波斯皇宫内的生活情景，一般人很难想像得到，当皇帝以顶级佳肴款待臣仆、炫耀财富威严时，那种盛况就更难以想像了。无论是书珊城郊区还是波斯国的边界，皇宫都遥不可及。一般情况下，宫内发生什么，宫外是完全不知道的。
和其他奢侈的皇帝一样，亚哈随鲁王厚待他的宾客。他用了一百八十天的时间，向他们炫耀自己国家的威荣，随后又摆设七天的筵席，允许宾客各随己意无限量地享用各种美酒。
筵席的最后一天，亚哈随鲁王传召他的皇后瓦实提，想要向酒醉的群众展示她的美色，却被拒绝。这件事带来的后果甚至殃及宫外，使百姓受到牵连，包括与皇帝根本没有任何瓜葛的人。
箴言 20:2说，“王的威吓，如同狮子吼叫”。瓦实提失去了皇后的身份，其后果甚至影响神子民的安危。
然而，另一方面，王的“恩典，郤如草上的甘露”（箴言 19:12），因为年轻的犹大女子以斯帖却因此得到王恩宠的机会，善用她的位份来搭救自己的同胞。
让我们寻求神和君王的恩宠，好叫我们能享受衪国度的丰盛。
主啊，感谢祢，因为藉着耶稣，我们可以一生一世享受祢的恩惠。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
以斯帖记 1:1-12 Esther 1:1-12
1 亚哈随鲁作王，从印度直到古实，统管一百二十七省。
2亚哈随鲁王在书珊城的宫登基；
3在位第三年，为他一切首领臣仆设摆筵席，有波斯和米底亚的权贵，就是各省的贵胄与首领，在他面前。
4他把他荣耀之国的丰富和他美好威严的尊贵给他们看了许多日，就是一百八十日。
5这日子满了，又为所有住书珊城的大小人民在御园的院子里设摆筵席七日。
6有白色、绿色、蓝色的帐子，用细麻绳、紫色绳从银环内系在白玉石柱上；有金银的床榻摆在红、白、黄、黑玉石的铺石地上。
7用金器皿赐酒，器皿各有不同。御酒甚多，足显王的厚意。
8喝酒有例，不准勉强人，因王吩咐宫里的一切臣宰，让人各随己意。
9王后瓦实提在亚哈随鲁王的宫内也为妇女设摆筵席。
10第七日，亚哈随鲁王饮酒，心中快乐，就吩咐在他面前侍立的七个太监米户幔、比斯他、哈波拿、比革他、亚拔他、西达、甲迦，
11请王后瓦实提头戴王后的冠冕到王面前，使各等臣民看她的美貌，因为她容貌甚美。
12王后瓦实提却不肯遵太监所传的王命而来，所以王甚发怒，心如火烧。
In A Faraway Palace...
Life in a Persian palace was difficult to imagine for ordinary people, especially when the king showed off his wealth and splendor and entertained nobles and officials with the best food and drink his kingdom could offer. Whether you lived in the suburbs of Susa or at the border of the empire, the palace was a faraway place. And what happened in the palace stayed in the palace—usually.
Like any grand king, Xerxes spoiled his guests. For 180 days he showed off the splendor of his kingdom, and then he gave a weeklong banquet—at which his guests could choose their own wine and drink as much as they pleased.
On the last day of the feast, Xerxes demanded that his queen, Vashti, parade her beauty before this besotted crowd. Her refusal and its consequences did not stay in the palace; this would affect all who lived outside, even those who might have thought they lived beyond the king’s reach.
“A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion” (Proverbs 20:2). Vashti lost her royal position, and the results would threaten even God’s people.
But it is also true that a king’s “favor is like dew on the grass” (Proverbs 19:12). As we will see in Esther’s story, a young Jewish woman will win the king’s favor, and she will use her position to save her people.
Let us seek the favor of God our King, that we may enjoy the bounty of his kingdom.
Thank you, Lord, that because of Jesus, we may enjoy your favor forever. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
