Esther 1:18

Letters to the Faithful - Esther 1:18

Berean Standard Bible

This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s conduct will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in much contempt and wrath.

King James Bible

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.

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Beloved in Christ, let us consider together the weight and wisdom of a single verse tucked into the royal courts of an ancient empire—a verse that reveals not only the drama of palace politics but the deeper truth about influence, order, and the trembling power of disobedience. We read of Queen Vashti’s refusal to obey the king’s command, and the officials’ urgent warning: that her act would not stay confined to the palace but would echo across the provinces, stirring rebellion in the hearts of other women, and threatening the order of the kingdom.

On the surface, this is a moment of royal scandal. A queen defies her husband’s command during a public feast, and the court panics. But beneath that headline lies a powerful apostolic lesson: influence, once misaligned, becomes a multiplier of disobedience. Rebellion, when modeled by the visible, quickly takes root among the watching multitude. This is not merely a tale about a queen and a king; it is a revelation about spiritual authority, alignment, and the dangerous ripple effect of prideful resistance.

You see, Vashti was not just any woman. She held position. She bore title. She lived in proximity to the highest throne in the land. And with that position came power—not just to serve, but to shape. Her actions had consequence beyond herself. When she refused to appear before the king, it was more than a personal decision—it was a public message. The concern of the wise men was not only that she disobeyed, but that others would see it, hear of it, and imitate it. This is the sobering reality of influence: it is never isolated. What leaders tolerate, followers imitate. What the visible model, the hidden mimic. What the prominent excuse, the private normalize.

So, the Spirit asks us today: what messages are we sending through our example? What kind of patterns are we establishing by our behavior, our words, our reactions to authority? Are we walking in submission or seeding rebellion? Are we honoring the order of heaven, or casually undermining it in the name of self-expression? Vashti’s refusal was not just a breach of etiquette—it was a breach of alignment. She disconnected from the voice that had granted her position, and in doing so, she lost her seat at the table of influence.

In the body of Christ, many desire royal garments without kingdom submission. Many want the crown of visibility but not the yoke of responsibility. We live in a culture that glorifies personal autonomy but resists divine order. Yet Scripture teaches us that the kingdom of God operates on alignment—on mutual submission, on delegated authority, on honor flowing in both directions. Where alignment is broken, influence turns toxic. And what begins as a personal decision soon becomes a public contagion.

The court’s fear was prophetic, even if their politics were flawed: “The queen’s behavior will become known.” This, beloved, is the burden of the visible. If you carry spiritual authority—whether as a pastor, a parent, a teacher, or simply as one who bears the name of Christ—you are being watched. Your submission or defiance sets a precedent. Your humility or pride sets a tone. You may think your choices are private, but in the Spirit, there is no such thing. What you model, others will multiply.

But hear this too: the purpose of influence is not control—it is cultivation. The king wanted Vashti to come forth in glory, to display beauty, to bring honor to the crown. In a spiritual sense, we are all called to respond when the King calls us forth—to reflect His glory, to step out of comfort when summoned, to honor His voice above our preference. Vashti resisted the summons. She valued her pride more than her position. She let offense silence obedience. And in doing so, she forfeited her future.

Let this be a warning to us. When the King calls, we must come. When the Spirit prompts, we must respond. When the Word confronts, we must yield. We must not harden our hearts in the palace of comfort. We must not say “no” when heaven says “come forth.” Disobedience delays destiny. Pride aborts purpose. And those who refuse the call may find the crown passed to another.

Indeed, that is exactly what happened. The place Vashti vacated became the platform for Esther. And here lies a glorious hope. Though rebellion may arise, though disobedience may echo, God always preserves a remnant who will walk in humility and courage. Where one disqualifies herself through pride, another steps in through surrender. Where one refuses the call, another answers with fasting and trembling. Esther would rise—not because she sought promotion, but because she embraced preparation. She did not grasp for the crown—she was made ready for it through process, obedience, and alignment.

So I ask you, church: are you ready to answer when the King summons? Will you come forth, not in vanity, but in reverence? Will you use your influence not to fracture, but to fortify the walls of truth and order? Will you model submission that produces safety, and honor that begets unity?

The hour is urgent. The palace is watching. The remnant is waiting. The spirit of Vashti still whispers, telling us we can do as we please, that submission is outdated, that obedience is optional. But the Spirit of Christ is calling a bride who will not resist His voice, who will rise when summoned, who will carry the weight of holy influence with joy and reverence.

Let us not be known for rebellion that spreads, but for obedience that multiplies. Let our lives send a message to every watching soul: that we are not our own, that we belong to the King, and that when He calls, we come running.

Amen.

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Almighty and Everlasting God, ruler of heaven and earth, we approach You with holy reverence, acknowledging that You alone are sovereign, and Your order is perfect. You establish kings and remove them. You exalt the humble and resist the proud. Your wisdom governs the universe, and Your Word brings light to every darkened heart. We bow before You now, not in the pretense of ritual, but in desperate longing—for discernment, for alignment, for a deeper walk of holiness and obedience to Your voice.

Lord, we have heard the echo of ancient rebellion in our own times. We have seen what happens when those in positions of influence resist their divine summons, when pride takes the place of humility, and when personal preference overrules divine purpose. We remember Queen Vashti’s refusal—not as a moment frozen in ancient court history, but as a mirror held before our generation. We have seen, and we grieve, that the spirit of resistance does not remain isolated. The behavior of the prominent becomes a model for the many. The spirit of defiance, once loosed from a high place, travels like wildfire among the people. And so we come before You, interceding not only for ourselves, but for every sphere touched by influence—for homes, for churches, for leadership in all its forms.

Forgive us, O Lord, for the times when we have disregarded Your voice. Forgive us when we have refused to appear before You when You summoned us, preferring our comfort to Your calling, our pride to Your purpose, our self-will to Your design. We confess that far too often, we have desired visibility without accountability, authority without submission, and recognition without responsibility. Like Vashti, we have underestimated the power of our example. We have treated our influence as personal possession instead of sacred trust. We have allowed our refusal to become a stumbling block to others. We have modeled autonomy when we should have modeled obedience. Cleanse us, Father, from every root of pride, from every inclination to rebellion, from every whisper of the enemy that tells us we are above correction or immune to consequence.

Today we intercede for those in high places—for every leader, every spiritual authority, every voice in the public square, every servant in Your house. We ask for a spirit of holy fear to grip their hearts. May they not act according to the flesh, nor respond from offense, but may they be governed by the wisdom that comes from above—pure, peaceable, full of mercy and good fruit. May those who carry visibility also carry accountability. May those who walk in influence also walk in the fear of the Lord. Where defiance has taken root, uproot it by Your Spirit. Where dishonor has crept in subtly, expose it by Your light. Where disobedience has masqueraded as empowerment, bring holy clarity and repentance.

Lord, we also cry out for the watchers—the many who are influenced by the actions of the few. Protect their hearts from confusion. Guard them from adopting rebellion as normal. Raise up voices of truth that call them back to Your Word. Let Your Spirit disrupt the spread of dishonor. Replace offense with honor. Replace cynicism with reverence. Let the spirit of humility sweep through the body of Christ like a cleansing wind. May the culture of Your Kingdom be reestablished in every gathering of believers: where submission is not weakness but strength, where obedience is not bondage but freedom, and where correction is received not with resentment but with gratitude.

Father, do not let the example of disobedience define this generation. Let it not be said of us that we caused others to stumble because we would not yield. Let our influence be a channel of blessing, not a source of division. Let our visibility point people to Your character, not to our own agendas. Teach us to tremble at Your Word again. Teach us to be faithful in hidden places, so that we may be trustworthy in visible ones. Let Your voice be louder than the voices of culture, of pride, of fear.

And now, O Righteous Judge, we ask You to raise up a new kind of example—those like Esther, who step into difficult places with courage and humility; who answer the call when summoned; who seek not personal glory but the welfare of Your people; who walk in wisdom, not presumption; who are covered in grace and clothed in honor. Let their obedience become the new pattern. Let their faithfulness become the new standard. Let their lives inspire others to rise—not in defiance, but in devotion.

Give us the courage to say yes when You call. Give us the discernment to recognize our hour. Give us the grace to model submission in a generation trained to rebel. May our lives, both in word and in action, bring healing to the breaches caused by the sins of pride and presumption. May the fragrance of obedience rise again from Your people and be pleasing in Your sight.

We give You all the glory, Lord. All influence belongs to You. All honor returns to You. All power flows from You. May Your name be exalted, and may our lives be living testimonies of surrendered influence. In the name of the Lamb who was obedient unto death, and whom You have highly exalted—our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.