Esther 1: ¹⁰ On the seventh day of the feast, when King Xerxes was in high spirits because of the wine, he told the seven eunuchs who attended him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas— ¹¹ to bring Queen Vashti to him with the royal crown on her head. He wanted the nobles and all the other men to gaze on her beauty, for she was a very beautiful woman. ¹² But when they conveyed the king’s order to Queen Vashti, she refused to come. This made the king furious, and he burned with anger.¹⁶ Memucan answered the king and his nobles, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also every noble and citizen throughout your empire. ¹⁷ Women everywhere will begin to despise their husbands when they learn that Queen Vashti has refused to appear before the king. ¹⁸ Before this day is out, the wives of all the king’s nobles throughout Persia and Media will hear what the queen did and will start treating their husbands the same way. There will be no end to their contempt and anger.

 

many women use this scripture to uphold women's rights and their right to stand against those in authority... vashti was not an israelite.. she did not know God.. she worshipped idols just like her husband did.. they were persian... the reason she refused to go when he called her may have been embarrassment.. it may have been pride... I would lean toward the pride... surely I realize that none of us want to be put on display before men... yet we do it all the time.. in the way we dress.. and the way we present ourselves as sexually desirable.. I also realize that it may be different for US to be the one initiating it rather than a man forcing us... in the times they were living... she did not have the right to go against him for the reason of him being her husband.. but also the fact that he was the king of the nation.. and what she did was to usurp his authority... she was the original jezebel spirit... and it cost her everything.... how many wives of our own day and age treat their husbands just like vashti treated the king...

 

Esther 4: ¹⁵ Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” ¹⁷ So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Esther 5: On the third day of the fast, Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace, just across from the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the entrance. ² When he saw Queen Esther standing there in the inner court, he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her. So Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter. ³ Then the king asked her, “What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!”

 

while esther also did something that was forbidden... she put God first... her motives were not to raise up her own desires.. but instead to go on behalf of a nation... she had the entire nation to fast with her... then she prayed and clearly allowed God's will to be done and not her own...

how often do we try to act as though we are doing something righteous and really we are doing it to further ourselves?

if we put God first... humble ourselves before Him... then we receive all that He has for us...

the true difference between esther and vashti was not only God behind her.. but also pride vs humilty.. and humility and God won..