Thread: Ya, you heard me, and i ain't gonna apologize!
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Ya, you heard me, and i ain't gonna apologize!
Posted : 19 May, 2011 01:28 PM
So, this may either ruffle feathers or you may agree with it... So, if you don't like this tough cookies. lol, this was in Gods word and I just saw some things many of you probably never saw or many of you have... I may lose my playa card (lol) so be it... Enjoy! haha
In the first chapter of Esther we see that the King made a feast for ALL the nobles as Vashti made a feast for the women. The King (drunk with the men( called vashti to be brought dressed with the crown royal so that all may behold her beauty. Vashti Refused.
Now majority of women would woop and holler and pump their fist in the air crying "power to the women!", and proud that vashti didn't humiliate herself to her drunk husband.
I say, what she did was wrong.
Whoa, whoa, whoa wait a minute, before some of ya'll jump me and take my play card away, hear me out...
Did the King tell vashti to come out and do something vile or contrary to God? No. He told her to come out in queenly apparel to show the people that he had the most beautiful wife and he was proud to have her for himself. Even as a drunk he had her on his mind.
Vashti decided to be defiant and rebel his wish. The result? She humiliated her husband, the King. Consequences: For fear of other women following her damaging example he put her away as wife and Queen.
Many of you perhaps would love to give her a standing ovation for standing to her convictions. But there is another woman BETTER then she, her name is the name of the book: Esther...
Lets see how esther handled her prideful husband...
When haman plotted to kill the jews, mordecai told esther to go before the king uncalled for and plea for the lives of her people. I'm sure Esther wasn't too keen on the idea, but she knew what she had to do... Let me tell you what I saw reading this... my version...
What esther was to ask was a WISE petition and not a foolish one, but she knew in order to get what she wanted shed first have to approach the king with honor and please him. cos once she does that, hes sweet putty in her hands!
She first put on royal apparel, she knew what kind of clothing pleased him, even i'm sure makeup, hair, perfume! (ch5 vs 1)
It also said the king saw his queen standing (not approachin him) in the court yard and what he SAW pleased him and then she approached.
She pleased him with her effot in making herself beautiful for his eyes only and honored/respected his role as husband/king in not just walking toward him with an air of entitlement, but with a TRUE Queenly/confident air stood still to allow her husband to drink in the sight/attitude of this Woman.
This softened him up enough to ask her what her request was, EVEN up to half of his kingdom! What trust! (The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her - prov 31:11).
It impressed me so much that she didn't right away ask what she REALLY wanted. She was wise and patient enough to ask in a gentle, sweet, humble manner that the king AND haman (her enemy) come to a feast she prepared for her husband! (vs 4)
She was still denying herself and still in the "pleasing husband" mode! Its true, a way to a mans heart is through his belly! haha
This next part made me smile, the king was OBVIOUSLY SO pleased and was more soft that he told haman to "hurry up" that they both may do what esther asked. So they both TO her (not her to them)! (vs5)
After the food again the King asked what she wanted...
Esther again amazed me when she said "IF I have found favor in your sigh... IF it pleases you to still act out my request come to another banquet" (vs8)
Her wise wording made him putty in her hands, he now WANTED to fulfill ANY desire she wanted cos she first honored him! You can attract with sweetness not entitlement.
So, on the last day of the feast the Kings curiousity was high as i'm sure his love for her was and his heart has been softened by how she has treated him... Remember, haman was there each time not suspecting a thing...
Heres one thing I noticed about esther, she knew her husband so well. She knew he had a passionate temper!
SIDE NOTE: I've seen husbands who have been sedated by their wives/girlfriends. A woman should NEVER do that... but to lovingly/wisely calm him down and sometimes let her lion of a man loose/roar/tear apart whats in front of him. I see husbands when they are in the heat of a moment/situation that he is single focused. Like in soccer (when I played competitively) when I was playing it was an adrenaline rush, many times i wasn't focused on my surroundings, I was focused on my opponent, and my objection, score a goal. BUT my coach saw ALL of my surroundings what was behind me, to the side, a head of me, what the next best step was for me to do. His/Her whole objection as my coach was to make ME look good, cos then if we win, his/her coaching skills look good. we were both a reflection of the other. Same thing in marriage. The wife is to either lovingly calm down her husband and give a REASON why he should (cos she sees something he doesn't) or sees that he should conquer whats in front of him and let him go... She's supposed to make HIM look good... shes his helpmeet.
Finally, Esther said her request... BUT! She FIRST asked for HER life she now all of a sudden became "selfish" and asked the King to spare HER life and the life of her people second. She knew "I tell him to save strangers lives first he won't care, but I put myself in front of the list, his beloved wife, he'll go through hell and back for me" (ch7 vs3)
Yup, that did it... he was livid... someone would dare touch HIS wife? He was passionately ANGRY, his temper was that of a raging bull! Esther patiently allowed this "volcano" warm up, she was NOT going to calm him down... his uncontrollable temper is what will save her, she knew this... her patience paid off, her efforts in honoring/pleasing him was what was needed, and her putting aside her bitterness for haman but instead inviting him was not foolish nor naive... you'll see why...
the King, a tornado of anger asked "WHO WOULD DARE TO EVEN THINK OF DOING THIS?" (vs. 5)
Esther then wisely directed the Kings passionate temper toward haman sitting there (vs6)... Check Mate.
One may say "she was using/manipulating her husband" No. She was helping her husband. Her people were Gods chosen people, she knew "He destroys them, God destroys my husband." She was his coach and saw his surroundings. Simple.
The man makes the final decision but we women look at the surroundings and bring it to his attention with honor and respect.
YET... Men, you too need to be alert also, cos if a wife just bring a request even if its noble but you know you shouldn't perform it even if shes wise/trustworthy, don't do it.
Eve coaxed adam to eat the apple. Yes, she gave it to him, but he ate it after God told HIM not too.
Sarah told abraham to go into hagar to give them a son, she requested it BUT he performed it after God said Sarah would conceive.
The consequences of both of these: Sin entered the World and seperated Man from God. Isaac and Ishmael are still at War to this very day.
In fact, several different translations make it appear that the King wanted the crown on her head to and not nude.
This is from the Gill's Expository:
"o bring Vashti the queen before the king,.... Not against her will, or by force; but they were sent to let her know it was the king's pleasure that she should come to him immediately:
with the crown royal; that is, upon her head, to make her look the more grand and majestic:
to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was fair to look upon; which was not wisely done, neither was it comely nor safe." (My notes added to Gills, I will say the last person makes it sound like he thinks what the king asked Vashti was immoral, yet not for sure.)
Anyway Lilo, thanks for bringing the topic up, and I'm going to use this subject in an upcoming blog.
What you wrote Lilo. is deep...I think it also has something to do with submission...Pleasing your husband is part of submission...Submission does not mean doing the wrong thing to please but rather doing the right thing in front of God...
When you make an effort with your husband, then the Lord will surely make your husband love you more and soften his heart and also make him aware of your desires...
We as christian women need to follow Esther's example...Its true everything we need in life is in the bible, you just have to look..
Wow, ladies it is soooooo refreshing to hear you talk about the biblical example of Esther. I agree with you much Lilo there are such incredible riches in scripture when you are willing to do some digging!
