When I conducted a Google search for Queen Vashti, I came across this blunt headline, "Queen Vashti: Married to a Dangerous Fool." Vashti is only mentioned briefly in the book of Esther in the Old Testament. She is a controversial figure. When I was told the story of Esther in Sunday School, Vashti was dismissed in one sentence or maybe two as the Queen who refused to obey her husband and so he had to look for another wife and found young Esther and married her instead. The emphasis has usually tended to be on Esther because she was a Jewess and there was anti-Jewish sentiment in Persia at that time. Who was the dangerous fool referred to in the headline? Vashti was married to King Xerxes (c. 486-465 B.C. ) who was a very powerful ruler of the vast Persian empire which extended from India to Ethiopia and contained 127 provinces. He was also known as Ahasuerus.
Vashti's story has turned her into a feminist icon - greatly admired by the feminist movement throughout history. Harriet Beecher Stowe, the famous author of Uncle Tom's Cabin which was influential in the abolition of slavery in the United States, was very impressed with Vashti. She said that Vashti's courageous refusal to carry out her drunken husband's request was the "first stand for woman's rights." Much more recently, another feminist Michelle Landsberg criticised Esther for being secretive and submissive and suggested that this was typical of most women in the 1950s. On the other hand, she commended Vashti for her dignity and self-respect for refusing to 'dance for the King and his pals.' By contrast, some rabbis claimed that Vashti was reluctant to appear in public because she had a disfiguring illness such as leprosy and there is even suggestion that she had a tail or maybe that she was more male than female.
Let's get the gist of the story. It begins with a royal display which lasted six months. It was designed to showcase the wealth and power of the Persian Empire and the power of King Ahasuerus. No expense was spared and all the princes and nobles from the 127 provinces were invited to attend. At the end of this exhibition of grandeur, there was a 'smaller event' with a more select audience. It was a dinner party for the chief advisers and courtiers of King Ahasuerus - all those who were employed in the palace and its environment. This was held in the enclosed garden of the king's palace which was extravagantly decorated. The couches were made of gold and silver and there was a mosaic pavement made of marble, mother-of-pearl and other precious stones. This banquet lasted for 7 days and nights. It was an orgy of gluttony, drunkenness and sensual indulgence. Queen Vashti would have been hosting a separate event for all the many wives of Ahasuerus. The idea of men and women having separate events was still around in Victorian England and it allowed men to behave as badly as they liked without having to face criticism or condemnation from the women. There would be no restraints on their conduct and there would be plenty of entertainment including erotic dancing by scantily clad females. Wine was served in golden goblets and there was an abundance of it. Every man could drink as much as he wished. When the men were heavily intoxicated with wine, the king decided to send for Vashti to make a display of her beauty in front of his invited guests. But Vashti refused to attend. This was a brave decision for her to make as Ahasuerus was a powerful monarch and women were expected to obey their husband's demands however unreasonable. There have been suggestions that she was being asked to appear naked apart from her headgear. This is speculation but it is an attempt to explain why Vashti was so determined to refuse to carry out her husband's wishes.
Here is the exact text from the book of Esther:
On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him …….. to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and the nobles, for she was lovely to look at. [Esther 1:10-11 NIV]
Some have suggested that Vashti probably came from a well-respected aristocratic family and she had gained a degree of independence and status. She would have considered it beneath her dignity to make a spectacle of herself before drunken courtiers. I am not sure exactly what was being demanded of Vashti, but clearly she felt uncomfortable with her husband's demand and saw this as a step too far. It was a Persian custom that "the queen, even more than the wives of other men, was secluded from the public gaze," [Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary].
How do we interpret this as Christians in the 21st century? Undoubtedly, there have been significant advances in rights for women and there would be condemnation of Xerxes' request in today's world. The whole notion of a harem with a multitude of wives is unacceptable and contrary to God's plan for mankind. (See Genesis 2:24). As Christians we should take a stance against any form of abuse of women in our day. We should not tolerate any form of sexism and we should promote Christian values with respect to the treatment of women. I have made this point many times in previous blogs. I have heard Christian men speaking disparagingly about women in general and about their wives in particular and this is not scriptural. We have been shocked by the conduct of Wayne Couzens, the former police officer who kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive near Clapham Commons in South London. There have been news reports of a boys club culture of sexism and pornography in the Metropolitan Police force and also in Police Scotland. Christians should strongly condemn such conduct. It is part of the same culture which prevailed in the palace of Shushan in Persia - women are treated as inferior to men and their role in life is to gratify the sexual lusts of men. This is contrary to the Biblical teaching that both men and women were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).
Some have suggested that there was at least one conspiracy in existence in the Shushan palace environment. Was there a plot to expose the king's lack of authority over his wife. There is some irony that at the end of a six-month event designed to enhance his reputation, there is an incident which clearly weakened Ahasuerus' status. His adviser, by the name of Memukan, clearly sees that there are implications for the authority of the king and for the authority of husbands all over the Persian empire. What if women followed the example of the Queen and disobeyed their husbands. This would lead to the complete breakdown in the male domination of their wives. In my student days, I heard working men boasting that they had given 'her' a good slapping 'to remind her who's boss in this house.'
It is important to stress that the fact that the Bible (especially the Old Testament) describes instances of abuse of women, this should not be taken to imply approval of such conduct. I refer to a PowerPoint presentation which I made up on this topic
Christian Marriage – Love One Another
Maddiston Evangelical Church
Bible Teaching: Sunday 26th May 2019
This blog does not do justice to this very important but highly controversial topic. If you disagree with anything I have said, I would like to hear from you. The Dayshare website is run by Wix.com which insists on membership for those wishing to comment on blogs. You may decide to become a member or alternatively please send me an email at dayshare153@gmail.com
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Picture from Leesa Renee Hall www.spiritrichno.com
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