My take on Esther

Quick Prologue: This has been the 1st week of my self-discpline butt kicking regime. (See previous blog.) And so far, I'm proud of myself. Starting Monday, I woke up, went to the gym - though my muscles yelled at me after learning how to wakeboard Sunday - came home and had a quiet time. Yay for me. I feel accomplished! :) And I figured if I'm serious about this book-writing thing that I better start honing my skills and write more often as a first step in that direcion. You know, while I'm on this motivated kick and all.

I just finished Esther.

The beginning is my favorite part. Not because it's such a great story but because I had to laugh at how ridiculous it is. Let me break it down for you. After ruling for 3 years, King Xerxes decides to throw a week long party for everyone in Susa to show just how awesome he is. And I do mean a party. Not only was the wine a'flowin, but everybody's wine glass was unique and individual and the waiters were instructed to let each guest "drink in his own way." I guess those go hand in hand so that - as they were getting good and drunk (so it says people, I'm not making this stuff up!) - it was easier to say, "Hey Mr. Waiter! I need a refill in that gold goblet over there! No...not that goblet...mine has 3 swirlies and 4 stars not 4 swirlies and 3 stars..." At least that's how I imagine it.

Here it starts to get real good. On the 7th day of the party, "when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine," he called for his servants to bring Queen Vashti. He wanted her all done up to display her beauty for him. Hold up! I'm pretty sure that this is the first official booty call of the Bible. Xerxes is all kinds of plastered and wants his wife to come in so he can "see" her beauty?? Right. Vashti, probably used to this kind of thing, doesn't feel like dealing with it right now so she sends back word that she has a headache and doesn't come. King Xerxes gets ticked and starts asking his lawyers what he can do to Queen Vashti for not obeying his commands.

Let's remember for a minute that these people have been partying and drinking it up for a week straight. And they're just as blitzed as the King himself! Maybe that has something to do with the magnitude of their great council: The wisemen decide that not only has Queen Vashti wronged the king by not answering his booty call, but they know that she has book club in a few days and they're worried about all of the other women in town finding out about her refusal. The lawyers are convinced that all women will hear Vashti's story, begin to despise their own husbands and follow suit so that the "discord" - or is that, lack of booty? - will never end. They make it illegal for Queen Vashti to enter King Xerxes' presence and he divorces her.

The next day, quite hungover and trying to remember what happened the night before, Xerxes remembers Vashti and what he ruled against her. Bummer. Now he's alone. When his personal attendants stagger in with tylenol and coffee, they suggest to Xerxes that he immediately start looking for a better wife. So they call all of the virgin women in the kingdom to go before the king. Before it's time for their rose ceremony, however, the girls are submitted to a year of makeup and beauty treatments. A year. And then they're presentable. One of these women is Esther.

Esther stood out immediately and won the favor of Hegai, the lucky servant in charge of the women, so he gave her extra spa treatments and special food. Little did he know that Esther was an orphaned Jew who was raised by her uncle Mordecai after her parents died. And oh yeah, Esther doesn't tell anyone in the king's council that she's a Jew because Mordecai warned her against it. More about that later.

After a year of being made up, Esther gets her chance to go to the King. Xerxes is attracted to her right away, says "Esther, will you accept this rose?," sends all the other girls home and throws a party for Esther. Mordecai, her uncle, is sitting outside the king's gate, waiting to hear what has happened. Having nothing else to do but draw in the dirt, he eavesdrops on a converstaion and learnes that two of Xerxes officers are planning to kill him. Mordecai tells Esther, who rats them out, saves the day and the officers are hung for premeditated manslaughter.

As this is going on, Xerxes is also appointing a new official, Haman. Long story short, Haman's got a major chip on his shoulder with an ego to match and the power he's given goes to his head. He wants everyone in the city to start bowing to him as he walks through the city and Mordecai thinks it's ridiculous. So he doesn't bow to Haman. "Look dude, I'm Jewish and I bow to my God and that's it. I'm not bowing to you. Tough luck." Haman's ticked and takes his complaint to the king.

Well, his tattle is a loose version of what happened. I think Haman's train of thought went something like this: "King Xerxes, you gave me this position, right? So people are supposed to listen to me, right? And do whatever I say? Not that I'd abuse it or anything, but since you gave me this power, then technically whatever I say really comes from you...and since you're the king and all...it would automatically be a law." Here's where I imagine Xerxes rolling his eyes and going, "Yeah, Haman, get on with it. What's your point?" So Haman continues, "There's this guy outside named Mordecai and he won't listen to me or do as I command." (I also imagine that he leaves out the nit-picky details that it's the whole bowing down to him thing that ticks Haman off.) "Come to find out, he's a Jew. And you know how you did that whole "Making an Example of Vashti" thing? Well, your honor, it was so brilliant of you that I think we should display your brilliance again and make an example of this guy. Otherwise, all of the Jews will stop obeying what I - er, you - say and all of the Jewish people will follow Mordecai's behavior. Let's kill 'em all so that can't happen." For some reason, this works on King Xerxes and he sends out an email to everyone in the kingdom, informing them that soon all Jews will be disposed of.

Back in the castle, Esther's maids come to her to let her know what's going on with Mordecai, who's crying outside the kingdom gate. He sends the email to her and tells her that she has to beg her husband to change his mind. Esther is now torn because she knows that if she approaches Xerxes without being summoned, the law is for her to be put to death. Yet she also knows that the future of her family lies on her. Being the smart girl that she is, she tells Mordecai get all of the Jews together to fast for three days.

Now one thing is for sure, this story shows us that not only will we make poor choices if we're constantly filled with booze, but also that men should not be in positions of power alone. I'm serious. These idiots came up with the stupidist plans and it wasn't until Esther came into place and was able to level their heads that things finally started making sense around the kingdom. That may not have been the primary point in writing this story, but read it for yourself, that bell rings loud and clear. Especially in this chapter. Rather than acting on emotion, Esther prepares with prayer and fasting, waiting on the Lord to direct her and give her guidance, knowing that even if she is punished by law for approaching the king, she'd be doing so confidently carrying out God's plan.

On the third day of fasting, Queen Esther approaches King Xerxes, who is pleased to see her. Surprisingly, though, she doesn't complain or even tell him what's troubling her. "King Xerxes, loving husband, if you do love me and you really want to make me happy, bring Haman and follow me. I have prepared a lovely dinner for you." So the three of them sit down to a banquet and have a great meal. As they're patting their bellies, chatting and drinking wine, Xerxes asks Esther again what it is he can do for, even offering half the kingdom to show how happy he is to help. She just invites them to dinner again the following day.

Nice and tipsy, Haman leaves the banquet, excited for another to follow the next night and stumbles out of the kingdom. Mordecai is still there and when he still doesn't bow, Haman gets really angry. When he gets home, Haman complains to his family about Mordecai and brags about all that he's been given...yet again. As is apparently customary for Haman, he makes another inebriated decision and has a gallows built to hang Mordecai himself the next day. He heads back to the castle to tell Xerxes his new plan.

All the while, King Xerxes is being tucked in and asks to hear a bedtime story of his reign as king. The story chosen was of Mordecai and how he had saved the king's life by overhearing the officers planning their assault. This was news to the King as he didn't even know who Mordecai was. Still not being one to make decisions on his own, King Xerxes hears Haman enter the court and summons him in for some advice. "Haman, what should I do for a man that I would like to honor?" Mr. Conceited Haman of course thinks that Xerxes is talking about him so he advises the king to give that man a robe, a horse and a crown. Oh yeah, and a parade through the city so all people will stop to admire and recognize this person's accomplishments. Then Xerxes tells Haman that he loves the idea and to make it all happen - for Mordecai.

During the feast the 2nd night, Queen Esther, King Xerxes and Haman are all eating when Xerxes again asks Esther of her request. And this time she lets it all out. "Here's the deal. If you love me, spare my life. And don't kill my family, either." I picture Xerxes with that deer-in-the-headlights look. "If we had been sold as slaves, I would never have thought of bothering you with this, but destruction and slaughter are not okay." King Xerxes, outraged that someone would do this to his queen's family, demands to know who put her in danger. "P.S." Esther says, pointing to the king's main man, "It was him." Haman gets up to beg for his life but trips and falls on the couch where Esther's sitting. This makes Xerxes all the more furious, "Now Haman tries to molest the queen while I am right here?!" and sends him away. (Hilarious...I know. But I promise it's in there, look it up.)

This could be the actual time the saying "Pride comes before the fall" began because Haman was taken away and hung. On the gallows that he'd created for Mordecai. This could also be Carly Simon's inspiration for the chart-topping song "You're So Vain." I'm just saying. Respectively, Mordecai is brought into the castle where he receives all of the property, jewels and leadership that had been Haman's before he abused it. "That's a good start, dear, but we still have this little issue of the decree that's gone out to murder my people," Esther reminds Xerxes. So another email is sent and the Jews are liberated. So free, in fact, that they go and kill the people who intended to harm them, including all of Haman's children. After days of killing, they celebrated with another feast and - you guessed it - wine.

And they lived happily ever after.

Even though this story is about Esther - and it's amazing to see someone seemingly doomed from the beginning (no family, inferior race) rise to become queen and save a nation because she trusted God even though she couldn't see proof of Him working - Mordecai is actually the one who stood out to me as I read the book this time. I know, you thought I'd be all Ginger Spice "Girl Power!" and talk about how Esther rules and it takes women to get things done in life. Well, that may be all well and good, but I'll hit on that another time.

Mordecai was even worse off than Esther. Not only was he the inferior race, but the daughter he'd raised as his own was living in the castle while he was left outside in the cold. He was also the reason that the decree went out to kill the Jews in the first place. Talk about a weight on your shoulders! Looking ahead at his life, he couldn't see God's hand in any of it. Yet he never gave in and stood for what he knew was right. He fasted, prayed and trusted God to take care of him. He fought for the good of his people and went to bat for them. And that is why he was rewarded with leadership.

God had a plan for Mordecai and Esther. He even had a plan for Queen Vashti and Haman. But God's plan isn't all it takes. He's always at work - whether we can see Him or not - but it's how we react that makes the difference. If we ignore God and do what pleases ourselves or gives us the most recognition, His plan can't shine through because we're blocking it. But if we trust Him, praying and taking our concerns to Him, acting on what we think is right, we'll be moving in the direction of His will without realizing it. It can be a scary thing to make a decision and not know if it's God or not. "But what if I think this is what God wants so I go ahead and make this choice but then it turns out that it really wasn't God and I'm actually doing the wrong thing?!" He'll let you know. A door will close or an opportunity will cease to manifest. Your feelings will change or something beyond your control will happen. God's not a trickster who gives us a slight chance to figure out His will so He can laugh at us when we miss it.

Keep praying and reading His word, keep communicating with Him, and you don't have to be afraid of not knowing what's going to happen. He wants us on the right path. If you're trying - and you're trusting - He'll help you get there.