The King Calls

Xerxes, in order to satisfy his pride or confirm his ego, has shown off his wealth in a party.  It was actually two parties.  In chapter one we join him in the second party which was thrown for his staff.  Queen Vashti was entertaining the women - most probably, those of higher rank and standing in the kingdom - and the king was entertaining the men. They both had their focus on themselves.  THEIR friends, THEIR wealth, THEIR honor.  

The king calls Vashti to come to him so he can show others her beauty.

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, 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. 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. Esther 1:10-12

In all fairness, the king had let alcohol influence him and, according to many commentators, asked the queen to do something unacceptable, but not illegal. As a wife, queen and subject of the king, her response should have been to obey the authority in her husband. This ultimately let her downfall.

She was to wear her crown which is the representation of his authority.  I think this is a deep statement which bears a lot of weight.  As seen throughout this book, the king took great measures to follow protocol.  Several times in this book, it mentions the following, reviewing or establishing legal protocol.
1:13  Dealing with disobedience,
2:12 Beauty treatments for members of the harem, 
3:10 The destruction of the Jews,
8:2 Transfer of authority to Mordacai,
8:8 explaination and declaration of law allowing Jews to defend themselves. 
9:29 Mordecai and Esther decreed a holiday/feast in rememberance. This was done under the king's authority because Mordecai was wearing the king's signet ring and held that position.

The king appears to be greatly concerned about protocol throughout this book, and protocol seems to cover many situations.  This is also seen in other books regarding the captivity.  Persian kings were serious about protocol.  I think it would be safe to assume that if there was protocol by which a harem was formed and the women were prepared, there was also probably a protocol or standard by which a queen would entertain guests of the king.  It was not the first time Vashti was called into the kings presence to display her beauty.  She was trained to do so in a particular way.  The king did, however, explicitely state she should wear her crown.

Vashti refused to honor his authority.  She refused her covering.  This left the king with a problem.  He loved her very much, but if he allowed her to disobey, it would ultimately rot the authority in the kingdom.  Kingdom authority is based on the law.  If the highest queen could break that law, then so could all the wives of all the nobles.  She was put away because of her disrespect for the authority given to her by her husband and her failure to walk in that authority. 

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.
[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. Esth 1:17-18

It is important that the home be established on authority, with everyone in the home abiding in that authority.  The scripture, although spoken through pagan lips, declares for itself the result of this disharmony - Contempt and Wrath. Contempt of wives for their husbands from the least to the greatest. (1:20)  Vashti would set the stage for all women of the kingdom and the breakdown of the order of all the homes in that kingdom.  From the magistrates and ambassadors, galliant knights and governors to the paupers, workers and slaves.  It would infiltrate into these homes and break authority. Breaking of authority kills power and effectiveness and order.

It introduces God's wrath.  Possibly not a direct wrath, but the wrath that comes when we deny his blessings by walking outside of his authority. The king was very familiar with authority and how it propagates and functions.  He knew of the devastating results if the people would cast his authority off. Lack of order, confusion, poverty, social breakdown.

Those might seem like extreme words.  Lady Diana and Jackie Onasis spawned hairstyles and designer clothing. Prince Charles and Lady Diana also made a morality statement which I think will plague society for generations.   Dresses, hairstyles, quotes of famous women in power or on television infiltrate our homes and become the new style.  As I think about our current society where our presidents have set presidence in our own country.  During the scandals regarding President Clinton and Monica Lowinski it questioned over and over, should the private lives of the president be a valid consideration regarding their office.  The improprieties of our president gave excuse for thousands of citizens to excuse their improprieties and disassociate them from their public  and professional lives.  It gave them excuses.  I believe it destroyed our credibility in the eyes of many eastern nations and possibly brought us one step closer to God's wrath as a country.

Those in authority are followed, whether it be the president or your husband as a street cleaner or you as a wife or business person.  Disregarding that authority line at home invites devistation on  that home and our community.

Men and Kings

The book of Esther opens with a situation already brewing.  I am going to trust you have or will read these chapters as we discuss them, so I am not going to fully review the chapter, but only briefly. King Xerxes was throwing a party to show off all his splendor.  His castle, his servants, his wealth - stolen or not.  It is in the heart of every man to have an amount of pride in his home, possessions, family, wife.  In many men's hearts it is self esteem.  Gratitude for blessings, but appreciation for those blessings.  I have three sons who, to this time, have decided to follow after the Lord.  They show a consideration and appreciation for the things of God.  I have a wife who has a beautiful heart and a house which is almost paid for. Of these things I am glad and of my family, I would gladly present them in public and honor them with compliments.  At any time - when the situation calls for - I might draw one of them aside and express my pride in them to others.  I don't think there is a problem with this.  It is this pride in a mans heart which prods him to care for them continually.  To provide and to nurture. It is my wife's beauty that draws me home to her each night and why my head is high in public when she is around.  In some basic way, she is part of my manhood by simply being attractive.  Right or wrong, I don't know, but it is.


My house is very (extremely) basic.  It is the same house I purchased when we were first married and was great for three.  It's not so great for Five.  This two bedroom house has a great yard.  It's great for playing with toddlers!!  But they are not toddlers any more.  As I have outgrown it, I seem to have lost my momentum for taking care of all the little things.  The value in my eyes has gone down.  Sad, but true.  As part of this, I don't invite as many people in.  When I do, I always wish I could improve on this or that.  There is part of my ego and manhood attatched to that.  My best friend, has a very fine home which he purchased several years ago while money was flowing pretty good. After a switch in jobs, his income declined.  He did however manage to find motivation to make earn the income to make the payments and take care of it.  It is elaborate in every sense of the word. (From my perspective).  He is quick to invite friends and business associates over to enjoy the atmosphere.  He shows it off regularly and when he does, his wife dresses very nice for those occasions.  He always makes mention of how beautiful his wife is.  (She is very pretty) He mentions how wonderful thier relationship is.  Why?  What does it matter to others?  It doesn't, it matters to her and to him.


As we enter this book of Esther, we see the king taking a similar pride in his wealth and his wife.  It could be argued that he is vain.  Yes.  (and he probably was)  But he is what he is, and that presents the obstacle which Vashti and Esther have to deal with.  A very imperfect man and very imperfect situation.

Why that King?

The first chapter of Esther discusses the King.  It tells a lot abut his character, habits and his life.  He may represent many males today but on a much grander scale.  The most important thing is he represents the traits that are part of the masculine male.  Now that may sound offensive.  Most men are not tyrants, and Xerxes indeed was, if you look at the history of the times.  but the Bible is not addressing that right now.  I think that is why it gives very very little about his personality traits and concentrates much on what he does.  In this story he exists to be acted upon.  I think you could switch most men for Xerxes and still write the same story, because we all are a little egotistical, a little self centered, we each tend to shun those who disrespect.  You may be saved, you may have lived a long life with the Lord, but the longer I am saved, the more I realize, YES! I am egotistical.  God is working it out of me. That's what the process of salvation is all about.  HIM working it out.

In this study, though, it is not the Kings faults that we are going to concentrate on.   It is how Esther decides to deal with them. Yes, signing an edict to eradicate a whole nation of people is not a good decision.  Throwing parties to show off ones wealth and pride are NOT good traits.  I suppose, this is exactly why King Xerxes was considered for this story.  Because there are difficult things to deal with.  He is NOT an easy one to sway.  He is dangerous, unromantic, uninvolved, and treats his wives as though they are servants for his pleasure.

Wives, how many times does your husband fall into the same category?  How often is he dangerous? Unromantic? uninvolved?  Treats his wife like a second class citizen?  Whether saved or not saved, it really doesn't matter.  He is who he is and he is doing what he is doing.  And when you approach him, he does what he does.  Why?  Don't know!  What I do know is this.  The book of Esther brings some very important insight into the relationship God intends for the Godly wife.  He is NOT setting Xerxes up as a model, rather an obstacle.  He is setting Esther up as a model.  That is worth studying.

Signing an edict to