Verses: Esther 1 : 1 -
22
My thoughts about the verses:
Esther is an amazing book because it deals with the rule of the Persians over the Jewish community. There are many things that we can learn from this story. The story occurs under the rule of King Xerxes. To understand the story you have to understand what was happening during this time in history. The Persians were nearing the end of their reign. They ruled by complete authority and power. They went through several different leaders. The fact is that they could not help themselves they felt like they had to keep growing. They eventually spread themselves so thin that they fell to Greece.
Yet, this story happens before the fall. The rulers were very flamboyant. When they won victories they would throw elaborate parties to celebrate their feats. They humiliated their enemies by impaling them on sticks. We join the story right during one of their elaborate parties.
The room was elaborated decorated and all the male leaders were present. They were also drinking all of the wine they could consume. It was a way of showing that they were victors that had endless power and wealth. While the men are partying and getting stumbling drunk the Queen throws a party for the women of the other leaders.
Now Queen Vashti was beautiful and so the King wanted to parade her in front of the other leaders. He was showing off just one more of his trophies. So he sends seven eunuchs to bring the Queen to his party. It says he was high in spirits because of all her drinking. So we can assume he was punch drunk and bragging about his beautiful wife. Haven't we all seen this at one time or another. We all know people who parade their spouse as a trophy.
The Queen did something that was unforgivable she said NO. She did not want to be paraded around as a trophy. She knew her husband was drunk and she did not want to be humiliated. Have you ever been in a situation when you were embarrassed for the person you were with. They had allowed a substance to overtake them and then they want to parade you around. Have you ever just said NO. thinking to you I am not giving them the opportunity to embarrass me just because they want to show me off.
Now the King gets mad. He pulls together his closest allies to discuss what needs to be done. Now here is where things change. The advisers say to him if you don't do something other women are going to start to do this. They were afraid that other women would start disobeying their husbands. Now this is something hard for today's society to understand. You have to remember that women were property. They were not seen as equals and the fact that a woman would stand up to a man was seen as unforgivable. To make matters worse this was the King being told NO. He could not bury his head in the sand. If he didn't stop this other women would start thinking they could rule their husbands.
So the King made three decrees. First he exiles Queen Vashti from the presence of the King. Too further humiliate her and to teach women a lesson he took her position away from her. Lastly, he passed an order that went out to all the land that husbands were to be the rulers of the house. Those women had to do what their husbands commanded. In actuality, he just wrote down the law that made women property. This tradition stood for years to come. In some cultures women are still ruled and considered property by their husbands.
This event is important for the Jewish community at that time. Yet, no one knew how it would make a difference in the community surviving. It is important to remember that God works in mysterious ways. The laws and decrees passed that day would soon be the saving grace of the entire Jewish community. The world would be a much different place if things had gone differently with Queen Vashti. If the decrees had not been placed the lineage of Jesus would have been killed that day. So it is important to remember that sometimes the strangest things can mean big things to God.
I think back to what recently occurred in the United States. Laws are being challenged and the government just ended a partial shutdown. Yet, I believe God is doing this so people can see how things need to change. Sometimes it is our vote that can change the way our country works. God does work through things, and often the change is not what people expected. Sometimes it takes years to see how one law changed by a government benefits God's people.
Prayer:
Dear God thank you for working big miracles through your people. Thank you for helping the people during their many times of captivity. Dear God we thank you for being with us during all of our struggles. Dear God we ask you to protect us. Help us learn from our History so that we don't repeat past mistakes. In your Holy Name we pray Amen
Questions:
Have you allowed God to use you? Are you willing to be a leader and not a follower? What do you need to do today to ensure that God's will is done?
My thoughts about the verses:
Esther is an amazing book because it deals with the rule of the Persians over the Jewish community. There are many things that we can learn from this story. The story occurs under the rule of King Xerxes. To understand the story you have to understand what was happening during this time in history. The Persians were nearing the end of their reign. They ruled by complete authority and power. They went through several different leaders. The fact is that they could not help themselves they felt like they had to keep growing. They eventually spread themselves so thin that they fell to Greece.
Yet, this story happens before the fall. The rulers were very flamboyant. When they won victories they would throw elaborate parties to celebrate their feats. They humiliated their enemies by impaling them on sticks. We join the story right during one of their elaborate parties.
The room was elaborated decorated and all the male leaders were present. They were also drinking all of the wine they could consume. It was a way of showing that they were victors that had endless power and wealth. While the men are partying and getting stumbling drunk the Queen throws a party for the women of the other leaders.
Now Queen Vashti was beautiful and so the King wanted to parade her in front of the other leaders. He was showing off just one more of his trophies. So he sends seven eunuchs to bring the Queen to his party. It says he was high in spirits because of all her drinking. So we can assume he was punch drunk and bragging about his beautiful wife. Haven't we all seen this at one time or another. We all know people who parade their spouse as a trophy.
The Queen did something that was unforgivable she said NO. She did not want to be paraded around as a trophy. She knew her husband was drunk and she did not want to be humiliated. Have you ever been in a situation when you were embarrassed for the person you were with. They had allowed a substance to overtake them and then they want to parade you around. Have you ever just said NO. thinking to you I am not giving them the opportunity to embarrass me just because they want to show me off.
Now the King gets mad. He pulls together his closest allies to discuss what needs to be done. Now here is where things change. The advisers say to him if you don't do something other women are going to start to do this. They were afraid that other women would start disobeying their husbands. Now this is something hard for today's society to understand. You have to remember that women were property. They were not seen as equals and the fact that a woman would stand up to a man was seen as unforgivable. To make matters worse this was the King being told NO. He could not bury his head in the sand. If he didn't stop this other women would start thinking they could rule their husbands.
So the King made three decrees. First he exiles Queen Vashti from the presence of the King. Too further humiliate her and to teach women a lesson he took her position away from her. Lastly, he passed an order that went out to all the land that husbands were to be the rulers of the house. Those women had to do what their husbands commanded. In actuality, he just wrote down the law that made women property. This tradition stood for years to come. In some cultures women are still ruled and considered property by their husbands.
This event is important for the Jewish community at that time. Yet, no one knew how it would make a difference in the community surviving. It is important to remember that God works in mysterious ways. The laws and decrees passed that day would soon be the saving grace of the entire Jewish community. The world would be a much different place if things had gone differently with Queen Vashti. If the decrees had not been placed the lineage of Jesus would have been killed that day. So it is important to remember that sometimes the strangest things can mean big things to God.
I think back to what recently occurred in the United States. Laws are being challenged and the government just ended a partial shutdown. Yet, I believe God is doing this so people can see how things need to change. Sometimes it is our vote that can change the way our country works. God does work through things, and often the change is not what people expected. Sometimes it takes years to see how one law changed by a government benefits God's people.
Prayer:
Dear God thank you for working big miracles through your people. Thank you for helping the people during their many times of captivity. Dear God we thank you for being with us during all of our struggles. Dear God we ask you to protect us. Help us learn from our History so that we don't repeat past mistakes. In your Holy Name we pray Amen
Questions:
Have you allowed God to use you? Are you willing to be a leader and not a follower? What do you need to do today to ensure that God's will is done?
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