I've decided my new post would be about one of my favorite books in the Bible, the book of Esther.   I can't count how many sermons I've listened to about this book.   It perhaps speaks about the providence of God better than any other book in the Bible.  Providence is defined as "the protective care of God or of nature as a spiritual power".   I define it as the amazing ability and power of God to take circumstances both good and bad (He does not cause bad things to happen but uses them to achieve His purposes) and bring about the outcome He wants and may cases predicted years in advance. I love this book because God takes someone that is the living definition of a nobody from nowhere, and woman to boot (woman in biblical times were 2nd class citizens), to be one of the most important people in the history of the Jewish people.    In my mind she ranks up there with names like Moses and Joseph.  As we'll learn in this book the  Jewish people were doomed for destruction before God tapped this obscure woman to be in the right place, and the right time.  

Chapter 1.   The book starts introducing us the King Ahasuerus, the most powerful man in the world at that time, the leader of the Meads and the Persians (the second major world empire after the Babylonians).   He's throwing a party in the 3rd year of his reign for all of what we would call now days his governors and mayors throughout his kingdom.  He has a couple of reasons for throwing this. The first is little ego driven to show off his wealth and opulence.  I mean why else would you throw a 180 DAY PARTY?    The 2nd is thought to be to sell (and fund raise) a plan to go to war against the up and coming Greek empire (who would eventually over throw them to become the 3rd major world empire). 

After quite a bit of drinking and partying the King decided to show off something else besides his wealth, his beautiful wife the Queen.   He wanted to show his boys how hot is wife is.  Only he didn't plan on witnessing perhaps the first act of feminism on record.  The Queen received the request and decided she would not be paraded around like a piece of meat, like prize pig at the fair.  The King was at first dumbfounded that turned into red hot anger.  No one defies the King of the Meads and Persians.   His aides came to him with two pieces of advise.  The first is to banish the Queen.  This act of defiance cannot stand they advised the King.  The second was to put out a decree (what we call a law today) that all wives in the kingdom must obey their husbands.  They reasoned and told the King that with out this the woman of the kingdom may get the idea that if it's good the Queen why not for them?   The reason this is important is that in this kingdom once a decree is signed by the King and sealed with his Royal seal it's law FOREVER.  Per their custom it could never than be revoked.   This will be so important later in the book.   That ends chapter 1.     

Here's a sermon you might like on Esther from Skip Heitzig: 

https://calvarynm.church/teachings/#/series/25/sermon/205/play

 To be continued!!!!