ESTHER - GOD’S WOMAN FOR HER GENERATION. Esther 2.

How could an unknown woman, such as Esther become the queen of this mighty empire.? Only the living God, whose name strangely in not recorded in this amazing book, could arrange the jig-saw pieces to give the picture. The Jewish people revere this book.

King Ahasuerus reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces ( 1:2 ) in Shushan, the citadel. ‘He called all his officials and servants - the powers of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the princes of the provinces to a feast, where he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendour of his glorious majesty for one hundred and eighty days.’ (1:4)

He decorated his palace with ‘white and blue curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple rods and marble pillars ; and the couches were of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of alabaster, turquoise, and white and black marble. ’ ’They served drinks in gold vessels with royal wine in abundance, according to the generosity of the king. ’

Meanwhile, Queen Vashti made a feast for the women in the royal palace which belonged to King Ahashuerus.’ (1:9) She was startled when commanded ’to appear before the king wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and officials , for she was beautiful to behold.’ (1:12). Why did she object to the summons? Was the king drunk in making this demand? Did he desire to show her physical beauty, or display her womanly wisdom and level-headedness?

The palace was astir with the queen’s rejection of her lord. ’ What shall we do to Queen Vashti echoed in many lives? ’The Queen has not only wronged the king, but also the princes, and all the people in the provinces of King Ahashuerus. The queen’s behaviour will become known to all women, so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes. Thus there will be excessive contempt and wrath.’ (1;18) This unheard-of background launched the search for a replacement queen.

King Ahashuerus surprisingly legislated ’ to each province in its own script, and to every people in his own language, that each man should be master in his own house, and speak in the language of the people.’ ( 1:22) This is a bible principle, that ’the husband is the head of the wife, who is to be sweetly submissive to his leadership; while they are submissive to each other as man and wife in the Lord,’ ( Ephesians 5) Ahashuerus could be an ideal husband to a noble young woman. So, God initiated a search for a replacement queen.

The king’s servants in attendance on him, suggested, ’Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king, ’ Ahashuerus did not define beauty, whether of form, virtue, or chastity. However, by this odd decree God opened the way for Esther to be brought to shushan for the king’s inspection.

God appointed Mordecai to instruct and nurture a noble, pure virgin, a captive Jew in Shushan. He was Esther’s uncle, caring for her after father and mother had died. ’The young woman was lovely and beautiful.’ ( 2:7) Her pleasing personality delighted Hegai, the custodian of the women, who privileged her , giving her the best place in the house of the women.’ (2:9)

‘Esther had not revealed her people or kindred ( that she was a Jewess ) , exactly as Mordecai had instructed her.’ Later events showed the wisdom of that. ’Esther was taken into the king’s royal palace; and the king loved her more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins , so he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.’ (2;17) This reminds us how Joseph obtained grace in the eyes of Pharoah, promoting him as the Prime Minister of Egypt, and deliverer of that nation. God had great things in store for this pure, country girl, Esther.

Esther brought the king news of an assassination plot. Still, she had not revealed her Jewish status, when her Uncle Mordecai overheard two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, angrily planning the life of the king. (2:27) Mordecai whispered the news to his niece, Esther, who informed the king. An enquiry confirmed their plans and the two conspirators were hanged. Importantly, it was written in the book of the Chronicles in the presence of the king.’ This single record eventually led to the sparing of the life of the queen, Mordecai and the entire Jewish race.

The genealogy of our Lord, from Abraham, David, until Joseph showed how Satan often attempted to destroy the line of our Lord Jesus. Strategically, God spared His people, for he planned salvation. During the slavery of the Children of Israel in Egypt, Pharoah intended to execute the Jewish, male children to prevent the coming of the Son of Man. Moses was marvellously kept. Later the Amalekites opposed the people of God, seeking to wipe out the entire race. When Jerusalem had been devastated and the temple reduced to rubble, and the nation enslaved in Babylon, still the Lord preserved His chosen race. God had promised to provide a Redeemer, and for this He safeguarded a remnant of this unique people.

King Ahashuerus foolishly promoted Haman, an Agagite, whose forefather Agag should have been wiped out by King Saul but was spared until Samuel’s sword wrought justice,

( 3;1 ) ‘All the king’s servants bowed and paid homage to him . ‘Mordecai, however, would not bow or pay homage.’ When pressed for an explanation, Mordecai admitted he was a Jew. ‘Haman, seeing that Mordecai did not bow or pay homage to him, was filled with wrath, thus

seeking to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahashuerus’ - the people of Mordecai. (3:6) Hitler, the Nazi leader, hated the Jewish nation, and wiped out (in our life-time ) 6 million of the 20 million Jews in the world.

This enmity towards God’s chosen people extended over the ages, persisting to our day. Haman subtly approached the king with this destructive scheme, ‘ There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain.’ (3:8)

Haman continued his deadly attack, ‘ If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed.’ He would wipe out the nation that held the treasure of God’s eternal Word.

Regrettably, the king removed ‘his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. Unlimited power was then invested in that monstrous Haman.

Yet, the Lord, He is God.

To be continued. Please click on GOD’S PLAN of salvation in your mother tongue.