Esther 1:9

Esther 1:9 says, Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.  While the men were feasting, Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house.  She was not making a public display of the women as they feasted as Ahasuerus was of the men but was modestly staying out of public view.  She was exercising her authority without talking to the king about it, or so it seems.  In other words, she was a somewhat independent woman.

Verse ten adds, On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, 

Verse eleven continues, To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.  Seven days into the feast, when the king was somewhat drunk it would seem, he sent his seven chamberlains to bring Vasti before the men at the party with him to show off her beauty.  He didn’t go to ask her to come to him because he wanted her by his side, but he asked her to be brought to him so he could show her off to others.  He basically wanted to put her on display as something that belonged to him and not to have her with him as an equal to him.  Too often today, women in many parts of the world and to some people here in America are still seen as possessions by their husbands more than an equal part of themselves.  They expect their wives to be obedient to them in everything and not because of what God has said but just because they feel superior. 

Verse twelve continues, But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.  Vashti refused to come at the king’s command.  She may have known that he was drunk and not have wanted to be a part of his revelry or maybe she felt slighted by having his chamberlains sent to bring her, but for whatever reason, she didn’t obey his command, and he became angry.  Even the queen in that time was often seen as no more than a subject of the king, under his complete authority.  There are still men today who believe that their wives, or any female for that matter, should always be obedient to men.  This is not what God’s word teaches. 

Verse thirteen states, Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment: Ahasuerus at least consulted with the wise men about the matter before he took any action.  Of course, too often those who are considered wise men want to do what pleases the king instead of what God’s law teaches.  They are sometimes considered wise by the world but not by God, since true wisdom comes only from Him.  Verse fourteen adds, And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom.  We are given the names of some of those who were closest to the king.  Some people today think it makes them powerful and important just because they are close to those in power. 

Verse fifteen continues, What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?  Instead of going himself to talk to Vashti and asking her why she was refusing to come, he asked these men around him what they should do to her according to the law.  In some parts of the world today, women are under strict laws about what they can and cannot do, and the men in power make the decisions about how they will be punished if they refuse to obey the manmade laws.  This isn’t what God teaches about husbands and wives nor about men and women in general.  Though a man is the head of the house under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and is called on to accept the responsibility of ensuring that the family is following God’s laws, he is not given total authority over his wife to have her do whatever he decides he wants.  Both are to live under the authority of God to do His will and not the will of either outside of God’s leadership.