Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.

ESTHER

INTRODUCTION

This book is written like a short story. It was probably written about 465BC. This would be during the time of Artaxerxes, or as he is named in Ezra 4:6 - "Ahasuerus." Also this would be during the "captivity" of Israel.

The most major theme of this book is the providential protection of God toward His people. God works through the situations of men and kingdoms to provide His people with protection (Romans 8:28).
There is no doubt that God has given man a "free will," and that man can and does act according to his own desires. However, God, in His omniscience and omnipotence, KNOWS the acts of men before they are done; and He has the power to arrange things according to providential guidance.

Several underlying themes also can be found in this short story, such as:
1) The necessity of parental guidance (2:5-7, 3:20, 4:8),
2) The need for prayer and fasting (4:15-17),
3) The need for Christians to be willingly involved in governmental affairs for the work of God's kingdom (3:21, 4:14).

Esther, like the Song of Solomon, is different in that the book never mentions the NAME of God. However, we must understand that this was a time when the Jews were being persecuted for their religion. It is understandable then that this book would be written in that manner.
God is ALWAYS working for His people, even when His NAME is being withheld.

Once, it is alleged, that Benjamin Franklin was asked to attend and speak at a ladies Bible conference. When he entered, he noticed that some of the ladies were arguing about the authenticity of the "pastorals."
When it came time for him to speak, he read the story of Esther.
The women all remarked how wonderful that story was. They wanted to know where it came from.
You can imagine their chagrin when he told them that this was a "pastoral," and came from the Old Testament.
THEY HAD NEVER READ IT!!

CHAPTER 1

1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) 2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, 3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: 4 When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

Having 127 "provinces," or states over which to rule, this was indeed an influential king. It is not out of the ordinary for his "feast" to endure some 180 days because this would give time for all the governors to attend.
Notice that this king had only one purpose for this feast: to sho "the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty."
He was PROUD OF HIMSELF!

5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace; 6 Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble. 7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king. 8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

Then, after the 180 day feast, there was ANOTHER feast for 7 days. This was given for those who were stationed in the palacial mansion and ruled over areas of the govenment.
The king ordered golden vessels for the wine. And the decorations were immaculate.
Ahasuerus was evidently, what one would call today, a "moderate." He didn't COMMAND drinking, nor did he command NOT drinking. He just SUPPLIED it for those who wanted it.

9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus. 10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, 11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.

The queen, Vashti, made a separate feast for the women. This kept the men and the women apart, and afforded no infidelity.
One would ordinarily read this and think that this was a GOOD thing.
However, one can see in verses 10-11 that women were considered "ornaments," and/or "possessions."
When men demean women, and put them below the estate to which God has granted them, it is wrong.
The REASON given for commanding the queen to come was to "show off" the king's possession as an ornament.

12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

Vashti refused to come. She obviously did not feel it right to be considered ornamental and as part of the king's possessions.
When she refused to come, it made the king very angry.
Men who belittle women usually become angry when women aren't overly submissive.
God has created men and women to be partners in marriage. Yes, the man has the "headship," and is accountable to God for the family. But women have a very important role, and are not to be considered as possessions or servants. They are PARTNERS. (More on this at the end of this chapter.)

13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment: 14 And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;) 15 What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?

In his anger, the king turned to his "advisors" to find out what should be done. That figures. He'd never been faced with that situation before. He didn't know what to do.

16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus. 17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not. 18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath. 19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she. 20 And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.

Well, here was one of the "advisors" who was genuinely concerned with the results of this terrible disobedient woman. He was afraid that everyone would hear about it, and then none of the women would be submissive anymore! He didn't want any of this "women's lib" stuff to get out of hand!
His solution was divorce. If the king made a decree (in those days), it was never to be changed. An alternate could be written, but that decree could not be changed.
So, if the king decreed that Vashti could not come into the palace again, then she was divorced.
And Memucan also offered advice that ANOTHER woman take Vashti's place as queen.
Memucan contended that if the KING did this, then all the women of the land would be submissive to their husbands because they would fear DIVORCE!
A woman who was divorced in those days had no means of support and was at the mercy of family and friends. And family and friends did not willingly desire to be associated with them because they usually thought that the divorce was the woman's fault.
Does all this sound FAMILIAR? Sounds like a recount of things happening in the USA today!

21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan: 22 For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.

The advice of Memucan was PLEASING to the king. He could rid himself of the problem by simply divorcing the woman.
He also sent letters to all the 127 provinces that a man ought to be the RULER of his house.

This type of action by men leads to women-bashing, and leads to reclessness in treatment of marriage which is a SACRED institution.
God only formed TWO institutions on this earth -- the marriage and the church. Both are SACRED and both are considered by God to ENDURE ALL tests and adversities.
Jesus said that the gates of hell could NOT prevail against the church (Matthew 16:18).
Jesus also said that the only reason the law of divorce was ever allowed by God was because of man's hardheartedness! (Matthew 19:7-9, Mark 10:4-9)
Men have been known to get divorce because the wife cooked the biscuits wrong, or some other senseless reason! Jesus' intimation in Matthew 19:7-9 is that the law of divorce was to PROTECT the woman from men. If the man had to WRITE DOWN why he divorced the woman, then he would look a little silly saying it was because she didn't iron his shirt right. Also, if he WROTE a divorce paper, the woman would be considered FREE from the marriage, and able to pursue a life for herself. Before Moses gave that law, men had just been "kicking" the woman out of the house!
The man and the woman were created "EQUAL" as visions of God Himself, in His own IMAGE. They are given different OFFICES in the household, but they are PARTNERS in the household.
The woman is to be submissive to her husband WHEN he is submissive to Christ (Ephesians 5:22-32).
The man is supposed to YIELD himself to being her HUSBAND and DENY himself for her benefit (Ephesians 5:25, 28)

If nothing else, this chapter has served to point out the SACREDNESS of marriage.

Please continue in Bible Study with us.