A Study of the Book of Esther
God Is At Work Even When We Do Not Know It!
Esther 1:1-22
Esther is a very unusual book. It almost did not make into the canon of Scripture (become a part of the Bible. It is the only Old Testament book not found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Neither Jesus nor any of the New Testament writers quoted from it. Martin Luther even questioned why it is even in the Bible. God is never mentioned in it nor is there any religious practice (other than Esther appeal to the people “to fast for me” 4:16 before she went into the presence of the king).
Some commentators see the book as an allegory or sort of parable (for example Ian Thomas and Ray Stedman) see the characters as portraying some scriptural truth, but they do agree on what the characters represent. (Ray Stedman says that Esther is in pictorial form the story of the fall of Man and Thomas says it is a picture of the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life.) I am very cautious of assigning meaning to characters that is not given in the Bible.
One commentator even suggested the book of Esther is a historical novel, sort of like a Harlequin Romance. He says it didn't really happen this way, but the story is like one of the parables of Jesus – fiction that makes a spiritual point. I prefer to take it as history unless there are really compelling reasons to do otherwise.
I will apologize in advance for the amount of context and historical background I felt needed to understand the book.
The Historical Context.
Civil war had resulted in the Israel being divided into two kingdoms the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah). Because neither kingdom was following God they were allowed to be taken into captivity. Assyria took the Northern Kingdom (Israel) into captivity and Babylon took the Southern Kingdom (Judah) into captivity. Eventually Babylon was over-powered by the Medes and Persians. Then the Jews were allowed to return to their home land. Zerub-babel led the first group, Ezra led the second group and Nehemiah led a third. But there were still Jews who had for whatever reason remained in Persia. A portion perhaps even a great many Jews remained in Persia. Sometimes the fear of the unknown even greater than whatever one is facing at the present. It is this group that remained in Persia that are in consideration in the book of Esther.
Two subtle temptations faced the Jews living in Persia. Assimilation and despair, First, assimil-ation, the challenge is how to continue live as citizens of Persia and yet retain their cultural and religious distinctives. In the science fiction series “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (with apologies to those of you who have no idea what I am talking about) there is particularly nasty opponent of the Federation called “The Borg,” their method of operation is to assimilate any people they conquer and extract whatever is of value. Their slogan is “Resistance is futile; you must be assimi-lated.” In the same way the Persian sought to assimilate the various people they conquer into single entity.
The other temptation facing the Jews in Persia was despair. Despair comes from the feeling that God is not at work in our world. The book of Esther is about knowing God is at work even when we cannot see how. As someone has said, “When you cannot see God’s hand, trust God’s heart.” [With thanks to Iain M. Duguid. “Esther and Ruth.” Reformed Expository Commentary. (Philipsburg: NJ, P& R Pub., 2005) pp. 5-7]
God Is At Work Behind The Scenes.
Someone has said, “God is a lot like my pastor, I don’t see him during the week and I don’t understand him on Sunday!” God does not tend to work through miracles and drama. We would like for him to and even expect him to, because we have seen him do so in the Bible. It is hard when we read about God’s incredible acts not to get discouraged by the fact that He never reacts that way in the crisis points of our lives. But the reality is that even in the Bible God’s work is often subtle.
I believe that the value of the book of Esther is that it is a book of crisis – something that we cer-tainly can relate to – and it provides insight into what God is doing when He chooses to remain silent. We may have a crisis but God never has; nothing that occurs in our lives ever catches God by surprise.
Although God’s name is never mentioned in
The book of Esther, His presence is unmistakable and His control and care for His people is evident even in this distant land.
In a way Esther is a portrait of Romans 8:28 in the Old Testament. God can and does work out everything for good to those who love him. He uses not just good events - nice events - but all events. The best things that happen to you, and the worst things that happen to you, are God's tools to mold you. You may feel that everything is in turmoil and nothing makes sense. One author described it as “seeing God’s shadow.”
It is only in hindsight, perhaps years later, will you recognize God's hand in it. Paul's verse does not teach that everything always works out for everybody. It is a specific promise for born-again Christians. If you know God through a per-sonal relationship with Jesus, you can trust that every event has a divine purpose.
J. Sidlow Baxter has written, “God (He) may be invisible but He is infallible. He may seem strangely silent, but He remains sovereign. He be unsuspected; yet [He is all knowing, always present, all powerful] He guides and guards. Evil may be temporarily permitted, but ultimately it is frustrated. Behind a frowning providence God hides a smiling face.” [J. Sidlow Baxter. “Exploring the Book. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1966, p.264]
“God’s work is not all slam-bang action; sometimes it is a quiet faithfulness to His promises in the seemingly ordinary providences of life, bringing about in the hearts of His people what He has purposed.” [ Duguid. p. 15]
The Main Characters.
The main character is a woman named Hadassah which means “star”, but her Baby-lonian or Persian name was Esther, named after the goddess Ishtar.
The Jewish festival “The Feast of Purim” is a celebration of the life of Esther and in memory of the deliverance of the Jewish people accomplished through Queen Esther. On this occasion the book of Esther is read aloud and traditionally the congreg-ation cheers every time Esther is mentioned and boos every time the name of Haman is mentioned. [The Jews believe that the book of Esther held some prophesies that were fulfilled in the Nuremburg trials in 1946- Jim Bomkamp]
Read with me in Chapter one, verse one, “Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (ah/has/er/us) (this was the Ahasuerus who reigned over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India to Ethiopia), 2 in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the citadel.”
The King - Ahasuerus (ah/has/er/us) but that is not a personal name but rather a title like Czar, Caesar or Pharaoh it means “The Venerable Father.” Many Bible scholars (but not all) identify this man as Xerxes the Great who reigned from 485-465 B.C. This Ahasuerus ruled 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.
In his campaign against the Greeks (481-479) he gathered one of the greatest armies ever assem-bled to conquer Greece. In fact Xerxes spent four full years in collecting his army and making sure that everything his soldiers would need was ready. With an army of 200 thousand men and fleet of many hundreds of ships, he tried to avenge the humiliating defeat suffered by his father Darius at the battle of Marathon. But in spite of his careful planning and his huge army he was blocked by the King Leonidas of Sparta with a force of 300 men at the battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. And later his army was defeated and his navy destroyed by weather.
The Place - The action takes place at Shushan (the Hebrew name) or Susa (the Greek name) the capital of Persia, in the winter place which father Darius I had rebuild as his winter palace called the citadel. It’s ruins are located in Southwest Iran, about 150 miles north of the Persia Gulf, east of the Tigris River. Susa was where Daniel had one of his visions (Dan. 8:2) and is where Nehemiah served as cupbearer to Xerxe’s son, Artaxerxes.
The First Feast. (vv. 3-4)
“that in the third year of his reign he made a feast for all his officials and servants—the powers of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the princes of the provinces being before him— 4 when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his excellent majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days in all.”
Three years into his reign - the king two huge banquets. First, he gives a nation-wide feast to display his incredible wealth. He wanted everyone to marvel at the vast wealth of his kingdom – this banquet lasted for one hundred and eighty days – a feast that lasted for six months. The purpose was purely political as gave a banquet to solidify support for his impending military campaign against the Greeks.
The Second Feast. (vv. 5-9)
He wants to wow them with his wealth.
“And when these days were completed, the king made a feast lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Shushan the citadel, from great to small, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. 6 There were white and blue lin-en curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver rods and marble pillars; and the couches were of gold and silver on a mosaic
pavement of alabaster, turquoise, and white and black marble. 7 And they served drinks in golden vessels, each vessel being different from the other, with royal wine in abundance, according to the generosity of the king. 8 In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had ordered all the officers of his house-hold, that they should do according to each man’s pleasure. 9 Queen Vashti also made a feast for the women in the royal palace which belonged
to King Ahasuerus.”
Xerxes (or Ahasuerus) spared no expense. The banquet site was the enclosed garden of the palace, featuring a dazzling mosaic pavement of precious stones and multicolored canopies under which the quest could recline at luxurious couches. There of course was plenty of wine to go around.
Herodotus said Persia’s wealth and magni-ficence wowed even Alexander the Great when more than a century later he entered the palace at Susa and found 40,000 talents of gold and silver bullion (1,200 tons) and 9,000 talents of minted coins (270 tons) which had been accumulated by the Persian kings.
First, The Kings Demand. (1:10-11)
“On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, 11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold.”
On the last day of banquet the king had what he thought was an inspiration. “While I am dis-playing all the beautiful things I own, I have not yet shown my greatest trophy – my beautiful wife.”
Note the link in verse 10 of the king and his decision. The king has been drinking for seven days and is now intoxicated with his own pride and with alcohol “merry with wine.” Plutarch the Greek biographer and philosopher said, “The habit of the Persian King was to have his queen by his side until he wished riot and drink. Then he sent her away and called the wives of inferior rank – his concubines.” Herodotus reported the Persians “are very fond of wine…and it is their general practice to deliberate upon affairs of importance when drunk ….Sometimes however, are sober at first deliberation, but in this case they always reconsider the matter under the influence of wine.” Sounds like a good idea right? (As quoted by John Whitcomb. “Esther-Triumph of God’s Sovereignty.” Everyman’s Bible Commentary. (Chicago: Moody, 1979) pp. 37-38]
The Queen
Not much is known about Vashti except she was Ahasurerus’ wife and she was very beautiful. So on the last day of the feast the inebriated king sent his seven eunuchs, who were his means of communication with the harem, to “bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials.” Scholars have debated the meaning of the king’s command. Some suggest it simply meant that Vashti was to come unveiled with would have been scandal enough in a Persian Court. But other suggest that she was to come wearing only her crown which would have been a scandal of a whole different level. But whatever he meant she said no!
Second, The Queen’s Refusal. (1:12)
“But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs; therefore the king was furious, and his anger burned within him.”
The queen who was hosting her own banquet (v.9) refused to come and commentators argue over whether she made the right decision or not and what exact was the king asking her to do.
Some commentators say that Vashti repre-sents a good example of a wife’s submission. I love Tony Evans definition for submission…. “Sub-mission is knowing when to duck so that God can hit your husband. A woman does not have to give up her dignity when she marries.
A woman need not obey her husband when he asks is opposed to God’s law or basic decency.
The King’s Anger
Xerxes was known for his irrational temper and occasional fits of rage. “History relates some events in the life [of the king] that shed light on his temperament and help us to get a better idea of the volatile nature of this man. For example, in his military campaign against Greece, he once ordered a bridge to be built over the Hellespont, a channel of water… that separates Greece and Turkey.
However, upon completion of the great project, and just before he was able to use it a storm came and completely destroyed the bridge. This so infuriated him that that he ordered his officers to give the sea three hundred lashes as punishment and he had a pair of leg irons thrown into the seat that point where the bridge collapsed, as if he had the authority to punish the elements themselves. Then he had all the builders of the bridge beheaded.”[Daniel Schaeffer. “Dancing With A Shadow: Making Sense of God’s Silence.” (Grand Rapids: Discovery House, 1995) pp. 29-30]
Third, The King’s Reprisal. (1:13)
“Then the king said to the wise men who under-stood the times (for this was the king’s manner toward all who knew law and justice, 14 those closest to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tars-hish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who had access to the king’s presence, and who ranked highest in the kingdom 15 “What shall we do to Queen Vashti, according to law, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus brought to hereby the eunuchs?” 16 And Memucan (mam/moo/can) answered before the king and the princes: “Queen Vashti has not only wronged the king, but also all the princes, and all the people who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17 For the queen’s behavior will become known to all women, so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes, when they report, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in before him, but she did not come.’ 18 This very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media will say to all the king’s officials that they have heard of the behavior of the queen. Thus there will be excessive contempt and wrath.
19 If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it will not be altered, that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. 20 When the king’s decree which he will make is proclaimed throughout all his empire (for it is great), all wives will honor their husbands, both great and small.” 21 And the reply pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan. 22 Then he sent letters to all the king’s provinces, to each province in its own script, and to every people in their own language, that each man should be master in his own house, and speak in the language of his own people.”
The king calls on his most trusted advisors (v. 13) ask them “what shall we do to Queen Vashti according to the law” (v. 15) or what can I legally do to the Queen. We don’t know anything about Memucan except that he was one of the king’s top advisers. But one has to wonder about his life at home because his advice is that if the king does not make an example out of Vashti and remove her as queen then every other woman in the kingdom is going to despise their husbands and not obey his every word (v. 20). His suggestion was the Vashti be removed and replace by a “better” queen and a law passed that all wives must respect their husbands.
Apparently the Persians had a system of relaying the king’s commands in an ancient “Pony Express” type fashion. Riders and horses were arranged ever so many miles so that the king’s commands could be spread rapidly across the kingdom. Perhaps this is where the idea of the “Pony Express” in our country came from.
Fourth, The Queen’s Replacement. (1:19)
“Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she”
We cannot fail to notice that her decision has consequences. We need to also note that even you make the right decision (Vashti) it may look light that things do no turn out in our favor. Vashti is stripped of her title and since she has chosen NOT to appear before the king when she was sum-moned, she will never appear before him again. Instead her place will be given to someone “better than she” (v.19). Vashti is out…now what?
Conclusion
“In the 1930s’ the Communist dictator Stalin ordered a purge of all Bibles and all believers. In Stravropol, Russia, this order was carried out with a vengeance. Thousands of Bibles were confiscated, and multitudes of believers were sent to the gulags. Most of them died there for being "enemies of the state." Years later, right after the collapse of communism, a Christian mission organization sent a team to Stavropol.
When the team was having difficulty getting Bibles shipped from Moscow, someone mentioned the existence of a warehouse outside of town. It was rumored to contain thousands of confiscated Bibles that had been stored since Stalin's day. After much prayer by the team, one member finally got up the courage to go to the warehouse and ask the officials if the Bibles were still there.... The answer was, "Yes." The next day mission team returned with a truck and several Russians to help load the Bibles. One helper was a young man - a skeptical, hostile, agnostic college student who had come only for the day's wages. As they were loading Bibles, one team member noticed that the young man had disappeared.
He had slipped away, hoping to quietly take a Bible for himself. What he found shook him to the core. The inside page of the Bible he picked up had the handwritten signature of his own grand-mother. It had been her personal Bible. Out of the thousands of Bibles still left in the warehouse, he stole the one belonging to this grandmother - a woman persecuted for her faith all her life. He was found weeping - God was real.” “Against All Odds, He Found His Grandmother's Bible,” Wit and Wisdom by Richard G. Wimer, October 27, 2005; original source is Christian Reader, Sept/Oct 1995, p. 57.]
God Is At Work Even We Do Not Know It!
Esther 1:1-22
God At Work Behind The Scenes.
The Main Characters.
The King -Ahasuerus is not a personal name but rather a title like Czar, Caesar or Pharaoh this man as Xerxes the Great. (485-465 B.C.) This Ahasuerus ruled 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.
The Place - The action takes place at Shushan (the Heb. name) or Susa (the Greek name) the capital of Persia, located in present day Iran.
The First Feast. (vv. 3-4) lasted 180 days – 6 months. The purpose was purely political as gave a banquet to solidify support for his impending military campaign against the Greeks.
The Second Feast. (vv. 5-9)
First, The King’s Demand. (1:10-11)
On the last day of the feast the inebriated king sent his seven eunuchs, who were his means of communication with the harem, to fetch the queen.
Second, The Queen’s Refusal. (1:12)
The King’s Anger
Third, The King’s Reprisal. (1:13)
Fourth, The Queen’s Replacement. (1:19)
God Is At Work Even We Do Not Know It!
Esther 1:1-22
God At Work Behind The Scenes.
The Main Characters.
The King -Ahasuerus is not a personal name but rather a title like Czar, Caesar or Pharaoh this man as Xerxes the Great. (485-465 B.C.) This Ahasuerus ruled 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.
The Place - The action takes place at Shushan (the Heb. name) or Susa (the Greek name) the capital of Persia, located in present day _______.
The First Feast. (vv. 3-4) lasted 180 days – 6 months. The purpose was purely political as gave a banquet to solidify support for his impending military campaign against the Greeks.
The Second Feast. (vv. 5-9)
First, The King’s ___________. (1:10-11)
On the last day of the feast the inebriated king sent his seven eunuchs, who were his means of communication with the harem, to fetch the queen.
Second, The Queen’s ___________. (1:12)
The King’s Anger
Third, The King’s _____________. (1:13)
Fourth, The Queen’s ______________. (1:19)
