Bobservations' Column
Titled - "Vashti's Costly Disobedience"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz
Last week’s look at Ancient Elam was due to current events in Iran, which used to be called Persia. But the Persian Empire didn't begin until around 550 BC/BCE. The oldest culture we know of in Iran was the Elamites. They flourished from around 6000 years ago; as old as the world's oldest known civilizations in nearby Sumer (or Sumeria) in southern Iraq today. The main cities of Elam were Anshan in the southwest Zagros mountains, and Susa (Shush) on the plain of what was Khuzestan, Susiana or Ilam.
In Jeremiah 49, the Elamites that God had a burden for were those in the land where the Book of Esther takes place, the Capitol City of Susa. The events that take place in Esther were just after Persia’s ascension to Empire status. Elamite culture was foundational to the Persians. The Elamites had their own language, which was diverse from all other Middle Eastern tongues, probably one of the confused tongues of Ancient Babel (Babylon being just northwest of the Elamite Kingdom). When the Medes conquered the region, which was later conquered by the Persians, Elam never recovered. By the 7th Century BC, the Elamites and Persians were already so intertwined, that some historians interject that the Persian Empire could well be called the Elamite Empire.
As we read in Esther’s first chapter, the Elamite Kingdom controlled 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia in Africa. They controlled the Trade Route from Africa to the Far East. The wealth would have been overwhelming.
Elam also had its own remnant of Jews, left over from the Babylonian Captivity. And as a young Jewess, Esther became the Queen of Elam’s King Ahasuerus. And so, we embark on Esther Chapter 1.
“And (God) changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them who know understanding." - Daniel 2:21
Bobservations' Column: Audio Version
Sunday Morning Message:
Esther 1:1-22 - "Vashti's Costly Disobedience"
Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:
We are beginning a new Series from the Book of Esther. The book is named for the “star” of the story, a young Jewish girl named Hadassah who was taken from her guardian, Mordecai, and forced to compete for the affection of the king. This unlikely contestant for a beauty pageant was crowned queen of Persia and renamed Esther, meaning “star.”
The events in the book of Esther occurred from 483 BC to 473 BC, during the first half of the reign of King Xerxes, who chose Esther as his queen. During this time period, the first remnant of Jews who had returned to Judah were struggling to reestablish temple worship according to the Law of Moses. But Esther and Mordecai, along with many other Jews, had chosen not to make the trek back to Judah. They seemed content to stay in Susa, the capital city of Persia, in which the story is set.
Haman, the king’s evil second-in-command, was a descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites, who were ancient enemies of God’s people (Numbers 24:7 1 Samuel 15:8). He cast the lot, called “pur,” in order to determine the day that the Jews would be exterminated (Esther 3:7–9). The feast of Purim, still celebrated by Jews today, commemorates the Jews’ deliverance from Haman’s plot (9:24–32).
While the primary purpose of the book of Esther was to relate the dramatic origins of the feast of Purim, a greater theme shines through the story. The sovereignty and faithfulness of God permeate each scene. Nothing is truly coincidental, the book of Esther says to us. God’s sovereignty is best summarized in Mordecai’s exhortation to Esther: “and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14).
When events seemed out of control to Esther and Mordecai, when the king dictated ruin for their people, when evil was poised to triumph . . . God was at work. He worked through their dark days (Esther was taken to the harem [2:1–16), their faithful obedience (Esther risked her life before the king [5:1–3), and their victories (Esther revealed Haman’s plot and the Jews’ destruction of their enemies [7–9). This message is clear: God is sovereign even when life doesn’t make sense.
God is also the great Promise Keeper. Mordecai said to Esther: “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Mordecai’s words reflected his faith that God would honor His eternal covenant with Abraham and David.
Chapter 1 Summary:
In Chapter 1, the Book of Esther opens by introducing the reader to King Ahasuerus of Persia and his queen, Vashti. Ahasuerus threw a 6-month celebration in Persia to celebrate the greatness of his kingdom. Towards the end of the feast, the king ordered Vashti to present herself before his friends so they could admire her beauty. Vashti refused! Ahasuerus was so angry that he stripped her of her royal title and banished her from his presence forever. This sets up the storyline of the book, and in Esther 2, we’ll see the King searching for a new queen.
Sunday Morning Audio Message: Upcoming!
Key Words and Definitions with Reference:
One Hundred and Twenty-Seven Provinces (1:1) - The kingdom comprised twenty regions (3:12; 8:9; 9:3) which were further divided into provinces ruled over by governors (3:12).
India to Ethiopia (1:1) - Ethiopia, not Asia Minor, is mentioned as representing the western edge of the kingdom to avoid any remembrance of the king's previous defeat by the Greeks c. 481-479 B.C. This description also avoided any confusion with the Ahasuerus of Daniel 9:1.
Shushan the Palace (1:2) - The Hebrew rendering of the Greek Susa, the winter residence, was one of four capital cities of the Persians; the other three included Babylon, Ecbatana (Ezra 6:2), and Persepolis. The Palace refers to the fortified palace complex built above the city for protection.
The Third Year (1:3) - This would be 483 B.C. This probably included the planning phase for Ahasuerus's later campaign against Greece in which the king suffered a humiliating defeat (c. 481-479 B.C.).
Persia and Media (1:3) - Cyrus the Persian inherited Media and, thus, the name Media became just as prominent as Persia (c. 550 B.C.)
Queen Vashti (1:9) - Greek literature records her name as Amestris. She gave birth (c. 483 B.C.) to Ahasuerus's third son, Artaxerxes, who later succeeded his father Ahasuerus on the throne (Ezra 7:1).
Vashti Refused (1:12) - Her reason is not recorded, although suggestions have included that (1) her appearance would have involved lewd behavior before drunken men, or (2) that she was still pregnant with Artaxerxes.
The Seven Princes (1:14) - These highest-ranking officials (cf. Ezra 7:14) were perhaps equivalent to the magi of Daniel 1:20.
The Seven Princes (1:14) - These highest-ranking officials (cf. Ezra 7:14) were perhaps equivalent to the magi of Daniel 1:20.
That it be Not Altered (1:19) - The irrevocable nature of Persian law (cf. Daniel 6:8, 12, 15) played an important role in how the rest of Esther concluded (cf. 8:8).
Letters (1:22) - The efficient Persian communication network (a rapid relay by horses) played an important role in speedily publishing kingdom edicts (cf. 3:12-14; 8:9, 10, 14; 9:20, 30).
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