Read Esther 10

The Proper Use of Power

King Ahasuerus honored Mordecai because he had warned the king about a plot against him. The last verse of the book of Esther reads, “For Mordecai the Jew was second to King Ahasuerus, and was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen” (Esther 10:3). Esther’s cousin did not abuse the power that was given to him but used it to promote and protect his people.

It is difficult to do something for someone else if they do not trust you, isn’t it? Part of the reason Mordecai was able to succeed is that he was “well received by the multitude of his brethren.” Certainly, there would be some who did not like him, but in general, Mordecai was respected and well-liked.

God issued a qualification along these lines for the elders of the church. The spiritual qualifications that relate to a man’s character would garner some respect within the church – he must be “blameless” when it comes to his character (1 Timothy 3:2). But God went beyond that. “Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside” (1 Timothy 3:7). An elder must have the same reputation as an ethical, upstanding person both inside and outside the church!

Notice what Mordecai did for the Jews in his position of power: “seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.” Does an elder in the church not have the same duties?

Paul urged the elders in Ephesus to “shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). The members of the church are charged with treating the elders well because of this grave responsibility. “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).

Those who serve as elders must serve with honor, “nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3). Those who serve under the elders, serve in peace, “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

Read Esther 3-4

The Providence of God

Haman brought false charges against the Jews, and Ahasuerus accepted his testimony without investigation. The decree was signed for the Jews to be exterminated. The reaction of the Jewish people was understandable. “When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry” (Esther 4:1). How could they escape this evil edict?

Mordecai had faith that the Jews would be delivered, and he believed he knew through whom it would happen – his cousin Esther who had become queen. His reasoning was simple: for what other reason would God have elevated her to such status if not to save her people? He tells her as much: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14).

Esther, as queen, was in a position to do something about Haman’s evil plot. If she looked the other way and ignored the gravity of the situation her people faced, how would God look upon her? She agreed with her cousin and set her mind to do what is right, regardless of the outcome, saying, “And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” (Esther 4:16).

Perhaps we will never be in a situation quite so serious for so many people, but do we not still make decisions the impact the lives of others today? If we ignore the problems around us, how does God view our inactivity?

My mind turns to the parable of the talents and the response of the lord to the man who was entrusted with one talent. That man hid the talent in the ground, not risking anything. He did nothing, and the lord called him “wicked,” “lazy,” and “unprofitable” (Matthew 25:26, 30). When we see something that must be done, and we are in a position to do it, we must do it!

Read Esther 1

The Virtue of Vashti

King Ahasuerus liked to show off. He hosted a seven-day feast which deteriorated into a drunken display of debauchery. As the king and his cohorts imbibed “according to each man’s pleasure” (Esther 1:8), Queen Vashti hosted a feast for the women in the royal palace. On the seventh day, the king decided he wanted to show off one of his greatest treasures: his queen.

Ahasuerus commanded his eunuchs to bring the queen “wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold” (Esther 1:11). There is some controversy over exactly what was intended here; some believe the king wanted his wife to appear wearing nothing but the crown, while others argue that she was to appear unveiled but clothed. In either case, it was against the customs of the day for the queen to appear in such a manner, and she refused.

Vashti was unseated as queen, banished from the presence of the king, and Ahasuerus issued a decree that “all wives will honor their husbands, both great and small” (Esther 1:20). On the surface, the decree is a good one, but the motivation behind it showed the king’s derision toward acting responsibly.

The New Testament is clear that the husband is the head of the wife, and that wives should submit to their husbands. Paul compared the marriage relationship to the relationship between Christ and the church. But here is the difference between what Paul taught and what Ahasuerus decreed: the marriage relationship must be built upon trust and love. The wife does not serve every whim of her husband just because he says so, nor does the husband demand things of his wife that are immoral or unethical. If the relationship is not built upon the foundation of faith as revealed in Scripture, then situations similar to what occurred between Ahasuerus and Vashti will be repeated.

Vashti was a woman of virtue who refused to compromise her convictions even at the behest of her husband. Christian women today should likewise stand upon the faith revealed in the New Testament and live in such a way that honors their husbands within the boundaries of that revelation.