Here are a few things I've seen in chapter 1 of Esther.
King Ahasuerus was in the third year of his reign.
He decided to throw a party. The party lasted for 180 days.
He then decided to throw an after party. This party lasted 7 days. (wow!)
This was in the court of the garden of the king's palace. (Quite the garden party.) Just because it was outside, it was by no means casual on the part of the king, here's the setting:
- There were white and blue linen curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver rods and marble pillars
- The couches were of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of alabaster, turquoise, and white and black marble.
- They were served drinks in golden vessels, each vessel being different from the other (no set of Libby glassware)
- Royal wine in abundance, according to the generosity of the king.
While this party is going on, the queen was also making a feast for the women.
On the 7th day of the this after party, the king sent 7 eunuchs to fetch his queen so he could parade her in front of the people to show how beautiful his queen is.
She refused to come.
The king was angry.
The 7 princes, wise men, who were closest to the king. It says they "understood the times." (Something about that phrase clicked in my brain...) advised him he needed to make a proclamation that "all wives will honor their husbands, both great and small."
Who were they concerned with? The king? Maybe a little. Themselves, most certainly.
Here's what the king did: He sent letters to all the king’s provinces, to each province in its own script, and to every people in their own language, that each man should be master in his own house, and speak in the language of his own people.
What did I learn from this chapter? We haven't changed much.
- We like to feast.
- We don't like to be embarrassed.
- We look out for our comfort and interests.
What did you learn from our first chapter?
