Vashti was the beautiful queen in the story of Esther who radically refused to obey her husband, Ahasuerus, and parade herself with a crown on her head, in front of the king’s drunken and lustful dinner guests. For her brazen disobedience she was removed from her position and kept locked as a prisoner in the house of the women, who served as concubines to the king, for the rest of her days.
What would prompt a woman, in the highest position in the land for a woman, to knowingly commit suicidal defiance of a king who was known for summary executions of people who displeased him? What was she thinking?
It all comes down to pride and a false sense of security that caused her to falter in her behaviour as a queen. In her privileged position she was imperious, haughty and unyielding – the exact opposite of how God wants His people to act.
Her action was echoed by Edom who God condemned because it rose up in pride against Israel:
“You have been deceived by your own pride because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountains. ‘Who can ever reach us way up here?’ you ask boastfully. But even if you soar as high as eagles and build your nest among the stars, I will bring you crashing down,” says the LORD.” (Obad.1:3-4).
Similarly God will bring all people filled with pride to destruction but seeks out the ones who have a humble spirit. The truth is we weren’t chosen by God because of anything particularly wonderful about us. We were chosen simply because He loved us. In God’s kingdom it is the one who is humble who will be invited to a higher position: “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 14:11).
Don’t let your pride stop you from coming before the King of the universe in humility. “Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor” (Proverbs 29:23). * Quotes from NLT.