It begins (1:1,2) with king Ahasuerus (also known as Xerxes) who reigned over the Persian Empire, 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia and his throne was in Shushan (Susa). He had inherited it from his father, Darius I (mentioned in passages such as Ezra 4:24, 5:5-7, 6:1-15; and in Daniel and Haggai). There is ample evidence of the existence of this king, including ruins of his palace.
It begins with that familiar phrase ‘and it came to pass’. This would have been around 483BC and the Persian Empire, in its day, was the largest the world had ever seen, and it covered present day Turkey. Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel and parts of Egypt, Sudan, Libya and Arabia. The Babylonians had conquered Jerusalem and taken people into exile. Ezra had returned to Jerusalem and a simple temple had been rebuilt. Some years later, under Artaxerxes 1, Ahasuerus’ successor, Nehemiah would return to rebuild the walls.
In the third year of his reign, Ahasuerus made a feast for all the officials and servants of Persia and Media including the nobles and princes (v3-9). He showed the riches of his kingdom and his splendour for 180 days. When the approximately six months was over, he made a feast which lasted for seven days in the garden court of the king’s palace. The place was lavishly decorated with white and blue curtains with cords of fine linen and purple on silver rods and marble pillars, gold and silver couches on mosaic pavements of alabaster, turquoise, and white and black marble. Wine was served in golden vessels, from the king. The drinking was not compulsory as the king ordered that they should do according to each man’s pleasure.
It is apparent that it was all to do with the king’s pride and to impress others with his wealth and power.
Queen Vashti also made a feast for the women.
The wine was flowing freely and after seven days of feasting, it is understated that the king was merry. (v10,11) So, he ordered his seven named eunuchs to bring Queen Vashti wearing her crown to show her beauty. One can assume that it would be an immodest display, probably only wearing her crown. She refused and he became angry (v12). She was in a perilous situation; no-one refuses the king and gets away with it. It took great courage, and it still does, but sadly, many put themselves in dangerous situations, particularly where alcohol is concerned, showing lack of wisdom. Alcohol is a controller.
We see ever so much today of people placing temptations in the way of others, particularly children and young people, and even older people lacking control. The schemes and plans of wicked people are rife in our world today and it takes great wisdom and courage to stand against them. We are being controlled by a minority who seek evil, under the control of Satan, who wants to lead us astray and, in the end, will drop us, he couldn’t care less about us.
The king wasn’t pleased and sought the advice of his wise men, the highest ranking seven princes of Media and Persia, and one of them, Memucan, said that she had not only wronged the king, but all of them and the people of the provinces (v13-22). He went on to state, something which is common in our day, that, her behaviour will lead to all women disobeying their husbands leading to excessive contempt and wrath. It is Scriptural that wives should obey their husbands, but husbands must also remember that they should love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it (see Ephesians 5).
Memucan went on to say that a law should be passed that Vashti shall no longer come before the king and that her position should be given to another, and that all wives must honour their husbands, and that each man should be master in his own house and speak in the language of his own people.
That last phrase is interesting. I’m sure it does not mean ‘not speaking in a foreign language’. It could mean, that we all have to agree. The problem with that is, with what? Freedom of speech, thought and religion are supposedly part of our culture, but it seems that it is freedom to do, say, think only what others say we must, however wicked that may be.
The king was led by these so-called wise men. Honour and respect cannot be demanded, it should come willingly from the heart.
