Thursday, January 22, 2015

He showed his riches

Would you like to read James McNaught’s novel Sinking Sand”? click here: Sinking Sand
http://youtu.be/NK8VWcw8BOM “The Science is in!”
(The views expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
Esther 1:1–9, “Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace; Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble. And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king. And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure. Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.”

The scene for the last two historical books, that we have considered, was Jerusalem, after the Lord brought Judah back to their homeland, just as He promised seventy years before it happened. The scene for this book is in Shushan (also called Susa), the summer capital of the Persian Empire, in modern day Iran, at the northern end of the Persian Gulf, on the Ulai River. Ahasuerus, also known as Xerxes the Great (using the Greek transliteration), was the emperor of the Persian Empire. He ruled a huge kingdom that covered large areas from modern day Turkey, down to Egypt and over to India along the southern shores of the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. He decided to celebrate with his supporters and administrators. He showed his wealth to all the people who had come to see, so that they would be impressed and not tempted to betray him. He showed his wealth for 180 days then had a seven day feast. While this was happening his queen, Vashti, had a party for all the women in her part of the palace.

No comments:

Post a Comment