Esther 1:1

The Bible says in Esther 1:1-12, “Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)[2] That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,[3] In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:[4] When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.[5] And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;[6] Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.[7] And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.[8] And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.[9] Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.[10] On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,[11] To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.[12] But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.” The battle of the sexes has always existed. Here is a battle that took place back in the Persian Empire. We will see that God used that battle and its outcome in order to set up the situation that God would use to deliver the children of Israel from those who wanted to destroy them. To get the protection that they would need, it would be good to have a leader of the country who understood their plight and who was on their side. Maybe having the right queen in the royal palace would do the trick. That is exactly what God did, and He used this battle of the sexes and this marital discord to make it happen. For some reason Queen Vashti did not want to come down to the festival when and how the king wanted her to. Maybe she was tired of being viewed just for her beauty. Maybe she was tired of being told what to do, if that was the case. Maybe she just had other things to do at that time and did not want to be bothered. But the king’s counsellors considered this to be a national disaster. They feared that all the other women would see what Queen Vashti did, they would copy her, and their whole kingdom would be in an upheaval with women rebelling against men. Thanks to the National Organization of Women, something like that did happen in our country.

But the king’s counsellors had a way to keep that kind of rebellion from happening in ancient Persia. The Bible says in Esther 1:13-22, “Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment:[14] And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)[15] What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?[16] And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.[17] For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.[18] Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.[19] If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.[20] And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.[21] And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:[22] For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.” Notice the advice of the counsellors in verse fourteen, “That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.” In order to help deliver the Jewish people Esther had to become queen so that she could influence the king of Persia on their behalf. But in order for Esther to become queen, Vashti had to be removed from being queen. In order for Vashti to be removed from being queen, the king’s counsellors had to make that recommendation. We see a lot of people involved in making decisions and doing things that result in Esther becoming queen. God is in control. God uses all people and all situations to perform His will on His earth. All souls belong to God. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth…”

The Bible says in Esther 2:1-9, “After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.[2] Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:[3] And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:[4] And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.[5] Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;[6] Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.[7] And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.[8] So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.[9] And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.” Once again, we see the hand of God in all that happened. The king divorced Vashti, and now he wants another queen. She must be beautiful but she must also be wise and of a good character. This passage tells us something very important about Esther: her uncle was Mordecai. It says in verse seven that when her mother and her father were dead, that Mordecai took Esther as his own daughter. It does not say how her parents died, but because they were so careful to hide their Jewish religion, perhaps they were killed in some kind of persecution.

Esther had a great advantage in her life: she had someone to advise her: Mordecai. If you have an older person in your life who loves you and who has wisdom, make sure to benefit from their advice and counsel. And of course, ask the Lord for wisdom per James 1:5.

Esther was a beautiful woman. That is why she was chosen to become a princess and to be considered with other beautiful women as the next queen. But Esther evidently had more than beauty. She was discreet. She knew how to treat people. She stood out as an exceptional person. Other people noticed the kind of person that she was. She obviously knew that she could use her beauty that God had given to her for advancement and for good, and not for vanity or materialism or any other selfish motive. The man who was in charge of the beautiful women in the palace gave Esther the prominent place in the palace. This also was God at work.

The Bible says in Esther 2:10, “Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.” As we noted before, Mordecai and Esther kept quiet about their religion. They were part of the outcasts from Israel who were living in a foreign land, and therefore could be subject to persecution at any time. They had to be careful. The early Christians in Rome met in the catacombs to avoid the attention of the authorities. Paul escaped secretly out of Damascus in order to avoid persecution and death. There was a time when there was freedom of speech and freedom of religion in America. That time appears to be over. Believers will have to be more discreet, or they will lose their jobs and their livelihoods. But even in such a situation, God blessed Mordecai and Esther, and God used them.

The Bible says in Esther 2:11-17, “And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.[12] Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)[13] Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.[14] In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.[15] Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.[16] So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.[17] And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.” Mordecai continued to keep an eye on Esther in order to help guide her and protect her. And Esther became one of the concubines of the king. The king was looking for a wife. We can say that this was a terrible situation for Esther to be in, but the situation had the best possible outcome for her because she became the king’s wife and thus she became queen. This is Romans 8:28 in action: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and to them that are the called according to His purpose.”

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