“These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. At that time Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa. In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. He invited all the military officers of Persia and Media as well as the princes and nobles of the provinces. The celebration lasted 180 days—a tremendous display of the opulent wealth of his empire and the pomp and splendor of his majesty. When it was all over, the king gave a banquet for all the people, from the greatest to the least, who were in the fortress of Susa. It lasted for seven days and was held in the courtyard of the palace garden. The courtyard was beautifully decorated with white cotton curtains and blue hangings, which were fastened with white linen cords and purple ribbons to silver rings embedded in marble pillars. Gold and silver couches stood on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones. On the seventh day of the feast, when King Xerxes was in high spirits because of the wine, he told the seven eunuchs who attended him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas— to bring Queen Vashti to him with the royal crown on her head. He wanted the nobles and all the other men to gaze on her beauty, for she was a very beautiful woman. But when they conveyed the king’s order to Queen Vashti, she refused to come. This made the king furious, and he burned with anger. “What must be done to Queen Vashti?” the king demanded. “What penalty does the law provide for a queen who refuses to obey the king’s orders, properly sent through his eunuchs?” “So if it please the king, we suggest that you issue a written decree, a law of the Persians and Medes that cannot be revoked. It should order that Queen Vashti be forever banished from the presence of King Xerxes, and that the king should choose another queen more worthy than she.”
Esther 1:1-6, 10-12, 15, 19 NLT
Who refuses the invitation from the king? Someone who has lost their minds. When the King sends for you it’s not a request it’s an order. But we do get to choose between obeying or declining, what we don’t get to decide is what happens next. Vashti made a grave error, I’m sure she had her reasons but she never thought by turning down the king’s invitation, the punishment would be so severe. Xerxes may have been drunk when the advice was given, but the edict was irreversible. She would be banished and replaced.
We all know nothing in scripture is written by accident. Everything has a purpose in God. As long as there’s a Haman God will have His own intercessor on the inside. Vashti’s refusal opened the door for Esther/ Hadassah to become queen in her place. An entire nation was saved, because she was in the right place at the right time. Never tell yourself that you cannot be replaced. There’s always someone willing to be obedient, willing to accept the invitation and step into your role. Esther was taken against her will, but it was by design. Who knows but by the will of the Lord, that you’re in the position and place where you are, for such a time as this. You’ve wanted to quit but couldn’t, wanted to move but can’t, wanted to sell but can’t, wanted to buy but can’t. Don’t let stubbornness be your demotion. Obey the King. If you’re a born again child of God, then everything is by design.
Jesus also told a parable about a wedding feast, and how the invited guests responded when they were told that the festivities were ready. As I said earlier, life is made up of choices, and we’re free to make them. We just don’t get to choose the consequences.
“Jesus also told them other parables. He said, “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come! “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them. “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Matthew 22:1-14 NLT
Let’s examine these verses for a minute. The king is God the Father, the son is the Lord Jesus, the invited guests are the nation of Israel. The invitation to the wedding (salvation) was first given to them. Their refusal opened the door for us (non Jews) to attend the wedding feast (salvation) but something stood out to me in the entire discourse. One man who the King addressed as “friend” wasn’t properly dressed. It stood out for two reasons. If the servants on the day of the wedding were told to go out in the streets and invite everyone you see, it didn’t matter their status or pedigree, they were to fill the banquet hall. They couldn’t all have been properly dressed because they were not prepared for the invitation.
Nevertheless one man who was among them stood out. Apparently this person decided to choose his own path/terms (salvation) to God. He wasn’t satisfied with the invitation the way it was written. No man comes to the King (Father) except through Me (Jesus). John 14:6. You may have heard that there are many roads to God. But the One who wrote the invitation has given specific instructions. He determines what is the proper attire for His wedding feast. The Bible didn’t say he wasn’t dressed, but it does say he wasn’t wearing the required attire. By refusing to do it the King’s way, the man stood out on the day of the wedding like a sore thumb. The Lord knows who were invited and refused, He knows who were willing to forsake all and receive His invitation. Those last minute guests filled the banquet room while the invited guests spurned the invitation and went on living their lives doing their own thing.
Are you that “friend” familiar with all things religious but refusing to accept Jesus’ invitation to surrender your life to Him? Are you Vashti, thinking your position is secured enough to disobey the King’s invitation? Both individuals discovered that they don’t call the shots. The invitation of the King is to be refused at our own peril. We get to do it His way. He doesn’t write to suit. The standard has been set. Jesus said, “Whosoever will let him come.” The invitation changes us, we don’t change it. What will you trade your crown for? Will you find your own path to Him or will you come His way? The choice is yours, the consequences for doing it your way is not. The lone man “friend” was an invited guest, one of the originals, but he chose his way to the wedding banquet. Vashti may have had a change of heart, but it was too late, she refused the call and another was chosen in her place. Hesitation will cost you. Today, now, is the time to accept the invitation for salvation. Will you say yes?
Father in the Name of Jesus I repent for ignoring the invitation You’ve graciously given me to receive Your Son as Lord of my life. I turn from my own way and accept that Your way is best for me. You said that if I would confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead, that I would be saved. So I come today making that good confession asking that you receive me as your child today in Jesus Name.🙏
If you’ve prayed that prayer, let me be the first to say “welcome “ to the family of God. Please let me know how I can assist you in your walk with Jesus. The angels are having a party in heaven because of your decision. This is the best day of the rest of your life!
Doing the right thing with the wrong motive is still sinful. Selah
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
June 30, 2021