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Too Drunk to Think, August 25
Esther 1:1-12
When the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded ... 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.
Esther 1:10,
11
.
When this command came from the king, Vashti did not carry out his orders,
because she knew that wine had been freely used, and that Ahasuerus was under
the influence of the intoxicating liquor. For her husband’s sake as well as her
own, she decided not to leave her position at the head of the women of the
court
It was when the king was not himself, when his reason was dethroned by
wine-drinking that he sent for the queen, that those present at his feast, men
besotted by wine, might gaze on her beauty. She acted in harmony with a pure
conscience.
Vashti refused to obey the king’s command, thinking that when he came
to himself, he would commend her course of action. But the king had unwise
advisers. They argued it would be a power given to woman that would be to her
injury
However high their office, men are amenable to God. The great power exer-
cised by kings, often leads to extremes in exaltation of self. And the worthless
vows made to enact laws which disregard the higher laws of God, lead to great
injustice.
Occasions of indulgence such as are pictured in the first chapter of Esther,
do not glorify God. But the Lord accomplishes His will through men who are
nevertheless misleading others. If God did not stretch forth His restraining
hand, strange presentations would be seen. But God impresses human minds to
accomplish His purpose, even though the one used continues to follow wrong
practices. And the Lord works out His plans through men who do not acknowl-
edge His lessons of wisdom. In His hand is the heart of every earthly ruler, to
turn whithersoever He will, as He turneth the waters of the river
[244]
37
The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 3:1139
.
38
Ibid
.
39
Ibid
.
252