Ester 1:11-12 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. 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.
Vashti means �one who is desired�. She represents �Israel� who is one and G-d�s first love.
HaShem, King of the universe, called Israel his wife. He �desired� Israel and wanted to display her before the nations of the earth as His faithful and obedient wife.
We don�t know why Vashti refused the King�s command there are several possibilities. She probably did not want to parade around in front of a bunch of drunken men. It is possible that she was pregnant with Artaxerxes at that time.
Perhaps, holding her own banquet she was very busy and failed to respond. In the same way religious activity and traditions have kept many of the children of Israel away from a personal relationship with HaShem. If one follows the traditions and fails to understand the spiritual significance of some of these traditions it is nothing but an empty gesture. If one has rejected Yeshua as their Messiah, preparing a third temple will not restore ones relationship with HaShem. Only understanding that many of the activities where a foreshadowing of Yeshua and that we need Yeshua Our Messiah for eternal spiritual renewal and atonement.
Ester 1:13-14 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):
These men where the highest-ranking officials in the kingdom.
These 7 men represent the attributes necessary for judicial/legislative power. (See Isaiah 1:12)
Ester 1:15 What will we do to Queen Vashti, according to law, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus brought to her by the eunuchs?"
The king did not have a close relationship with the queen and was not concerned with her feelings.
Ester 1:16 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.
Memucan said that she had committed a crime against the government. This is not just a case of a wife disobeying her husband.
Ester 1:17 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.'
Vashti should be obedient to the king and an example to other women.
Ester 1:18 "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.
Memucan continues -If the king cannot control his wife, how can the rest of the men hope to control their wives.
Ester 1:19 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 will come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.
The laws of the Medes and the Persians could not be changed.
Ester 1:20 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."
Just as the king could not force the queen to love and obey him, we are to obey HaShem, the King of the Universe out of love, not forced obedience.
Ester 1:21 And the reply pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan.
Israel, the wife of the King of the Universe refused to hear His voice be used by Him to display His glory. Both Vashti and Israel refused to obey their husbands and their positions were taken from them for a period of time and given to another.
Israel will be restored in the future. Her son later reinstated Vashti as the Queen mother; this is not recorded in the Bible but in history.
Ester 1:22 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.
They didn�t have e-mail back then so they transmitted the king�s decrees through out the kingdom by a network of rapid relay horses.