This post is Day 2 in a series of studies about “Esther”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts about each verse and how you will be acting on each thought. Also, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the notifications of new studies, you can do that today (the form is at the bottom of the page).

Esther – Day 2

Yesterday we saw that King Xerxes was rich. I believe one of the reasons this book is a part of the Bible is because it gives us a picture of Heaven where everything is free and available for all participants, and where the majesty and richness of everything is amazing.

Esther 1:4-5, 7-8

For a full 180 days King Xerxes displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendour and glory of his majesty. When these days were over, the king gave a banquet lasting 7 days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people who were in the citadel of Susa. … Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different to the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality. By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.

The Thought

Yesterday we saw that King Xerxes was rich, very rich. But just in case we haven’t understood that, we have in these verses another picture of his extravagance and generosity. I believe one of the reasons this book is a part of the Bible is because it gives us a picture of Heaven where everything is free and available for all participants. Where the majesty and richness of everything is amazing. Think for a moment about how many people could have been there, and each one had a gold cup which was unique. No two the same! It must have taken the preceding two years of Xerxes’s reign to plan and prepare for such an event!

Action

Do you think this story so far is a picture of Heaven or just of the pride of King Xerxes?

Ask yourself if you would like to go to a party that lasted for months.

Who would you invite to go with you?

Who would you invite if you were the host?

Pray for the leaders of your country to have generous hearts and to be ready to open their homes to strangers (Hebrews 13:2).