Esther: Becoming a Girl of PurposeSample

In the verses above, use your Youversion app to highlight all of the possessions King Xerxes used at his banquet to remind people how wealthy he was.

Have you ever been to a city? Maybe you live in one! Think of how many people are there. Can you imagine inviting EVERYONE IN THE CITY to a party at your house? Would they fit? Well, that’s exactly what King Xerxes did. He invited everyone in the city to the courtyard of the palace garden for seven days. The very fact that everyone fit into his palace was another way he boasted about his wealth! King Xerxes was putting HIS power and wealth on display. Before we learn about problem number two, we need to meet another character in the story—Queen Vashti. King Xerxes’ wife was putting on her party for the women of the palace when the king called for her to come to his banquet. Did the queen follow the king’s orders?

Read Esther 1:9-12

We don’t know why Queen Vashti said no. But it seemed to have something to do with understanding that the men in Susa did not understand the value of women. Of course, Queen Vashti’s refusal made the king very mad.

And that brings us to . . .

PROBLEM #2:

King Xerxes got advice from people instead of God. Uh-oh!

King Xerxes is embarrassed by the queen’s decision but doesn’t know what to do. So, he gets help.