MEMORISE:

For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. Acts 1:20

READ: Esther 1:10-19.

10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,

11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.

12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment:

14 And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)

15 What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?

16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.

17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.

18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.

19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.

MESSAGE:

One truth that everyone should embrace is that God always has substitutes. More often than not, the substitutes are always better than the recipients of the original mandate.

If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she. Esther 1:19

The above Scriptural passage was the genesis of the replacement of Queen Vashti in our Bible reading of today.

When a person feels too big to obey God’s instruction, he or she is not fit for the Lord’s use. Pride, stubbornness and rebellion are kinsmen in family of the works of the flesh, with witchcraft as their first cousin (1 Samuel 15:22-23, Galatians 5:19-21).

There are a lot of lessons we can learn from the story of King Ahasuerus and Vashi. One, Vashi should have known that she could only remain queen as long as she continued to please the king. Two, the portions of Scripture that declare the man as the head of the family are still valid to date. Three, the queen was supposed to be with the king on the throne as at the time he needed her.

A lesson to learn from King Ahasuerus on the other hand, is that advise on domestic household matters should not be sought from official quarters, for example, colleagues. It was not proper for him to turn the incident of the queen’s refusal to an official matter by seeking the opinion of his ministers on how he could manage his domestic affairs. He got more than he bargained for: the recommendation of his ‘service chiefs’ made him lose a beautiful queen.

Beloved, the ultimate lesson in today’s reading is that God can replace anyone who allows pride to rule him or her. We should know that God can replace anyone who refuses to do His will, just as He replaced King Saul with David (1 Samuel 13:13-14). May we never be replaced, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER:

Father, please help me to stop anything that could eventually make you replace me, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joel 1-3.

 

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE 

  

HYMN 18:   PASS ME NOT, O GENTLE SAVIOR.

1. Pass me not, O gentle Savior,

Hear my humble cry;

While on others Thou art calling,

Do not pass me by.

o Refrain:

Savior, Savior,

Hear my humble cry,

While on others Thou art calling,

Do not pass me by.

2. Let me at Thy throne of mercy

Find a sweet relief;

Kneeling there in deep contrition,

Help my unbelief.

3. Trusting only in Thy merit,

Would I seek Thy face;

Heal my wounded, broken spirit,

Save me by Thy grace.

4. Thou the spring of all my comfort,

More than life to me,

Whom have I on earth beside Thee,

Whom in Heav’n but Thee.