Esther 1:10-22

Queen Vashti disobeys the king’s order. Even for the queen, this is not acceptable in the eyes of the king and his advisors.

The king and his rulers feared what would happen when other women saw the example of the queen.

ESV Study Bible: “Memucan repeatedly uses all to impress on the king the danger of a total breakdown of proper domestic order.” (vv. 15-18)

This is summed up well in verses 20-22—

20 So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.” 21 This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. 22 He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people.

She was banished and replaced, setting up for the entrance of Esther in chapter 2.

Recognizing the differences in culture and that the main point of this passage is not necessarily about marriage, it does serve as a good reminder to how the gospel effects marriage today.

For example, in verse 20, it says, “all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.”

This is reminiscent of Ephesians 5:33 — “and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”

God’s design IS that wives should honor and respect their husbands — but NOT from a position of fear or control.

Rather, husbands should, “love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” (5:25-27)