RPG Adults
TO OBEY OR NOT TO OBEY?
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8
Esther 1:12
Colossians 3:18
"… as it is fit in the Lord."
TO OBEY OR NOT TO OBEY?
Ahasuerus had given command to his seven personal chamberlains to fetch queen Vashti to be paraded before the crowd of men. Seven servants were despatched to bring Vashti but she refused to go with them to the king! Her act of disobedience infuriated her king.
This passage has been used both to condemn as well as praise queen Vashti as a wife. Some criticise her for being an unsubmissive wife while others laud her for refusing to do that which was sinful because she must maintain modesty. Some agree that she did the right thing because she was in danger of being molested by a roomful of drunken men. But the text is not explicitly clear why Vashti refused to obey the command. Since there was no indication that Ahasuerus was making an unreasonable request, nor was there any suggestion that he was planning any immodest display of Vashti, it would not be wise to build a case, using this situation, for a husband-and-wife relationship. It is clear, however, that wives must submit to their own husbands in everything (Eph 5:24), unless it were a sinful or immoral thing (Acts 5:29). And husbands must never cause the wife to sin but instead present her pure to the Lord (Eph 5:25-27). One thing is for sure, one cannot use this to celebrate Vashti as a biblical feminist heroine, because she stood up for her rights and refused to obey the male chauvinist king.
But the point here is not about what the Christian marriage should be or what women’s rights are, but rather how two unbelievers’ (Ahasuerus’ and Vashti’s) actions would set in motion God’s plan as we shall see in subsequent events that follow. Regardless of whether Ahasuerus or Vashti was right or wrong, the fact is that God was in control, and could and would work through the actions and decisions of even sinful man. Vashti’s response would set the stage for God’s plans.
THOUGHT: Does God’s overruling hand mean that I can do as I wish?
PRAYER: My Lord, help me to make decisions that will please Thee.
Posted in Adult RPG
Esther 1:12
Colossians 3:18
"… as it is fit in the Lord."
TO OBEY OR NOT TO OBEY?
Ahasuerus had given command to his seven personal chamberlains to fetch queen Vashti to be paraded before the crowd of men. Seven servants were despatched to bring Vashti but she refused to go with them to the king! Her act of disobedience infuriated her king.
This passage has been used both to condemn as well as praise queen Vashti as a wife. Some criticise her for being an unsubmissive wife while others laud her for refusing to do that which was sinful because she must maintain modesty. Some agree that she did the right thing because she was in danger of being molested by a roomful of drunken men. But the text is not explicitly clear why Vashti refused to obey the command. Since there was no indication that Ahasuerus was making an unreasonable request, nor was there any suggestion that he was planning any immodest display of Vashti, it would not be wise to build a case, using this situation, for a husband-and-wife relationship. It is clear, however, that wives must submit to their own husbands in everything (Eph 5:24), unless it were a sinful or immoral thing (Acts 5:29). And husbands must never cause the wife to sin but instead present her pure to the Lord (Eph 5:25-27). One thing is for sure, one cannot use this to celebrate Vashti as a biblical feminist heroine, because she stood up for her rights and refused to obey the male chauvinist king.
But the point here is not about what the Christian marriage should be or what women’s rights are, but rather how two unbelievers’ (Ahasuerus’ and Vashti’s) actions would set in motion God’s plan as we shall see in subsequent events that follow. Regardless of whether Ahasuerus or Vashti was right or wrong, the fact is that God was in control, and could and would work through the actions and decisions of even sinful man. Vashti’s response would set the stage for God’s plans.
THOUGHT: Does God’s overruling hand mean that I can do as I wish?
PRAYER: My Lord, help me to make decisions that will please Thee.
Posted in Adult RPG