Esther 1:19–20: “If it pleases [Ahasuerus the king of Persia], let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it will not be altered, that [Queen] Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. When the king’s decree which he will make is proclaimed throughout all his empire (for it is great), all wives will honor their husbands, both great and small.”

November 16th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

The Book of Esther takes place in Persia, inside the court of Ahasuerus king of Persia. The opening chapter tells how Queen Vashti disobeyed the king and fell out of favor. While he was giving a feast for the princes of Persia and Media, he called for the queen to come to them but she refused. (It’s possible she refused to obey the command because she was going to be required to make an indecent exposure of herself before a company of drunks.) Ahasuerus turned to the princes with him and asked what her punishment should be for refusing his call. It was like taking the issue to the Supreme Court of his day, as their ruling was equal to the rulings of the highest court. They did not compliment Queen Vashti on her morals, nor did they recommend that the king punish her, but rather that she should never be allowed to come before the king again and for her position to be given to another. They also stated that his decree should be irrevocable. This is an interesting characteristic of Persian law, the ability to make a decree that can’t be reversed or altered. This aspect of its permanency is recorded several more times in the Book of Esther and also in Daniel 6:8.

We remind ourselves that the king and his advisors did not deal with the matter biblically. Scripture simply records it as they approached it from the standpoint of their eastern, chauvinistic culture. They no doubt saw women as inferior to men, and thus to be used by men for their pleasure. And we can see from women’s rights in Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic cultures today that this attitude toward women in Esther 1 is still the norm in almost all nations where the gospel has not been allowed. In contrast, Scripture points to women as being equal, a concept that has slowly been changing the world ever since Jesus came. Our heavenly Father sees all His children as equal. As the apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (3:28).

“LORD, remind us today that You are the redeemer of all. Please help us to see everyone we meet today as someone You desire to spend eternity with, and help us show them You.”