There are many women who become famous and powerful because of their marriages to men of fame and power. In other words, their rise to fame and power were mainly orchestrated by their association. Should such women lose their association to the people who brought them fame and power, it is likely that such women would lose some or all of their fame and power. When you understand that your fame and power is brought to you by your association, you don't treat the people, whose shoulders you are standing on lightly. Similarly, when we understand that our total liberation from sin, temptation, condemnation and death was made possible by the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, we strive daily to live to please Jesus. There were several women in the Bible who became powerful because of their association. However, some of these women misused their power and ended up losing everything. Examples of such women include Jezebel and Athaliah. Jezebel rode on the shoulders of king Ahab and Athaliah rose on the shoulders of king Ahaziah. This post will consider a Vashti, the Persian queen.
Vashti was married to king Xerxes (also called Ahasuerus in KJV). Xerxes was a powerful and rich king who ruled over a vast geographical area (127 provinces) stretching from India to Cush (Esther 1:1). As the queen of the most powerful king in her day, Vasti automatically became a public figure. The people under the control of Xerxes included Jews and members of other nationalities. In the third year of his reign, Xerxes threw a big party that lasted for 180 days. That is six uninterrupted months of partying. Imagine the pomp and the glam. In those 180 days, Xerxes displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty (Esther 1:3-4). Queen Vashti was not left behind in this jamboree. She also had a party for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes (Esther 1:9). On the seventh day of the party, at the time king Xerxes was high on wine (possibly drunk), he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him; Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas, 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 (Esther 1:10-11). Certain Biblical scholars believe that Xerxes wanted the queen paraded before him naked just wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty. Since the Bible does not explicitly state that, we will consider it that the king called for Vashti to show her beauty to the world.
But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger. (Esther 1:12)
However, Vashti did not honor the invitation. According to Esther 1:12a, "when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come." When Xerxes was told, he became furious and burned with anger (Esther 1:12b). The king asked his experts, “According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti? She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her" (Esther 1:15). Then an expert of the law known as 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. 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.’ 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. “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" (Esther 1:16-19).
This suggestion pleased the king. In just a moment, Vashti was no longer the queen. Vashti's refusal to appear before the king led to her dismissal as queen. Even if the details of the invitation to appear before the king did not appeal to Vashti, she misses the fact that her presence as queen was only made possible because of her association with Xerxes. She thought she was indispensable. She thought she could have her own way and still remain the queen. What she missed was the fact that she wasn't indispensable. She missed the fact that her replacement was just a step away. She missed the fact that if she displeased the king, she stood the chance of losing her status as the queen. She missed the fact that her rise to power and fame was fuelled by her position as queen. She missed the fact that she could be disposed of overnight without prior notice. Another beautiful woman took the place of Vashti, as the queen of Persia.
Many people are living just like Vashti, living in denial of reality. For some of these people, they take the grace of God for granted and live just to please themselves. Others have become their own gods and they manage their own lives rejecting God. Just as Vashti moved from grace to grass in a day, it is possible to lose everything in just a day. Power, fame and money that is built on a loose foundation stand the risk of loss. Remember, you can only impact your generation well when you are connected to the right source. Don't take grace for granted. Be ready at all times to appear before your king. Grace is not a license for lawlessness. Your replacement is just a step away! Don’t misuse your positional advantage!
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