Esther: A Call For Character
Notes
Transcript
Handout
As we think about serving others and as we share the Gospel with the people around us, it is important to think,
Does character matter?
I think most of us would say yes. We shouldn’t sin. We should do what is right. The problem is that we are living in a culture where doing the right thing more and more puts us at odds with society. Having integrity and standing for what is right has become offensive. Truth is seen as hatred and evil. As our world continues to reveal its character there will come times when we must stand firm on what the Bible declares to be true. Our character is important to God. How we live, think, and act are reflections of our faith in Jesus. Our lives are not our own. We have been bought by Jesus’ death on the cross. If we have been set free from sin it is so we may become slaves to what is right. We are going to focus in on our heart health. What is the state of our hearts? Before we can ever begin to truly serve others we must first deal with our heart condition.
The story of Esther is a product of something called the diaspora or the exile. It was a time in Israel’s history when God’s people, because of their sin, were taken out of the promised land (A land that they had inhabited for over a thousand years at that point) and were taken to Babylon. This exilic portion of the Old Testament is kicked off by books detailing the captivity like the back half of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, into books detailing the experience in exile, Ezekiel and Daniel, and finally books about Israel’s return home in Ezra, Nehemiah, and Haggai. Esther is unique in that while other Israelites were returning home to rebuild the temple and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, Esther remains in captivity.
Esther is also unique in that it never mentions God by name. It is the only book out of the sixty-six books of the Bible to do this. For us in a world that has become a post-Christian context it is easy for us to feel that silence that the writer of Esther creates in the way this book is written. Where is God in all this? Why does He seem so silent? Does He still care about His people? Has God moved on to other hobbies? I think that one of the biggest ways this shows up is in the way we share the Gospel with other people and the way we view missions in general. When it seems like God is absent we lose a sense of urgency and a sense of need. There is a great need for us to stay vigilant, to be ready and serving, hastening the return of our Lord. As we look through Esther this weekend we will see the cost of obedience as well of the call God has on our lives. We have a call for character in how we think and act, a call for courage to stand up for what is true, and a call for action to be obedient in sharing our faith and fighting against the darkness.
Ironically, Matthew 25 helps us in our exploration of Esther.
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. “Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. “The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ “But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ “And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. “Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.
Jesus splits us into two groups: the foolish and the wise. The foolish were those that were unprepared and the wise were those who were prepared. In those days bridesmaids would wait for the groom to return with the bride so that they could welcome them in with a feast. In the story as they waited, the groom experienced a delay. Those who were wise were ready for what may come while the foolish were left unprepared. I think the way we look at this parable, Jesus is not telling us there will be a test and if we do enough good and if we are prepared enough He will let us into heaven. That isn’t what is happening. Those who are in Christ will be prepared because doing good works, having good character, being obedient, those are all natural outcomes of following Jesus, just like bringing extra oil is a product of wisdom. The foolish then would be people who ignore their need for Jesus only to think that by doing some last minute do-goodering will make up for their rejection of Jesus. As Christians there is a responsibility we have to live a life of preparedness, not as a means of our salvation, but as a result of our salvation. We don’t know the day or the hour of our Lord’s return, but that doesn’t change the mission God has called us to. If anything it should make us more eager to share our faith, more eager to worship, more eager to do what is good, because we never know if we will get another opportunity to do those things before Christ returns. Our days are short, as a result wisdom calls us to live in a way that honors God and prepares us for His return. So what does it look like to be prepared? To live in a way that no matter what circumstance you are brought into you are ready to glorify God in the whatever may come.
The curtain is drawn.
Our players are
Ahasuerus: King over all Persia and known to history as Xerxes I. He calls himself a king of kings. He is violent, prideful, and the most powerful man on the planet.
Vashti: The disposed queen of Persia.
Esther: A lowly Jewish woman elevated to the role of Queen of Persia. An orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai.
Mordecai: Guardian of Esther and of the tribe of Benjamin.
Haman: Right hand to the king and enemy of Mordecai and the Jewish people.
Narrator: The author of the book and silent player in the story.
Our story takes place against the backdrop of Persian conquest and decadence. A palace in the citadel of Susa, in modern day Iran, is home to our narrative. God is seemingly silent, His people are in diaspora because of their sins. Some have returned to begin the process of rebuilding their homes while others are still captives of the Persian empire.
Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was at the citadel in Susa, in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of his provinces being in his presence. And he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days. When these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and precious stones. Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds, and the royal wine was plentiful according to the king’s bounty. The drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person. Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus.
The story begins with an ornate banquet. Nobles and governors from all over came to bask in the king’s splendor. The palace was littered with gorgeous mosaics and beautiful riches. This king had everything he could ever want and more. He had expensive wine, jewelry, and gold. Like a dragon laying greedily over his hoard, Ahasuerus boasted of his wealth and power, all of which came by the blood of his enemies. His party lasted for six months. And when that party was over another began. You can imagine the kind of wealth Ahasuerus had. I’m sure there were exotic creatures, food from all over the empire. This was the capital of the most powerful empire the world had seen. He threw a party for over half of the year. That is an expensive endeavor. His reign saw war and massive building projects in a twenty year period yet he still had time and resources to throw parties.
Out of all the splendor, Queen Vashti was the prize jewel and trophy of Ahasuerus. Narratively, she serves to show the audience the consequences of disobeying the king.
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown in order to display her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. Then the king became very angry and his wrath burned within him. Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times—for it was the custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice and were close to him: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had access to the king’s presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom— “According to law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” In the presence of the king and the princes, Memucan said, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the princes and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. “For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women causing them to look with contempt on their husbands by saying, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in to his presence, but she did not come.’ “This day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s conduct will speak in the same way to all the king’s princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger. “If it pleases the king, let a royal edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti may no longer come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another who is more worthy than she. “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.” This word pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. 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.
Ahasuerus demanded his trophy perform for the men in his company, but when Vashti refused the kings anger burned inside him and per the counsel of his governors, the king disposed of his queen and sought after another.
What kind of character did Ahasuerus have?
Already, Ahasuerus has been portrayed as a greedy monster who is easily swayed by those closest to him. For a man who claims to be king of kings he sure has a lot of people telling him what to do.
Historical context
Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) is known for the Greek-Persian wars. Darius, Xerxes I father, failed to invade Greece at the battle of Marathon, but Xerxes I would try his hand ten years later and succeed. After defeating King Leonidas and the 300 Spartans at the pass in Thermopylae, Xerxes I would make his way to Athens where he would destroy the city. Ahasuerus is known also for finishing major projects his father Darius had started such as the Gate of All Nations, the Apandana, and the Tachara at Persepolis.
We don’t know the fate of Vashti. She could have been exiled likely executed for her actions. Either way the consequences of disobeying the king were severe. The end of chapter one finds Ahasuerus in need of a new queen, and so the search begins.
After these things when the anger of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. “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. “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.
The time came for a new queen to be chosen (taken). Beautiful, young women were taken from their homes and families to wait in the custody of Hegai until the king chose a wife.
As we talk about character I think it is important to stop and think about how we view other people. It is clear that Ahasuerus saw people as objects to gratify his desires. He didn’t see them as people made in the image of God, valuable and worthy of dignity. He saw people as a means to an end. His soldiers lives were easily lost if it meant his glory. His enemies were worthless dogs compared to his kingdom. People weren’t people to Ahasuerus and unless you were a close and trusted advisor it was best to stay clear.
Serving starts with seeing people the way Jesus sees them
Serving starts with seeing people the way Jesus sees them
We live in a culture that dehumanizes people very easily. It is easy for us to see people as less than human whether it is because of social media, pornography, politics. If people disagree with us we treat them like villains. If we think we can get something out of them we treat them like objects until we get what we need and then we move on. The way we serve and care for people begins with seeing people the way God sees them. God doesn’t treat people as a means to an end but cares deeply for every single person He created.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
It was this personal and sacrificial love that motivated Jesus to come and die for sinful people.
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,
who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been exiled with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had exiled.
He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young lady was beautiful of form and face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
Mordecai was a righteous man. He had been one of those in Jerusalem who were captured and taken to Babylon. His greatest attribute was his cousin Esther whom he had raised since she was a young girl. Very quickly you can see the contrast in backgrounds between the lives of Mordecai and Esther and the life of Ahasuerus. Mordecai and Esther’s life was marked by loss and grief. Loss of a homeland, loss of loved ones. While Ahasuerus was marked by wealth and comfort. Mordecai and Esther’s situation didn’t make them bitter or hateful. Their circumstances made them dependent on God even when they couldn’t understand why bad things were happening to them. Esther was a physically beautiful woman, but her love and devotion to the Lord was cause for a greater beauty.
Honorable Character is a more worthy pursuit than wealth or beauty
Honorable Character is a more worthy pursuit than wealth or beauty
People everywhere desire beauty and power, but those things are temporary. Beauty fades and disappoints. Power never satisfies. God is not impressed by beauty or power but desires a heart after Himself. What good is it to be beautiful on the outside but a horrible person on the inside.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
Wisdom and beauty both are found in fearing the Lord. There is something profound about the person who loves the Lord, considers the majesty of the Lord with great reverence, who elevates God to the rightful place as king of their life.
So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king’s palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women.
Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and food, gave her seven choice maids from the king’s palace and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem.
Esther did not make known her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make them known.
Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and how she fared.
Esther very quickly gained favor with Hegai, servant of the king. Hegai took good care of Esther while her ethnicity and family line remained unknown. God was orchestrating something together that Esther could not understand. After a year of preperation Esther would make her appearance before the king where she would win his favor.
Now when the turn of each young lady came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women—for the days of their beautification were completed as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women—
the young lady would go in to the king in this way: anything that she desired was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.
In the evening she would go in and in the morning she would return to the second harem, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not again go in to the king unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.
Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the women, advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her.
So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus to his royal palace in the tenth month which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
Then the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his princes and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.
The very introduction of Esther into the life of the king began to move his heart from greed to generosity. Lust was becoming genuine care for his queen.
Our character opens doors for the Gospel
Our character opens doors for the Gospel
We will never be disqualified from serving according to God. He loves us and He forgives our sins. However, we can be disqualified to the people around us when our behavior is offensive. If we fill our heads with Bible knowledge but are now it all jerks in the way we talk to people we have missed the point. We do more harm than good when we are inconsistent in our character. We will never be perfect, but as Christians we are called to represent Christ in how we love and serve others. When we love people and genuinely care for them, when we see them as people made in the image of God and not objects, we begin to really make a difference for the kingdom.
Let the defining characteristic of all that we do be that of love.
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
What is love?
Love is patent, kind, rejoices in truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, love is never failing
Love is not envious, braggadocios, arrogant, dishonorable in its actions, selfish, easily angered, a record keeper of wrongdoing, celebratory of evil
Love is the most important characteristic we show and we learn how to love from watching Jesus.
We love, because He first loved us.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
This sacrificial love has been demonstrated for us in Christ. He is patient to us. Kind to us. He is not envious, He is not boastful or arrogant, He does not act unbecomingly or selfishly. He is not quick to anger or keep a record of wrongs but He instead forgives much. He rejoices in the truth, He bears all things. He believes all things, not in a sense that He is gullible, but in that He is commited and unwavering in His love. He hopes all things in that He is trusting in His love, and He endures all things. Love never fails.
It is this sacrificial love that Jesus has called us to show to others.
When the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.
Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people, even as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther did what Mordecai told her as she had done when under his care.
In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s officials from those who guarded the door, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
But the plot became known to Mordecai and he told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.
Now when the plot was investigated and found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the Book of the Chronicles in the king’s presence.
The author of Esther throws this story into the narrative in a way that feels out of place, but it is a story that will have significant implications later on in the book. It shows us the integrity and character of Mordecai and Esther. They did the right thing even though Ahasuerus didn’t deserve their protection. We don’t wait for people to earn our love. It is given freely. We don’t withhold service until we feel like they deserve our service. We serve and love people because it is the right thing to do. Even when it costs us. Even when the other person doesn’t deserve it.
Do you see people the way God sees them?
Do you value character/integrity more than comforts?
Does your character/integrity reflect the grace at work in you?
Do you love people enough to put their needs before your own?
Am I willing to serve others even when they don’t deserve it?
