Esther 1:1-221This is what happened during the time of Xerxes,

the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush: 2At that time King

Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, 3and in the third year of his reign he gave

a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.

4For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his

majesty.

Esther 1:1-225When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest, who were in the citadel of Susa. 6The garden had hangings of

white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-

of-pearl and other costly stones.

Esther 1:1-227Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one

different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality.

8By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink in his own way, for the king instructed all

the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished. 9Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

Esther 1:1-2210On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in

high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha,

Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas—11to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at.

12But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.

Esther 1:1-2213Since 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

14and were closest to the king—Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media

who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.

Esther 1:1-2215“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.”

Esther 1:1-2216Then Memucan 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. 17For 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.’

18This 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.

Esther 1:1-2219“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. 20Then 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.”

Esther 1:1-2221The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memucan proposed.

22He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each

people in its own language, proclaiming in each people’s tongue that every man should be ruler

over his own household.

King Xerxes most stupid words:

“Hold my wine goblet and watch this!”

1. The King and His Glory

Esther 1:1-41This is what happened during the time of Xerxes,

the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush: 2At that time King

Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, 3and in the third year of his reign he gave

a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.

4For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his

majesty.

1. The King and His Glory

~ Destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem (Francesco Hayez, 1867)

Cyrus the Great monument at Sydney Olympic Park

Cyrus the Great• Reigned from 559-

530BC• Conquers Babylonian

Empire• Founder of Persian

Empire• In 539 BC, he issued a

decree allowing Jews to return to homeland

• Ezra and Nehemiah are the responders to this decree

Xerxes I of Persia, from Hadish Palace at Persepolis.

Xerxes I• Reigned from 485-

465BC• 5th King of the new

Persian Empire started by Cyrus

• Led an unsuccessful invasion of Greece

• Always at war with Greece, and Persian Empire never conquers the Greek mainland (The Movie 300!)

DariusI of Persia, from Persepolis.

Darius I(The Great)

• Reigned from 522-486BC

• 4th King of the new Persian Empire started by Cyrus

• Serious defeat in an attempt to take Athens in 490 B.C.

Esther 1:5-95When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest, who were in the citadel of Susa. 6The garden had hangings of

white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-

of-pearl and other costly stones.

2. “Dude, Great Party!”

Esther 1:5-97Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one

different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality.

8By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink in his own way, for the king instructed all

the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished. 9Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

2. “Dude, Great Party!”

Esther 1:8 literally says:

“And the drinking wasaccording to the rule:

let there be no restraining.”

~ Bush, F. W. (1998). Vol. 9: Ruth, Esther. Word Biblical Commentary, page 348.

“The banquet held “in the third year” of Xerxes’ reign (1:3) corresponds well with the great war council of 483 B.C., held to plan for the Persian invasion of Greece. Xerxes was mustering the nobles, officials, military leaders, princes, and governors of the provinces in Susa to rally support for his military campaign against the Greeks. The vast expanse of the Persian empire, from modern Pakistan in the east to modernTurkey in the west, encompassed many people groups with different languages, ethnic origins, and religions. Maintaining their support and loyalty over such a diverse and far-flung empire was no small feat. During the 180 days of the council, Xerxes displayed his wealth and glory to consolidate the leaders of the many provinces of the empire under his authority and to gain their loyalty to his cause.”

~ Karen Jobes, Esther. The NIV Application Commentary page 60.

“For this cause I have now summoned you together, that I may impart to you my purpose. It is my intent to bridge the Hellespont and lead my army through

Europe to Hellas [Greece], that I may punish the Athenians for what they have done to the Persians

and to my father. You saw that Darius my father was minded to make an expedition against these men.

But he is dead, and it was not granted him to punish them; and I, on his and all the Persians’ behalf, will

never rest till I have taken and burnt Athens.… As for you, this is how you shall best please me: when I

declare the time for your coming, everyone of you must appear, and with a good will; and whosoever

comes with his army best equipped shall receive from me such gifts as are reckoned most precious among

us.”~ Loeb Classical Library: Herodotus 7.8.

Esther 1:10-1210On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in

high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha,

Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas—11to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at.

12But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.

3. “Hold my beer and watch this…”

“Moreover it is their [the Persians] custom to deliberate about the gravest matters

when they are drunk; and what they approve in their counsels is proposed to them the next day by the master of the house where they deliberate, when they

are now sober and if being sober they still approve it, they act thereon, but if not, they cast it aside. And when they have

taken counsel about a matter when sober, they decide upon it when they are drunk.”

~ Loeb Classical Library: Herodotus 1.133.

Was Queen Vashti wrong in not “displaying” her beauty?

“The third case for divorce is that in which one of the parties deprives and avoids the other,

refusing to fulfil the conjugal duty or to live with the other person.… Here it is time for the

husband to say, “If you will not, another will; the maid will come if the wife will not.” Only first the husband should admonish and warn his wife two or three times, and let the situation be known to

others so that her stubbornness becomes a matter of common knowledge and is rebuked

before the congregation. If she still refuses, get rid of her; take an Esther and let Vashti go, as

King Ahasuerus did.”

~ Walther I. Brandt, ed., Luthers Works: The Christian in Society, vol. 45 (Philadelphia: Muhlenberg, 1962), page 3334.

“Vashti is one of the nobler women of humanity.”

~ Abraham Kuyper, Women of the Old Testament, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1936), page 143.

Esther 1:13-2213Since 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

14and were closest to the king—Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media

who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.

4. Vashti’s gonna Vanish

Esther 1:13-2215“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.”

4. Vashti’s gonna Vanish

Esther 1:13-2216Then Memucan 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. 17For 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.’

18This 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.

4. Vashti’s gonna Vanish

Esther 1:13-2219“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. 20Then 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.”

4. Vashti’s gonna Vanish

Esther 1:13-2221The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memucan proposed.

22He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each

people in its own language, proclaiming in each people’s tongue that every man should be ruler

over his own household.

4. Vashti’s gonna Vanish

Themes that Developin the rest of the Bible

Themes that Developin the rest of the Bible

Marriage Roles

Themes that Developin the rest of the Bible

Marriage Roles

Absolute Power

Marriage Roles

Genesis 2:18, 24-2518The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man

to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”  

24For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will

become one flesh. 25The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Marriage Roles

 Genesis 3:16

16To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give

birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

Marriage Roles

Ephesians 5:22-3322Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for

her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to

present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but

holy and blameless.

Marriage Roles

Ephesians 5:22-3328In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as

Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and

the two will become one flesh.” 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the

wife must respect her husband.

Marriage Roles

“I believe in a wife submitting to her husband, but I don’t believe the husband ever has the right to demand it. In fact, I know that when I am worthy of submission, my wife submits; and when I am

unworthy of it, she does not. My responsibility as a husband

is to be worthy.”

~ Scot McKnight, 1 Peter, New International Version Application Commentary, pages 191-192.

Absolute Power

Absolute Power

1 Kings 10:9“Praise be to the LORD your God, who has

delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for

Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness.”

1 Kings 11:1, 5-61King Solomon, however, loved many foreign

women besides Pharaoh’s daughter… 

4As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of

David his father had been. 5He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and

Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did

not follow the LORD completely, as Davidhis father had done.

2 Samuel 11:1-21In the spring, at the time when kings go off to

war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David

remained in Jerusalem. 2One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of

the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful…

What about King Jesus?

What about King Jesus?

Matthew 4:8-108Again, the devil took him to a very high

mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9“All this I will give

you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it

is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God,and serve him only.’”

What about King Jesus?

Matthew 20:25-2825Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over

them. 26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your

servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28just as the Son of Man did not

come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The Lord of all LordsAnd

King of all Kings:

The Lord of all LordsAnd

King of all Kings:

1. Will never say, “Hold my beer and watch this!”

The Lord of all LordsAnd

King of all Kings:

1. Will never say, “Hold my beer and watch this!”

2. Is called to use his Kingship to actually serve us!!

Gospel Application

Gospel Application

Do you trust theAbsolute Power in your life?