17 September 2010
Psalm 69; Esther 1:1-4,10-19; Acts 17:1-15; John 12:36b-43

The first chapter of the book of Esther is setting the stage for what is to come, how did there come to be an opportunity for Esther to become queen. Vashti’s refusal to come at the king’s bidding opened a door for a new queen to be the king’s favorite. It is easy to see the patriarchal societal dominance of the time and place in the response of all the males to Vashti's refusal to comply with the king's command. Their response is basically if you, the king, allow your wife to get away with disobedience then all the women will think they can ignore the wishes and commands of their husbands, so you have to nip this in the bud right now. It also reveals something of the weakness of Ahasuerus that she felt comfortable in ignoring his wishes and also that he was so easily swayed by his royal officials. There is a rich rabbinic tradition concerning Vashti's character that has opposing views and leave us to choose one or the other.

It is incredibly sad that those to whom Jesus came in fulfillment of the promise of God did not recognize or believe in Him. It is equally sad that there were those who did believe but who were afraid of what they would lose if they made that belief a public matter. There are those today who fall into those categories, those who don’t believe even though they have seen and experienced incredible things and those who are more concerned with what the world thinks rather than what God thinks. John does not sugarcoat his thoughts on these last ones, they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God. Do we care more about human glory or the glory that comes from God? How do we show our answer to that question?

What an interesting concept, the Jews became jealous and roused the crowd by pleading the case for the emperor, defending his honor and place of privilege against the claims of Paul and the new converts concerning a new king, Jesus. Those who make common cause with them are “wicked men of the rabble.” Politics certainly makes strange bed-fellows. The continuing thread in these lessons relates to the belief that if we let these people do such and such then pretty soon everyone will so we had best make sure no one has the right to act on their own. If it were only as simple as that we could win the world by getting a few converts.

I will praise the name of God with a song;
I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
This will please the Lord more than an ox
or a bull with horns and hoofs.
Let the oppressed see it and be glad;
you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
For the Lord hears the needy,
and does not despise his own that are in bonds.