The Pulpit Commentary — Esther — Section 8

the extent of dominion, the character, all correspond with this hypothesis. Ob- serve- I. THE EXTENT OF THE KING'S SWAY. The Persian was one of the great empires of the world. The monarch ruled from India to Ethiopia. The provinces of his dominion were in number 127. Two or three centunes ago, commentators com- pared this Persian empire with the dominion of "the Great Turk.'' It may now be best compared with the imperial dominion of the Queen of Great Britain. It is a vast responsibility to reign over such an empire. II. THE ABSOLUTE, DESPOTIC NATURE OF THE KING'S POWER. The narrative exhibits an Oriental despot exercising unlimited, unchecked authority. "Whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive." Individuals, cities, peoples lay at the mercy of his caprice. His power for good or for evil was immense. Happily there is no parallel to this absolute sway amongst ourselves, although there are even now potentates whose empire is described as "absolute monarchy limited by fear of assassination." History proves that human nature is such that it is unwise and unsafe to intrust it with absolute power. III. THE KING'S UNREASONABLE, 'CAPRICIOUS, AND CRUEL CHARACTER. What we read in this book concerning Ahasuerus agrees with what we know of Xerxes. The man who led two millions of soldiers against the Greeks, who scourged the sea, and put to death the engineers of his bridge because their work was injured by a storm, was the same man who insulted his queen for her modesty, and who ,was ready to massacre a people in order to gratify a favourite. IV. EVEN SUCH POWER WAS CONTROLLED AND OVERRULED BY THE WISE PROVIDEN0E OF Goo. The Lord reigneth, and the hearts of kings are in his hand. The Persian monarch was not altogether the tool of the wicked, for God turned the counsels of his enemies to nought. V. ALL POWER IS DERIVED FROM Goo, AND ALL WHO ARE INTRUSTED WITH IT ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO Goo. Civil authority has its origin in Divine appointment: "the powers that be are ordained of God.'' Nevertheless, power is not given to be used as it was used by Ahasuerus, for the gratification of sinful passions. It is given to be employed for the public good. It is well that even rulers should be accountable to their fellow-men; it cannot be otherwise than that they should be accountable to Gorl " Be wise, therefore, ye kings I Be instructed, ye rulers of the earth I " Vers. 3-7.-.A royal banquet. In this description of a sumptuous Oriental feast, notice--1. The guests. These were, in the first instance, the nobles and princes of the provinces, who were assembled for purposes of state policy ; and afterwards the people of the metropolis, who were lavishly regaled from the royal table. 2. The splendour and costliness of the entertainment. The great lords were shown by Ahasuerus the riches of his kingdom, and the honour of his excellent majesty. 'l.'he multitude were entertained in the palace garden, where gorgeous awnings were slung from marble pillars. The guests reclined on couches of gold and silver, placed on marble pavements. They were served with delicious viands and costly wines fro.:u. the cellar of the king. 3. The protraction of the feast. The people were feasted for a week. The princes were detained for six months upon business of state. Probably preparations were then made for the expedition into Greece, which is so famous in history, and which came to so ignominious a close. Consider two great moral lessons underlying this picture of magnificence. I. LAVISH FEBTIVlTIES MAY GILD THE CHAINS OF ARBITRARY POWER. The multitude often appear to care more for display than for justice on the part of their rulers. If the Roman populace under the empire were supplied with food and shows, they were content. In our own times we have seen the people of a great city kept quiet by lavish expenditure on the part of a despot. II. REGAL HOSPITALITY MAY MASK THE DESIGNS OF WICKED AMBITION. Xerxes had a purpose in bringing his lords and satraps to Susa ; he was contemplating a military expedition, in which myriads 1:1hould be slain, and the complete succes11 of which could only issue in his own aggrandisement and glory. Let the people beware of the selfish and sanguinary schemes of the great of this world. Justice and peace are preferable to despotism and bloodshed. oe. r. 1-9.] THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 5