The Jews had many different kings who reigned throughout the land of their captivity. First, the capitol city was in Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar. Then, the capitol city moved to Elam under the Media-Persian reign. The palace of this city was called Shushan. It was founded by Darius the Great and finished by Artaxerxes.
The king's name during the time of the book of Esther was Ahasuerus. He was going to attempt to conquer Greece and add to his vast empire. Before going out to battle, he had a great feast!
Esther 1:1-4- Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
This was like no feast any of us had ever seen! The king, his princes, and his servants feasted for 180 days!
Esther 1:5-8- And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace; Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble. And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king. And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
After the 180 days, the king had a feast for everyone in the palace, which lasted for seven days.
The Bible takes great deal to tell us what the palace of Shushan looked like. Do you know why? It was so people would know that the story of Esther was true!
In 1851, a British geologist noticed a mound outside of Persia. He wanted to know why it was there, and he wanted to begin excavation. William Luftus tried very hard to get the rights to dig and find out what was there, but he was unable. The French started digging in 1884, and the digging continued for almost 100 years. Guess what they found?!?!
They found Shushan! They dug up pottery, and statues, and even found plans to what Shushan would look like. They dug around to find the floor, and the entrance where the gate would be, and even the where the Queen's place and garden would have been- and it matched what the book of Esther described almost 2,000 years earlier!
The Queen at that time was Vashti. And she, too, was having a feast with her ladies.
Esther 1:9- Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
Everyone was having a grand old time! Then the king decided to bring his beautiful Queen over to his feast so he could show everyone who beautiful she was!
Esther 1:10-11- On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
It seems that the king was very proud to have such a beautiful wife! He wanted everyone to know that when he said she was beautiful, he meant it!
But Vashti didn't want to leave her own party just so people could gawk at her beauty.
Esther 1:12-But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
Well, that ended the party! Now, the king had to figure out what to do.
Esther 1:13- 19- Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment: And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;) What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains? And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus. For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not. Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath. If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.
Vashti had to be punished for not obeying the king. The king consulted with his wise men to figure out what they could do. The punishment would be for her to lose her title as queen. Not only that, she would never be allowed to come before the king again.
Remember that the law of the Medes and Persians couldn't be changed once it was signed?
Esther 1:20-22- And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small. And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan: For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.
So, the king signed the law taking away Vashti's position as queen. She would no longer be his wife. She would no longer have the privileges associated with that title.
How sad! Sometimes we, too, lose privileges when we disobey our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 John 1:8- Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
If we want to receive a full reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ, we have to learn to obey God's will in our lives.
Vashti lost what she had because she wasn't willing to obey. Hopefully, we can learn not to make her mistake ourselves!
