Esther 1:1-9 The
Glory of a Foreign King
This happened
in the days of Ahasuerus (note: called Xerses in other Bible translations), the
same Ahasuerus who ruled over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India
to Ethiopia. In those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the
citadel of Susa, in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his
officials and ministers. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and
governors of the provinces were present, while he displayed the great wealth of
his kingdom and the splendor and pomp of his majesty for many days, one hundred
and eighty days in all.
When
these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in the
citadel of Susa, both great and small, a banquet lasting for seven days, in the
court of the garden of the king’s palace. There were white cotton curtains and
blue hangings tied with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and
marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of
porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and colored stones. Drinks were served in
golden goblets, goblets of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished in
accordance with the bounty of the king. Drinking was by flagons, without
restraint; for the king had given orders to all the officials of his palace to
do as each one desired. Furthermore, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women
in the palace of King Ahasuerus.
****
I invite you to close your eyes and
have a partner read this passage to you slowly.
If you don’t have someone to read it to you follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMEFZzjDlG4
As you listen to the story, let your
imagination go and think of the glory of King Xerxes’ royal court. Focus in on the details. Not only were the wine goblets made of gold –
so were the couches – the symbols of leisure.
There was no end to the lavishness and excess of King Xerxes.
Xerxes kingdom was vast. He reigned over 127 provinces from India to
Cush (Ethiopia). Check your maps. That’s a distance of about 3,000 miles –
roughly the distance between the east and west coasts of the United States.
A kingdom that vast – without modern
technology – was difficult to manage.
Xerxes knew he had to show off his wealth and his might, as a deterrent
to insurrection in the lands under his rule.
Intimidation was the King’s greatest weapon – and he knew how to wield
it.
Xerxes power and wealth were on
display to the kingdom for 180 days – 6 months!
Leaders from all the provinces were summoned to Xerxes court to witness
this glory, and leave with no second thoughts about who was in charge.
Even though people under Xerxes rule
may have thought they lived in a kingdom without end, the reign of Xerxes
lasted only 21 years, until he was assassinated, ironically, by a royal
bodyguard. The Persian empire he ruled
lasted another 135 years until it was conquered by Alexander the great. Despite the great wealth and power, Xerxes
and Persia ended in death and destruction - met the fate of every King and
every Kingdom in history – except one.
Only one King rules a Kingdom without
end. A King whose glory did not come
from dwelling in a palace laden with gold, but by being born a peasant, with an
animal feeding trough for a cradle. A
King whose rule does not thrive from violence and intimidation, but grows out
of love, grace and forgiveness. A King
whose death did not bring an end to the kingdom – instead launched it forward
with a new beginning. Jesus Christ – a
different kind of King.
Prayer:
Dear Christ our
King, thank you for your Kingdom of love, grace and forgiveness. Teach us not to be ruled by those who show
off their lavish displays of wealth and power.
Help us to see the world the way you see it – and to see your greater
Kingdom within – a Kingdom you began from a manger, a Kingdom where you draw
our indifferent eyes toward those who suffer – a Kingdom
that grew out of your death and resurrection – a kingdom ruled by a different
kind of King – in your holy name we pray.
AMEN!
Pr. John Heidgerd is Associate Pastor
at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Jamaica, NY, focusing on working with
children and youth. He and his wife, Ann Marie, live in Bedford and have two
adult children.
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