Chapter Twenty

The week of June 3


The Queen of Beauty and Courage

All the people of Judah did not return to their land when the exiles came home beginning in 538 BC. Some of them lived in servile roles under the domain of ever-conquering kings. Xerxes ruled over 127 provinces from India to Cush, all from his throne in Susa. Watch to see how this kingdom was affected and almost permanently affected the Jewish people.

PP 275-9 Kings often are known for their gratuitous self-love. With his wealth and prosperity on display for half the year, Xerxes drew this time to a conclusion with a week-long banquet with nothing reserved. His Queen Vashti was summoned to parade her beauty in an ode to himself. Only Vashti refused to participate. His ego dashed, Xerxes needed to decide his own response. His counselors told that the women of the kingdom would be disrespectful if she was not banished from the king. We don't know if the women became respectful, but many young virgin women did become desirous of being the next queen. Let the beauty pageant begin. Unfortunately, women were treated as chattel and had few civil rights. So the women were vying to be objects of attention and to respond to the whim of the king.

As a harem was conscripted (remember that this was a social step up for most women) a young Jewess named Esther became a part. She was put through the year-long beauty treatment and listened to her cousin Mordecai concerning a strategy for being chosen. A big part was to not reveal that she was a Jew. Finally Esther's evening with the king came and went and she won the lottery! She had favor with the king and the people. This story seems almost silly to be in the Bible; a beauty pageant for a self-serving king. Why would Esther participate in this? But this was bigger than Esther and Mordecai. Have you been in events that only made sense when you looked backward? Name one.

PP 279-82 Mordecai sat by the gate of the city and both alerted the throne of a possible assassination attempt and refused to honor Haman (who had been elevated by the King) by bowing at the gate. Haman set out to annihilate the Jews because of Mordecai's insubordination. The king gave authorization that Haman should send out a decree to be enacted later.

Mordecai is in anguish with this prospect. The Jews in all the lands grieved as well. Mordecai in a note implored Esther to plead to the king. Yet if she did so without his requesting her, she could be killed. And she had not seen the king for a month. Mordecai further warned Esther that she was also included in the decree. God could cause a rescue from another way, but that she had perhaps come to her royal position for 'such a time as this'.

Esther knew that the prior Queen, Vashti, has already been banished. Mordecai and the Jews would fast from food for three days, and then she would go to the king unannounced. 'If she perishes, then she will perish'.

PP 282-5 When approaching the king by faith, Esther was well-received and asked to give her request. Her request was a personal dinner with the king and Haman. After a first banquet she offered to prepare a second banquet for the two of them. Haman was full of himself for such good fortune. He even took the advice of setting up the pole it impale his nemesis Mordecai.

It is just the way God acts when He awoke the king that evening and had the record of his reign read to him (it was all about Xerxes). He discovered that Mordecai was not rewarded for his good deed of reporting an impending assassination. Who was presently in the royal court to honor Mordecai? It just so happened that Haman had entered to ask the king to impale Mordecai. So Haman in humiliation was the one to lead Mordecai through the streets, proclaiming his value.

When Haman arrived home, it was time for the 'party' with Esther and the king. Esther divulged that her life and the lives of her Jewish people were in jeopardy from Haman’s scheming. Haman was killed in their place and Esther received his estate while Mordecai received the ring with the king's seal.

PP 285-9 While Esther & Mordecai were saved, all the people throughout the extended kingdom were at risk to be slaughtered because of Haman's decree. Esther took an additional risk and petitioned the king to reverse the decree. He agreed to do so and had Mordecai send out the new decree with the king's seal. The Jews of these cities retaliated and killed 75,000 of their enemies.

Purim is the Jewish celebration that is remembered every year when grieving was turned into joy as the faith of Esther and Mordecai and the faithfulness of God was rewarded.

Name some character traits of Esther and Mordecai.
Why can we trust that God is working behind the scenes?
Why did the characters respond in faith and not give up?