made in Egypt. This is how everyone who will see this in the future, will know that the Persian man ruled in Egypt.’ Eventually the statue was moved to the winter palace at Susa.”

Staci: You sure love reading the placards at a museum, Dannah. You’re a real “sign-tist!”

Dannah: Good one! Okay, this says “The statue was discovered on the east side of the palace compound.” 

Staci: Oh, that’s the citadel we learned about last week!

Dannah: You got that right, Staci. Look at what it says, “It’s the gate that gives access to the citadel from the city and is referred to as the King’s Gate.”

Staci: So, anyone going into the citadel or palace had to walk through the King’s Gate?

Dannah: Yeah. It says, “To access the palace one would have to cross a bridge over a river and walk through the King’s Gate.” 

Staci: So that means that Esther had to walk through here and she would have looked at this very statue? This very statue that I’m lookin’ at right this moment . . . but maybe before ol’ Darius lost his head!

Dannah: Yeah, probably!

Staci: So cool! What else does that sign say?

Dannah: You starting to be a “sign-tist” too? Let’s see. Where was I? 

“Though the walls were made of mud brick that has crumbled leaving remains that are no longer impressive, the King’s Gate would have been a massive, monumental entryway befitting royalty. It was possibly as tall as the palace itself if not taller. Those allowed to be near the gate had to have appropriate social status.” 

Staci: Oh, Dannah, do you know what that means?

Dannah: That the people were important!

Staci: Yes, but what’s that tell us about Esther’s cousin, Mordecai?

Dannah: Ah, yes. That would mean he had some sort of special position or influence that made him qualified to sit at the gate. 

Staci, you’re starting to see why examining archeology helps to unlock understanding of the Bible! Great thinking!

Staci: Thanks!

Dannah: Do you know what happened at the King’s Gate?

Staci: Actually, I just read Esther chapter 2 this morning, so I do know! It’s where two of the king’s officers who were guarding the gate hatched a plot to overthrow the king.

Dannah: And?

Staci: Mordecai overheard it. He told Queen Esther. She told the king. And those two officers, well, they ended up a bit like that headless statue there. 

But the king . . . did not! 

Dannah: Right

Staci: Of course, Xerxes was happy about this, as you can imagine someone is when he gets to keep his head. So, he called for his writers, scribes they called them, to record the events of that day in his kingly journal. 

Dannah: Yes, and that’s no small thing. 

You see, let me fast forward in the story to I think it’s chapter 6 of Esther. Haman is plotting to kill Mordecai and the other Jews. He has special plans for Mordecai and has built gallows just to kill Mordecai. Haman just needs the king's permission to do it.

Well, the night before Haman comes to get that permission, the king couldn’t sleep. 

Staci: Got a straight up case of insomnia and counting sheep wasn’t working, hey?

Dannah: Yep, So. He did what kings did. He called for his royal“reader” to come read him a bedtime story. Well, it was his journal he asked to have read. And what did that royal reader read? But the record of how Mordecai had saved his life!

Staci: You don’t say!

Dannah: I do! And, get this, the king remembered something he had forgotten to do.

Staci: What’s that?

Dannah: He hadn’t properly thanked Mordecai!

So, the king says, “Who is in the court?” (Esther 6:4)

The author of Esther is sometimes extremely precise when describing locations, allowing us to determine where certain events took place. One example of this is: the person who answered the king’s question “who is in the court” said: 

Now Haman had come into the outer court of the king’s house to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. And the king’s servants said unto him, “Behold, Haman standeth in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” (Esther 6:4–5 CSB paraphrased)

We actually have a map of where the outer court was. This was where people waited to be summoned by the king. 

Well, the king summons. Haman comes in. The king says, “Hey, Haman. How can I express my gratitude to someone I want to really honor?”

Well, Haman thinks he’s the one the king wants to honor. So, he says, “Bring the royal robes and put them on this man, and the very horse that the king rides for that man to ride, and while you’re at it, put the crown royal on his head. And ride that man through the streets of the city of Susa declaring that the king delights in honoring him!” (see vv. 8–9)

Staci: Then what?

Dannah: The king says, “Great idea, Haman! Do that for Mordecai, the Jew who sits at the King’s Gate!” (see v. 10)

Staci: Plot twist!

Dannah: More like: Providential twist!

Staci: Oh, that’s a much better p-word. Providence!

Dannah: Yeah, providence is the protective care of God. And it’s all over the book of Esther! In fact, that’s one reason we should read the Book of Esther, to remind ourselves of His providential care. 

Which reminds me of Hebrews 13:5. It reads:

God has said,
   “I will never fail you.
     I will never abandon you.”

Staci: That’s such a comforting verse. Just like He took care of Esther and Mordecai and the Jewish people, He will care of us too!

Dannah: Exactly. 

Even though things might look grim, as they did for Esther at times, Jesus is the King of all kings, even more powerful than Xerxes. He promises to care for us. I love that thought.

Well, I cannot wait until we get to see the next thing on my little list. Let me show you something: a bracelet. It’s going to be the style of jewelry that Esther wore back in the day.

Staci: Okay, but first, can we just soak in this moment?

Dannah: Well, okay.

Staci: No really, Dannah. This is amazing. I mean, I’ve traveled a lot with True Girl on that tour bus of ours. I’ve been to some pretty amazing historic spots. But this is the best so far. I mean, I’m standing in front of a statue that Queen Esther saw with her own eyes.

My mind is blown!

Dannah: Is that another statue joke, Staci?

Claire: Critics today view the Book of Esther as a fanciful court tale. But many scholars have pointed out the author’s intimate knowledge of Persian laws and customs and the specific descriptions of the city and palace at Susa would indicate that the author was familiar with the layout. 

That makes me want to grab my Bible and study the Book of Esther! I know just what tool I’ll use to do that. In the Bible study Esther: Becoming a Girl of Purpose, Dannah Gresh guides us through this suspenseful storyline to gain understanding about how to live a God-honoring life. 

You can get a copy of the book by visiting MyTrueGirl.com and clicking on the Bible studies menu to find out more. We hope you’ll join Dannah for a live, online mom-daughter study on the Book of Esther, starting in October. Again, register for that at MyTrueGirl.com.

While you’re there, check out the details on the True Girl Pop-Up Party! It’s at the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C., November 1–2. Staci will lead worship, Dannah will teach, and you’ll get to spend time in the museum. 

Come back next week for one last episode in this season, “Finding Esther.” That’s something Dannah and Staci haven’t done . . . yet. I mean, they found Susa and we have evidence that King Xerxes actually lived. So they found him, but they still haven’t found Esther. You’ll have to wait until next week to see if they do.

Hey, remember to read the whole book of Esther as we go through this season. It’ll be helpful for you to read chapters 4 and 5 before our next time together. They record the details of Esther interceding to King Xerxes to spare the lives of her people, the Jews. 

The True Girl podcast is produced by Revive Our Hearts, calling women of all ages to freedom, fullness, and fruitfulness in Christ!

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