esther
Esther was a Jewish girl who became queen when she won a beauty contest designed by King Ahasuerus to find the new Queen of Persia. She then went on to save the Jewish people from being massacred as part of a plot led by Haman, the king's adviser and an anti-Semite.
This is a story about bravery and the deeds of women. Think about this: women had practically no rights than 100 years ago. Beating your wife was legal (and encouraged). Women could be sold, almost as property, as adolescents. How much rights do you think Esther and Vashti had? Yet still, they did what they knew was right.
Esther and Vashti shine as women who willingly take their life into their own hands–because they choose to stand up for what they believe in. Esther knows the truth, understands that if she tells the king, if she ‘outs’ herself, death is a strong possibility. She also knows that the lives of many other people hang on the balance of her choice; Esther is morally compelled to help those in need.
Vashti, on the other hand, is dealing with a different kind of morality. She is essentially forced to dance, and ‘entertain’ a group of strange men because her husband wants her to. Vashti, which some argue is the real heroine of the story, has a sense of self-respect that no one can weaken, including a king.
I think young people can learn a lot from the perdicament of these women.
There are things about the book of Esther that are not so great: abuse of women, the killing of people, condoned in part by Esther herself, and a few other not so nice things. But in terms of the basic theme–women standing up for their moral principles–I think the story of Esther is not so bad.
This book has shown us many things, including that God can use anyone for His glory that is willing to be used, that He is ultimately in control of all things in our lives, and He will work according to His foreknowledge to bring all things together in our lives for our best and His glory
The impact of the
This is a story about bravery and the deeds of women. Think about this: women had practically no rights than 100 years ago. Beating your wife was legal (and encouraged). Women could be sold, almost as property, as adolescents. How much rights do you think Esther and Vashti had? Yet still, they did what they knew was right.
Esther and Vashti shine as women who willingly take their life into their own hands–because they choose to stand up for what they believe in. Esther knows the truth, understands that if she tells the king, if she ‘outs’ herself, death is a strong possibility. She also knows that the lives of many other people hang on the balance of her choice; Esther is morally compelled to help those in need.
Vashti, on the other hand, is dealing with a different kind of morality. She is essentially forced to dance, and ‘entertain’ a group of strange men because her husband wants her to. Vashti, which some argue is the real heroine of the story, has a sense of self-respect that no one can weaken, including a king.
I think young people can learn a lot from the perdicament of these women.
There are things about the book of Esther that are not so great: abuse of women, the killing of people, condoned in part by Esther herself, and a few other not so nice things. But in terms of the basic theme–women standing up for their moral principles–I think the story of Esther is not so bad.
This book has shown us many things, including that God can use anyone for His glory that is willing to be used, that He is ultimately in control of all things in our lives, and He will work according to His foreknowledge to bring all things together in our lives for our best and His glory
The impact of the