by Gary Davis

Created on: July 02, 2007   Last Updated: July 04, 2007

Nothing haunts man like an analysis of his behavior. Why do some people act "good" and suffer, while others act any way they choose and prosper? Even more perplexing is why God doesn't "run interference" when we are doing the right thing. These are questions that are argued over and over by theologians, teachers and philosophers. Does the Bible give us any answers? I have my conclusions, but, I have to let you make your own.

In the Bible, the book of Esther was written sometime before 331 B.C. It is the true story of a Jewish girl ascending to the Persian throne under King Ahasaueras who reigned from 486 to 465 B.C., when, he was assassinated. The Persian Empire at that time ruled the world.
Esther is known in the Jewish culture as "Hadassah" and, her Anglicized name would simply be "Myrtle".
Esther is a book in the Bible which comes under a lot of scrutiny because God is never directly mentioned. Yet, in studying this book I find some amazing hidden pieces of information on unexpected subjects.
Esther, chapter one, introduces us to King Ahasaueras who, having ascended to his throne three years earlier, now has a six-month "feast" to show the grandeur of his kingdom.
I would imagine at that time it made sense to invite as many people as possible since assassination was a way life. If someone didn't' agree with your politics, they didn't vote you out of office, they killed you.
So, everybody who was anybody was invited. The Bible gets very detailed telling us that not only were the drinking mugs made of Gold, but, each mug was unique! Opulence was the order of the day.
Now the king, when he was drunk, not being satisfied with displaying his material goods, ordered his wife, Queen Vashiti, to parade in front of all the men wearing her crown. The Bible ways she was very beautiful to behold.
Shockingly, Vashiti refused. I mean, you just didn't tell the king no. Some Bible scholars have suggested she may have been asked to do some vulgar things or that she may have been pregnant with Artaxerxis. At any rate, the king was furious. Yet, he loved her, but, was told by his counselors that to fail to punish her would result in the women of the kingdom rebelling against the authority of their husbands.
Subsequently, she was banished.
Later we learn, that Esther "applies" for Queen at the behest of her uncle. Along with all the other virgins, she auditions for this position by sleeping with the king. Further, we find out that she is less than honest about her Jewish ancestry.
We

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