This chapter begins with Xerxes and almost sounds like he had a little regret about getting rid of Vashti. Maybe he overreacted a bit?
About Esther:
She was cousins with Mordecai.
She was an orphan and was raised by her cousin Mordecai.
She was a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin.
She had two names: Hadassah (her Hebrew name) and Esther (her Persian name).
She was lovely in form & feature.
The Harem:
It was likely that the girls taken into the palace for treatments were not given a choice. Men were supreme and women were subservient. That is just the way it was.
The Favor:
Esther & Mordecai finds favor all throughout this book. First off, Esther finds favor with Hegai. Throughout this book he will be there for her, helping her along and almost seems as though he becomes her friend. God was very good to Esther.
Her Heritage:
Esther was forbidden to share her ethnic background. This could get her in a lot of trouble & be very dangerous.
A little girl talk:
So would it really be so bad to have beauty treatments for 12 months? I'm thinking not so much. It would be awesome to get massages, facial, mud wraps etc., everyday. Sounds kind of nice. But I know it probably wasn't really like that. It was probably more like going to school & being made to eat, act, think & smell a certain way. Maybe not as fun as I thought.
More Favor:
Esther seems to win favor everywhere.... this time with the King. Why do you think this is so?
Mordecai's Position:
Mordecai has an important position by the King's gate. I don't think this was coincidence or an accident that he overheard the plot to kill the King & was able to pass it on to Esther would had already won favor with the King. This was just the beginning of what God would do through both of them.
Easter:
I pray that you all have a very blessed weekend & are able to fully enjoy & remember the death & resurrection of our precious Savior. What a gift he gave us and what a wonderful thing to be able to celebrate each year. I pray it is a wonderful time for you & your family! Blessings!
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The first time I read Esther, the thing that spoke volumes to me about Mordecai's character was the fact that he treated Esther as his own daughter. He was obligated to take her in, but he could have treated her any way he chose. So just by the way he treated Esther I knew he was a man of integrity and walked honorably before the Lord and thus had favor with God.
ReplyDeleteThe second thing I noticed was Esther's character, her humility and her teachable spirit, which I believe was the reason she had so much favor. If she had not had favor, Mordecai would not have sought out information regarding her well being. And Hegai's response to her says it all. There could have been others in the harem that also listened, but I believe Esther was more concerned with pleasing God, than pleasing herself, and Hegai saw it too. Whether Hegai believed in God or not, the Bible doesn't say. But he was able to see the difference in Esther. Pleasing God gives us favor.(Prov 16:7)
I believe the favor Esther had is tied into one word, and that word is.... SUBMISSION... Esther not only listened, but she obeyed, and she did it with a humble heart and a willingness to please. Imagine if Vashti had willingly gone in to the king(properly clothed), then asked if she might have a moment with him, and spoken kindly but wisely to him. I believe God would have granted her favor. But this story is not about saving Vashti's crown; it is about saving God's chosen people. As we can see, God's purpose was served.
Great insight Debra! Thanks for sharing. I love what you said about submission. I think it is so true that the outcome would have been far different if Vashti would have been submissive.
ReplyDeleteThat good old word Submission. All of us are on a journey with our Lord and Saviour. Submission is necesssary in order to reach ones destiny. Destiny is the what, and the why that Pastor Shelly preached on serveral weeks ago. But, first submission must take place in my opinion in order to truly be in your destiny!! Praise God!
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