Vashti vs. Esther

[tsth]

God does not dirty His hand on the heart of the wicked(king or no king).

Are you forgetting Pharoah's heart? God will use a heart of any man, hard or not. Especially when He's interacting with His own people.

Exodus 9:12 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses.

Ex 10:20

But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.

Ex 10:27

But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was not willing to let them go.

Ex 11:10

Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[None]

However, Suzanne, Vashti had her own dinner party going on before the king ever even asked her to display herself at his party. You made it sound like she formulated this plan to hold herself a party to "show up" the king and his party. The feasts were being held during the same time. I'm sorry but that part of your little point is flawed.

BTW, why would having a banquet given for you or you throwing it for yourself even matter when you are the queen?

I mean >QUEEN!< for crying out loud.

Who cares about parties.

(antisocial POV)

[firehill]

However, Suzanne, Vashti had her own dinner party going on before the king ever even asked her to display herself at his party. You made it sound like she formulated this plan to hold herself a party to "show up" the king and his party. The feasts were being held during the same time. I'm sorry but that part of your little point is flawed.

BTW, why would having a banquet given for you or you throwing it for yourself even matter when you are the queen?

I mean >QUEEN!< for crying out loud.

Who cares about parties.

(antisocial POV)

Sheesh. I been waiting for someone to acknowledge this. I was beginning to wonder if we've been reading the same bible. Oh ya, what rebellion, to have a party for yourself!

Whoaps. I mean how selfish and rebellious it is to have a banquet for the women of the palace.

9 At the same time, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

[None]

NLT

1 Then the Lord said to Moses,

[firehill]

Remember how Vashti pretty much went into rebellion with the desire to have "her own" banquet? It caused such an uproar. The picture to me is one of entitlement and rebellion. It caused much dessention in the king's domain....

Where did you get this? Disney movie?

(stop encouraging me, firehill, i'm trying to be good)

(and, you're right, how selfish of her)

Sorry, none.

I thought I was delusional. I read the passage, read this thread, then rubbed my eyes and did it again. I thought I must not be reading the bible and that I was seeing things that weren't really there in the bible. I was like,

[Sconzy]

Never read the story this way, this is powerful... rebellion vs submision

[tsth]

Dear Sconzy,

There is SO much symbolism within the story of Esther. Even down to the colors in the decor of the king's domain. But, the uprising of Vashti, I think clearly shows what begins to take place when the instituted order of authority begins to decay....it will bring confusion, especially when it comes to the role of the king. The king will always be a picture of authority.

Another contrast in regard to rebellion and submission is how the King was very pleased for the beauty of his wife to be shown, yet she responded with rebellion towards him. (Think of this symbolically) Yet the story of Esther is one of such preparation for the king. Here was Esther who was undergoing a "cleaning-up" of sorts. With 12 months of beauty treatments and preparation for the king, as opposed to Vashti, who would not even appear with the crown that was given to her?

Esther 2:9 The girl pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven maids selected from the king's palace and moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem.

2:12 Before a girl's turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. 13 And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king's palace.

Just a few other contrasts.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[tsth]

Symbolism?

Notice the similarities between Psalm 45 and the story of Esther?

9 Daughters of kings are among your honored women; at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.

10 Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear: Forget your people and your father's house. 11 The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord. 12 The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift, men of wealth will seek your favor. 13 All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold. 14 In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions follow her and are brought to you. 15 They are led in with joy and gladness; they enter the palace of the king. 16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers; you will make them princes throughout the land. 17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[Matthitjah]

But, as I stated in my original title, I believe the real symbolism was that of the "rebellion" of Vashti, to the authority of her husband. Not only would she not come to "his banquet", BUT, she concocted her own.

Whereas the symbolism of Esther is really quite remarkable, when considering the submission to the one who is head. Here was Vashti making her own banquet out of rebellion, yet as soon as obedient Esther was given the crown by the king, "viola". She was given the very thing that cost Vashti the crown:

Esther 2:17 Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 And the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his nobles and officials.

She didn't even have to ask for one.........it was automatically given to her!

In His Love,

Suzanne

Grace to you,

Sister,

This is spot on.

Peace,

Dave

[methinkshe]

Suzanne,

God bless you for drawing to our attention the beauty and blessing of submission to God-ordained authority as so wonderfully expressed in the Book of Esther. It is another of those lovely passages that are types of the submission of the church (believers) to her head, Jesus.

Blessings in Christ,

Ruth