Womeninthechurch11

Women in the Bible

Lesson Eleven: by turtle

Esther 2:1-23 KJV
(1) After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti,
and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
(2) Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins
sought for the king:
(3) And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather
together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the
custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for
purification be given them:
(4) And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing
pleased the king; and he did so.
(5) Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of
Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;
(6) Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away
with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
(7) And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither
father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and
mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
(8) So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when
many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that
Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
(9) And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her
her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were
meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best
place of the house of the women.
(10) Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she
should not shew it.
(11) And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how
Esther did, and what should become of her.
(12) Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been
twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their
purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet
odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)
(13) Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go
with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.
(14) In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the
women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she
came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by
name.
(15) Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had
taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what
Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour
in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
(16) So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is
the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
(17) And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his
sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her
queen instead of Vashti.
(18) Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast;
and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
(19) And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the
king's gate.
(20) Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for
Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
(21) In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains,
Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the
king Ahasuerus.
(22) And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther
certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.
(23) And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both
hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.

I really am hesitating about starting chapter 2 of Esther. Esther life is one of tragedy turned
from little orphan Annie to living with an uncle and then meeting a rich king. Some would call
it lady luck. Fact is no luck is involved in this story though it would seem to be. The fact
remains, no matter what hand life deals you, sometimes God rewards you in big ways. But even
so this story is mixed with traditions as well as living with circumstances that one might not
want to live with, yet with the times it was a tradition for kings to have concubines and other
mistresses. It was a sign of wealth and prestige. However in Godâ€™s eyes it is not one of
prestige and honor. God ordain one man and one woman to be united.

Genesis 2:24 KJV
(24) Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and
they shall be one flesh.

Matthew 19:4-6 KJV
(4) And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the
beginning made them male and female,
(5) And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife:
and they twain shall be one flesh?
(6) Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together,
let not man put asunder.

Yet in the story of Esther and marriage it goes against Godâ€™s law. Now one must take in
consideration the law of the land, the fact that the Jews were in Exile and Esther was from a
Jewish family. Her uncle worked in the kings court so to speak, but had no real power. Estherâ
€™s parents are dead and the fact remains that she has nothing really going for her. And she is
selected among other virgins to be presented to the king for possible marriage candidate. She
had no choice in her situation. She could not tell the king no if she wanted to live. She could
not go against the rules if she wanted to live. Some women today live under this same type of
conditions. They make a choice to live according to the land. The fact remains that she was in
survival mode in a since.

Often people do things to survive and to get by whether they agree or disagree with traditions of
the land. Esther herself was not breaking any of Godâ€™s laws, yet her husband to be was. He
had more then one lover. Yet the king was not a Jew and did not follow Jewish law.

Esther through out her reign would take advice from her uncle as well as speak on her uncleâ
€™s and Jewish people behalf. Living for God in her circumstances and obeying God in her
situation. If you are in a situation are you choosing to obey God and His will and purpose for
your life? See God had a special will for Esther and in the next few studies we will see what that
will is and also see how God allows Esther to use the power for good. Are you using your
situation that has been dealt to you for good. You donâ€™t have to be a king or a queen to live
and do Godâ€™s will.