My Bible reading this week includes the book of Esther. It's such an amazing book. I studied both Vashti and Esther in 2015 when I studied women of the Bible. Vashti's story was eye opening to me. Her refusal to expose herself to a group of drunken men brought her removal from the throne. She has been considered a rebellious women when in reality she obeyed "the law of the Persians, which suffered not women to be seen in public; and particularly did not allow their wives to be with them at feasts,
only their concubines and harlots, with whom they could behave with
more indecency; as for their wives, they were kept out of sight, at home
(s); and therefore Vashti might think it an indignity to be treated as
an harlot or concubine."
(John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible) You can read the full post here.
Following Vashti's removal, we meet Esther. She was a woman of great grace and dignity, who submitted herself to the authorities in her life. "If I perish, I perish." Such brave words! "I will put my life in danger and refer the success to God, seeing it is for his glory and the deliverance of his Church." (1599 Geneva Bible Translation Notes) "Signifying,
that she readily and cheerfully risked her life for the good of her
people; and if such was the pleasure of God, that she should lose it,
she was content, and acquiesced in his will, leaving herself entirely in
his hands, to dispose of her as he thought fit." (John Gill)
While I usually consider the defeat of Haman's plot the end of Esther, she continued to be influential in the kingdom. The final verses about Esther show that she continued to lean upon
Mordecai's counsel and spiritual guidance. He helped her write letters
establishing the Feast of Purim. Esther 9:29 says, "Then Esther the
queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all
authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim." Verse 32 says, "And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book." A new festival was instituted, "It
was called the feast of Purim, from a Persian word, which signifies a
lot. The name of this festival would remind them of the almighty power
of the God of Israel, who served his own purposes by the superstitions
of the heathen." (Matthew Henry)
According to the Jewish virtual library, "Esther, while she needed some convincing, was able
to save the Jewish population in Persia. She is considered one of the
most heroic women in Jewish history. Her story is read every year on Purim." You can read the full post on Esther here.
The feast of Purim is still celebrated each year in March. It covers two days, the first being the Fast of
Esther, followed by the Festival of Purim. This particular fast has one
purpose - to remember God’s deliverance of the Jews from Haman’s
attempt at extermination. We don't usually fast to remember, but to ask
God for something. I know I have never fasted in remembrance of what
God has done for me. The next day, during the Festival of Purim, is a
time of joyful celebration. I wrote about it in my post called "When Satan Runs Amok in the Streets."
There is one more woman in the book of Esther that I did not study. She popped up in my reading this morning. Esther 5:14 says, "Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made."
Zeresh is mentioned by name only three times - Esther 5:10 and 14 and Esther 6:13. Between the time when the gallows were built and Esther's banquet, the king had a troubled night. It was during that night that the king was reminded that Mordecai had saved his life and no honor had been given to him. Haman is then forced to show Mordecai great honor.
Esther 6:12-13 says, "But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered. And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him."
That is all we read about Zeresh, but we do read in Esther 9:14, "they hanged Haman's ten sons." We don't know where Zeresh was. I do wonder, was she still alive and watching as her sons were hanged? She was a wife who's influence contributed to great harm to her own family.
One book in the Bible, ten short chapters, and three very different women.
