Esther 2:19

Esther 2:19 says, And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.  Mordecai was still keeping alert to see Esther at the king’s gate when the virgins gathered a second time.  He was one of the porters or door keepers at the gate.  Matthew Henry says whether he had this position before Esther was made queen or whether he obtained it afterwards is not known, but he was now in a position where he could at least keep watch over her somewhat. 

Verse twenty adds. Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.  Esther still had not revealed that she was from the Jewish people, as Mordecai had commanded her to do.  She was still obeying him since he had been her guardian.  We need to tell people we are part of the family of God, but if we become involved romantically with someone who is not, we still need to obey the commands of our Heavenly Father.   Of course, we might say if we were we wouldn’t be romantically involved with someone who isn’t a Christian to begin with, but this does happen. 

Verse twenty-one continues, In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.  As Mordecai was doing his duty, he heard two of the king’s chamberlain's speaking about killing the king.  Matthew Henry says this was a part of God’s plan to deliver the Jews.  We know that today, God has already put His plan in place to deliver anyone who will put their faith in Jesus Christ, the only way to everlasting forgiveness.  At that time, it was just to follow God’s plan to save the king, and I have to believe that God was in control of the situation.

Verse twenty-two states, And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.  When this known to Mordecai, he told Esther.  She then told King Ahasuerus, letting him know that Mordecai was the one who had heard it.  She was still doing what was best for Mordecai.  She could have forgotten about him when she became queen and have taken the credit for this herself and made herself look even more important to the king.  I think too often Christians attempt to make themselves look better in the eyes of the world instead of giving credit to someone else who may have been the one who actually brought about the good in a situation. 

Verse twenty-three continues, And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.  An inquiry was made into the situation, and when it was proven to be true, these two men were hanged on a tree.  Esther, through the knowledge that Mordecai had given her, had saved the king from an attempted assassination.  We may not have that great of an impact on those in power today, but as followers of Christ need to always do our best to do what is right in the eyes of God, even for those who may not be our friends.

Esther 2:15

Esther 2:15 says, Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.  It is pointed out again that Esther was an orphan under her uncle’s care, but when it came time for her to go to the king, she made no demands for more than what was freely provided.  She was satisfied with what the keeper of the women provided.  We likewise as followers of Christ should not make demands for more but should be content with what God provides for us.  Esther gained favor of all those who looked on her and her actions I believe.  If we as Christians are content with what God provides for us, I think we will be looked on positively more than if we are never satisfied with what God provides for us.  

Verse sixteen adds, So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.  This verse simply tells us the date that Esther went into the king.  I am sure that she probably had a lot of doubts about what was happening, but she went relying on what her uncle had told her to do.  Whatever we do, we need to do it knowing that our Heavenly Father has told us to do so.  Though Mordechai might have been the one who sent her, God was behind the decision I believe and kept her safe. 

Verse seventeen continues, And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.  Esther was loved by King Ahasuerus above all the other young women, and he made her his queen.  She was now in a position to influence the king in his actions.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we become a part of His kingdom and are free to call on Him to help others and us in accordance with His will.  Until then, no matter how good we may be in the eyes of the world, we can only call on Him for salvation.  Just as Esther was no different than the other virgins until she was chosen to be queen, we are no different than any other sinner until we accept God’s gift of salvation.  Salvation is never based on our deserving it more than anyone else.   

Verse eighteen concludes, Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.  The king made a feast to Esther after he made her his queen.  It is somewhat ironic that this whole situation began with Vasthi having a feast of her own in her honor and now after she was deposed and her replacement chosen Ahasuerus proclaimed a feast in Esther’s honor.  It doesn’t matter how much we may celebrate our achievements in the world, until we are accepted by God by putting our faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, we will always be outside of His kingdom and will ultimately be sent away to everlasting punishment.   

Esther 2:11

Esther 2:11 says, And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.  Mordecai continued to do his best to check on Esther every day.  He didn’t just place her in the position she was in and then forget about her.  We cannot just forget about those we care about because we believe they are in a good place in life.  We need to continue to do our best to keep track of how they are doing both physically and spiritually, especially those who are a part of our family.  

Verse twelve adds, Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women  The purification of the maidens took a year.  I wonder what they might have been thinking during this year since they had very little control over the situation.  As Christians, if we a in a place that we may not want to be through no fault of our own, we need to just continue to follow God by faith and keep ourselves pure in our relationship with Him.  

Verse thirteen continues, Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.  The maidens were all made to come to the king, and whatever she desired she was given.  Some may have been happy about this, but I don’t believe that they all would have been.  Just having everything we desire materially should never make us forget that sin is never acceptable to God.  

Verse fourteen concludes, In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.  These maidens were sent one-by-one to the king for an overnight stay and then returned to the second house of women.  They would then stay there unless the king called for them again.  I am not sure how many of these young maidens there were, but none were really given any choice in the matter.  We could find ourselves in a position that seems hopeless, but we should never give up our faith in God and obedience to His word no matter what it may cost us in this old sinful world.  

Esther 2:5

Esther 2:5 says, Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;  Mordecai, a Jew, served in the palace at Shushan.  Matthew Henry says that Dr. Lightfoot says this is the same Mordecai mentioned in Ezra 2:2 who went to help rebuild Jerusalem and then returned to Persia to be of further service there.  I am not sure who Dr. Lightfoot is, but Matthew Henry refers to him several times.   

Verse six adds, Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.  This verse would put him in the time frame to have returned to Jerusalem and then gone back to Babylon.  I do know that even if we were to be held captive by some power of the world today, we still have the responsibility to do what God calls us to do.  

Verse seven continues, And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.  Mordecai had taken Esther, his cousin, to be like his own daughter after her parents both died.  We know that women had to depend on men meet their needs in that day and time and had few rights of their own, so Mordecai was showing mercy to her.  We likewise need to show mercy to orphans and widows today, who still often do not have as many opportunities to make their own way.  Esther was fair and beautiful we are told, so she would have been an ideal person to be the king's wife, except she was a Jew.  No one in that day would have thought that a captive orphan would become queen, but God had a plan for her to be.  

Verse eight states, So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.  Esther was included in the maidens from whom the king was to seek a wife from.  We aren’t told exactly how this happened, but only that it did.  We may not always know everything about how God accomplishes His will in the world today, but we need to only have faith that He will.   

Verse nine adds, And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.  Esther was preferred above all the other maidens by the king’s chamberlain and was given the things of purification that belonged to her and seven maidens to help her.  She was still not the queen though and was still in a bad situation.  We may be treated better than others in the world but still not be in the position God wants us to be in.   

Verse ten continues, Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.  Esther did not reveal that she was a Jewess since Mordecai had her promise to not do so.  He still wanted her to have the best chance in life, even in a bad situation.  I don’t believe there is a time today when we should deny being a follower of Christ, but I have never been in a situation when doing so might get me killed.   

Esther 2:1

Esther 2:1 says, After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.  After Ahasuerus had calmed down, he began to think about what he had done to Vashti.  I believe he regretted his actions, but it couldn’t be changed since things he decreed were permanent.   If we act out of anger, when we calm down, we may actually think about what we have done and regret it but it will be too late to change it.  Of course, if we confess our sins to God through faith in Jesus Christ, the fact that we did them cannot be changed but the outcome can.  They are washed away in God’s sight, even if we still suffer from the results here in this lifetime.   

Verse two adds, Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:  The king’s servants came up with a plan to replace Vashti.  They were going to bring fair young virgins before him.  I can’t help but think of The Bachelor, but the women on that show are there willingly, and these young virgins weren’t.  They would have no choice in the matter of appearing before the king.  

Verse three continues, And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:  All these young women from throughout the country were to be gathered in the Shushan palace and in the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain.  They were to be given the things necessary for their purification.  Though some might think it an honor to be chosen for this, I don’t believe that all of them would.  There are still women today who would feel honored just to have an opportunity to compete to marry a rich and powerful man, but I still hope that not many would.   

Verse four concludes, And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.  Then, the king was to pick the one who pleased him to replace Vashti.  The rest were to be kept for the king’s pleasure alone as secondary wives as Matthew Henry refers to them.  This idea pleased the king, but it was not in accordance with God’s will, which calls for marriage to be between one man and one woman under His guidance.  I can imagine that he would think this a wonderful idea and that it would help him forget about Vashti and what he had done to her.  As Christians, we cannot just replace our wife, or husband, because she or he has done something that makes us mad.  God was not considered in any of this situation, from removing Vashti to replacing her.