The story of Esther, often admired by readers young and old, takes on added significance today when women, like Vashti, disregard the role and authority belonging to men. Vashti’s blatant public insubordination was considered a bad example for all and led to her being removed from being queen. This resulted in an opportunity for Esther to come into prominence because of her beauty, submission and godly conduct. She pleased the king with her meekness and beauty and “obtained favor” with all the people. Esther’s beauty was magnified by her meek conduct and stood out in contrast to others. The story is prophetic, revealing what will bring about the removal of the Gentiles from their present place of favor before God. Those of us who are Gentiles have been blessed by God. This blessing to the Gentiles during the present time, as stated in Romans 11:18-2518Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 25For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. (Romans 11:18‑25), is a consequence of the Jews’ unbelief. But this Scripture further warns the Gentiles to “be not high-minded,” lest they be removed and the Jews brought back into blessing again. As we, who are the salt of the earth, see this scenario developing in our society, it ought to make us abhor any form of disregard for authority, knowing the final consequences — the end of the present dispensation — the “fullness of the Gentiles” (vs. 25). These moral conditions are then, to the anointed eye, an indication that the Lord’s coming is near.
Feasting and Fasting
King Ahasuerus made a feast, first for the princes and nobles and then for the whole city—both small and great. He was given to the enjoyment of his wealth and kingdom. The queen also made a feast for the women of the royal house, and while feasting in affluence and pleasure, she refused the request of the king to come to his feast. It is difficult to judge who was most out of line in this, but as is often the case, the woman suffers the most. Vashti was removed from being queen for this, but it is ironic that this is also a prophecy of how the rule of Ahasuerus, and that of all Gentile rulers, will terminate. The meek, submissive behavior of Esther vividly stands out in these circumstances. How easy it is to fall into the snare of the enjoyment of pleasure and not fulfill what we are called to do. The Lord warns us that this will be the snare at the end of this dispensation. “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth” (Luke 21:34-3534And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. (Luke 21:34‑35)). Feasting, or living for pleasure, is closely related to the turmoil in our society concerning the roles of men and women. May the Lord give us to see these things clearly and avoid the pitfalls.
Later on when Esther was made queen, King Ahasuerus made a feast for her. “Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.” The giving of gifts and a special release characterize this feast rather than selfish pleasures. Had not Esther set the tone for this kind of feast? When, at the beginning, her time came to go in unto the king, she requested nothing beyond what the chamberlain recommended. She would give of herself, not leaning on props or things of others. What a difference her influence made in the kingdom! Instead of selfish striving, we see the giving of gifts. How important are the words of Paul: “All things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Cor. 6:12). Esther proved she would not be brought under the power of living for herself.
Esther’s Adornment
Esther did not come to be queen by default because of her predecessor. She gained it by adorning her outward beauty with the inner adornment of a “meek and quiet spirit.” It was not simply that she was in subjection, but she displayed the “hidden man of the heart” along with her natural beauty. This gave her favor before the king. Even the ungodly see and appreciate this. She continued pleasing others while she was queen, using her position and beauty to serve. Later on, she responded to the call to lay her life on the line to intercede for her people. It was in meekness she entered into the court to request a hearing before the king, not in assertiveness, though it took great courage. First of all, she asks for an opportunity to serve the king: “If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him” (Esther 5:44And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. (Esther 5:4)). She ingratiates him by first serving before asking what she desired. One act of service was not enough; the second time she added the words, “If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition” (vs. 8). It reminds us of the words “grace upon grace.” This very kind and generous service brought out the pride of Haman’s heart, while at the same time the king’s heart was reached. How could he ever say “no” to her afterward? Because of her godly approach to the king, Esther gains two opposite objectives. It reminds us of 2 Corinthians 2:15: “We are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: to the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life.” Her gracious ways with them brought out the best of the best and the worse of the worst. It manifested who was true and who not. No man in the whole kingdom could have done what Esther accomplished by meekly serving with her beauty and adornment.
Souls Won by Godly Conduct
“Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, that, even if any are disobedient to the word, they may be gained without the word by the conversation of the wives” (1 Peter 3:1 JND). Not all women have a loving and kind husband who treats them well as he should and tells them how much they are loved and appreciated. The case of Esther is very notable in this regard. As we have noticed before, almost everyone was given to living for pleasure. Esther lived in a place where she had to keep her identity secret. She also had a lot of female competition, being one of many that were chosen as candidates to be queen. The Jews were living in a strange country with their temple destroyed. No one even mentions the name of God in the whole book, nor do we ever see anyone praying about the difficulties, though it is likely they prayed when they fasted. But the public testimony of Jehovah as the God of Israel was zero in those days. In these circumstances, what could an orphaned girl do to change the situation? Esther did what no man could ever have done; she counteracted the unchangeable laws of the Medes and Persians, saved her people from annihilation, and succeeded in removing the wicked man Haman. How was it done? By adorning her beauty with good deportment. No preaching; no teaching or dancing — just right living. She changed the world with her good conduct.
Not all those seeking to live in godliness while under hard circumstances may come to see, in this life, such dramatic changes as a result of their life as Esther, but certainly the story is recorded to encourage us to look ahead to the time when the Lord will come, “who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man [and woman] have praise of God” (1 Cor. 4:5).
D. C. Buchanan