Ahasuerus: King of Hangovers

KING OF HEADACHES/HANGOVERS

Text: Esther 1:1-2:20

I. THE 180 DAY BANQUET OF KING HEADACHE/HANGOVER (Esther 1:1-4)

A. Ahasuerus ruled from “India [modern day Pakistan] to Ethiopia,” which is like saying to the “ends of the earth” (Esther 1:1).

1. The irony is that Ahasuerus, the “all-powerful” king cannot rule his own household (see Esther 1:22).

2. The sad irony is that Ahasuerus is a king who is ruled by wine.

3. Ahasuerus is the “omnipotent” ruler of the world who in reality is incompetent and impotent in his own flesh and household. This will present many headaches for the Jews later on when Ahasuerus issued a law decreeing the genocidal obliteration of the Jews (Esther 3).

B. The name “Ahasuerus” in Hebrew seems to have been a pun meaning “Headache.”

C. Ahasuerus was a big partier and he was the “King of Headaches” or the “King of Hangovers.”

1. Esther begins with a banquet lasting 180 days (v.4).

2. After the 180 day banquet the king gave another seven day banquet (Esther 1:5-9).

3. Ahasuerus is the antitype or the reverse of the Proverbs 31 husband (Proverbs 31:3-5).

II. THE SEVEN DAY DRINKING PARTY OF KING HEADACHE/HANGOVER (Esther 1:5-22)

A. 180 days of banqueting was not enough for Ahasuerus. Right after that he throws another lasting seven days (Esther 1:5ff.).

B. Ahasuerus’ banquets make Spring Break in Florida look like a children’s birthday party at McDonald’s. All that the Scriptures warn against drunkenness applies to Ahasuerus. King Ahasuerus/Hangover is the drunk of Scripture (cf. Proverbs 23:29-35).

1. Wine is a mocker and strong drink a brawler and whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise (Proverbs 20:1).

2. Drunkenness is associated with immorality (Romans 13:13).

3. Intoxication was the rule/command/law for Ahasuerus and therefore drinking and banquets are important to the plot of Esther (Esther 1:3,5,9; 2:18; 5:4-8,12-14; 6:14; 7:2,7,8; 8:17; 9:17-22).

C. It was in the context of partying and drunkenness that King Headache gave the command for his wife to come out and display her beauty before the people and princes (Esther 1:10-11; cf. 3:15).

1. Because the command occurred while the king’s heart was “merry with wine,” the command was likely humiliating, degrading and immoral.

2. It’s possible, although not certain, that King Headache was demanding that his wife display her beauty with only a crown on.

a. “he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days” (Esther 1:4).

b. “There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and precious stones” (Esther 1:6).

c. The king tried putting the Queen on display (Esther 1:11).

3. Clothing is an important part of Esther.

a. When Mordecai learned that the Jews were going to be annihilated he tore his clothes and put on sack cloth and ashes (4:1).

b. When Esther bravely went into the presence of the King she put on her royal robes.

c. When Mordecai was honored by the king he was clothed in a royal robe.

d. At the end of the story when Mordecai was promoted he wore royal robes of blue and white, with a large crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple (8:15).

e. Wicked Haman had his face covered and was hanged (7:8).

D. What Ahasuerus’ demanded belonged in his bedroom and not in his living room for all to see. Is our society much different from Persia’s drunken lust for immorality? (Matthew 5:27-29; 1 Timothy 2:9)

The Greek historian Herodotus said, “There is nothing in the world that travels faster than these Persian couriers.” A letter could be delivered from the capital at Shushan (Susa) 1,700 miles to Sardis in a week, by a relay of horsemen”.

E. Ahasuerus was a contemptuous man. He was treating his wife contemptuously. And now the men are afraid that their wives will treat them contemptuously! (Esther 1:16-17)

III. FINDING A WIFE MORE WORTHY THAN VASHTI (Esther 1:19; 2:1-20)

A. What kind of woman was Ahasuerus looking for who was more worthy than Vashti?

B. Learning what a “headache” Ahasuerus was gives greater appreciation for Esther’s wisdom when she approached the king about his decree to destroy the Jewish people.

“The Vashti episode shows what Esther will be up against. Esther must reverse the will of a king who demands subordination to his will – and who is himself subordinated to his earlier decisions. Vashti’s fate was not a disaster; one might consider her rewarded by being forbidden to come where she had refused to go. But Esther does not have the luxury of standing on her dignity. Had Vashti’s fate befallen her, her people would have perished”” (Fox 169,170).

QUESTIONS FOR SABBATH DISCUSSION & MEDITATION

Pray that God would enable you and give you the desire to be conformed to His Word as read and preached today.

Who is Ahasuerus? What does his name sound like in Hebrew?

Who is Vashti?

Who is Esther?

Who is Mordecai?

Who is Haman?

Why wasn’t Ahasuerus’ command that Queen Vashti appear before the king, peoples and princes righteous? What is the boundary of our obedience to those in authority?

What kind of woman was Ahasuerus looking for who was more worthy than Vashti? Did he find one more worthy?

Read the entire book of Esther this afternoon or this week.

Ø How many feasts and fasts are there in Esther?

Ø How many “coincidences/happenstances” can you find in the book?

Ø How is clothing an important part of the story?

Ø Notice the frequent occurrences of “decrees,” “laws,” “regulations,” and “edicts” mentioned in Esther.