#626 Vashti

Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, 2 in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, 3 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,4 while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. 5 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. 6 There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods[a] and marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones. 7 Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king.8 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. 9 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus.

Queen Vashti's Refusal

10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, 11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown,[b] in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.

13 Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for this was the king's procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment,14 the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom): 15 “According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?”16 Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, “Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17 For the queen's behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt,[c] since they will say, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.’ 18 This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's behavior will say the same to all the king's officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty. 19 If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. 20 So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.” 21 This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. 22 He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people. Esther 1 ESV

This is a vast empire, and this king is like the Federalist leader entertaining his 127 local level dignitaries, along with their families and wives. It is a display of power, possession, who has the bigger set of horns. It says that there was drinking, but it was at each man's discretion, you were not forced to drink. The setting for the women is different in at least that it was not there; they had their own feast elsewhere. By the seventh day of this the king was drunk and what occurs seems to go along with all else that is on display, his horses, buildings, table, ability to sustain such an affair, all of his extravagances, except his most prized possession.

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise. 2The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.…Proverbs 20:1-2

It is not for kings, Lemuel—

it is not for kings to drink wine,

not for rulers to crave beer,

5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,

and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.

6 Let beer be for those who are perishing,

wine for those who are in anguish!

7 Let them drink and forget their poverty

and remember their misery no more.

8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

for the rights of all who are destitute.

9 Speak up and judge fairly;

defend the rights of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31:4-9

Wisdom was not forbidden to the men to exercise, to use good judgment whether by abstinence or restraint, but the king was obviously out of his right mind. Now it was time to call his wife, maybe on a dare, but obviously to display her as a trophy.  A lot of women would oblige such a request, for this is their value even in their own mind, and modesty stands in the way of such recognition, admiration. Vashti seems to be vilified here for her lack of consent, that she would rather not be paraded before this group of drunks. It reminds me of one of the many paradoxes in our present culture, "respect women yet objectify women, protect women yet parade them before depraved eyes and defective hearts." It is hard to know all of what is occurring here, the culture, the full weight of the request, but if you do refuse the king, then you must be prepared to do so at great risk, for this drunk has a lot of power. What power may be used against you though, cannot rival one's conscience towards God, God is always the higher authority. I am not sure of the source of Vashti's  conviction, but whatever it is, she stands firm, and since it is public it becomes the greater concern.   

The king takes counsel on how to deal with her refusal, and I think this is difficult for him, for she is a great source of pride and probably some earthly ideal of affection. His ego is injured before his fellows though, and his fellows are frightened that this may give rise to a women's liberation movement. Unfortunately, this is not so much a matter of disrespect as it is a desire for respect without question. Those that would have admiration and loyalty by power and force, will not accept dissent even if it is with love and reason. The Bible says a man who would have friends must show himself friendly, and so I think to be respected for real, one must also be respectable. God is sovereign though and this is all working together for His good, and in the departure of Vashti, He is making a way for His people. This becomes the call of Esther.