Series: God Is Here [#1]
DON’T GET TRIPPED UP
Esther 1:1-22
Introduction:
How many times have you watched things happen that you have no control over? The Supreme Court rulings, the price of gasoline, etc…; and it makes you wonder if God has taken a break. I have heard more than one time from a non-Christian that if God exists, then why does He allow children to go hungry or innocent people to be killed? Why does He allow people to have cancer? Why did He allow Tharon to be blind? It is moments like this that the enemy likes to attack us- When he sees that we are down, or angry, etc… We must be careful that we don’t let the enemy trip us up.
We are beginning a new series today on the Book of Esther. I have read this Book of the Bible several times; but I have never spent much time studying it. This story of a young Jewish orphan becoming the Queen of Persia is an amazing story of how God works in our lives. Probably one of the most interesting things about this Book of the Bible is that it never mentions the Name of God. There have been many Bible scholars and theologians that don’t believe that Esther should be in our Bible.
Just as the many times in my life that it seemed that God wasn’t there, I know He was. Just because God is not mentioned by name in this book doesn’t mean that God wasn’t there. Whether you believe it or not, God is here and He is working in all of our lives.
Esther 1:1-22 (MSG)
“This is the story of something that happened in the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled from India to Ethiopia--127 provinces in all. King Xerxes ruled from his royal throne in the palace complex of Susa. In the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his officials and ministers. The military brass of Persia and Media were also there, along with the princes and governors of the provinces. For six months he put on exhibit the huge wealth of his empire and its stunningly beautiful royal splendors. At the conclusion of the exhibit, the king threw a weeklong party for everyone living in Susa, the capital--important and unimportant alike. The party was in the garden courtyard of the king's summer house. The courtyard was elaborately decorated with white and blue cotton curtains tied with linen and purple cords to silver rings on marble columns. Silver and gold couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and colored stones. Drinks were served in gold chalices, each chalice one-of-a-kind. The royal wine flowed freely--a generous king! The guests could drink as much as they liked--king's orders!-with waiters at their elbows to refill the drinks. Meanwhile, Queen Vashti was throwing a separate party for women inside King Xerxes' royal palace. On the seventh day of the party, the king, high on the wine, ordered the seven eunuchs who were his personal servants (Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas) to bring him Queen Vashti resplendent in her royal crown. He wanted to show off her beauty to the guests and officials. She was extremely good-looking. But Queen Vashti refused to come, refused the summons delivered by the eunuchs. The king lost his temper. Seething with anger over her insolence, the king called in his counselors, all experts in legal matters. It was the king's practice to consult his expert advisors. Those closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven highest-ranking princes of Persia and Media, the inner circle with access to the king's ear. He asked them what legal recourse they had against Queen Vashti for not obeying King Xerxes' summons delivered by the eunuchs. Memucan spoke up in the council of the king and princes: "It's not only the king Queen Vashti has insulted, it's all of us, leaders and people alike in every last one of King Xerxes' provinces. The word's going to get out: "Did you hear the latest about Queen Vashti? King Xerxes ordered her to be brought before him and she wouldn't do it!' When the women hear it, they'll start treating their husbands with contempt. The day the wives of the Persian and Mede officials get wind of the queen's insolence, they'll be out of control. Is that what we want, a country of angry women who don't know their place? "So, if the king agrees, let him pronounce a royal ruling and have it recorded in the laws of the Persians and Medes so that it cannot be revoked, that Vashti is permanently banned from King Xerxes' presence. And then let the king give her royal position to a woman who knows her place. When the king's ruling becomes public knowledge throughout the kingdom, extensive as it is, every woman, regardless of her social position, will show proper respect to her husband." The king and the princes liked this. The king did what Memucan proposed. He sent bulletins to every part of the kingdom, to each province in its own script, to each people in their own language: "Every man is master of his own house; whatever he says, goes."
What King Xerxes did was wrong. He threw a drunken party; embarrassed himself by making a foolish request of his wife; was further humiliated because the Queen would not do what he commanded; and became so furious that he tried to save face by following bad advice. What King Xerxes did was wrong; but the book of Esther is about how God was able to take his wrong and move in the life of Esther in a way that would save the Jewish people. God took a wrong and made a right out of it.
Esther 1:12 (NIV)
“But when the attendants delivered the king's command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.”
Don’t get tripped up…
1. By pride.
For 6 months, King Xerxes had been having a party for dignitaries from all over the world, (127 to be exact). After the 6 month party was over, he held a week long party for everyone in Susa. Now, during this same time, Queen Vashti was holding her own party for the women. It is interesting that this King of only 3 years was already “showing off”. This is where his pride came in. He had already elevated himself to a god.
The problem began when the King wanted the Queen to come and model her body for everyone. The Hebrew text even suggests that King Xerxes wanted her to come out in only her crown. We see that she refused which infuriated the King. Why was he so mad? She made him look bad. Now before we begin to start judging, we all must admit that we too have moments of bad decisions. It usually happens because we think that we are really important- More important than everyone around us. If King Xerxes would have thought before he commanded that the Queen come model for the crowd, this would not have happened.
Esther 1:13 (NIV)
“Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times.”
Don’t get tripped up…
2. By bad advice.
What’s the 1st thing King Xerxes did when Queen Vashti turned down his command idea? He calls in the experts. Now, don’t get me wrong, it is a good idea to get ideas from others; but you need to choose the right people. In this case, the King was asking people whom he knew would give him the answer he wanted.
Esther 1:19 (NIV)
“Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she.”
Don’t get tripped up…
3. By hastily destroying your relationships.
There are some people that it is easier for them to end a relationship, than it is to work through the issues. King Xerxes later regretted his decision; but it was too late. Instead of taking some time to figure it out, he had his wife exiled from the Kingdom never to return. It is almost like these Hollywood marriages that never seem to last.
Conclusion:
We all go through difficult times and we must be careful that we do not allow the enemy to trip us up.
