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Esther 1
Today we start a new book of the Old Testament, Esther.
The scene opens in the winter capital of Persia, Shushan, in the 3rd year of King Ahasuerus' reign. My study Bible suggests that this King Ahasuerus is the king mentioned in Ezra 4:6 to whom the Jew's enemies wrote to complain that the Jews were rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem.
King Ahasuerus appears to have been a very great king reigning over 127 provinces. To show off his importance he held a 6 month long feast for all his princes and servants! Following this he had another feast for all the people of Shushan and the palace in the beautifully decorated palace garden, and his Queen, Vashti, had a feast for the women in the royal house.
After a week of feasting when the king was merry from drinking he sent a message to the queen ordering her to come and parade her beauty before the people and princes, but she refused.
King Ahasuerus was furious and consulted with his wise men what action should be taken. One of these, Memucan, advised that as the Queen had shown contempt to the King by refusing his command, she should be removed from her position, otherwise the women of Persia and Media might follow her example in respect to their husbands. Additionally he advised writing to all of the provinces that all men should be the ruler in their own homes and their wives honour them whether great or small.
The king was pleased with this advice and it was followed through.
After reading this chapter nothing seemed to stand out to me, but on sitting back and praying for the Holy Spirit to speak to me, I immediately thought about my own husband and whether I give him the respect he should have. Had I, that very morning been as supportive and loving as I could have been?
Today it is considered very old-fashioned and Victorian for women to promise to obey their husbands when they marry. Much is said about equality and rights. But if we look to the scriptures at the beginning of time we are told that woman was created to be a helpmeet to her husband (Genesis 2:18). After the Fall as part of the curse put upon her God said,'...thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee' (Genesis 3:16).
We know from the instructions in the New Testament, that this is not to be a tyrannical rule - husbands are exhorted 'to love their wives as their own bodies' - as Christ loved and 'gave himself' for the church (Ephesians 5:25,28). But women are to continue to 'submit themselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord' (Ephesians 5:22)....'in everything' (verse 24).
Elizabeth George* summarises from Biblical teachings, that we are to, 'love, respect, help and submit' to our husbands. She writes that 'God arranged for the sake of order that the husband lead and the wife follow. For marriages to run smoothly God has said, '... the head of every man is Christ: and the head of the woman is the man' (1 Corinthians 11:3).
How do we treat our husbands? - or if we are not married, how do we treat other people in our lives?
In this chapter Queen Vashti is refusing the request of her drunken husband (who was perhaps going to subject her to drunken lewdness as he and his companions looked at her beauty) and she was accused of contempt. Are we like Queen Vashti, refusing to do what our husbands ask? Do we despise other people's judgement, thinking that we know best? Our husbands may not be like King Ahasuerus asking us to do things when drunk that are mortifying and humiliating - (and if they do ask us to do God dishonouring things this is an exception where we should prayerfully seek counsel about how to proceed) - but perhaps we still think we know better than they.
It can be subtle - a 'telling' our husband what to do instead of asking him. Taking decisions upon ourselves without consulting with our husband. Elizabeth George**suggests we can show respect to our husbands by refraining from interrupting him when speaking, looking at him when he is talking, not putting him down when talking to others and letting him see our admiration for him; accepting that in discussion about decisions that our husbands have the final word. And if we are not married we can practice an attitude of respect to others by honouring and yielding to them as appropriate rather than selfishly insisting on our own way.
May God help and bless us as we prayerfully take a step back, listen to ourselves and notice how we 'treat' our husbands and the people around us and give us a spirit of love, respect and submission as unto God himself.
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*A wife after God's own heart by Elizabeth George (Chapter 2, Working as a team)
**A woman after God's own heart by Elizabeth George (Chapter 6, A heart that follows)
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