Ester 1
Leon Morris · Citado em PreceptAustin
Ester 1
Morris adds "The Persians considered their laws to be so perfect--an opinion probably justified in most cases--that once enacted, they could be neither repealed nor revised. Vashti thus lost her position as queen, but was presumably still in the harem (Daniel 6:13+)." Vashti - Notice she is now mentioned without the title of "queen." in contrast to her title in Esther 1:9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17. Come into the presence - As we shall see later in the drama, access to the king's presence was highly desirable as it gave them the potential to secure royal favors. Let the king give her royal position to another - Vashti is deposed. There is no evidence that she was killed. Who is more worthy than she - Hebrew = "who is better than she." Swindoll…This is the wonder of God’s sovereignty. Working behind the scenes, He is moving and pushing and rearranging events and changing minds until He brings out of even the most carnal and secular of settings a decision that will set His perfect plan in place. We see that here, and we’ll see it throughout the story of Esther. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that God is asleep when it comes to nations, or that He is out of touch when it comes to carnal banquets, or that He sits in heaven wringing His hands when it comes to godless rulers (and foolish presidents!) who make unfair, rash, or stupid decisions. Mark it down in permanent ink: God is always at work. But His ways are so different from ours, we quickly jump to fallacious conclusions and either react rashly or get paralyzed in panic. Take a deep breath right now as you read the timeless reminder of Isaiah. (Read Isaiah 55:8-11) (See Esther: A Woman of Strength and Dignity - Page 30) Esther 1:20 "When the king's edict which he will make is heard throughout all his kingdom, great as it is, then all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small." then all women will give honor to their husbands: De 17:13 21:21 then all women will give honor to their husbands: Eph 5:33 Col 3:18 1Pe 3:1-7 Esther 1-2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries KING'S EDICT TO UPHOLD MARITAL HONOR Then all women will give honor to their husbands- The biblical principle of the husband's headship and the wife's submission in the home is the law of God as well as of Ahasuerus and the Persians (cf. Ge 2:15-18; 1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:21-33; Col. 3:18; 1 Pet. 3:1-7). Esther 1:21 This word pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. pleased the king: Heb. was good in the eyes of the king, Es 1:19 2:4 Ge 41:37 Esther 1-2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Joyce Baldwin notes…There are several ironical nuances, but the most obvious is the contrast between King Ahasuerus at the beginning of the chapter, when he is the world’s greatest monarch, rich and powerful, aloof yet generous, and that same king by the end of the chapter, attempting to maintain his dignity despite the defiance of his wife. This law-maker of the Persians and Medes, whose law could not be altered, was prepared to pass an edict framed in a moment of pique, when he was not even sober. The counselors represented by Memucan were clever but hardly wise; the decree promulgated according to their advice made the king look a fool in the eyes of his subjects, and he may even have regretted the banishment of Vashti in his better moments (Esther 2:1). Is this the measure of the king who reigned over the world, and had the future of all in his power? (BORROW Esther: An Introduction and Commentary PAGE 63) Esther 1:22 So he sent letters to all the king's provinces, to each province according to its script and to every people according to their language, that every man should be the master in his own house and the one who speaks in the language of his own people. to all the king's provinces: Es 3:12 8:9 Da 3:29 4:1 that every man: Eph 5:22-24 1Ti 2:12 Tit 2:4,5 speaks in the language of his own people: Lu 16:8 Ac 2:5-11 1Co 14:19,20 Esther 1-2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Sent letters - How? By the world renowned Persian postal system. Historical reports tell us that there was a supply station every 20 miles. The American Pony Express in the mid-1800's also had supply posts from 7-20 miles apart to allow riders to cover almost 1800 miles in 10-12 days! Ryrie Study Bible (Borrow)- The king solemnly decreed (how could it ever have been enforced!) that every man was to rule his own household and that his (not her) native language was to be spoken in that home (the meaning of the last part of the verse). (RSB) Ferguson nicely summarizes the providential workings of God in Chapter 1 and applies it practically to our personal lives… Despite the actions and plots of evil, we need to see how the plan of providence is quietly reached. A vacancy now arises for a queen the first step is taken for the ultimate purpose, which this book commemorates. The drunken party, the refusal of Vashti, and the reaction of Ahasuerus are all being used by providence for the glory of God. While men drink and forget God, they cannot escape the activity of providence in human life. However, we need to note what Campbell
Ester 1
Morris comments…The succeeding account was probably at least two years "after these things," (Ed: See preceding regarding timing of the events in this chapter) for the king and all his officers embarked on their projected invasion of Greece immediately following the great assemblage. As history shows, however, the great fleet of King Xerxes (Ahasuerus) suffered bitter defeats at the naval battles of Thermopylae (Actually the Persians won the Battle of Thermopylae that transpired Sept/Aug, 480BC which would have been after the time of Vashti's deposing and before the events of Esther 2) and Salamis (See the Battle of Salamis where the Greek navy defeated the Persian navy in late 480BC), and returned home sadder and wiser. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, the king went back to comfort himself with his harem. At this time, he "remembered Vashti" and proceeded with his comforting mission of examining many "young virgins" (Esther 2:2) from all parts of his kingdom to find a new queen. DETAILS, DETAILS! When the anger of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered - What did he remember? Three things (1) Vashti (her beauty), (2) Vashti's refusal to obey and (3) His decree against her banishing her from his presence, a decree which was irreversible. Now, as to the providential workings of God behind the scenes, let me ask a hypothetical question - What if the decree was not irreversible? The way the text reads certainly suggests that Ahasuerus would have "re-crowned" Vashti, for he remembered her (especially her great beauty). But then he also remembered her disobedience and his indissoluble decree! (see that "little detail" in Esther 1:19) If the decree could have been reversed, the events of the rest of chapter 2 would not have transpired! Esther a Jew would not have been exalted to a position of prominence and influence by the greatest ruler of the day! Details, details! Oh, how big are the little details in the hands of our marvelous, omniscient, omnipotent Divine Director! THOUGHT - What little details or circumstances are or are not transpiring in your life that might have a significant impact on your future? The point is that God is the God of details and is sovereign over every circumstance of our lives which should give us cause for an inner sense of calm and peace in knowing that the One Who holds all things together, holds the events of our life in His hand and is able to bring about good not only from evil but from the seemingly meaningless events of our life! I think Swindoll is correct in his depiction of King Ahasuerus' state after his defeat by Greece…Ahasuerus enters the tall, gilded palace doors, weary from battle, dispirited by defeat. He longs for someone to greet him with arms outstretched, someone who will offer words of comfort and understanding. Not just a servant or one of his officers eager to please the king, but someone who truly cares for him and his feelings. Perhaps for the first time this monarch knows true defeat and loneliness. With all the things that have been happening, his anger against Vashti is long since forgotten. He remembers only her beauty, the warmth of her arms, and the comfort of her understanding. With his spirits at this low ebb, he goes into a period of depression. Apparently those closest to him recognize what has happened and seek to remedy it. (sEE Esther: A Woman of Strength and Dignity - Page 34) George Lawson writes…He thought upon the happy days he had enjoyed in her society; upon the proofs she had formerly given him of her affection and obedience; upon the folly of his own conduct, which had tempted her, for once, to dispute his orders; upon the cruel punishment inflicted on her; upon the impracticability of reversing the sentence passed against her; upon a thousand circumstances which added to the disgust of his mind. Remorse now punished him almost as severely as his imperious device had punished the unhappy queen. (Esther 2:1-11 Discourses on the Whole Book of Esther, 1809) Karen Jobes: The story of Esther and Mordecai shows the wonderful chain of events God used to fulfill his covenant promise to his people. Therefore, the book of Esther has theological implications for the church today. God continues to work through providence to fulfill the promises of his covenant with us in Jesus Christ. Through providential circumstances people have the opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel of Jesus. Through providential circumstances Christians are “conformed to the likeness of his Son” (Rom. 8:29), and through providence God is directing all of history toward its close in the return of Christ. . .This is where the silence about Esther and Mordecai’s character and spiritual fidelity becomes a powerful encouragement. Regardless of whether they always knew what the right choice was or whether they had the best of motives, God was working through even their imperfect decisions and actions to fulfill his perfect purposes (Paul Apple) Duguid: Yet we see in this chapter more than just the bitter fruit of disobedience. We also see God’s ability to turn our disobedience—and the sour fruits of our parents’ sins—to his own glory and his people’s good. Ahasuerus and his cronies meant their edict purely for the satisfaction of the king’s selfish pleasures. Mordecai and Esther found themselves impaled on the horns of a dilemma because of their earlier compromises with the empire. They found it much easier to comply with the empire’s wishes than to resist assimilation—and which of us can be sure that we would have charted a different course? Yet God’s hand hovers over every detail, moving the pieces into the place he has determined—even through their sin and compromise—in order to achieve his own good purposes. (Paul Apple) Esther 2:2 Then the king's attendants, who served him, said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. Esther 1-2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Then - In light of his personal plight of remembering Vashti but being unable to see her because of his decree, we see the attendant's make a suggestion. The king's attendants - If these were in attendance at the time of Queen Vashti's reign, they would be eager to make sure the king did not seek to re-instate her or their necks might be at risk. Beautiful - A key word in the first two chapters (Esther 1:11, 2:2, 2:3, 2:7, 2:12). Virgin (01330) bethulah) means marriage aged maidens, not necessarily virgins in the sense that they had never had sexual relations. However in Ge 24:16 the word is used of Rebekah and the text adds that she had never had relations with a man (cp Jdg 21:12) Lawson comments that…the queen’s beauty was so highly admired by the king, that he is not likely to forgive the advisers of the divorce, unless he can find a wife equal in beauty. For this reason, his servants (among whom his great counselors were the chief) advised him, by means of proper officers, to collect all the fairest virgins in the various provinces of his dominions… This advice appears to us very strange, and very barbarous. Must the king engross all the beauty of his dominions, by taking to himself, as his queen or concubines, all the beautiful young women that could be found in all his provinces? Are women born for nothing else, but to be the property of any man that can purchase them by his money, or tyrannize over them by his power? Are author of the most beautiful women to become the property and the prisoners of one man? If the king is so fond of female beauty, he should remember that other men feel the same desires, and claim the same right to gratification with himself. The king’s behaviour, however, was such as might have been expected in a country where men thought they had a right to multiply wives to themselves, if they had the means of procuring and supporting them. Where no regard is paid to equity and purity of conduct amongst a people, their prince will naturally think, that his power and affluence entitle him to superiority in the inordinate gratification of his sensual appetites. Where reason and the law of God do not set limits to the desires of men, they will be carried beyond all bounds. How much are we indebted to the Bible for present as well as expected happiness! We learn from it, that God has created one man for one woman. We could not value its discoveries too highly, were it only for the accounts that it gives us of creation, and of the great law of marriage resulting from it. The knowledge of the divine authority of this law, that a man ought to have only one wife, is equally essential to the happiness of both sexes of out race. (Esther 2:1-11 Discourses on the Whole Book of Esther, 1809) Esther 2:3 "Let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Susa, to the harem, into the custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given them. Esther 1-2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries In all the provinces - Recall there were 127 provinces! The overseers were to gather them. There is no mention that the parents assent or refuse. That they may gather every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Susa - This would theoretically be a large number of virgins! Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells us there were as many as 400 women involved in this rather remarkable Persian beauty pageant! Note the three criteria of the queen "candidates" - beauty, youth, virginity. Cosmetics - Swindoll writes "C. F. Keil, of the Keil and Delitzsch commentaries helps us understand that these words mean “to rub, to polish, signifies purification and adornment with all kind of precious ointments.” In other words, they spent a year preparing these women, polishing up their outward appearance, to enhance their physical beauty. Interesting, isn’t it? In a relatively short period of time one’s outer beauty can be enhanced, but the cultivation of beauty within—there’s no short cut. Suddenly, while the harem is cosmetic city and the king is thinking about the “Miss Persia” beauty pageant, an incredible chain of events begins to transpire, introduced by another of those little transitional phrases we could easily overlook: “Now there was a Jew in Susa.” (See Esther: A Woman of Strength and Dignity - Page 35) Esther 2:4 "Then let the young lady who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti." And the matter pleased the king, and he did accordingly. Esther 1-2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries A NEW QUEEN FOR THE KINGDOM Queen in place of Vashti - The suggestion was made to have in essence a "Miss Persia" beauty contest of which the King would be judge and appoint the winner to be his queen based on one night with him! And the matter pleased the king, and he did accordingly - Repeatedly we see the king taking the advice of others. Paul S Ferguson comments…This Miss Persia contest proposal appealed to the sensual desire and ego of Ahasuerus, who alone would conduct this pageant by being the judge and the winner! We are told, The thing pleased the king, and he did so. That was the sum total of the moral judgment by Ahasuerus he did what suited him. The plan involved this man to simply spend a night with each of them and then select the one that pleased him best. It is ironic that after removing Vashti for disobedience and claiming that her estate should be given to one better than she (Est. 1:19) that the only requirement for a new Queen was beauty, youth, and virginity. This is no heart-warming romantic Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast story. Each woman would allow this lustful king to take advantage of her for one night in the forlorn hope he would favor her. If they failed, they would be doomed to a life forgotten in Ahasuerus s harem without hope of a loving husband and family forever. The carnal self-indulgence and selfishness of Ahasuerus should also be noted, especially as he was so interested in family values in the first chapter! (God in the Shadows - The Life of Esther ) Mordecai the Jew & his "Step" Daughter Esther Esther 2:5 Now there was at the citadel in Susa a Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite, Esther 1-2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries AN UNKNOWN OLD MAN AND AN ORPHANED YOUNG WOMAN Subtitle from Swindoll Susa - Mordecai was a Jew who just happened to be in the same city as the King. Jew - Up to this point the focus has been entirely on the Persian Gentiles. Jew (03064) (yehudi) originally referred to Israelites remaining in Judah (or from the tribe of Judah) during and after the Babylonian exile (2Ki 16:6; 25:25). Yehudi eventually described all post-exilic Israelites in contrast to the Gentiles. And thus yehudi appears frequently with this post-exilic meaning in Ezra, Esther, Jeremiah, and to a lesser degree in Daniel (03062 - yehudain = Aramaic) and Zechariah. Esther, Mordecai, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are prominent individuals identified explicitly as Jews in the OT Gilbrant - This word occurs both as a people name and as a personal name. Used as an adjective, it most specifically refers to the people whose national origin was the nation of Judah, and it could be translated "Judeans." At a later time in history, however, these people came to be called Jews, and the English translations use this term, although it is anachronistic. In Jer. 34:9, this term occurs as a synonym for "a Hebrew." The primary use of the word as a term of distinction from the other pagan peoples, occurs in the books of the OT which report the time of the Babylonian and Persian Empires. Second Kings 16:6 is the only place the term occurs prior to the Babylonian invasion. In this passage, the Syrians drive out the Judeans from Elath in southern Israel, and the Edomites move into the vacated city. This distinction is particularly prominent in the Book of Esther, where the word appears fifty-seven times. Mordecai is identified as a Jew eight times, and Haman is identified as the enemy of the Jews four times. Mordecai would not bow to Haman because he was a Jew (Est. 3:4), and Haman described the Jews as a people whose customs were different from everyone else and who did not obey the king's laws (3:8ff). The Book of Esther tells the story of the origin of Purim, the celebration of the time when the Jews found relief from the oppression of their enemies (9:22). This is a message of the enduring nature of the Jewish people. Mordecai told Esther that if she did not help her people, deliverance would certainly come from another source, but her family would not survive (4:14). The story also indicates the extent of the dispersion of the Jewish people during the time of the exile. There were Jews found throughout all 127 provinces of the Persian Empire (9:29ff). During the time of the Babylonian invasions, some Jews fled to Babylonia while others fled to Moab, Ammon, Edom and other surrounding countries (Jer. 38:19; 40:11f). Nebuchadnezzar implemented three primary deportations of Jews to Babylon. In 605 B.C., he deported 3023 Jews, including Daniel and his three friends. In 597 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar deported 832 Jews, including Ezekiel, and in 586 B.C., he destroyed Jerusalem and took 745 Jews to Babylon (Jer. 52:28ff). He removed the king and set up Gedaliah as governor over the province of Judah. Eleven men killed Gedaliah and the Judeans who were with him (2 Ki. 25:25). Many of the Jews then fled to Egypt, accompanied by Jeremiah, who warned them that the Jews who fled to Egypt for safety would perish, while the remnant who remained in Judah would survive (Jer. 44:1). In the post-exilic period, Nehemiah dealt with three primary issues. He confronted the people on their lack of Sabbath observance and their enslaving fellow Jews through indebtedness. It was wrong for Jews to be freed from the Gentiles only to be enslaved by one another (Neh. 5:1-8). He also confronted the Jewish men for marrying foreign women, pointing out that this was the very sin that led Solomon away from God (Neh. 13:23, 26). The final triumph of the Jews is seen in the Millennial Kingdom. Realizing that God is with the Jewish people, ten men will take hold of one Jew and desire to go with him to Jerusalem (Zech. 8:23). (Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary) Yehudi - 69v in OT (22x in Esther) - 2Ki 16:6; 25:25; Neh 1:2; 2:16; 4:1, 2, 12; 5:1, 8, 17; 6:6; 13:23; Esther 2:5; 3:4, 6, 10, 13; 4:3, 7, 13, 14, 16; 5:13; 6:10, 13; 8:1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 16, 17; 9:1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29; 10:3; Jer 32:12; 34:9; 38:19; 40:11, 12; 41:3; 43:9; 44:1; 52:28, 30; Zech 8:23