The Feast of Esther (Esther 2)

There are three things we learn at the beginning of Chapter 2: King Xerxes is a prisoner of his anger – he is a prisoner of his feelings for women – and he is a prisoner of his advisors.

Anger is not always a bad thing! You can be "good and angry" (David Powlison)! But the book of Esther portrays Ahasuerus's anger as a problem. He is angry – but his anger controls him. He is "out of control" – and so has to cool down before he can think rationally.

But then, when he cools down, he does not consider that maybe he was at fault for what happened with Vashti! As the king, he is used to having whatever he wants. And he wants women to do whatever he says!

With Vashti out of favor, he wants to find someone else!

He is the Great King – the King of Kings – and he is in charge! But, oddly enough, for the King of Kings – he always seems to be waiting for his advisors to tell him what to do!!

These three themes will recur throughout our story – Ahasuerus is driven by his anger – by his sexual appetite – and by his advisors.

And throughout the book, the theme of 'remembering' (or forgetting) will also recur. Ahasuerus tends to be forgetful. His remembering and his forgetting will play a key role in the story...