Where Is God? - The Tale of Queen Esther
Lanse Evangelical Free Church
October 19, 2025 :: Esther 1:1-22
You might be wondering why we are tackling the tale of Esther today.
That’s a good question, and there are a lot of reasons why I thought this was the right next book for us as a church.
For one, it seemed like it was already time to get back to the Old Testament. We were in Paul’s two letters to the church of the Thessalonians for five months of this year. It seemed like a good idea to jump right back and learn some more from the “First Testament” which the Lord gave us for our instruction (Romans 15:4).
And on top that, Esther seemed like the right next book of the Old Testament. I was going to preach Ezra next in our ongoing series recounting the Big Story of the Old Testament. 1-2 Kings, Jeremiah, Daniel, and then...Ezra, right? Because we saw back in Daniel in the Winter and Spring that the events of Ezra had already begun while the Book of Daniel was unfolding. So, Ezra would make sense.
But Esther is another book that, like Daniel, tells a story of the Jews in Exile. The entire story takes place far away from the Promised Land. And like Daniel, we learn in Esther how to live in a kingdom that is far from the kingdom that has been promised to us. I think that was helpful to learn about in the winter, and it would be good for us to think about some more as the next winter approaches.
There are a lot of similarities between the Book of Esther and the Book of Daniel.
But there are also a lot of differences!
In Daniel, there were lots of miracles–circumventing the laws of nature.
In Esther, there are none.
In Daniel, there were lots of visions–revealing the future.
In Esther, there are none.
And here’s the biggest one:
In Daniel, there were lots of names used for the one true God.
In Esther, there are none.
The name of God does not appear in the Book of Esther. That’s one of the most amazing things about this book! It’s in the Bible, but the LORD is not named in it.
If you remember, just about every message in Daniel, I picked a different name for God from that chapter to be in the title of that message for that chapter. The God of Heaven, The King of Heaven, The God of Gods, He Who Lives Forever, The Ancient of Days.
Not one of those names appears in the Book of Esther. And I don’t think that’s a coincidence. That is not a minor thing about this book. That’s a major thing about this book. This book does theology without ever talking directly about God.
God seems conspicuously absent. And I think that’s on purpose.
Some people have thought that maybe the Book of Esther doesn’t belong in the Bible since it doesn’t mention God. It’s just an interesting story. But the Jews and the Church have disagreed with that idea. God’s people have recognized that this story is a sacred story. It belongs in Holy Scripture.
Because God inspired it to help us when we feel the question:
“Where Is God?”
Have you ever felt that question? I know you have.
Where is God when bad things are happening to me?
Where is God in this day and age?
Where is God in this situation that I’ve found myself in?
Why does it seem like God is not here?
In many ways, Esther is a lot easier to relate to than Daniel. Because I don’t know about you, but I’ve never gotten a vision from God. But I have lived in a world where I wondered if God was even there.
The world goes about its business acting as if God is not present. And sometimes (often) it feels like it.
Is God here?
Is God at work?
Sometimes He sure seems invisible...and quiet.
Where is God?
The Tale of Queen Esther answers that question with subtle genius. It doesn’t just come out and say the answer. No, it allows you to feel the question and to feel your way to the hope-filled answer by following this rollicking good story!
This is one of the greatest stories of all time!
It’s got it all:
Political intrigue: money, sex, and power.
Twists and turns that you would never see coming.
Tragedy and violence.
Comedy and humor. Even physical humor. There is so much irony and satire in this story, especially in how the storyteller paints the characters!
How foolish some of them are!
How wicked some of them are!
How brave some of them become!
This is one of the greatest stories of all time!
There’s a reason why Esther is so many peoples’ favorite. I will try not to bungle it for you as I re-tell it.
And it all begins at a party. “Once upon a time.” Look with me, please, at Esther chapter 1, verse 1.
“This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush...”
What a great opening line! The storyteller places this story in history and geography. It happened during the time of Xerxes. Your Bible might say, “Ahasuerus.” Same guy.
His Hebrew name is “Ahasuerus” or more woodenly, “Ahk-ash-way-rowsh.”
And nearly everything points towards him being the same king that is known in Greek history as “Xerxes (I) the Great” who reigned from 486 to 465 BC.
His name in Persian is something like “Khshayarshan.”
But “Xerxes” is the easiest to pronounce, so we’ll go with that. Same guy.
I’ll try to throw in the Hebrew name from time to time because that’s actually here behind the NIV translation. But it’s the same guy.
And the storyteller wants you to know who he is. They say, “the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.” That’s from modern day Pakistan to modern day Ethiopia, maybe Northern Sudan! This guy was a big deal in geopolitics for a few decades in the fifth century BC.
Kind of like Nebuchadnezzar, he was just about “the king of kings” of his day. It’s that Xerxes. That king.
Now, what beloved nation was within his territory? From India to Cush? Israel was. It’s not named, but we all know it. Xerxes was the High King over Israel. Remember, Israel was a football kicked back and forth between teams. That’s probably important.
Which kingdom was this one? Remember what Daniel learned in his visions? Like the one of the big statue in chapter 2.
The kingdom of Babylon was the head of gold.
What was next? Chest and arms of silver.
We said that was probably the Medes and the Persians. Look at verse 2.
“At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa...”
Susa was in Persia. Modern day Iran. Xerxes was the grandson of King Cyrus of the Medes and Persians. The one who conquered Babylon the night of Belshazzar’s Feast. Remember that from Daniel chapter 5?
King Cyrus had a daughter named “Atossa” and a son-in-law named “King Darius the Great” who built up a great winter fortress in Susa. And King Darius and Atossa had a son named “Xerxes,” and he took over and ruled over a vast kingdom.
But not every country was in his domain. Can you guess which nation he was unsuccessful in defeating?
Remember Daniel’s statue? The belly and thighs of bronze? Which we said looked to probably correspond to the Kingdom of Greece. The land of Socrates (who born about this time), the land of Pythagorus (with his famous algebraic equation. He had already lived and died by this time). And the land of Herodotus the historian who wrote a lot about Xerxes in his book about the Greco-Persian wars.
Xerxes wanted to conquer Greece. In fact, that might have been what his banquet was all about.
And what a banquet it was! Look at verse 3.
“At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, and in the third year of his reign [probably 483BC] he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present. For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty” (vv.2-4).
We’re supposed to be impressed.
That is one long party! A banquet that lasted 180 days. That’s six months!
The word translated “banquet” in verse 3 (and v.5) is “mishteh,” and it shows up more in Esther than anywhere else in the whole Bible. The storyteller uses it 20 times these short chapter, and it only shows up 44 times in the whole Bible! Nearly half of them are right here in the tale of Esther.
The whole story turns on what happens at these “mishteh,” banquets or “feasts.” There are like 10 banquets in these 10 chapters, and every one is entertaining and important to the story. Whenever there is a banquet, pay attention!
This is the longest one, and it has all of these military people at it which leads a lot of readers to think that this is a political rally to get Xerxes’ armies all psyched up to go attack Greece. For six months, they party. Maybe that’s an exaggeration? Maybe they work some and party some, but the whole festival is six months? I don’t know.
I do know that this party was an extravaganza!
“For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty.”
And when that party was over, he threw another party! Verse 5.
It is possible that this is the actual banquet referred to in verse 3 which came after the display of wealth. It’s hard to say for certain if there are one or two banquets. In the end, it doesn’t really matter.
“When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king's palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest, who were in the citadel of Susa. The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry [red feldspar?], marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones” (vv.5-6). Stop there for a second.
Do you see the ostentation?
Do you feel the opulence?
Do you see the glitz?
This banquet isn’t kingdom-wide. It’s at home in Susa. And the king has opened up the doors of the palace to anybody in town. Thousands of people. Everybody was welcome for seven days to come check out this palace.
They have the latest and the greatest stuff!
They have couches made of gold!
Couches made of silver.
That word “couch” means “couch.” Like a thing you sit on with pillows. They had so many of these, the historian Herodotus says that after the Persians left Greece in defeat, they left behind gold couches that they forgot. Not coins or statues, but couches (Cosper, pg. 3)! Golden couches!
Now, before we go much further, I’ve got to warn us all to be careful.
Don’t get too impressed here.
Xerxes was trying to impress everybody in the kingdom. And it’s easy to fall right into it. I mean, just imagine walking through this party especially if you are a normal person with a normal house, and you see all of this wealth on display. Wow. Wow. Wow!
But think for a second about where this wealth came from. Nearly all of it came from unnecessary violence. From war. From setting out to conquer other kingdoms and bring back the plunder and start collecting the taxes of tribute.
Yes, it’s sumptuous, but it’s also blood-soaked. And it’s so exorbitant. It’s so excessive. Yuck.
The music was bumping. The wine was flowing. Look how much wine. Verse 7.
“Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from 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 in his own way, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished” (vv.7-8).
No two goblets were same! And everybody could drink as much as they wanted. The bar never closed. I think the point of verse 8 is that they didn’t have to drink just when the king drank. Often the rule was, if the king is drinking, you’re drinking. And when the king is not drinking, you’re not drinking. But this time, the king said, “Don’t pay attention to me. Drink as much as you want, guys. The only law here is you’ve got to drink all that you desire."
What could go wrong? A bunch of men drinking as much as they want for a whole week. King Ahasuerus was showing off.
I think we’re going to soon see that the story of this banquet is a story of foolishness.
So I have three points of wisdom that I think we can glean from Esther chapter 1, and here’s the first one:
#1. DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE BIG SHOW.
Not everything that glitters is gold. And even real gold isn’t all that important in the grand scheme of things. (In heaven, we’ll walk on the stuff!)
The world tries to convince of us its greatness.
With whatever is big.
Whatever is flashy.
Whatever is expensive.
Social media makes things look great, and then you order something online, and it’s so disappointing when it comes, right? Politicians make big promises and say how wonderful they are and wonderful everything is going to be if we just for vote for them. Influencers show off their homes and cars and girlfriends and boyfriends and piles of cash. Celebrities with their record deals. Athletes with their clothing contracts.
The world is trying to sell us something. We need to be wary, Church.
Xerxes was trying to impress everybody, but he was not a great man.
Who are you tempted to be impressed by and why? Not somebody else. Don’t think about the mistake they’re making. Look at yourself and your own heart. Who are you tempted to be impressed by and why?
This creeps into the church, too. We get impressed by the big church, the mega church, the pastor who is clever and sharp, with the best social media presence. The most exciting sermons. The worship band that really bumps or whatever the kids say today. The most books sold. No matter what’s in them. The most “followers.”
Don’t be impressed by the big show.
This feast reminds me of Belshazzar’s feast from Daniel chapter 5. That’s the day that Xerxes’ granddad killed Belshazzar of Babylon and took over his kingdom.
What were they doing that day? Drinking it up. Acting as if the LORD did not exist. Are these people thinking about the LORD? No way. He’s the furthest thing from their mind. “Where is God?”
All they can think about is money and power and drink and probably sex.
Because here’s what comes next.
By way, if you know this story, and most of us do, try to pretend like you don’t, while we read it. Try to think what it was like to hear this story told to you for the very first time. So you don’t know what’s going to happen next.
The next thing is the Queen. And her name is not Queen Esther. Her name is Queen Vashti. She, too, is giving a banquet. Verse 9
“Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.”
We don’t know much about her. She may be the same woman Herodotus names as “Queen Amestris” in his history books, but it’s not for sure.
At this point, this woman was the leading lady of Ahasuerus’s harem, and the queen of Persia, and she was beautiful.
Some scholars believe that this banquet was a wedding banquet meant to celebrate Xerxes and Vashti’s marriage. That’s possible, but it doesn’t say. What it does say is that King Xerxes wanted Queen Vashti to leave the banquet for the women and come over to the banquet for the men.
Who had been drinking. And drinking. And drinking.
Including the king himself. Look at verse 10.
“On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him–Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas–to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at” (vv.10-11).
Xerxes was drunk.
“High in spirits from wine.” The CSB says, “feeling good from wine.”
Oh yeah. Not the best time to be making big decisions. But Xerxes did. He decided to call in his staff, seven eunuchs who served him. And, yes, they were mostly likely castrated so that they could be considered “safe” around the harem. Xerxes was a brutal king. He was not afraid to abuse and use people.
He calls these seven guys to him. They all have hard-to-pronounce names, and many scholars that I read this week say that’s on purpose to bring out the comedic effect. The storyteller might have even changed their names for the book to make everybody giggle when they heard them.
And it’s also comedic that the king sends seven guys to collect one queen. Like so much else in this story, it’s outrageous overkill. It’s going to take seven guys to bring back Vashti.
But what’s not funny is why he wants her over there. He wants to show her off. He wants to “display her beauty” to a bunch of drunk men. I don’t think that’s anything like the beauty of a bride on her wedding day. This is most likely showing off how “smoking hot” his trophy wife is.
This is making her an object. It is probably degrading, insulting, humiliating. Treating his queen just like all of his other property. He wants to use her as further proof of his greatness. He wants everyone in the kingdom to envy him. And it’s an assault on her dignity.
Many Jewish readers came to believe (though it doesn’t say this outright), that verse 11 implies that Xerxes wanted Vashti to appear at this banquet wearing only her royal crown. Which was probably a high turban.
Xerxes was not a good king. He was not a good husband. He was not a good man.
Don’t be impressed by the big show.
Now, pretend for a second that you don’t know what happens in verse 12. What would the reader expect to happen? Given what we’ve heard so far. This king rules from India to Ethiopia. He has just shown everybody what “great king” he is. What do you expect to happen?
The queen will obey. Right? She will obey her summons and follow, maybe be carried by, the seven eunuchs from the women’s banquet to the men’s banquet and perform whatever duty the “great” king requires.
But that’s not what happened! Verse 12.
“But when the attendants delivered the king's command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.”
We don’t know why she said, “No.” The Bible doesn’t tell us. Perhaps she didn’t want to be treated like a showgirl. Maybe she was sick. Perhaps she didn’t feel safe. Maybe she was making a point. We don’t know.
It certainly was a gutsy move. She was taking a big risk because she was bringing “shame” on King Xerxes in the thousands of eyes of his guests.
And, boy, did he hate that! He got so angry. So angry, that he didn’t...go and talk to her and solve this problem in their marriage.
He called his buddies together and treated it as problem for the whole nation. Look at verse 13.
“Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times and were closest to the king–Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom” (vv.13-140).
I think we’re supposed to giggle at those names, too.
Seven more men. These are “wise men,” perhaps astrologers and lawyers and (definitely) politicians because they told him what he wanted to hear.
By the way, in this book, King Ahasuerus almost never makes any decision without consulting someone else. He can never make up his mind on his own. He has no moral compass. Sadly, Daniel has been dead for nearly fifty years, so he’s not in this bunch of advisors. And the king does not get good counsel. V.15
“‘According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?’ he asked. ‘She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.’”
Often a bad sign when they start talking about themselves in the third person.
These “wise men” are in a difficult position. The best advice would be for them to encourage the king to repent. To see his mistakes here. To sober up and apologize to the queen for putting her in that position.
But that’s...not what they say. Look at verse 16.
“Then Memucan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, ‘Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, 'King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come. This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen's conduct will respond to all the king's nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.’"
The kingdom will fall apart!
"‘Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. Then when the king's edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest’” (vv.16-20).
This is terrible advice.
Memucan is trying to convince Xerxes that this will make their society fall a part if the word gets out that Vashti has shamed him like this. So he suggests that they spread the word that...Vashti has shamed him like this! What?!
And he tries to convince the king to make a law that cannot be revoked–as if the king couldn’t make a mistake in making a law–that Vashti will be banished from the king’s presence. [Which by the way, might have suited her just fine. That’s what she wanted, right? She didn’t want to see him. Even though it came with a demotion, effectively a divorce. Notice that he’s not called “queen” in verse 19. Just “Vashti” now.[
And, interestingly, if Vashti is to be equated with Queen Amestris, then if Herodotus’s history is right, she must have risen back to power after the death or fall of Esther. We don’t know. The Bible doesn’t say what happened to these folks after chapter 10.
And if he makes this law, then “all the women in the kingdom will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”
Sure! That’s what will happen. Just because there is a law on the books, all the wives are going to do what Vashti did not do. It doesn’t make any sense. How are you going to enforce that one?
He’s trying to save face by legislating respect without earning it.
So, of course, Xerxes loved the idea!
“Great idea, Memucan! Yes, yes, let’s do that.”
I think that Memucan might have had trouble at home, himself, and was hoping that this would fix things there (Chuck Swindoll raises this idea in his book on Esther).
Memucan definitely was sending the message, “The men of Persia will love you for this, O king.” (This idea was raised by Mike Cosper in his book, pg. 8). Look at verse 21.
“The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memucan proposed. He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, proclaiming in each people's tongue that every man should be ruler over his own household” (vv.21-22).
There. We told them!
Here’s lesson number two for this foolish banquet:
#2. DON’T BE FOOLED INTO THINKING THAT YOU’RE IN CONTROL.
Xerxes was not in control. He might have thought he was, but he was no such thing.
He wasn’t in control of himself. He was drunk and making bad decisions.
He wasn’t in control of his wife. He didn’t earn her respect and couldn’t command it.
He wasn’t in control of his kingdom. You can’t make the kingdom respect you by making up some law that says they must. You can’t buy everybody’s love either.
He wasn’t in control of his life or his destiny.
What he did made him look weak, ineffective, and silly.
He was a joke. As the story goes, “The emperor had no clothes.”
Don’t be fooled into thinking that you are in control. And don’t try to seize control of things you can’t and shouldn’t.
Some people (especially certain types of guys) read verse 22 and say, “That doesn’t sound so bad. ‘Every man should be rule over his own household.’” Just sounds like “biblical manhood” to me.
But the Bible never tells Christian husbands to subject their wives. The Bible never tells Christian husband to make their wives submit to them.
Yes, it tells Christian wives to submit to their Christian husbands as unto the Lord (Ephesians 5:22).
But it never says that the husband is supposed to seize control. He’s supposed to love his wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her (see Ephesians 5:26). That’s biblical headship!
Xerxes wasn’t saying that to the men of Persia. He was saying that women are second class citizens if they are citizens at all. Women are just objects to be used and abused and consumed. Property to be shown off. Prizes to be won and enjoyed. Women are something to control.
Brothers, don’t be fooled. Sisters, don’t fall for it.
Women are to be cherished.
Women are to be respected.
Women are to be honored.
Wives are to die for.
Because our King, King Jesus, didn’t kill to get His glorious majestic wealth.
Our King, King Jesus, was killed to give us His wealth.
And our King, King Jesus has given us the model to follow.
Now, we’ve gotten to the end of chapter one, and we haven’t even yet met anyone named Esther. The storyteller hasn’t even mentioned the Jews yet. Much less God. It’s just been these pagans with their pagan king and their pagan queen and their pagan drinking party.
So where is God?
Where is God at the king’s banquet?
Is He here? Nobody has mentioned him. If He’s here in this story, He is hidden.
I think that’s it. He is here, but He’s hidden. Lesson number three and last:
#3. DON’T BE FOOLED INTO THINK THAT THE HIDDENNESS OF GOD MEANS HE’S MISSING.
God is not AWOL. Ahasuerus is not in control of his story.
Whoever is telling the story is in control of his story.
I wonder who is telling the story?
Isn’t it interesting that now the king has a new problem? He’s going to wake up one day and realize that now he doesn’t have a queen. There’s a vacancy in his organization...near the top! What’s he going to do about that?
And is it possible that Someone Who hasn’t been named in this story is moving everybody around for His own purposes? Behind the scenes, so to speak?
Is it possible that Someone is not interfering with signs and wonders and miracles but is just nudging everything and everyone into place for His own glory and the relief and deliverance of His people?
I wonder.
Is it possible that Someone is taking into account even the foolish choices of a drunk king and the dangerous choices of his previous queen and the stupid counsel of his seven dummies (I mean wise men). Taking all of that into account and weaving it into a story that will astonish and delight people in Pennsylvania 2,500 years later?
Maybe Someone is not missing. He’s just hidden right there in plain sight.
