As we begin our journey through the book of Esther we actually begin with the king having a banquet and then his queen Vashti refusing to follow his command.
10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, 11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.
After Vashti disobeys him this decree is sent out. As a woman today you do you feel about the thought of obeying your husband in all things? For me I do my best to follow Edgar. I am in no way less than him but for us he is the head of the family and I rarely go against what he says. This however bothers me. She is asked to dance in front of other men so they may see her beauty. Many people have called Vashti the first feminist but it may be clear that her husband thought of her as nothing more than a trophy wife.
She is killed and a new queen must be selected. I imagine that many wives today would be put to the slaughter (so to speak) for simply disobeying her husband. So the king does away with her and a decree goes out for women to honor their husbands.
“So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.”
Now I am all for honoring your husband but this decree went out because the King’s advisers were afraid women would no longer listen to them in any way. How do you think that woman today can honor their husbands but still have the freedom to think for themselves? Can you honor your husband and not be his servant?
Assignment
Read Esther chapters 1-2 if you have not yet.
In Their Shoes
Take one day and do everything your husband tells you to do. That is how the women of the Bible, many times, felt. It was not easy was it?
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I started another study on the book of Ester (Dr David Jeramiah) and didn’t get all the way through. I seem to be good at starting things and have good intentions. I’ll try to stick with it this time.
I find this selection interesting. I am enjoying the readings.
I have difficult with the term “obey”. I believe in mutual respect. Part of that is not contradicting your spouse in front of others, especially the children. There have been times when my husband hands down a punishment I don’t agree with, but I go along with it so we present a united front. Then, privately, I discuss it with him and suggest different approaches. He’s pretty receptive to it, actually, and I think it’s because I don’t cause him to lose face with the kids.