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Introduce
Last week, we left off beholding the intimidating strength, impressive splendor, irrational smugness, and idiotic shortcomings of the world empire.
Chapter two of Esther picks up not too long after the events of chapter one.
In our text, we encounter an episode of the Bachelor: Ancient Edition.
However, this story is portrayed in a much darker light than the vain reality TV show.
The passage before us this morning answers a short but essential question: what is it like to live in a fallen world?
To answer this question, I want you to observe four episodes of this real-life drama.
Retell
To begin with, observe the search for a weak witness (1-4).
Around three years after Vashti's refusal to obey the King, King Ahasuerus' anger cooled.
He remembered Vashti, her refusal, and the decree he had made concerning her.
The young servants of the king encouraged him to carry out the advice of Memucan and begin the search for a better wife than Vashti.
Better in this sense means more compliant to the will of the king—that is weak.
Such a search required collecting all the beautiful virgins and an ancient and less politically correct version of The Bachelor.
These young men advised that officers be appointed all over the kingdom to bring in the beautiful virgins to Susa the citadel.
They would initially be placed in the first harem of the virgins under Hegai’s supervision.
A woman would remain in this harem until after her night with the king.
After that, she would either become queen or spend the rest of her days in the second harem of the concubines.
All of these gathered virgins had all of their cosmetics freely given to them.
And whoever was given the final rose after her one night in the king's chamber would become queen instead of Vashti.
The king liked this advice and did what was suggested.
He did not want a strong witness; he wanted someone weak and compliant.
Thus, a search began for a weak witness.
So far, you have observed the search for a weak witness.
Furthermore, observe the shape of a weak witness (5-11).
During this time, there was a Jew in Susa, the citadel.
His name was Mordecai, and he was a Benjaminite.
One of his ancestors, probably Jair, had been carried away from Jerusalem when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Judah and dragged Jeconiah, the King of Judah, away to captivity.
The Kish mentioned here is probably the ancestor of King Saul (1 Samuel 9:1; 14:51; 1 Chronicles 8:33).
The Shimei discussed here is probably the relative of Saul who cursed King David (2 Samuel 16:5).
The connection of Mordecai to King Saul becomes more critical when we are introduced to Haman, who was a descendant of Agag, the Amalekite.
King Saul and Agag the Amalekite were arch enemies, and their rivalry was renewed by their descendants.
It is like the Lawrence, Kansas and Osceola, Missouri rivalry on steroids.
There is bad blood.
For now, however, the emphasis of this chapter is less on Mordecai and more on the woman he was raising as his own daughter.
Her Jewish name was Hadassah, and her Persian name was Esther.
She was Mordecai's younger cousin, whom he adopted as his own daughter after the death of her father and mother.
She had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at.
To the world empire, superficial outward beauty is more important than substantial inward character.
Not that Esther completely lacked substance, but she definitely had the looks to please Ahasuerus.
When the king did as Memucan and his young men advised and decreed that the officers collect the virgins to bring them to Susa for Persian Bachelor, Esther was taken.
She was brought into the custody of Hegai with the rest of the virgins.
Her beauty and behavior won over and pleased Hegai.
It seems her continual winning the favor of important people is one of those faint clues of God's providential care (Esther 2:17; 5:2; Genesis 39:4; Daniel 1:9).
Hegai rewarded Esther with her cosmetics and food.
The king's women must be at their peak beauty, with flawless skin and full figure.
Furthermore, he advanced her to the best place in the harem.
Though Esther was winning favor in the eyes of Hegai, she was concealing her ethnic and religious heritage.
She hid that she was a jew, meaning she likely did not obey the Sabbath, dietary laws, or dress restrictions.
She and her older cousin embraced much that the world empire had to offer.
She, however, did this because Mordecai commanded her to do it.
He likely did this because he thought it would keep him and her safe within the borders of the enemy.
He also stayed near Esther after she had been taken into the harem.
He sought out to see how she was doing.
Here is the shape of a weak witness.
The witness of God and His providence is still present in both Esther and Mordecai, but it is faint and concealed.
At this juncture in the story, you have observed the search and shape of a weak witness.
Also, observe the selection of a weak witness (12-18).
In verses twelve through eighteen, we are given a glimpse into the vulnerability and weakness of those who live in the world empire.
The virgins who were gathered for this ancient season of the Bachelor were required to complete a year-long beautification process.
This process was to help these already beautiful women reach the peak of their beauty before they meet the king.
This process was a regulation, rule.
The first six months, they were beautified with the oil of myrrh and the second six months with the spices and ointments for women.
They would either bath in these elements or sit in a tent fumigated by them.
Though no such regulations for beautifying exist today, it is not untypical for a bride to prepare for her upcoming wedding.
She may tan, diet, or exercise to look her best for the wedding photos, or maybe even her groom.
The night with the king was pivotal.
The woman must look her best.
After the beautifying period, a woman would have her night in the king's chamber.
She would take whatever she wanted with her from the harem, perhaps jewelry, bedroom attire, and love potions.
What happened that night would decide her fate.
Once she was in the bedroom chamber, she would remain overnight and do whatever the king desired.
Then she would return to the second harem of the concubines, under the guard of Shaashgaz.
There she may be called upon by the king to gratify his desires from time to time or simply live in luxurious vanity, never able to marry, have children, or return to her family.
Her existence would be like many toys opened on Christmas.
A child plays with them once and never touches them again.
From this glimpse of the general happenings of The Bachelor: ancient edition, the focus shifts back to Esther.
Her turn came for a night with King Ahasuerus.
She had pleased Hegai, the eunuch, who had insight into the preferences of the king.
Thus, Esther asked him what she should take with her to make the best impression on the king.
She only took what Hegai advised.
Not only did she when his favor, but the favor of all who saw her.
Maybe she would win favor with the king too.
In the tenth month of the seventh year, nearly four years after Vashti's refusal and dismissal as queen, Esther had her night with the king in his chambers.
She pleased him likely in all the ways you assume someone would please a vain king of a world empire.
The king loved her more than all the other women.
She won grace and favor in his sight more than all the other women.
To complete our Bachelor analogy, we might say she received the final rose and the engagement ring, or literally a royal crown.
Ahasuerus made Esther queen instead of Vashti.
As we shall see, Ahasuerus lost a queen he could not control and gained a queen he could not refuse.
The world empire is always overcome by God’s Kingdom.
The king threw a great feast for all his officials, granted remission on taxes to the provinces, and gave gifts or generosity.
Again, we see the compromise of Esther, a Jew, to the world empire.
She joined a harem, had premarital relations with a gentile that should only be within covenant marriage between two Jews, and married a pagan.
However, we should not be so quick to condemn Esther; life is hard for God's people in the world empire.
We need not excuse or condemn Esther.
Instead, we should simply acknowledge that though she was a weak witness, she will still prove to be a witness to God, His providence, and His kingdom.
Up to this point, you have observed the search, shape, and selection of a weak witness.
Lastly, observe the strength from a weak witness (19-23).
Our text this morning shifts back to Mordecai, the older cousin and adoptive father of Esther.
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