Esther Chapter 1
Queen Vashti deposed
2 At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, 3 and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.
4 For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. 5 When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa.
2 phase celebration concept was seen. First phase, the celebration was for high level people, for the management level. Phase one celebration lasting 180 days was for nobles and officials, military leaders, princes and nobles/aristocrats throughout the empire. The empire was divided into 127 provinces. Hence, celebration extending over period of 180 days (half year) seem reasonable as there are 127 provinces. If the king celebrates with the high level people of one province for each day, it takes a minimum of 127 days.
Phase 2 celebration was for the ordinary people. Phase 2 celebration was for 7 days, whereby the attendees had free flow of drinks. Men and women had their celebration at separate place. The men were hosted by the King in the garden, while the women were hosted by the Queen inside the palace.
It is a good management concept that we need to be people-oriented. We need to be nice to the common people, appreciate the ordinary staff. Management level staff or higher level staff gatherring to be done separately make sense. Higher level people and ordinary people often have differing life style, differing expectations, different food preferences, difference areas of interest.
In the military, most social functions are held separately. Two major distinction will be Officers and Other Ranks (Non-Officers).
Within the Officers range, there is also segmentation such as Senior Officers (Liutenant Colonel and above) and Officers (below Liutenant Colonel). Other segmentations are such as Management-level Officers (Colonel and above).
10 On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas— 11 to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. 12 But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.
13 Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times 14 and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.
15 “According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”
16 Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. 17 For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’ 18 This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.
19 “Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. 20 Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”
21 The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed.
This passage showed that the Queen had defied the King by not following the King's instruction. When the Queen refused to go to the King upon the King's instruction, this cause the King to "lose face" among all the high-level people (princes, generals, nobles/aristocrats). If the King tolerates this, in future, the King's instructions may be defied by his generals, his princes/governors, his officials.
The King had made use of advisors. This is commendable. No top leader is so smart that he needs not listen to advice. Chao Chao (in the Three Kingdoms epic) also often listen to advice from his Advisors, Officials and Generals.
Discipline and Chastising is important. As Sun Tzu teaches about military strategies, if the army does not obey, the army must be punished sternly. Punishment would be an example to others, to ensure others comply to orders.
Hence, the advice was sound. The Queen needs to be punished and demoted, so that others will be careful so as NOT to disobey.
Furthermore, the Queen hosted the women folk in the celebration party. The Queen was like the head of all the women. If the Queen could defy the King, all the women could also defy their husbands. It was right that the Queen be chastised, and this would serve as stern example for all the women. Also for the men, they need to uphold their leadership of their home/family. Men need to take charge!
Her bad example would be likely to have a bad influence upon all the families of the kingdom.
The wives would give to their husbands honour, even the wives of the great, notwithstanding their own greatness, and the wives of the small, notwithstanding the husband’s meanness (Est. 1:20); and thus every man would bear rule in his own house, as he ought to do, and, the wives being subject, the children and servants would be so too.
These days, I do see many instances of "Queen Control." This means the Wife is playing the role of the Head of the Family. Queen Control is often the case when the Wife is a strong-willed, determined and decisive person whereas the Husband is the soft and indecisive guy. The Bible says that the Husband should be the Head of the Family. The Bible also says that the Wife should be submissive to the Husband. In this modern era, this is not always practised.
The question proposed to this cabinet-council (Est. 1:15): What shall we do to the queen Vashti according to the law? Observe, (1.) Though it was the queen that was guilty, the law must have its course. (2.) Though the king was very angry, yet he would do nothing but what he was advised was according to law.
Conclusion:
1) In order to preserve the harmony and structure of Family according to biblical principles, the Wife should obey and honour the Husband. Especially, in the public, the Wife must "give face" to the Husband. Wife should not publicly defy the Husband, causing the Husband to "lose face."
2) Chastisement is important to instil discipline and make it an example to all other people. Yet, the chastisement should be suitable based on the rules, procedures and norms.
Thursday, Dec 26, 2013.
Michael Yeap.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=esther%201&version=NIV
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