“Women everywhere will begin to despise their husbands when they learn that Queen Vashti has refused to appear before the king.” Esther 1:17 NLT
Our next ‘Biblical Insights’ series will be a survey of the Old Testament book of Esther. We will attempt to extract as much pertinent information as it relates to our day concerning the providence of God for us individually, as well as the Christian church, Israel as God’s chosen people, and current events in the United States and across the world. God’s providential hand overrules all things, nothing happens by chance.
Critics and skeptics have line up for years to discount the the book of Esther on the grounds it lacks Biblical authority when there is no mention of God in its entire writing. It does seem like a valid point but when we place ‘Esther’ in context with the entirety of Scripture it’s hard not to confirm it as God’s Word. God is seen all throughout the pages of the book of Esther. His character, love for His people, His righteousness, and His control of events are on display in the in the reversals of outcomes some would call fate, but it is not fate but the providential hand of God.
The events of the book occur over a ten-year period fifty-five years after the Jews were freed from captivity by Cyrus, king of Persia at that time. Approximately 50,000 Jews returned to Jerusalem after the exile. Many stayed in Babylon and surrounding areas to live out their lives while others moved eastward to Susa one of the three capitals of the Persian Empire. This is where the story of Esther takes place in 483-473 B. C. the Persian Empire of world history. Scripture says the Empire included 127 provinces stretching from India, present day Pakistan to Ethiopia presently northern Sudan.
We start this week with a look into the Persian Empire and its king boasting of its power, strategizing to assume more power, flaunting their many luxuries, and partying for a week. The king gets insulted by his wife near the end of the festive week and it becomes a national crisis. King Ahasuerus, highly embarrassed and furious, seeks counsel from his advisers on how to proceed. The advisors not wanting to waste an opportunity to increase their own power informed the king how his wife’s actions would filter down to every woman in the kingdom. “Before this day is out, the wives of all the king’s nobles throughout Persia and Media will hear what the queen did and will start treating their husbands the same way. There will be no end to their contempt and anger.” (Es.1:18 nlt) So they advise the king to make a decree banishing Queen Vashti from the presence the king and a new queen be put installed in her place. The decree would be sent across the Empire and upon receiving and read, women everywhere would learn the fate of disobeying their husbands. “He (the king) sent letters to all parts of the empire, to each province in its own script and language, proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his own home and should say whatever he pleases.” (Es.1:22 nlt)
Officials today often look to solidify policies of their agenda by taking advantage of circumstances that arrive unexpectedly and create legislation that has nothing to do with the events that triggered it. It was used as an opportunity to expand their power and influence for their own means. This should not be a surprise, it’s as old as the Persian Empire.
Queen Vashti had a very legitimate reason for insulting her husband, King Ahasuerus. Near the end of the seven-day drinking party, the king wanted to show off his beautiful wife in a lewd matter. “He wanted the nobles and all the other men to gaze on her beauty, for she was a very beautiful woman.” (Es.1:11b nlt) The Queen was giving her own party for the women of the royal palace when the men sent from her husband came to bring her to the king’s party. Naturally she refused, suspecting the reason of her appearance. Some Biblical scholars have also suggested Queen Vashti may have been pregnant at the time. In any case, we have a king with no regard to the dignity of the Queen and more importantly, his wife.
As mentioned earlier, nothing happens by chance. This is a chess match between the God of the universe and Satan the god of this world. King Ahasuerus was used by Satan in his drunken state to concur with his advisors that a national crisis has developed. He disposes his Queen and passes a decree to strengthen male superiority across his Empire, but God has the next move in the selection of the next Queen.
……….to be continued.
Read: Esther 1 ESV – The King’s Banquets – Now in the – Bible Gateway
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