Esther 1:13-22 — Sacrifice > Ruling

READ THIS: Esther 1:13-22

13 Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times 14 and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.

15 “According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.” 

16 Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. 17 For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’ 18 This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord. 

19 “Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. 20 Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.” 

21 The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed. 22 He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.

WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY?

 

Yesterday, we saw King Xerxes get furious with his wife, Queen Vashti, because she refused to follow the not-so-smart demands he made for her while drinking a lot at a party. Queen Vashti absolutely made the right decision here, but refusing the king in this culture was unheard of. Most people ended up dead if they did that! Because of this, Xerxes and his closest advisors get together and try to figure out what to do. After some deliberation, one of Xerxes's advisors states that Vashti's decision to refuse the king could lead many women to have the boldness to refuse all men, including their husbands. Ultimately, Xerxes and others agree with this, and a law is sent out stating that every man should be "ruler" of his own household, and Vashti ends up being removed from her spot as queen!

 

This passage gives us an idea of the culture and world that Esther and other followers of God lived in. In the eyes of the Persian leaders, men were supposed to be mini rulers or kings over their wives, and in their eyes women were simply supposed to agree to everything they demanded. In an ironic way, these leaders/advisors only had the jobs they were given because they were yes-men to their ruler: the king!

 

This is a completely different way of living than what Jesus teaches us. The Bible tells us that husbands are called to their down their lives and sacrifice for their wives in the same way that Christ sacrificed for us. Rather than command us to live for him, our ruler, Jesus Christ, laid down his own life for us and gave us the gift of life! He doesn't even demand that we choose Him... He let's us choose!

THINK ABOUT IT:

1. Xerxes's advisors made their decision out of fear of being refused by others... why can it be hard for us to receive criticism or be told we are wrong?

 

2. Think about what we know about the character of Xerxes, and then think about the character of our king: Jesus! How is Jesus's way of ruling greater than the ways of worldly kings?

TRY THIS:

Jesus's display of true leadership is rooted in love and in sacrifice. Today, try to go out of your way to love your neighbor, even if you have to sacrifice some of your own time, comfort, energy, etc!

SONG OF THE WEEK:

 

The song of the week is called King of Humility. This week, we will learn about a not so humble king who does what they want whenever they want to. Our king, Jesus, is quite the opposite! Listen to this song this week and reflect on how Christ humbled Himself before us even when He didn't have to, then think about how we can live humbly this week! Here are the links to listen on YouTube and Spotify!