(Ester) The Queen Says No

9/18/2011 8:05:47 AM

SIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                                                                                             Focus:  His boastfulness

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                                         Reference:  Ester 1:1-9

                Message of the verses:  “1 ¶  Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, 2  in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was at the citadel in Susa, 3  in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of his provinces being in his presence. 4  And he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days. 5  When these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. 6  There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and precious stones. 7  Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds, and the royal wine was plentiful according to the king’s bounty. 8  The drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person. 9  Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus.”

                Today’s SD begins a new book from the Scriptures, the book of Ester, and it also continues the commentary of Dr. Warren Wiersbe’s “Be Determined,” which covers both the book of Ruth and also the book of Ester.  It has been eighteen months since I did Spiritual Diaries on the book of Ruth, March 10, 2010 was the first SD on the book of Ruth and so I will pick up on Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary to aid me in the study of this very important book of the Bible.

                There is no mention of “God” in all of Ruth, and I suppose that caused some debate when those who were deciding on whether or not to include this book as part of Scripture.  We meet the king of Persia in this first chapter of Ester and a bit of background on him will make it easier to understand the book.  His name in the Persian language is Khshayarshan, and this becomes Ahasuerus in Hebrew and Xerxes in Greek. His father was Darius I, and his grandfather was Cyrus, the same Cyrus that is mentioned in the 45^th chapter is Isaiah whom God spoke of long before his birth to be the man to let the children of Israel leave Babylon.  Babylon captured Judah and carried exiles to Babylon on three different occasions starting in 605 BC and the last was 586 BC with one more time in the middle.  You can find some of the details of how the Medes and the Persians captured mighty Babylon by reading the fifth chapter of Daniel where we have the famous “hand writing on the wall.”

                Dr. Wiersbe points out that most kings are very proud men and this was the case with Ahasuerus and so as I go through this first chapter of Ester and this first chapter from “Be Determined,” it will become clear that there were three areas of pride that will be seen from this king.  I believe that we find out what the Lord thinks about pride from reading the book of Proverbs. 

                                As far as who wrote the book of Ester it is not known for sure, but some think that perhaps Ezra or

Nehemiah wrote Ester.  As far as OT history this is the last book in the OT history section which started with Genesis.  Sections of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Malachi report later OT history than Ester does, Malachi being the last book of the OT and OT section of Minor Prophets.  Pastor, teacher, and author John MacArthur writes that others have suggested Mordecai as a possible author of Ester.  I suppose that one of the reasons this book is so loved is because of the drama that is played out in it, and there is a lot of drama found in Ester.

                When one reads these verses they might think that there was a six month party that went on, but that is probably not the case for Dr. Wiersbe points out that there were three different banquets that each lasted one week, for if the king would have assembled all of his leader it could surely have weakened the kingdom so there was probably a different banquette for different parts of the empire.  This would have been part of the political banquette.  There was another banquette that went on in the kings winter palace in Susa (Greek) or Shushan (Persian).  There was also a party that was given by Queen Vashti.

                The Greek historian Herodotus (485-425 B. C.) writes that the possible reason for these first banquettes was to plan an invasion of Greece, for Ahasuerus’ father Darius I had been defeated by the Greeks at Marathon in 490 and perhaps his son wanted to take care of this defeat.  Darius had died in 486 B.C.  “Herodotus claims that Ahasuerus planned to invade all of Europe and reduce the whole earth into one empire.”  As mentioned earlier this man was boastful, and if he would have looked at Daniel’s writing he would have found out that his plan was doomed. 

                History shows that in the case of Ahasuerus that a little verse from the book of Proverbs that is quoted often was true in his case:  Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (NKJV).”  His navy was defeated on a number of occasions by the Greek navy and so his plan to rule all of Europe fell by the wayside.  Latter on he would be assimilated.

                It was mentioned in yesterday’s SD writing on twelve qualities of a leader that a great leader must realize that they are number two all of the time, realizing that God will do what He desires and plans to do.  This kind of boastful attitude is found in different parts of the Bible from what happened to Pharaoh in Exodus all the way to what happened to Herod Agrippa as seen in Acts 12:20-23.  There were others in between these events.

                Spiritual meaning for my life today:  My life verse has become Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.”  The last part of that verse has been on my mind for a long time and I surely have a long way to go to say what Paul wrote that he had learned to be content.  One of the things that get in the way of contentment is pride and this can be seen in this great book of Ester as it will weave its way through the story. 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1.       Continue to learn contentment.

2.       Word on my prayer life.

9/18/2011 9:21:05 AM