The book of Esther is an interesting book. Some have suggested it does not belong in the Bible because the name of God is never mentioned in the book. We know that God chose which books belong in the Bible, and while God’s name is never mentioned, it is clear that God was at work in the records of that book. The Jews faced a severe challenge, and God provided the way to face the challenge.
There is also debate as to which Ahasuerus this book is referring to. The word Ahasuerus is more of a title than a name. It is suggested that this king was Xerxes. The setting of this book is in Persia. It is thought that the events took place around the time of Ezra. Some of the Jews went back to Jerusalem at that time, but others like Mordecai, chose to remain in Persia. Mordecai identified as a Jew. Some of the events that took place in this book are clearly contrary to God’s will. We have divorce and remarriage taking place in this book. God is guiding the writer to record the customs of the Persians and how some of the Jews became entangled in those customs. No one should take this book and look at it as giving support to divorce and remarriage nor of having a harem. The Bible is clear on these things. Drunkenness is also exposed in this book. It is a poison and a disaster anywhere it is carried out.
In verse 1 we learn that this Ahaseurus reigned over a large territory. He had a total of 127 provinces to oversee. It was much to keep track of. We see that this king, as with many rulers, was not a godly king. He chose to allow alcohol to spoil his life and greatly affect his empire in a negative way.
We learn that this king chose to throw a big party for his princes and his servants. Extravagance is common among ungodly rulers. They try to buy loyalty by wasting the people’s money on unnecessary and costly events. Our current government has proven to be quite good at wasting tax-payer dollars.
We are told that the king had been 180 days preparing for this massive party. The feast itself would be a 7 day affair. In verse 6 we get a sense of the expense put out for this party; the fancy hangings and the expensive beds and the arrangements around them.
In verse 7 we see that drunkenness was the mainstay of this party. We know that it is quite common in our country to have “beer gardens” at certain occasions. We also know that the liquor flows quite freely at government events. It is amazing that governments can get anything done, when we consider the destructive nature of alcohol. It is no wonder that such bad decisions are made by governments at all levels. Just imagine how much more efficient government would be if God-fearing people were in charge. The Millennium will reveal what that will be like.
In verse 8 we read that the drinking was according to the law. Again we see that governments assume, that makes it good, because it is according to the law. The problem is that it is not according to God’s law, but rather to man’s corrupt laws. Many homes have been destroyed due to the use of alcoholic drink. The Bible is clear that God-fearing people need to stay away from all alcoholic drink. There is no justification for the consumption of any of it.
No one was forced to drink, but the liquor flowed freely. Of course lost people are going to desire liquor and they will indulge themselves in it.
In verse 9 we see that the queen also made a feast for the women at the same time. She was given freedom to carry on with the women in the royal house as well. God shows us that the Persian Empire was not a God-fearing empire. Drunkenness was the norm for them. As we have mentioned, the amount of lives that have been ruined by alcoholic drink. Yet people will look at a book like this and try to use it to justify debauchery. God gave us this book to show us the results of living a life of sin. It destroys families and it is a huge threat to other people’s safety. The king would prove to be less than honourable on several occasions in this book.
Christians today need to look at this book in the light of the rest of Scripture. God certainly watched over His people in a time of great darkness. He has His ways to protect His promises. He promised Abraham that He would make a great nation out of him. The nation of Israel is still a very influential nation. At the present time, they are not living in the fear of the Lord, but they are still having a huge impact on the world stage, when we look at how small a nation they are, and how much world attention is given to them. There are other small nations who rarely get into the news. Yet the world is fixated on what is taking place in the Middle East. The reason for that is because of Israel. Israel is a target for the devil and the nations of the world are under the influence of the devil.
As we have noted, we need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We need to see the importance of living godly lives that can be a blessing to others. Secret Christianity is not a badge of honour. God did not allow the Jews to hide their nationality in the time of Esther. He exposed them and He protected them.
God does not allow Christians to hide their identity today either. His Word and His name needs to be proclaimed loud and clear. Rather than taking up placards and marching the streets with megaphones and being a nuisance by protesting, we need to proclaim the truth from the pulpits and through faithful witnessing in our communities. The world needs to be reminded of the importance of knowing the true God and serving Him.
Pastor Bartel