Esther Crowned as the Royal Queen

Esther 2:17
And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

When the wrath of the King was subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she did unto him and what was decreed against her. King’s servants advised him (Esther 2:2-4): “Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them: And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.” The King’s servants were advising him on an extravagant process in order to crown the next queen. The young virgins were to go through a purification procedure and the maiden that pleases the King was to be crowned the queen. What level of pleasing a carnal mind free of spiritual thoughts needs? No matter what the King’s servants or the King had on mind, God had a definite plan as to who should be the next queen.

There was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai, a Benjamite who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away (Esther 2:6). Mordecai had brought up Hadassah who was called Esther, his uncle’s daughter when she became an orphan. Esther was fair and beautiful to look upon. When the King’s commandment and decree was passed Esther also was brought into Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai the keeper of the women. What is interesting and worthy of our thought is that she won the favor of Hegai immediately. Esther 2:9 says, “And the maiden pleased him (Hegai), and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.”

Esther followed Mordecai’s instructions and Mordecai had charged her that she should not reveal her people or her kindred. She was a Jewess, brought as captive along with his cousin Mordecai and his family. But the King and his people did not know that she was a Jewess; she just was charged to keep it a secret and she did so. Esther was well taken care of by Mordecai and he walked daily before the court of the women’s house to know how Esther did and what happened to her. This is a great example of how to care for children either adopted or own and how the children should respect and obey their parents.

The women that were in the house were set to all manner of purifications for twelve months. When it was a woman’s turn to go before the King she was given whatever she desired. In the evening she went to the King and the morrow she returned to the second house of the women and kept under the custody of Shaashgaz another of the king's chamberlains. She went not to the King unless she was called for by name.

Now, it was Esther’s turn to go to the King during the seventh year of his reign. She desired nothing more than what Hegai appointed for her. Here as well we see Esther’s utmost simplicity in not desiring anything more than what was appointed already and yet she found favor of all of them that looked upon her. Esther 2:17 says, “And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.” What a joyous occasion it must have been for Esther and Mordecai for she was crowned the queen… An orphan and a captive crowned as queen! How wonderfully God operates in exalting the most humble. The King who was without a queen for four years was also greatly delighted to have a queen for him at last. So great was his happiness that he made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

Esther was a humble and a simple person who respected and obeyed her cousin Mordecai who took care of her. She embellished herself with simplicity and had no hint of arrogance in her. This is in contrast to Vashti who was arrogant in rejecting the King’s commandment (check yesterday’s blog) knowing fully well the King’s sovereignty, although the King was commanding in his gaiety and merriment for he had authority to do what he desired. She lost her position as a queen just because she thought she had the authority to reject King’s commandment or at least it appears she thought she had the authority that she did not have. Esther on the other hand proved herself to be a virtuous woman far worthier than rubies (Proverbs 31:10). He who humbles himself will be exalted by God. James 4:10 says “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

Tomorrow: King Held out the Golden Scepter for Esther