[Stuff we're skipping:
* The reading of the Law caused all the people to confess their sins in public and worship God. And we get a synopsis of God's history with the people of Israel. After the confession of the guilt of their fathers, they all signed a covenant with God. The people decided who was going to live in Jerusalem and the neighboring cities. Then the Levites were called to bless the people and dedicate the walls of Jerusalem.
* We also get a weird story of how the priest, Eliashib set up a room for Tobiah IN the Temple. Nehemiah had it all cleared out, though, when he found out. He also made sure that the Levites had enough food distributed to them from the offerings. They also weren't honoring the Sabbath, allowing merchants to come into to Jerusalem to sell fish and stuff. So, Nehemiah ordered to have the gates to Jerusalem locked on the Sabbath and threatened to beat any merchants who tried to sell their stuff on the Sabbath. He also had to beat a couple of people for marrying foreigners. This Nehemiah didn't mess around.]
1. Ahaseurus is also referred to as Xerxes. I’m going to go with that name. This guy was powerful. He ruled from Africa to India…all over. I don’t know if he was super-tall and had a deep voice like he did in “300,” but he was still a mad mamma jamma.
2. Dude threw a party for half a year, showing off how cool he was. Wow.
3. Then he throws a banquet-to-end-all-banquets. This guy liked to party and show off. Free alchohol for everyone. Whatever they wanted.
4. His queen, Vashti also threw a banquet for the ladies. We don’t hear about any intoxication of craziness at that party.
5. And then a drunk Xerxes decides that he wants to show off his “trophy wife.” Drunk guys usually don’t have the best ideas.
6. She says no. Wow. I wonder if it was because she was in a bad mood or because she was sick of being treated like a piece of meat.
7. I love how Xerxes doesn’t even know the rules…he has to ask his “wise men.”
8. I love the reasoning of the wise men…all the women are going to revolt now because they will have heard of Vashti’s rebellion. He he he…funny. My wife wouldn’t need the queen to say no first.
9. So…her punishment is that she doesn’t “get” to see the king anymore? Um…isn’t that what she wanted in the first place? OK, and she won’t be queen anymore; but still…
10. Oh, and, of course, this is so that there won’t be a feminist movement starting in Persia.
11. So…a decree goes out that a man is the master of his household. You know, take all the rest of this story aside, this beginning part is pretty funny. They should make a childrens’ book about it.
Well…I don’t know what spiritual conversation can be had about this, so…
a. Do you think a man should have the right to show off his wife to other people?
b. Do you think that a wife should refuse a request (or command) of a husband if it brings shame to her?
c. What could Xerxes have done better?
