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For Such A Time as This Prologue Mirror Mirror on the wall, Who's the Fairest of them All?
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For Such A Time as This... Prologue: Mirror Mirror on the wall, Who's the Fairest of them All?
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. (Proverbs 31:30, New King James Version)
It is said that "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." However, in today's society that is obsessed with youth and beauty, the media tells us what we should think of as beauty. I am reminded of an old "Twilight Zone" episode called "The Eye of the Beholder". The young woman in the story was born with a deformity and she is going to doctors to have plastic surgery, trying to make herself look normal so she could live a normal life in society. Through out the show you are never able to see any one's face. The doctor is removing the bandages to see if the last procedure is successful; all the while he is telling the woman that this is her last chance. He tells her that they have done all that modern medicine can do to correct her face and if the procedure is not successful, she will be banished to what amounts to a leper colony with other people with her condition.
As the bandages fall away from her face, the attendants gasp with horror, and the doctor tells the young woman that sadly the procedure was not successful. She will need to be sent out of society to live with other's of her kind. The young woman pleads not to be sent away, that she would hide her face and not be a bother to any one, but the doctor tells her that it is the only way, because she cannot live in this society with her kind of deformity, it was too horrible to behold. The camera finally pans to the young woman's face and you see that she is what we would consider beautiful. However, the camera then shows the doctor and nurses faces and we see a face that what we would consider ugly and disfigured. It is then we are told that in this society what we would consider as ugly, is normal and beautiful, but what we recognize as beauty is deformity. The young woman is distraught as she is banished to live with others of her kind. A young man comes to take her away to live with his colony, he is handsome by our standards and he tells her that everything is going to be okay. However, you go away from this thought provoking episode thinking, just what is beauty anyway?
The media would tell us that beauty is a woman or a man with a certain body fat percentage, sculpted muscles, a symmetrical face, a particular body type and wear a size two. Hollywood and the fashion industry make a living telling us what beauty is. They sell us creams for aging, surgery, liposuction, diet aids, quick and easy methods (expensive methods) of how to be more youthful, outwardly attractive and dare I say beautiful; we buy into it, hook line and sinker. However, I wonder, is the outward appearance the only standard for beauty or is there another measure to decide what is true beauty. Is beauty only skin deep, or is true beauty more than what we can just see with our eyes? My mother all ways told me, "Pretty is, as Pretty does." and the Bible tells us that, beauty is more about who we are, than what we look like.
As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion. (Proverbs 11:22, New King James Version)
This is a story of two queens, both beautiful woman by the standards of the society in which they lived. Both women were the wife of King Ahasuerus of Persia, a very powerful man.
Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this was the Ahasuerus who reigned over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India to Ethiopia), in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the citadel, that in the third year of his reign he made a feast for all his officials and servants—the powers of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the princes of the provinces being before him— when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his excellent majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days in all.
(Esther 1:1-4, New King James Version)
The King is showing off his greatness to everyone in the kingdom. He has brought everyone for a feast of wine, food and song to show off his wealth. It is quite a party.
And when these days were completed, the king made a feast lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Shushan the citadel, from great to small, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. There were white and blue linen curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver rods and marble pillars; and the couches were of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of alabaster, turquoise, and white and black marble. And they served drinks in golden vessels, each vessel being different from the other, with royal wine in abundance, according to the generosity of the king. In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had ordered all the officers of his household, that they should do according to each man’s pleasure. (Esther 1:5-8, New King James Version)
The Queen is also hosting a separate banquet in the palace for the women of the realm.
Queen Vashti also made a feast for the women in the royal palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus. (Esther 1:9, New King James Version)
Everything was going well and the king was making merry with his cohorts when he makes a demand that we will soon see has life altering consequences for all involved.
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold. (Esther 1:10-11, New King James Version)
After a seven day drinking binge, the King decided he wanted to show off his beautiful Queen to everyone at the banquet. Now, before you condemn Vashti for what she does next, think about what the king was asking her to do and put yourself in her shoes. The king just asked that his queen be paraded about in front of all the men in attendance wearing her royal crown so he could show off his trophy wife to the princes in attendance. Everyone had been drinking for seven days straight, they were very drunk and probably unruly.
But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs; therefore the king was furious, and his anger burned within him.
(Esther 1:12, New King James Version)
I am not saying Vashti's refusal to do what the King commanded was the right or the wrong thing to do, however, what she did, had consequences she could not have foreseen. These consequences would later prove to be the very way that God would provide salvation for his people from an enemy that had not yet presented himself. God's sovereignty prevailed in the drunken rage of a potentate, the decision of his beautiful queen and in the counsel the king was given by his advisers.
Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times (for this was the king’s manner toward all who knew law and justice, those closest to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who had access to the king’s presence, and who ranked highest in the kingdom): “What shall we do to Queen Vashti, according to law, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus brought to her by the eunuchs?”
(Esther 1:13-15, New King James Version)
It is quite possible that Vashti was over confident in her own beauty and was over confident in how that beauty affected the King. In her refusal to submit to the king's command, she exhibited a defiance that would prove to be her undoing.
And Memucan answered before the king and the princes: “Queen Vashti has not only wronged the king, but also all the princes, and all the people who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For the queen’s behavior will become known to all women, so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes, when they report, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in before him, but she did not come.’ This very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media will say to all the king’s officials that they have heard of the behavior of the queen. Thus there will be excessive contempt and wrath. (Esther 1:16-18, New King James Version)
The kings advisers told the king that Vashti's behavior in her defiance to come at the king's command, if left unpunished, would be a model for all the other women in the realm. This would cause discord and all the women would think they had the right to refuse their husband's commands. Now, I know what you are thinking, but remember that Paul in Ephesians chapter 5 and the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter Chapter 3 both admonished christian wives to be submissive to their husbands as unto the Lord without fear so that the name of Christ will not be blasphemed. Peter also admonished Christian women not to merely be concerned with their outward appearance, but to focus on being beautiful and holy in conduct which God prizes as true beauty.
Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. (1 Peter 3:1-6, New King James Version)
Vashti's refusal to the king's commands had great consequences for her.
If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it will not be altered, that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. When the king’s decree which he will make is proclaimed throughout all his empire (for it is great), all wives will honor their husbands, both great and small.”
(Esther 1:19-20, New King James Version)
Vashti was given a royal divorce for her refusal to obey the king's command, no longer would she be called into the king's presence. In addition, she would be replaced by someone more worthy of the position than she.
And the reply pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan. Then he sent letters to all the king’s provinces, to each province in its own script, and to every people in their own language, that each man should be master in his own house, and speak in the language of his own people. (Esther 1:21-22, New King James Version)
Once the king made a proclamation, it was law and could not be reversed. After the king was no longer angry, he remembered what he had done and he may have regretted his haste in his judgement, but it was too late for Vashti, she lost her position as queen. These events would set off a life changing set of circumstances for another beautiful woman as the king's advisers go about replacing Vashti with a new Queen.
After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus subsided, he remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what had been decreed against her. Then the king’s servants who attended him said: “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king; and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan the citadel, into the women’s quarters, under the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, custodian of the women. And let beauty preparations be given them. (Esther 2:1-3, New King James Version)
Vashti's behavior and refusal to be submissive to her husband was the reason she lost her position. We should remember that beauty is as beauty does. It is not our outward appearance that makes us beautiful or ugly, but the way we act. I have seen some beautiful people in this world, but their behavior made them ugly and not someone I would choose to be around. There have been others who were not as pleasing to look upon based on the beauty standard of our society, but whose godly spirit was so beautiful and loving, they made everyone who came around them see them as beautiful. The outward appearance is important, we should dress appropriately and make ourselves presentable. However, we should not neglect the inward beauty of a godly life in a pursuit of being outwardly beautiful. Proverbs 31 reminds us of what we all should strive to become, (men and women alike) so that we an become beautiful in God's eyes.
Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
She considers a field and buys it;
From her profits she plants a vineyard.
She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
“ Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates. (Proverbs 31:10-31, New King James Version)
Let us pray:
My gracious and most precious Heavenly Father,
I come before you today and ask that you forgive me those times when I focused more on my outward appearance than on the way I behave. Lord help me to live a life that is pleasing in your sight, a life of holy reverence of you. Help me to be close and clean before you, treat others with the respect I desire for myself and to love them with the Love of God in my heart. Help me to be kind and loving to all I meet and help me to exhibit the Love of Christ in my daily walk. Lord I love you, help me to love you more and be more like Jesus. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
Today's Scripture:
Esther chapter 1
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Esther+1+&version=NKJV&src=embed
Proverbs 31: 10-31
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+31%3A10-31&version=NKJV&src=embed
1 Peter 3: 1-6
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A1-6&version=NKJV&src=embed
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Your article is quite timely for our cultural "me, me, me" agenda. You have presented some very good thoughts. A tip: breaking up your article into two separate ones would make for a smoother reading. My interest waned when scanning through the long sentences also. Quotes are sorely needed to spruce up the read and double check for typos and misspellings. (throughout instead of through out, and anyone instead of any one). Blessings and keep writing!
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