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.