Bad Men in Charge - ESTHER START
The world has always had a number of bad men in charge. These men have usually seen fit to glorify themselves at the expense and/or embarrassment of others without much thought. Take for instance the beginning of the story of Esther. We often focus on Mordecai and her efforts to save the Jews but we should take a long look at chapter 1 which underscores the culture into which both of these "heroes" of faith found themselves. It was a culture of chauvinistic dominance at the hands of the Persian king, Xerxes (Ahasuerus). Esther 1:1–4 (ESV) Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, 2 in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, 3 in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, 4 while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatn...