The book of Esther opens in the days of the great Persian king, Ahasuerus. “Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus” (1:1). Ahasuerus is prominent in the book of Esther. God himself repeatedly calls our attention to him, referring to him in this book twenty-nine times by his name, Ahasuerus, and 196 times by his title, king. In a relatively brief book of only ten chapters, 225 references make Ahasuerus prominent in the book. Compare that to a grand total of zero references to God by name or title in the book of Esther, and Ahasuerus stands out, indeed.

In addition to the many references to Ahasuerus, God also provides abundant detail about the power of Ahasuerus and the grandeur of his kingdom. We are told at length of “the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty” (1:4). Nowhere else in the Bible are we given such detail about the earthly pomp and splendor of a mighty ruler—not Pharaoh in Egypt, not Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon, not even Caesar Augustus in Rome. But here in the book of Esther, we are taken right into Ahasuerus’ court to sit at a royal feast with all the assembled nobility of Persia, to see the brilliant colors of the tapestries hung on the pillars, to stand upon the cool marble pavement in delicious contrast to the hot Persian air, and to drink wine while reclining upon gold and silver beds in the great king’s garden. Ahasuerus’ standard of luxury was the marvel of the ancient world, and the word of God takes us on a tour of Ahasuerus’ splendor. Truly, he was a great king.

God’s purpose in calling our attention to Ahasuerus is not to exalt Ahasuerus. Rather, by emphasizing the greatness of this earthly king, God teaches us his own surpassing greatness as the heavenly King. All the descriptions of Ahasuerus’ human glory and honor must be read in the light of God’s divine glory and honor. Ahasuerus and his kingdom may have been grand, and the details of his grandeur are impressive, but all of his glory is dingy next to the glory of Jehovah. All of Ahasuerus’ wealth is poverty, all of his power is weakness, and all of his honor is base in comparison with the great King of kings and Lord of lords.

The contrast between Jehovah and Ahasuerus comes to light when we apply that great principle of biblical interpretation: scripture interprets scripture. Just as that principle illuminates the theme of the book of Esther, which otherwise is elusive, so that principle illuminates the greatness of Jehovah over against the greatness of Ahasuerus. In the light of all of scripture, every detail of Ahasuerus’ splendor reminds us of an even better detail of Jehovah’s far-surpassing splendor. This is true because the message of the Bible is the glory of God in Jesus Christ. That message is proclaimed in a verse like Romans 11:36, which could be considered one of the theme verses of the entire Bible: “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” Whenever we encounter on the pages of scripture a great earthly ruler of the pagan nations, every detail of that ruler’s greatness proclaims the greater glory—indeed, the infinite glory—of the only great King, Jehovah, and his Son, Jesus Christ. Take Pharaoh, for instance, whose power was known from Africa to Asia. That great Pharaoh, and all the ancient wonders of his kingdom on the Nile, God raised up for the purpose of demonstrating that God is sovereign, that God’s will is absolute, and that God has the right and the power to harden the heart of that powerful king. “For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth” (Rom. 9:17). Or take Caesar Augustus, for instance, who was so great that yet today our month August is named after him. That great Caesar receives only a passing mention in Luke 2. “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed” (v. 1). Of all the great things that Caesar Augustus did, this alone receives a mention in God’s word, because even the great Augustus is nothing more than a footnote to the truly august King, Jesus Christ. So it is with Ahasuerus. In the light of all scripture, the details of Ahasuerus’ glory serve the exaltation of our eternal King, who alone is truly glorious.

Let us go back to the days of Ahasuerus, then, and look at this great king in the light of the rest of the Bible, that we may marvel at the surpassing greatness of our God.

Three Feasts

The events of the book of Esther begin in the year 483 BC, which was the third year of Ahasuerus’ reign. The book opens in the palace of Shushan. Shushan was a hot city. The sun was hot; the sands of the surrounding environs were hot; the air itself was hot. But the palace of Shushan offered refreshing relief from the heat. A portico shaded a large garden from the sun, while cross breezes in the garden dried the sweat and cooled the skin. The palace of Shushan was a beautiful setting for leisurely feasts, and the book of Esther opens with three of them.

The first feast was a grand and lengthy affair for all the powerful nobles and princes of Persia and Media, which two kingdoms had been united under Ahasuerus’ grandfather, Cyrus the Great. The feast lasted six full months, during which time Ahasuerus showed the nobles “the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days” (1:4). Very likely, this six-month feast was a council of war. At the time of the feast, Ahasuerus was planning an invasion of Greece, another mighty world power of the day. Ahasuerus was in the process of mustering one million soldiers, the largest army ever assembled to that point in history. Almost immediately after the six-month feast, Ahasuerus, his nobles, his princes, and his army would march and sail against Greece. The battles that they fought—Thermopylae, Salamis, Plataea—were among the most pivotal battles in the history of the world. The Persian invasion was eventually repelled by Sparta and the other Greek city-states, and Ahasuerus was forced to return home. Ahasuerus’ six-month feast was likely the last stage of his preparation for war, during which he and his princes encouraged themselves that a kingdom so glorious and rich and honorable and majestic as the Persian kingdom would surely be victorious in the upcoming campaign.

The second feast took place immediately after the first. This feast lasted only seven days, but was no less lavish than the first. This second feast was for “all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small” (1:5). Apparently, this second feast was a kind of thank-you celebration for the citizens of Shushan, who would have been instrumental in hosting, entertaining, and serving all the princes and nobles from the vast Persian kingdom for the past six months. Now that the princes and nobles had left Shushan, and now that the busy work of hosting them was finished, it was time for the citizens of Shushan to relax and enjoy a feast of their own.

The third feast took place at the same time as the second and was a feast for the women of Shushan. While the men of Shushan feasted with Ahasuerus at the second feast, the women feasted with Queen Vashti, Ahasuerus’ wife, in another royal house in the city.

Ahasuerus’ Glorious Kingdom

The word of God takes us on a tour of Persia and Shushan during these feasts. The details of the empire and the palace paint a picture of the power and the luxury that was Persia.

Ahasuerus reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces. These provinces were grouped into twenty satrapies, each ruled over by a powerful governor known as a satrap. Judea was one of the 127 provinces and was grouped into the satrapy named “Beyond the River” (Ezra 6:6). The Persian Empire was vast, encompassing peoples of many languages and cultures. Managing a kingdom with such diversity in such far-flung places was a tremendous feat, for which the ancient Persian Empire is still celebrated today.

Ahasuerus was attended by powerful servants. His nobles, his princes, and his servants represented “the power of Persia and Media” (1:3). When Ahasuerus marched to war with the assembled power of his kingdom, cities and nations trembled before him. Even though the Greeks were eventually victorious over Persia, Greek historians would later describe the famed and feared Persian Immortals. The Immortals were an elite force of ten thousand soldiers, no more, no less. They were known as the “Immortals” because their number never changed. Those who fell in battle were immediately replaced after the battle, so that no matter how many of them the enemy killed, there were always ten thousand to face again the next day.

Ahasuerus’ palace was designed for pleasure and to impress. It was the perfect place to while away a languid Persian afternoon. The court of the garden was open to the air, but shaded from the sun by a covering supported by marble pillars. Fastened to the pillars were tapestries and banners and streamers of white, green, and blue—the national colors of ancient Persia. To see them billowing and trailing in the breeze would be pleasant and would stir patriotic fervor, especially as plans were laid for war against the enemy.

Ahasuerus’ palace was bursting with beautiful artwork. The beds in the garden upon which the king’s guests would recline for wining and dining were made of gold and silver. Each guest had a golden drinking goblet that was a unique work of art, so that no two drinking vessels were alike. Even the pavement was a work of art—marble in the rich and impressive colors of red, blue, white, and black.

The feasts of Ahasuerus were without equal among the nations. Persian rulers took their banqueting and their drinking seriously. Even in the book of Esther, the key events take place at feasts and banquets of wine. Persian rulers were known to seek the influence of alcohol as an aid when making important decisions. After six months at one feast and seven days at another, Ahasuerus and his court were soaked in wine. We are told that that there was “royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king” and “according to every man’s pleasure” (1:7–8).

Jehovah’s Surpassing Glory

After every detail of Ahasuerus’ greatness has been noted, after every shimmer of his glitter has gleamed, the child of God concludes, “How pathetic, how puny, how empty is the great Ahasuerus.” Ahasuerus! The greatest of his time, and perhaps the greatest of all time! But to faith, Ahasuerus is nothing. For faith has seen the true King! Faith beholds even now the King of kings and the Lord of lords and his Son, Jesus Christ! And faith knows, from the word of the King, what true grandeur and true glory look like.

Did Ahasuerus have a vast kingdom of 127 provinces that was the marvel of the ancient world? How puny! Behold the vast kingdom of him who made all lands: “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods” (Ps. 24:1–2).

Did Ahasuerus rule people of many cultures and languages? How insignificant! Behold the people of our God: “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands” (Rev. 7:9).

Did nations tremble before Ahasuerus? That is, right before they sent him scurrying home? How sad! Behold the honor given to our God: “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him” (Ps. 72:8–11).

Did Ahasuerus have mighty nobles and powerful servants? Was he surrounded by the Persian Immortals, every one of whom is dead today? How laughable! Behold the living and powerful servants of our King: “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isa. 6:1–3).

Did Ahasuerus have riches? How poor he was! Behold true wealth: “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8).

Did Ahasuerus have grand feasts? What pedestrian affairs! Behold the wedding banquet of the Lamb of God: “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God” (Rev. 19:7–9).

Did Ahasuerus have colorful pennants in his garden? How dull! Behold the national colors of the kingdom of heaven: “And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald” (Rev. 4:3). Ahasuerus’ banners fluttered in the breeze, but our God paints the covenant banner of heaven across the very skies!

And so it is for every detail. A pavement of marble? Ha! Try streets of gold (Rev. 21:21). Beds of gold and silver? Paltry! Try thrones in heaven where the saints live and reign with Christ (Rev. 20:4). The largest army ever assembled? Bah! Try the Lord of hosts (Ps. 24:10). Royal wine in abundance? Sour! Try the Lord Jesus Christ, whom to eat and drink is life everlasting (John 6:53–58).

God may have told us much about Ahasuerus, but the glory is all God’s. In fact, before God ever makes the first of 225 mentions of Ahasuerus, God reveals that the glory is his own. How does the book open, after all? This way: “Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus…” (1:1). Now it came to pass! That is not the same as Once upon a time. That is not the same as It just so happened. No, that is the imprint of Jehovah. Now it came to pass…because Jehovah made it come to pass. Before Ahasuerus is Jehovah. Governing Ahasuerus is Jehovah. In the days of Ahasuerus, the events decreed by the Ancient of Days came to pass.

The book of Esther opens in the days of the great Persian king, Ahasuerus. But he is only the great Persian king, and for all of his 225 references, the book is not about him. The great King is Jehovah, who kept his promise, sent the Seed, and saved his church. Behold the true King of glory!