A DIFFERENT KIND OF KING

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush: At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.

For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa. The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality. By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.

Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas—to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.

Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.

“According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”

Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’ This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.

“Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”

The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed.

He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.

Esther 1:1-22

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

In the United States, we often hear people complain about governmental leadership. Either government is too much or too little involved in the affairs of the people. We seem to turn a blind eye too often to nations where democracy isn’t even in play…where fairness and justice aren’t even a discussion point when it comes to the way the land is governed.

Looking back to biblical times, we study about rulers who led by the “my way or the highway” philosophy. Unfortunately today, things haven’t changed a whole lot in many parts of our world as there are still many tyrants out there in power. Many of them could be compared with King Xerxes of Persia.

We’re introduced to the king as the book of Esther opens. He was a man of great power who “reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa” over an empire that included “127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.” Wanting to display his wealth, the king put on a great banquet for all his nobles and officials. Those present included the “military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces.”

The banquet was just the start of the king’s display of his riches. Scripture tells us that he “displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty” for a full 180 days after which he “put on another banquet “in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace” which lasted a week. This time everyone was invited, “all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa” and “by the king’s command” they were “allowed to drink with no restrictions.” It had to be quite a party. We read where a separate banquet was put on by Queen Vashti “for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.”

All seemed well on the Persian throne. That is until the queen decided to disobey her husband.

Back to the scriptures where we learn that King Xerxes, “in high spirits from wine”, commanded “the seven eunuchs who served him” to “bring before him Queen Vashti”. She was to be wearing her “royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles.”

The attendants went to the queen and relayed the king’s wishes but we read where the queen “refused to come” a decision that made King Xerxes “furious and burn(ing) with anger.” He consulted his experts in matters of law and justice as to how he should handle his wife’s refusal. The seven “wise men” included the “seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.”

After asking what he should do to handle the situation, the wise men informed the king that Vashti’s actions were not just against the king but also against “all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes.” In other words, the wives of other rulers would follow Vashti’s lead and be disobedient to their husbands as well. They punctuated their thoughts by saying, “There will be no end of disrespect and discord.”

The wise men then recommended a course of action to the king saying, “Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.” In other words, vanquishing Vashti from the king’s presence and effectively dismissing her as queen would serve as a deterrent for any other ruler’s wife to follow her lead.

Well, we read where King Xerxes and his nobles were pleased with the advice and the recommended course of action was followed. Vashti was dismissed and notice was sent “to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language.”

Vashti had decided to disobey her husband who happened to have ultimate power over her life’s circumstances. And she discovered that there are negative consequences for negative decisions. She knew she had to obey the king. She knew the power he wielded. And yet she chose to challenge him and lost everything.

So what does this have to do with you and me?

Well, regardless of where we live and who governs over us, we all are subservient to a King, capital “K”. The King of Kings. The Ruler of all Rulers. The Master of all Masters.

When we talk about reign and power, this King has no rival. The only similarity we can even come close to drawing between Him and the Persian king Xerxes is that both required obedience from their subordinates. And when we see this similarity, maybe we see ourselves a lot like Vashti sometimes, knowing we are to be obedient to our King but choosing to disrespect and disobey Him.

The good news for us is that we serve a different kind of king that Vashti. For in Xerxes, there was no mercy or grace…no forgiveness or pardon. No, in exchange for her poor judgment, Vashti was condemned and discarded.

What if God was like that toward us? What if He vanquished us for just one act of defiance? No one would be left in His presence…and no one would ever share His kingdom with Him. Talk about a life of hopelessness.

But we don’t have to worry about eternal condemnation because our King sent His only Son to intercede for our sinful behaviors. The King loved us so much that He sent Jesus to pay the sin penalty in our place on the cross of Calvary. This is a King of grace and mercy and compassion and forgiveness.

But the pardon is only there for those who accept Jesus as Savior. Have you done this? Have you received the offer of redemption from the eternal King of Kings and chosen life over death…grace over censure…mercy over wrath. If not, do so now and don’t delay. Kneel down before the throne of the King, pledge your allegiance to Him, surrender your life and heart to His Son Jesus, and receive the salvation He extends today.

Yes, we serve a different kind of King. Thanks be to God for that.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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