Queen Esther

In the Old Testament, there is a story about a Jewish maiden who is taken out of her known world and placed in the King's palace as a possible wife. Her name is Hadassah (Hebrew) or Esther (Persian) meaning hidden.

To set the stage, the Jewish people had been conquered by the Persians and taken as captives. The King of Persia had just rid himself of his former queen for her disobedience and requested that his servants assemble the most beautiful maidens from the land, so he could choose another wife. Esther was chosen as one of these maidens. She was taken from her home where she lived with her cousin/guardian, Mordecai. Neither the servants nor the King realized that Esther was Jewish, and fearing for her safety, Mordecai admonished Esther to keep her heritage a secret.

From all the selected maidens, the King chose Esther as his new queen citing her extraordinary beauty and grace. Now enters Haman. Not only is he the King's prime minister, but he is also a trusted friend of the King. He hates the Jewish people and systematically fills the King's ear with bad reports about the captives. When Haman feels that the King is 'well-oiled', Haman suggests that the all the people of Israel be put to death so as to rid Persia of there cunning and deceit. The King consents.

Terrified for her people, Esther secretly reports to Mordecai Haman's plot and asks that all her people fast and pray for the next three days. After the fast, Queen Esther appears in the King's throne room. Courtly regulations forbid anyone appearing before the King without an invitation; even the Queen, but the King is pleased that Esther has come to him and invites her to speak.

Esther invites the King and Haman to a banquet in their honor. Pleased the King accepts. At the end of this banquet, Queen Esther invites both the King and Haman to another banquet the following day, and it is at this banquet that the Queen reveals her heritage and the manipulative plot of Haman.

The King immediately orders that Haman be put to death. Her people are given favor in Persia and live in peace and prosperity in Persia.

The two Queens, Vashti and Esther, represent the two most important women of the Bible. Vashti represents the fallen woman, Eve, and Esther represents the redemptive woman, Mary. Satan, represented by Haman is still whispering in the King's ear - Ladies. But his time is short. We shall prevail.

" And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery. And another portent appeared in heaven; behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems upon his heads. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, that he might devour her child when she brought it forth; she brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which to be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days." Revelation 1:1-6 RSV