Providence – Word for the Soul

“So his personal attendants suggested, ‘Let us search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king. After that, the young woman who most pleases the king will be made queen instead of Vashti.’ This advice was very appealing to the king, so he put the plan into effect.” Esther 2:2, 4 NLT

We continue in the book of Esther this week with the introduction of the two main heroic characters of the book, Esther and Mordecai. Esther is of Jewish descent, and her Hebrew name is Hadassah, meaning ‘myrtle.’ Her Persian name Esther means ‘star.’ Mordecai is her cousin, but much older, who raised her as his own daughter for Hadassah’s parents were deceased. Both Esther and Mordecai lived in Susa and around the king’s palace. Mordecai, most likely, had a prominent position within the government of the king as he was one of the men who sat at the king’s gate. (Es.2:21) The stage is set; the players are in place for this second act to begin as God’s providential hand is about to make the next move.

King Ahasuerus may have been having second thoughts agreeing to having his wife, Queen Vashti, banished from the kingdom. He was near the end of a war that was going badly, and his mind continually reflected to his wife. “After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her.” (Es.2:1 esv) The king misses his wife, but due to the law that banished her, at the persuasion of his self-centered advisors, he could not legally reverse it. So, his advisors came up with another solution to install a new queen. They knew how to appeal to the king explaining the details, “Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa. Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the harem, will see that they are all given beauty treatments. After that, the young woman who most pleases the king will be made queen instead of Vashti.” (Es.2:3-4a nlt) The suggestion appealed to the King and again he agreed with the advisors.

The search began in all 127 provinces to bring the most beautiful women into the king’s royal harem to begin the process of possibly becoming queen., They could have saved themselves a lot of time and expenses if they looked just around the corner at Esther. But of course, they didn’t know that. They wanted to have a huge selection of women to choose from to ensure the king would select the best one. And he did, he chose Esther, God’s choice, God’s next move.

Government leaders across the world make hundreds of decisions every day. It would help all of us to be reminded of God’s providential hand in each decision that is made. There are many decisions, acts of congress and parliaments, executive orders from state and federal governments, and court decisions which we may or may not agree with, but the Lord’s hand is in each one of them for His purposes. Esther being chosen Queen by King Ahasuerus is God’s preparation for Esther to be used by Him to recuse His people from annihilation. The king has no idea that Esther is Jewish, and her name is Hadassah. Esther had kept her ancestry secret under instructions from Mordecai, perhaps for her safety, but it would be an effective piece of information in the days ahead.

God’s hand is clearly at work here in chapter 2 as He moves the pieces around the chess board. Esther had no choice but to agree to go the king’s royal harem when approached by the king’s officers. Hegai, who had charge of the women, was very impressed with Esther and treated her kindly providing a special menu for her, the best of cosmetics, assigning seven maids to her, and moving her into the best place in the harem. Esther was gaining favor with all who had seen her. When her time came to be presented to the king, Esther did not ask for anything she could have had before going in to see the king, such as jewelry or any extravagant clothing. Esther revealed her unique quite spirit. The king did not need to see anyone else, Esther would be his wife, the Queen. “And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti.” (Es.2:17 nlt)

God is always one step ahead of Satan’s plan as we see with Esther. Her cousin Mordecai will also be the recipient of a chess move by the Lord. While sitting at the king’s gate he undercovers a plot to assassinate the king. Mordecai warns his cousin Queen Esther, the plot is exposed, and the two conspirators are hanged on the gallows. There’s more to this story of Mordecai’s action to be revealed. God’s hand of providence concerning Mordecai is not yet competed.………to be continued.

Read: Esther 2 ESV – Esther Chosen Queen – After these – Bible Gateway

“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

Tag: Providence

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“A National Crisis” God’s Providential Hand: The book of Esther