Esther 1:1-9

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 Hello, again. I'm Adam Casalino, one of your deacons and member of our "Preachers Guild." And I have the task of opening our series on the Book of Esther.

Over the coming weeks, we will be looking at this pivotal Old Testament book each Wednesday night. Members of our group, both old and new, will be jumping in to contribute.

I encourage you to come along with us on this journey, because it promises not to disappoint.

Introduction to Esther:

So, why Esther? Many of you are probably familiar with this book. You've may have studied it before.

This text gives us the historical account of the origins of Purim, a Jewish holiday that is still widely celebrated around the world in early Spring.

Esther, of course, also tells the story of a brave young woman, who plays a critical role in the life and history of the Jewish people.

Even among Christians, Esther is celebrated as a women of faith.

Her book has a very peculiar distinction, however, among the books of the Bible. We'll get to that in a little bit.

Before we get into the meat of the text, let's go over how we got here.

Esther: How Did we Get here?

I'm going to provide dates, just know these are approximate.

The events of the Book of Esther take place during the Post-Exilic Era of Israel. So, let's look at a brief timeline so we can get our bearings.

(This won't cover every event in Israel's history, mind you. Just enough so we know where we are.)

Between the years of 1050 – 931 BC Israel was a united kingdom. These were the years Saul, then David, then Solomon ruled. During this time, the nation reached its height in power and prosperity.

In 930 BC, the nation split into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. 

In the years that followed, 930 – 722 BC, both nations descended into greater and greater depths of idolatry. God sent prophets to call Israel to repentance. A few kings of Judah were faithful, but for the most part, this time was marked by widespread disobedience.

The first to fall was the northern kingdom. In 722 BC, the empire of Assyria conquered them, taking the people into exile.

Assyria fell to Babylon in 612 BC. Babylon becomes the world's greatest empire. In 605 BC, Babylon conquered Judah and began taking away exiles (Daniel 1). By 586 BC, Jerusalem is destroyed and the kingdom broken.

In 539 BC, Babylon falls to the Persian empire. One year later, King Cyrus orders the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple (Ezra 1).

By 536 BC, Ezra and about 40,000 Jews begin reconstruction of the temple in Jerusalem. The second temple is completed in 516 BC. 

Ahasuerus, son of Darius I, becomes king of Persia and ruler of the Achaemenid Empire in 486 BC. The events of Esther happen between the years 483 – 474 BC.

So, this brings us to the Book of Esther. The most important details to remember, as we jump into the book, is that the long decades of exile are over. Jewish people are returning to the promise land.

However, they are being ruled by Gentile kings—a reality that will continue into the New Testament.

While some Jews returned to the promise land, many did not go back. Jews are living across the Persian empire, including the city where most of Esther takes place.

They are "dispersed" throughout the land of the Gentiles—and will one day be known as "the Dispersion" or "Diaspora." A term that holds significance in the New Testament.

Quick Facts about Esther: Let's quick go over the key details about the Book of Esther. These will be in your notes. 

First off, who wrote the book of Esther? The book does not identify an author, which has given rise to plenty of investigation and speculation. 

There are a number of books of the Bible that do not identify their authors. Because of this, we cannot definitively say who the author is, especially if there is no historical evidence to lean on.

So, we are left with looking at the internal evidence of the book to give us guidance. We can see that the author knew Persian culture and history well; this should lead us to conclude he lived during the rule of Persian kings.

We can assume he was Jewish. He might have served the Persian kings, since he familiar with the inner-workings of the royal court.

Could it have been someone who appears in the pages of this book? That is possible, but we cannot be sure. A reasonable assumption is that the author of Esther is a Jewish scribe who lived during the Persian Empire.

When was the book of Esther written? The way the book is written puts in mind a writer that is looking back on what happened—with the benefit of hindsight. Probably after Purim is firmly established among all Jewish people. A general date range would be 460-450 BC.

So, we could say that book was written sometime after its events, within a generation.

Where was the book of Esther written? It is very likely this book was written in the city of Susa.

Why was the book of Esther written? This is the most important question, since it impacts our interpretation and application of the book. It has potentially several answers.

To answer that, we have to consider the intended audience. Again, there is plenty of speculation on this point. I'm going to give you what I think was most likely.

As we move through the book, we'll notice a somewhat objective tone in the writing. There is little commentary criticizing the actions of anyone—even wrong actions. That's very different from other OT books, whose writers are quick to explain to us that a person's actions were sinful.

That gives us some insight into the original audience. The few moments where the book isn't object, such as our opening text, gives us even more insight.

It is possible this book was written by a Jewish scribe who served a later Persian king. Perhaps Artaxerxes I, the son of King Ahasuerus. The king might have commissioned a Jewish scholar to give him a clear, unbiased account of these events.

That would explain why the book is missing any mention of God, his covenant name, nor anything related to prophecy, angels, prayer, or religion. It is the most "secular" book in the Bible. That could have been because the original audience, a Gentile king, was requiring a historical account—and demanded no spiritual context to distract from that intent.

Obviously, this book ended up in the hands of Jewish scholars, who recognized its divine authorship, and put it into the cannon of Hebrew scriptures. So, while the original audience might have been a Persian ruler, the eventual audience—the one who continued to read, study, and preach the text, were the Jewish people. 

It is also likely the author was considering the Jewish people as part of his intended audience, while he wrote the text.

In either case, we have a good reason for its writing.

Why was the book written? To give a history of the origins of Purim.

Of course, we'd be remiss if we didn't consider something else. Yes, this is a literal book, with a human author. But we believe every book of the Bible is inspired by God.

There is a heavenly co-author, right? The Spirit of God. He guided the author of Esther as he wrote this book.

So, why would the Holy Spirit lead a writer to produce a book, with no mention of God? It is a question that has puzzled readers, including Christians, for centuries.

We can speculate on that, too. But as we journey through this book, I believe we will see something that is undeniable. Even though Esther does not contain the name "God," his hand is clearly seen on nearly every page.

He is invisibly guiding events in this book. The people of God face impossible odds, but God is ever at work turning things to their favor.

Paul writes in Ephesians 1:11 that God, "works all things according to the counsel of his will." Sometimes, that means he is doing things "behind the scenes." In the background as it were, without drawing attention to himself.

(That doesn't mean we won't still praise and glorify him, for what we know he's doing.)

This book will be very different than Exodus, where God demonstrated his power to deliver Israel in dramatic, obvious ways. Instead, God is at work through seemingly "ordinary" moments. There may not be any grand miracles in this book, but God is still being demonstrated.

We might even conclude this was the author's intent. The Jewish people living during this time may not have seen many miracles. They knew the stories of Moses and Elijah. But they are living in very different times.

There were few miracles happening in their day-to-day lives. So, it is possible the author of Esther wanted to reflect that reality when he wrote his book. If he had in mind the eventual audience, the Jewish people, this might have been something he intended.

"Yes, we don't see God openly doing things, like he did during the days of Moses. There are no prophets speaking to us here in Susa, the way Elijah did. But that does not mean our God has abandoned us."

Is it possible that was what the Holy Spirit was also intending, when he guided this author? Did he want the readers of this book to read "between the lines" so to speak? Did God want us to acknowledge his handiwork, even when he isn't mentioned? And if so… why?

I believe God still speaks to us today. We have the abiding Spirit of the Lord within us, if we have received Jesus by faith. Because of this, we can count on him to lead and guide us, including through that "still small voice."

Even still, most of our day-to-day lives aren't anything close to the lives of Moses or Elijah, right? Perhaps we're a lot like the Jewish people living in Susa?

We believe in the one true God. We are his people. But, we are living in a country that is not our home. Surrounded by unbelievers, the Gentiles of this day and age.

It doesn't always feel like God is close. Maybe, we don't see what God's purpose is, in the good, bad, and ugly circumstances of our everyday lives.

But like the story of Esther, we know that God is at work in our circumstances. Even during times of trial, we can draw strength from knowing God has not abandoned us. None of us have seen him face to face. But we know that he is always working "behind the scenes" on our behalf.

As we journey through this book, I challenge you to reflect on this reality. And how it applies to your life. How is God at work in your life right now? What is he doing in circumstances that appear bleak, even hopeless?

What is this book teaching you about how God orchestrates all things according to his good, pleasing, and perfect will for your life?

These are big questions. Important questions. And thank God, he has given us a book that provides the answers. 

With that, let's take a look at Esther.

King Ahasuerus – the Would-Be God of the World - Esther 1:1:

“Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces…” (Esther 1:1, ESV)

Let's talk a little bit about this man, King Ahasuerus (which is the Aramaic version of his Persian name "Khshayarsha," which meant "Mighty One"). 

He was the grandson of the famed King Cyrus, who sent the Jewish people back to Israel to rebuild the temple. He was the son of Darius the Great and Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus.

Darius chose Ahasuerus to be his successor, despite having an older son named Artobazan. He was Darius's firstborn son and claimed to be the rightful heir.

However, the Persians had a peculiar custom, where the son born after a man had become king was the rightful heir. Artobazan had been born before Darius ascended to the throne, thus the crown went to Ahasuerus.

This man inherited one of the largest empires in the ancient world. His legacy, much like his father's, was marked by endless campaigns to expand or secure his empire. This was a man of war, a man of bloodshed.

He is best known in Western history for his war against Greece, in 480 BC. This was famously depicted in a 2006 film called 300. Do y'all remember that, "THIS IS SPARTA!" that whole deal. Ahasuerus is an infamous character to Western history and is called "Xerxes" (a Greek transliteration of his name).

History has not been kind to Ahasuerus. Despite being one of the most powerful men in the world, he is best known for his "hubris, wanton cruelty, and weakness." 

He sought to conquer Mesopotamia, Africa, and Europe. He was known for his pride and unquenchable appetite for… well, all kinds of things.

Despite this, he was a powerful king—an emperor, really. And the Book of Esther does not fail to emphasize his importance.

As we see in this verse, he ruled a kingdom that went from Asia to Africa. 

Here is a map of Ahasuerus's empire. As the text described, it spanned from regions in India all the way to Egypt and south to Ethiopia.

He even ruled parts of Europe, modern-day Turkey and Macedonia. He tried to capture Greece, but that didn't work out so well.

This was called the Achaemenid Empire or the First Persian Empire (the "Achaemenids" was Cyrus's royal line). This empire was larger than the Assyrians or Babylonians—but it will be dwarfed by future empires.

Do you notice that small sliver of land, just right of the "Mediterranean Sea"? That is Israel. You can see Jerusalem right there. By this time, a group of Jews have returned and rebuilt the temple.

Over to the East you'll see the city of Susa, right beside the word "Babylonia." That was Ahasuerus's "winter citadel." He also built a stronghold for himself in Persepolis, further East.

All across this area, from Susa to Egypt, Jews were living. Only a minority of God's people actually returned to the promise land. Plenty of people have speculated over why that was the case.

Weren't the Israelites devastated when they were sent into exile? Didn't Daniel eagerly pray for the day when God would bring them back?

So, why did so few (relatively speaking) end up returning to their homeland?

Was this wrong? Was this sinful? Were Jews in Persia disobeying God's command to return? 

Some will say, "Yes." But let's keep in mind that these people were told by Jeremiah to put down roots in the lands they were exiled to (Jeremiah 29).

By the time of Esther, most Jews had been born in exile. This was all they knew. Susa was their city, not Jerusalem. Men like Daniel—who remembered the Kingdom of Judah, the temple, and the great City of David—were few and far between.

We might think these Jews were sinning for not going back to the land, but there were obvious reasons why they might not have been motivated to do so. Despite this, we know these Jews weren't like their idolatrous fore-fathers. 

They certainly had their failings, but many of them were believers in Yahweh. They were foreigners and strangers in a pagan world. Worshippers of the true God, living among Gentiles who didn't understand them, mistrusted them, and at times, persecuted them.

Sound familiar? The diaspora of Jews in ancient times is used in Scripture as a metaphor for believers of all ages. Peter calls us "sojourners and exiles" (1 Peter 2:11). 

Hebrews says all of us are waiting for a heavenly country (Hebrews 11:16). We are outside our true homeland, forced to deal with the toils and trials of living among unbelievers.

This was the case with the Jews in Susa. We can speculate on why they didn't return to Jerusalem. But we know that many of them strove to live out God's commands in a foreign and often hostile land.

The Party to End All Parties – Esther 1:2-4:

Let's look at the next three verses…

“in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days.” (Esther 1:2–4, ESV) 

Here we learn of the main setting for the book of Esther, the citadel in Susa. As I said, this was Ahasuerus's winter fortress.

Susa is considered a UNESCO world heritage site. Here are some modern pictures of the place. INSERT PICTURES. As you can see, a castle still stands. This might have been part of the king's citadel.

These ruins are called "Darius Palace." Not much is left, but this shows us how extensive the build was. Beyond it was the castle we just saw. Here are some more images (a link to the UNESCO page is available on my manuscript). As you can see, it isn't very impressive today.

But these pictures serve, like most archeology, to prove the accuracy of the Biblical text. The Book of Esther isn't "mythology," as some critics might claim, but real history.

Now, let's look at the real reason we're here: the big party. In the third year of Ahasuerus's reign, he threw one of the most lavish feasts in history. This celebration was for his "officials and servants" as well as his vast army, "nobles," and "governors."

This was a massive party, thrown for his VVIPs. All the rulers, the emperor's top advisers, the commanders of the army, the nobility, and the governors he appointed to rule over the provinces he subjugated.

According to the text, this feast lasted 180 days. That's six months. I don't know about y'all, but I like a good party. But six months!? Perhaps that's why he did this during his third year in power—it took him three years to prepare all this.

Now, some critics scoff at this account. They doubt a king would have thrown a feast for that long of a time. Apparently, these critics—despite being historians—never heard of the excesses of the rich and famous.

A few months, about 80,000 of the world's richest and most self-important people traveled to Dubai for a UN-sponsored "summit." The goal was to discuss the great dangers of fossil fuels and how they're causing "irreversible harm," according to CNN.

During this event, the consensus from these rich, entitled, globalists was that America had to dramatically change its lifestyle to avoid "disaster." That includes cutting out eating red meat.

What's so ironic about this, is that while these elitists were telling us to cut out the red meat, they were serving up gourmet meals including Philly cheesesteaks, "melt-in-your-mouth BBQ," smoked wagyu burgers, and more. 

This was not so much a "summit" but a weeks-long party at a luxurious locale.

The rich and powerful throughout history loved throwing themselves parties, to show off how awesome and privileged they were. Only these days, they pretend like they are doing it for our benefit.

But that leads us to an important question, why is Ahasuerus throwing this party? Imagine the resources it would have taken to throw a six month-long feast. You need more than a few bags of chips, I can tell ya that.

We know who the party was for: all the powerful and important people of the empire. Maybe he was doing it to reward them? Sure, that's possible. 

Notice what verse four says, though: "He showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness."

Okay, so this wasn't just a party for the sake of having a party. The king had an ulterior motive. He wanted to show these powerful leaders just how impressive he was.

You know, these nobles were impressive themselves. They came from all over the world. Some of them would have been heirs to their own thrones.

Ahasuerus wanted everyone to know who was in charge. He wined and dined them, yes. He wanted them to have fun, yes.

All so they could look upon "the splendor and pomp of his greatness."

There was strategy to this. History tells us that Xerxes was an ambitious man. A this point in time, he secured the empire from an older brother—there might have been factions loyal to Artobazan.

He might have been worrying about provinces whose rulers were hankering to rebel. After all, there are always people plotting against a king.

Plus, he had big plans. Not long after this, the Persian king would wage his war to take over Europe. He will spend years trying to crush the Greek city states.

That takes a lot of resources, including boats, weapons, and men willing to die.

Could it be that he threw the party to end all parties, to ensure these officials were willing to go with him on this crusade?

There are other implications we need to look at, regarding this event. But we will get to that after we read the rest of tonight's text.

The Big Party in the Garden – Esther 1:5-9:

So, the king threw a six-month feast for his top officials and rulers in his citadel of Susa.

But now he does something even more peculiar. Let's pick up the text in verse five.

“And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods and marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones. Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king. And drinking was according to this edict: “There is no compulsion.” For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired. Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus.” (Esther 1:5–9, ESV) 

Oh my goodness. After feasting with the VVIPs for six months, the king holds another feast for the city of Susa.

It's just feast, after feast, after feast! This guy really likes to party.

The Bible says everyone who lived in Susa "both great and small" were invited to this event. That's a lot of people.

Everyone, including the poor and working classes, were welcomed to the palace for this week-long party. The text says they stayed in the garden of the palace.

There's a few reasons for throwing the party in the garden. First of all, it was probably big enough to fit everyone. Second of all, it kept the riff-raff out of the king's private chambers.

But most importantly, it would have been an amazing experience for most of the guests. 

Imagine you are a working stiff in Susa. You struggle just to make a living for you and your family. Your living conditions are far from splendid.

But, you are welcomed into the garden of the emperor's palace. For most folks, it would have felt like they went to heaven.

You see, we might be able to enjoy some luxuries in life. We have nice cars, comfortable homes, some jewelry, and other finer things. 

But most commoners throughout history—and, in honesty, throughout the world today—couldn't even dream of owning such things.

The people who were welcomed into the king's garden were greeted by opulence they could never own, in a million years.

Even the writer stops and gives a description of some of the luxuries they were treated to. It sounds like that song from the Sound of Music: white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple… Brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things!

But seriously. Regular working stiffs got to sit on gold couches and drink wine out of golden cups. As much wine as they wanted!

For the first time in their lives they felt like royalty. This must be one heck of a king, huh?

But we must ask ourselves, yet again: what is the king getting out of this? You know, during that first feast—the six-month one—we can surmise he was trying to build loyalty with the upper crust.

The people he wined and dined had something he needed: their resources and soldiers.

But what was he trying to get out of the commoners of Susa?

I mean, they were already under his control. He may have been worried about a revolt. But there are cheaper ways to subdue a population, lemme tell ya!

Remember what we said about the people feeling as if they were in heaven on earth? Let's think about that for a second.

And let's look at this passage with Jewish eyes. As I said, this author would have had his people in mind when he wrote this. And the Spirit certainly would have.

Think about the imagery being used. The king welcomed the people into the royal garden.

This would have been a beautiful, park-like environment, full of trees, flowering plants, and even colorful birds and animals.

The garden was adorned with splendid decorations like purple cloths, linens, silks, gold—all things associated with royal wealth.

What would Jewish readers think of immediately? Two things jump to mind: the Garden of Eden and Solomon's temple.

Genesis tells that when God made the first man and woman, he put them in a beautiful garden. Everything was provided for them.

He even said they could "freely eat" the fruit of the garden (with one important exception). Notice King Ahasuerus says much the same?

There was no compulsion. Guests could drink as much as they wanted.

And we know from Scripture that the tabernacle of Moses was adorned with royal, rich cloths as well as gold articles.

Solomon's temple was even more splendid. The priests were dressed in rich linens, the curtains were of fine materials, and everything was covered in gold.

It's impossible not to read this passage, as a Jew or Bible-loving Christian, and not see the comparisons.

Some have made this connection and concluded the author of Esther was trying to make a positive association between Ahasuerus and God.

Meaning, the king is very much like God—especially because of his generosity. And that Ahasuerus is a "type," a figure illustrating some characteristic of God.

That might be a fair conclusion—and we'll explore that more in a little bit and perhaps later in coming weeks.

But let me put forward another possibility.

We still need to answer the question: why did Ahasuerus invite all the people to his luxurious garden? Because he was as generous as God?

Or maybe, he wanted the people to think of him as a god.

Ahasuerus, like many Gentile kings before him (including the Pharaohs and a man named Nebuchadnezzar) were participants of false religions that considered their earthly rulers as gods.

In some cases, they were considered the gods' representatives on earth. God-men, if you will. Or the sons of the gods.

And what sinful, powerful man wouldn't want to lean into this idea belief? Encourage the people to believe he was a god? Really kind of puffs up the ego, right?

If the people you rule thought you were a god, you could do anything you wanted. You could send hundreds of thousands of them to death in your wars.

You could tax them until they broke—what could they say, you're a god!

Keep in mind, Genesis isn't the only religious book that associates gardens with divinity. False religions did that too.

Ahasuerus wanted to evoke this imagery to convince his subjects that, yes, their humble and generous king was one of the gods.

Jewish readers would have acknowledged Ahasuerus's legitimate power and wealth. But, they would have been loath to think of him as anything close to a god.

And I think the author was expecting his readers to look at Ahasuerus in this light, when he wrote this.

But let's bring this closer to home. What do we think, when we read about this man's vast empire, his incredible wealth, and seeming generosity?

If we are looking at this book with Hebrew eyes, as we should, we should be just as skeptical as a Jewish person reading this text.

This king might have been very generous, but no one is worthy of worship but the true God.

Now, we aren't in much danger of worshiping Ahasuerus, he's been dead for a long time.

But let's not pretend like there aren't forces in our world today who are trying to do much the same thing.

They say there's no such thing as a free lunch.

In our world, nobody gives something away for nothing.

Oh, yes, there are people who are sincerely kind. Hopefully that includes most of us in this room.

But these kinds of people are few and far between. We should always be on guard when someone of this world is suspiciously generous.

Solomon warns in Proverbs:

“Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies, for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten, and waste your pleasant words.” (Proverbs 23:6–8, ESV) 

Solomon is warning about talking a gift from someone you know is stingy or greedy. Why is he suddenly so generous? Because he wants something from you.

What could the people of the world stand to gain by being "generous"? Oh, so much. Often, sinful men will try to hide their true motives with large displays of generosity.

In Ancient Rome, it was called "Bread and Circuses." Anyone ever heard of that term?

When the empire was in decline, the people living in the city of Rome were becoming increasingly skeptical of their rulers. They demanded answers for why things were getting so bad.

Instead of actually fixing the problems, the emperors and Roman Senate brought in circuses to perform at the Coliseum. They invited everyone in Rome and gave out free loaves of bread.

This was to distract the people from the fact that the empire was dying. And to bamboozle them into believing that everyone was okay.

"Hey, they gave us free bread! They must have everything under control, right?"

This is a common tactic by the world, to trick you with false acts of generosity. We should give, expecting nothing in return. But that is not how the world works.

Now, most of the time, it's easy to see through these charades if you rely on God's wisdom. But there is another danger we have to consider.

Our world goes out of its way to convince you to worship its gods. It might not be the literal king of Persia.

But there are many, many false gods in our society. Money, power, fame, careers, pleasures, and so on.

The world likes to show off these things to dazzle and bamboozle us. The enemy of our souls—who uses this world like a puppet—tries to trick us into thinking the splendor of this passing life is worthy of our worship.

King Ahasuerus wanted to convince the people of Susa that he was a god. So they would worship him.

Worship is more than just bowing down before someone. It can also look like adoration or dependence.

Our sinful world wants us to covet things like money and people. It wants us to believe that the fleeting pleasures of sin can give us what only God can give.

But, I know. We're all "good Christians," right? We would never dream of idolizing wealth and power.

Not so fast. We always need to be on guard against the Xerxes of this world. They love presenting themselves as givers, "angels of light."

When we are weak, when we are struggling, when we are stressed, we will be tempted to put our trust in people or things.

But, just like the Jewish people reading this book, we need to remember who is really worthy of our devotion, trust, and worship.

And he's not going to just throw you some bread and call it a day!

In the end, Ahasuerus wasn't as generous as he appeared. After all, how did he pay for these feasts? 

By taxing his vast empire. And most people under Persian rule did not go to these parties, but they paid for them just the same.

We should take note of a peculiar line, verse eight. It might sound insignificant, as just part of the narrative. But it sets up something very important that will have greater significance as we move through this book.

"And drinking was according to this edict: 'There is no compulsion.' For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired."

So what, right? The king let the people drink as much as they wanted. Sure, but notice how he did it. By an edict. He didn't just say, "Let the people drink whatever they want."

Such a simple allowance had to be given through an edict. An official, royal order. A law. 

This was how Persian kings governed. Everything had to be done by official edicts or commands.

And once they issued an edict, it could not be revoked.

It might seem minor now, but the writer is establishing an important precedent that influences every major event in the book. Make note of that, because it will come back very soon.

Verse nine we get our first mention of Queen Vashti. We'll learn much more about her next week. For now, the writer is introducing her, telling us what she is up to during this extravagant event.

The queen was hosting her own feast for the women in the palace. Why weren't they mingling with the rest of the guests?

Well, perhaps the queen wasn't interested in hobnobbing with drunken commoners—who have been gorging themselves for seven days. Gross, I know.

Or maybe this was the king's decision. He offered the people as much wine and pleasure as they wanted—but you cannot touch this one delicacy, his wife.

In either case, this verse sets up the next passage, which we will look at next week.

Is Xerxes the God of This World?

Before we close, let's talk about someone more important than Ahasuerus: Jesus.

Given the fact that Ahasuerus is being presented as a great king, we cannot overlook the Christological significance of this passage.

It is possible that the earthly author of this book intended to make allusions to the future Jewish Messiah.

But we do know that the Holy Spirit probably intended that.

Ahasuerus is presented as a powerful ruler with a vast kingdom in his grasp. He appears generous, throwing lavish feasts for his servants and his subjects.

We might be quick to think of him as a type of Christ. That this king is being used by God to teach us something about Jesus. Meaning, Ahasuerus is like Jesus in some way.

I think that is true, but perhaps not in the way we might be expecting.

This is the interesting thing about "types" and "shadows" in the Bible. They are not as straightforward as they first appear.

Western thinkers like you and more tend to be very literal. Yes, we have our own art and poetry.

But when was the last time you looked at an abstract painting and thought, "Yeah, I like this"?

Our movies and television shows, even our novels, are rarely allegories. We like literal things. Hard facts and truths.

Symbolism and non-literal thinking doesn't come easy to us. Blame Hollywood or Mark Twain for that.

And sometimes we approach the Bible with, can I say a stubborn, belligerent approach at interpreting it?

What I mean is, we are uncomfortable with a text having a dual meaning. Or, something that isn't clearly and easily explained.

In reality, the Bible is a very artful book—one written by Easterners not Westerners.

Sometimes, they employed literary mechanics that we are not used to. In fact, a passage might seem to contradict itself, if we approach it with too hard a view.

This doesn't mean the Bible is contradictory or unreliable. Just that some passages require an approach that we are not normally used to.

A person in the Bible can be portrayed as both good and bad, positive and negative. That's because these were real people who were far from perfect.

King Saul was a mighty warrior who had tremendous skill in battle. But he was also a cowardly man who feared people's opinions.

Was he a type of Christ or an anti-type of Christ? Depending on the passage you are reading, he may have been one of the other.

I propose to you that this passage about Ahasuerus is kind of like a holographic image.

These were really popular when I was a kind. Baseball cards and comic books often had these. They were shiny, silvery images that, when held up at different angles, showed different images.

When held up in one light, we can see reflections of Christ in this passage about Ahasuerus.

But, when looked at from a different angle—we see how far from Christ this king really is.

Let's do that now.

The main focus of this passage is how Xerxes lavished all this luxury on the people. But, he was doing it with an ulterior motive we said.

How does this reflect on Christ. We could say that Christ, our king, lavishes on us good things. And he does!

And, we'd be remiss not to see the Christological connection between Ahasuerus's garden and feasts and the New Jerusalem.

But let's go deeper. Like Rome's "bread and circuses," Ahasuerus was throwing these parties to project a kind of image to his subjects.

That image was, he is the god-king. He is a deity in human form. But was he?

Of course not! He is like that stingy man in Proverbs 23, who is buttering up the people, to get something from them.

He was mighty and powerful, yes. But he was just a man. A Gentile ruler who was nothing like God.

Let's contrast him with the real thing.

When Jesus came to earth, did he show up with pomp and splendor? He was born to a lowly young woman and her carpenter fiancé.

He was born out in the fields and laid in a trough used to feed animals. Yes, angels proclaimed his birth, but he was welcomed by smelly, humble shepherds.

Jesus didn't come to us to "show off" his power. In fact, he was nothing like Ahasuerus at all.

Christ said he didn't come to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Did Ahasuerus ever wash his subjects' feet. I don't think so.

This is what Paul wrote about the Christ King:

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5–8, ESV)

Jesus, although he was the rich, royal, glorious king of the universe—the very image of God the Father—he laid aside his "pomp" and "splendor" to come to earth and live like one of us.

He walked among common people, lived a humble existence, and even submitted to being killed like a criminal.

All so he could save us.

You know, there were times in the Scriptures where Jesus did lavishly feed people. Twice he multiplied loaves and fishes to provide for those around him.

But when they came to him later, demanding bread, he said no! You can read about it in John 6.

This struck me while I was writing this message. Jesus could have thrown a party like the one Ahasuerus did.

He wouldn't have had to tax anyone to do it! He did feed people, when it was needed.

But he didn't seem all that concerned with "impressing" us. He wasn’t interested in winning the superficial loyalty of those around him.

Instead, he is only interested in winning your heart.

Is Jesus a generous and giving king? Oh, yes. Far more than Ahasuerus. The Persia king taxed others so he could impress the elite.

But Jesus gave his own body and blood, to save wretched, unworthy sinners like you and me.

He gave his life, bore our sins and weaknesses, all so we can be saved and healed.

And we are looking forward to a feast that trumps anything Ahasuerus could have produced.

We will be treated to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb to his Bride (that's us)—a feast that will end all feasts.

And we will be welcomed into a city made of gold, that is far more luxurious and garden-like than anything Ahasuerus built.

“The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.” (Revelation 21:16–21, ESV) 

Talk about luxury. And how about this?

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:1–5, ESV) 

I don't know about you, but I much rather have this city than Xerxes's garden. Our joy won't last seven days—but forever and ever.

If you are here today and you've never put your faith in Jesus Christ—today is the day. He died to take away your sins and rose again on the third day.

All so you can be welcomed by him, with open arms, into this city one day. All you need to do is ask him to forgive you and to be your Lord and Savior.

Summing Up Esther's Main Theme:

Oh, boy we are just getting started! In the coming weeks, we will see God do amazing things in the lives of the people in this book.

But unlike Ahasuerus, who had to show off his splendor to the world, God will be doing it "incognito." 

He won't be showing or trying to get all the attention. This book won't even mention his name.

Despite this, we will see that he is really in charge. Not Ahasuerus. Not the rulers of Persia. Not even the Jewish people.

Like I said at the start, reflect on this reality, as we journey through this book. On the surface, it looks like God is far away.

But that couldn't be further from the truth.

In our lives, it sometimes feels like God is far away. We don't see how the messy circumstances of our lives can be part of his plan.

Despite what we feel or see, we know that he is involved in every detail. Even when we fail or stumble, the God of all grace is ordering all things to accomplish his purpose.

And we know that his purpose for us, like Esther, is good.

Taught by Adam Casalino

Deacon - Verse By Verse Fellowship

Esther