The book of Esther starts with the time of King Xerxes. This king reigned over 127 provinces going from India to Ethiopia. In his third year, King Xerxes threw a huge party that lasted 6 months for his nobles and officials. The military officers of Persia and Media along with the princes and nobles were invited.
This party was a true display of his wealth and majesty. Esther 1:1-4
After the party was over, King Xerxes threw another grand banquet for the people which lasted for 7 days. Esther 1:6-8 describes how extravagant everything was. Even Queen Vashti gave her own banquet for the women.
One can only imagine what it must have been like to have been at those parties! But then things took a turn.
On the 7th day of the party, King Xerxes who was drunk asked his 7 eunuchs to bring Queen Vashti before him wearing her crown so he can show off how beautiful she was. Esther 1:10-11. To this day, nobody seems to know for sure if Xerxes meant for Vashti to wear her crown with her clothes or without. Either way, she would have been standing before a bunch of drunk men.
Well, Queen Vashti refused to comply with the king's order. In all honesty, a woman being in the presence of a group of drunk men is extremely degrading as well as dangerous. Anything could happen.
But what must be mentioned is Queen Vashti took a HUGE risk in saying no. When the king made a command, everyone had to obey...including the queen. If there was disobedience, a person could be executed. Queen Vashti knew this and honestly chose her self-respect over her husband's command. Esther 1:12
This made King Xerxes very angry. Basically, Queen Vashti embarrassed him in front of the entire kingdom by telling him no. King Xerxes had wise men around him that he sought counsel from. He asked them what should be done about Queen Vashti according to the law. They all agreed that what she did not only wronged the king, but also everyone. The fear was that the women in the kingdom would follow Queen Vashti's lead and despise their husbands when they called. It was a huge fear for men back then to have their wives stand up and tell them no. It challenged their manhood so to speak because of the belief that men are superior to women. There are men who still believe it to this day. Esther 1:12-18
So, a decree was issued that Vashti be removed from her position and that all wives will honor their husbands both small and great. The king was pleased with the reply and letters were sent to all the provinces saying that each man should be master in his own house. Esther 1:21-22
All of that because a king couldn't handle the fact his wife told him no. But what King Xerxes didn't know was that God's hand was in this and he was going to find himself being used as a vessel to bring out something bigger than himself
