You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery”; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. - Matthew 5:27-28
This week we are launching a new sermon series on the book of Esther titled “Esther’s Story: How Purim Began”. Over the next 3 months leading up to Easter we are going to study this amazing story of courage and faith. Before we begin, here are a few fun facts about this book.
The author (or co-authors) of Esther are unknown. Some of the most likely candidates are Nehemiah, Ezra, Mordecai, and/or Esther herself.
The book of Esther never uses the word “God”. However, the absence of His name beautifully demonstrates how He works invisibly behind the scenes to providentially orchestrate events. Though not mentioned directly, God’s presence is clearly seen throughout the story.
The book of Esther is different in Protestant and Catholic Bibles. Catholic Bibles include additional chapters taken from the Apocrypha that provide more details to the story.
The book of Esther is widely regarded as the last book to be canonized or accepted as a part of the Old Testament. It was likely written during the Intertestamental Period.
I. THE STORY’S SETTING (v1-4)
The Medo-Persian Empire, ruled by Cyrus the Great, defeated the Babylonians in 539 BC and subsequently freed the Jewish exiles who had been living in Babylonian captivity for around 70 years. A group of Jews led by Zerubbabel returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the Jewish temple. However, most of the Jewish exiles remained in Babylon and the surrounding areas, which were now part of the Persian Empire, as they had never lived in or even been to Israel, their ancestral homeland. The story of Esther took place some 60 years after the rise of the Persian Empire.
King Ahasuerus is widely identified by historians as Xerxes I, who reigned over Persia from 486-465 BC. He is remembered for his lavish lifestyle and impulsive decision making. During his reign, the Persian Empire was divided into 127 provinces stretching from India in the east to Ethiopia in the west. The events detailed in the book of Esther took place in Susa where there was a citadel that served as the winter residence of the kings of Persia. Susa is located in modern-day Iran, about 150 north of the Persian Gulf and west of the Tigris River.
During the 3rd year of his reign, in a grand show of pomp and pageantry, King Ahasuerus displayed all of “the riches of his glory and splendor of his majesty” for 180 days (6 months). He concluded this magnificent spectacle with a great feast. Among those who were invited to this feast were his own royal princes and servants, the military officers of Persia and Media, and the nobles and princes of the numerous provinces within the Empire. It is rather obvious that King Ahasuerus was a prideful, boastful man who revelled in his power and abundance.
II. THE ROYAL FEASTS (v5-9)
King Ahasuerus hosted a feast lasting 7 days in the court of the garden in the royal palace. Many people were present. There were fine linen hangings hung on silver rings from marble pillars. There were golden and silver couches on mosaic pavement made from precious stones. These furnishings were meant to highlight the king’s immense wealth and splendor. Drinks were served in golden vessels and the wine was plentiful. The king did not compel anyone to drink, however he also placed no limitation of the amount each person could drink. Thus, those in attendance could have as much wine as they wished.
Queen Vashti also hosted a feast especially suited for the women. It took place concurrently with the king’s feast, which was primarily intended for the men. Her feast was held inside the royal house.
III. THE QUEEN’S REFUSAL (v10-12)
On the final day of the feast, while heavily intoxicated, King Ahasuerus ordered his eunuchs to bring Queen Vashti before the people - primarily the princes, officers, nobles, and other men who were in attendance. By this point, they too would have been quite inebriated, making the whole group a drunken hoard. She was to wear her royal crown and display her beauty before them. However, the queen refused to go with the eunuchs or to comply with the king’s order. He became furious.
While the text doesn’t say it, Jewish tradition holds that King Ahasuerus ordered Vashti to appear before the people nude, wearing nothing but her crown. At the very least, the context implies that she was summoned to entertain the lewd men by putting her beauty on display. To her credit, Vashti refused to be objectified and humiliated in this way. She was not a believer or follower of God, but at least she had the modesty, dignity, and courage not to be mistreated like this. Her sense of self-respect is an example to women everywhere.
IV. THE ADVISORS’ RECOMMENDATION (v13-20)
King Ahasuerus asked his legal advisers what should be done with Queen Vashti for refusing to comply with his declaration. One of them, Memucan, commented that her disobedience was not just a violation against the king, but against the whole empire. He feared that reports of the queen’s defiance would inspire other Persian women to disrespect their own husbands and to exhibit disdain toward the king, his princes, and administration. In light of these concerns, Memucan advised Ahasuerus to ban Vashti from his presence, remove her as queen, and replace her with someone “better”. He suggested that these actions not only be made by royal decree, but also codified in the law so they could not be repealed. He reasoned that this sentence would send a strong and clear message to women throughout the empire to obey and respect their husbands.
V. THE KING’S DECREE (v21-22)
King Ahasuerus agreed with and followed the recommendation of Memucan and his legal advisors. He removed Queen Vashti from her royal position and sent a letter throughout the empire which was written in the appropriate language of each province. It stated that “every man shall be the ruler in his own house and the one who speaks in the tongue of his own people”. This decree intended to mute women’s voices and to quell any disobedience or disrespect wives might have for their husbands.
The Bible teaches that God has, by design, established a proper order for the home. Husbands are to be the leaders and wives are to submit to their leadership. That said, husbands are commanded to exhibit selfless, Christlike love for their wives. They are not to domineer over them, abuse them, or devalue them in any way. Just as Jesus cherished the church and gave Himself sacrificially for her, so also husbands are to love their wives. King Ahasuerus’ behavior toward Vashti was not and is not a proper expression of God’s design. A Christian husband should never treat his wife this way, and if he does, she should not comply with his illegitimate and sinful command.
The secular culture frequently smears Christianity for advocating “male authority”. It accuses Christians of viewing women as inferior to men. While it is foolish to deny obvious physical and emotional differences between the 2 sexes, the fact is that both men and women are created in the image of God and have equal value in His eyes. Both have particular strengths and weaknesses. The Bible encourages husbands and wives to joyfully accept and fulfill the roles to which they have been assigned in order that the family, church, and society at large might function as the LORD intends. It has nothing to do with superiority.
CONCLUSION
Queen Vashti’s removal left a vacancy in the royal palace. In next week’s message, we will read about the search for a new queen and the unlikely candidate who was chosen to fill the void. Until then, husbands, love and cherish your wives, and wives, love and respect your husbands. Above all, remember that both men and women are precious to God, and neither should be devalued, abused, or shamed (either by themselves or others).
This week we are launching a new sermon series on the book of Esther titled “Esther’s Story: How Purim Began”. Over the next 3 months leading up to Easter we are going to study this amazing story of courage and faith. Before we begin, here are a few fun facts about this book.
The author (or co-authors) of Esther are unknown. Some of the most likely candidates are Nehemiah, Ezra, Mordecai, and/or Esther herself.
The book of Esther never uses the word “God”. However, the absence of His name beautifully demonstrates how He works invisibly behind the scenes to providentially orchestrate events. Though not mentioned directly, God’s presence is clearly seen throughout the story.
The book of Esther is different in Protestant and Catholic Bibles. Catholic Bibles include additional chapters taken from the Apocrypha that provide more details to the story.
The book of Esther is widely regarded as the last book to be canonized or accepted as a part of the Old Testament. It was likely written during the Intertestamental Period.
I. THE STORY’S SETTING (v1-4)
The Medo-Persian Empire, ruled by Cyrus the Great, defeated the Babylonians in 539 BC and subsequently freed the Jewish exiles who had been living in Babylonian captivity for around 70 years. A group of Jews led by Zerubbabel returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the Jewish temple. However, most of the Jewish exiles remained in Babylon and the surrounding areas, which were now part of the Persian Empire, as they had never lived in or even been to Israel, their ancestral homeland. The story of Esther took place some 60 years after the rise of the Persian Empire.
King Ahasuerus is widely identified by historians as Xerxes I, who reigned over Persia from 486-465 BC. He is remembered for his lavish lifestyle and impulsive decision making. During his reign, the Persian Empire was divided into 127 provinces stretching from India in the east to Ethiopia in the west. The events detailed in the book of Esther took place in Susa where there was a citadel that served as the winter residence of the kings of Persia. Susa is located in modern-day Iran, about 150 north of the Persian Gulf and west of the Tigris River.
During the 3rd year of his reign, in a grand show of pomp and pageantry, King Ahasuerus displayed all of “the riches of his glory and splendor of his majesty” for 180 days (6 months). He concluded this magnificent spectacle with a great feast. Among those who were invited to this feast were his own royal princes and servants, the military officers of Persia and Media, and the nobles and princes of the numerous provinces within the Empire. It is rather obvious that King Ahasuerus was a prideful, boastful man who revelled in his power and abundance.
II. THE ROYAL FEASTS (v5-9)
King Ahasuerus hosted a feast lasting 7 days in the court of the garden in the royal palace. Many people were present. There were fine linen hangings hung on silver rings from marble pillars. There were golden and silver couches on mosaic pavement made from precious stones. These furnishings were meant to highlight the king’s immense wealth and splendor. Drinks were served in golden vessels and the wine was plentiful. The king did not compel anyone to drink, however he also placed no limitation of the amount each person could drink. Thus, those in attendance could have as much wine as they wished.
Queen Vashti also hosted a feast especially suited for the women. It took place concurrently with the king’s feast, which was primarily intended for the men. Her feast was held inside the royal house.
III. THE QUEEN’S REFUSAL (v10-12)
On the final day of the feast, while heavily intoxicated, King Ahasuerus ordered his eunuchs to bring Queen Vashti before the people - primarily the princes, officers, nobles, and other men who were in attendance. By this point, they too would have been quite inebriated, making the whole group a drunken hoard. She was to wear her royal crown and display her beauty before them. However, the queen refused to go with the eunuchs or to comply with the king’s order. He became furious.
While the text doesn’t say it, Jewish tradition holds that King Ahasuerus ordered Vashti to appear before the people nude, wearing nothing but her crown. At the very least, the context implies that she was summoned to entertain the lewd men by putting her beauty on display. To her credit, Vashti refused to be objectified and humiliated in this way. She was not a believer or follower of God, but at least she had the modesty, dignity, and courage not to be mistreated like this. Her sense of self-respect is an example to women everywhere.
IV. THE ADVISORS’ RECOMMENDATION (v13-20)
King Ahasuerus asked his legal advisers what should be done with Queen Vashti for refusing to comply with his declaration. One of them, Memucan, commented that her disobedience was not just a violation against the king, but against the whole empire. He feared that reports of the queen’s defiance would inspire other Persian women to disrespect their own husbands and to exhibit disdain toward the king, his princes, and administration. In light of these concerns, Memucan advised Ahasuerus to ban Vashti from his presence, remove her as queen, and replace her with someone “better”. He suggested that these actions not only be made by royal decree, but also codified in the law so they could not be repealed. He reasoned that this sentence would send a strong and clear message to women throughout the empire to obey and respect their husbands.
V. THE KING’S DECREE (v21-22)
King Ahasuerus agreed with and followed the recommendation of Memucan and his legal advisors. He removed Queen Vashti from her royal position and sent a letter throughout the empire which was written in the appropriate language of each province. It stated that “every man shall be the ruler in his own house and the one who speaks in the tongue of his own people”. This decree intended to mute women’s voices and to quell any disobedience or disrespect wives might have for their husbands.
The Bible teaches that God has, by design, established a proper order for the home. Husbands are to be the leaders and wives are to submit to their leadership. That said, husbands are commanded to exhibit selfless, Christlike love for their wives. They are not to domineer over them, abuse them, or devalue them in any way. Just as Jesus cherished the church and gave Himself sacrificially for her, so also husbands are to love their wives. King Ahasuerus’ behavior toward Vashti was not and is not a proper expression of God’s design. A Christian husband should never treat his wife this way, and if he does, she should not comply with his illegitimate and sinful command.
The secular culture frequently smears Christianity for advocating “male authority”. It accuses Christians of viewing women as inferior to men. While it is foolish to deny obvious physical and emotional differences between the 2 sexes, the fact is that both men and women are created in the image of God and have equal value in His eyes. Both have particular strengths and weaknesses. The Bible encourages husbands and wives to joyfully accept and fulfill the roles to which they have been assigned in order that the family, church, and society at large might function as the LORD intends. It has nothing to do with superiority.
CONCLUSION
Queen Vashti’s removal left a vacancy in the royal palace. In next week’s message, we will read about the search for a new queen and the unlikely candidate who was chosen to fill the void. Until then, husbands, love and cherish your wives, and wives, love and respect your husbands. Above all, remember that both men and women are precious to God, and neither should be devalued, abused, or shamed (either by themselves or others).