HADASSAH: GOD KNOWS BEST
Esther 1 & 2
It's that time again; a time to reassess the past and make plans for the future. With this in mind, let's look back 25 hundred years to see what one person can do.
In the Book of Esther, we find Hadassah! It's Hebrew for Ishtar. She was an orphan girl.
This is the story of her life and her impact on history.
She made a difference.
From the Persian Ishtar, we get: Esther.
Her book is a "masterpiece of literature." It is an accurate historical account of Xerxes I. The Hebrews knew him as "Ahasuerus". He reigned as king over Persia 486 465 B.C. (Ezra 4:6).
Both Ruth and Esther are included among the five Megilloth books of Hebrew scriptures. In the Jewish cannon, these books—Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther—are related to the festivals or religious feasts on the Jewish calendar.
For example:
Ruth, pictured the spring harvest. It was read at the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, sometime in May or June. Our calendar is not in sync with the Hebrew calendar.
Esther’s story gives the origin of the Feast of Purim. It is read during the celebration of God delivering the Jews, once again, from genocide under Xerxes I. It is held on 14th and 15th of the Hebrew month of Adar, or February-March according to our calendar.. Purim is the only Old Testament feast not legislated by the Mosaic law.
Song of Solomon—or the Hebrew: Solomon's Song of Songs which means the best song—celebrates God’s gift of bodily love between man and woman. In these poems, love is portrayed in its power, its splendor, its freshness and devotion to the beloved.
Love in all its aspects is paraded before us: moments of union and separation, ecstasy and anguish, longing and fulfillment.
It's a celebration of love and life; acceptable satisfaction and fulfillment amid a sinful world.
Meanwhile, back to Esther, her Persian name means, "Ishtar," one of their gods.
Her Jewish name was Hadassah.
This Jewish orphan girl was raised by her cousin, Mordecai, in Persia. Theirs was one of the thousands of families carried to Babylon by Nebochadnezzar and who were freed by Darius—Xerxes' great grand daddy.
This is one of the historical books that builds the foundation for the coming of Jesus as the Christ.
Were it not for Esther, there would have been no Judah—no family from which Jesus could be born.
She had her faith.
She had her beauty.
She had her cousin, and
She had her God.
And he used her in a strange and unusual way to accomplish His purposes.
Esther 1:1 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:)
This is the area from the Khyber Pass in present day Pakistan to Ethiopia (or Cush), and northern Sudan.
2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
"Shushan," which is named "Susa" on many Bible maps, was the capital city of Persia and thus served as the residence of Ahasuerus. It is located 150 miles north of the head of the Persian Gulf.
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:
According to Herodotus, there was a council of war in Xerxes' third year to plan the invasion of Greece.
At the conclusion, a seven day drinking binge and feast was held.
4 When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even and 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.
In a kingdom as vast as Xerxes, he had to depend upon the loyalties of chieftains of scattered clans.
This council was to impress them with his own might, and the potential awaiting those who are loyal to him.
The coming war could make them all rich!
It was a gathering of the Good Ole Boys.
Apparently, all went well.
Plans were made, and
A drunken week of partying followed.
9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
Herodotus names Xerxes' queen as "Amestris," and describes her as head-strong and cruel.
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 show 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.
13 Then the king said to the wise men (astrologers who also knew the law of Moses), 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;)
Persian law restricted audience with the king, according to Herodotus, to these seven nobles, who could enter the king's presence unannounced.
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 has 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.
Individual rights, whether women's or racial, is deemed a threat to those in power. As long as "once size fits all" those in power are protected. Without legal protection, everyone has to stand on their own merits.
Even the king is in a quandary when his wife, the queen, says "no" to his drunken request to dance for the boys.
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.
In typical male fashion, the counselors turned the matter into a national crisis that threatened all male supremacy!
Imagine, they are plotting the invasion of Greece, a war against all of Europe.
The destiny of the empire is at stake, BUT, now center stage, is this greater problem: A man's wife did not obey him when she refused to degrade herself before a bunch of drunken, red-neck bureaucrats.
Put that in the balance and weigh it:
The empire! vs. a disobedient wife!
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 honor, both to great and small.
Nothing much has changed in 25 hundred years: Men who cannot command respect on their own merits, still demand it.
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.
The king solemnly decreed that every man was to rule his own household and that his (not her) native language was to be spoken in that home.
That's the meaning of the last part of the verse.
It has always been thus!
However, in Christ, a wife's subjection unto her husband is conditional!
In counseling, I've had husbands to argue: "Well the Bible says that the husband is the head of the house, and my wife is supposed to obey me, doesn't she?"
My usual answer is: "If her happiness and her security for herself and her children, is your first love and greatest priority, you won't have to demand respect; she'll honor you with it.
Our whole relationship with God is based on love and respect, not rules and regulations. God's commandments measure the extent of your love and respect for Him.
Likewise, if a man loves his wife the way Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it, then his wife would be subject unto him in all things.
Back in Esther's day, this chapter ends with a royal family fight that becomes am inter-national issue.
Esther 2:1 When these things had been accomplished and the rage of King Ahasuerus had diminished, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decided against her. 2 The king’s servants who attended him said, “Let a search be conducted in the king’s behalf for attractive young women
The search for a new queen was little more than a royal beauty contest--a search for the most beautiful woman in the kingdom.
5 Now there happened to be a Jewish man in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai. He was the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 6 who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried into exile with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken into exile. 7 Now he was acting as the guardian of Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, for neither her father nor her mother was alive. This young woman was very attractive and had a beautiful figure. When her father and mother died, Mordecai had raised her as if she were his own daughter.
This is how Hadassah got involved in the queen search.
All the candidates were herded into the King's harem to be made as attractive as possible. This was a year-long process. Imagine a luxurious beauty spa for a whole year–six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfume and various ointments used by women!
Each contestant got to chose the gown of her choice from all the kingdom to wear in the competition.
The big secret was:
10 Now Esther had not disclosed her people or her lineage, for Mordecai had instructed her not to do so. 11 And day after day Mordecai used to walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem in order to learn how Esther was doing and what might happen to her.
Nervous cousin Mordecai walked the floors keeping tabs on the process.
After the yearlong pampering, the 13 chosen contestants were paraded before the king.
After he made the first cut, the chosen were returned to the harem.
Hadassah, or Esther as we know her, was as modest as she was beautiful.
She accepted only the minimum of what was offered,
…Yet Esther met with the approval of all who saw her.
17 And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she met with his loving approval more than all the other young women. So he placed the royal high turban on her head and appointed her queen in place of Vashti.
A royal banquet was held for the new queen.
A holiday was called throughout the kingdom.
Mordecai continued doing business at the city gates, and
…Esther continued to do whatever Mordecai said, just as she had done when he was raising her.
21 In those days while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who protected the entrance, became angry and plotted to assassinate King Ahasuerus. 22 When Mordecai learned of the conspiracy, he informed Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in Mordecai’s behalf. 23 The king then had the matter investigated and, finding it to be so, had the two conspirators hanged on a gallows. It was then recorded in the daily chronicles in the king’s presence.
Esther, true to her God, to herself, to the King, went from rags to riches and proved that anyone can make a difference.
This misplaced orphan girl who put
* her love and respect for God and
* her desire to help her own people
ahead of her personal safety, actually cleared the way for God's plan for Judah and for the WORLD—for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem; in the City of David!
In the following chapters, the ground is broken for Judah's return to Jerusalem. We also learn how God allows his opponents to gather enough rope to hang themselves.
Love prevails! The clock is ticking!
In time, angels will announce the results of what this single, orphan girl, by her love, loyalty, and commitment to God was willing to do.
Because of what she was willing to do, God did it!
And Jesus came at the right time, in the right place, for the right reason!
We have been adopted into God's royal family because of it!
Let us pray!
