LESSON 13
DAY 3
Queen Vashti Refuses the King (Esther 1:10–22)
1. Read verses 10–12. What were the circumstances under which Queen Vashti was summoned by King Ahasuerus? How does the writer portray the king?
2. Read verses 13–18. Explain the concerns expressed by Memucan to the king.
3. How did the remedy proposed by Memucan serve—or not serve—the king’s interests? (See vv. 19–22.) Why?
FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH
SOVEREIGNTY AND KINGS “Kings in the Bible story are supposed to rule their kingdoms with a sov- ereign hand. In the book of Esther, King Ahasuerus rules the great Persian empire with a show of sovereign power that is satirically exposed, again and again, to be only a show. The king who apparently controls even the drink- ing habits of his party guests cannot control his own wife’s behavior. And to decide how to handle her, he needs seven wise men—who tell him what to do and he does it! This king’s sovereignty is potent in its harmful ramifi- cations for the lives of his subjects but pathetic in its foolish ineptitude. Our thoughts might turn by contrast toward the ‘blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords’ (1 Tim. 6:15), who perfectly weaves together the events of this story—and of human history.” 40
4. Considering principles of wisdom and leadership, compare and contrast the
40 R uth and Esther. Knowing the Bible series. pp. 54-55.
Esther 1:1–2:23 | 137
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