Bible History

I'm sure you've seen the movie "300" advertised. Did you know that the commander of the Persian army, Xerxes, is also known by his title of "Ahasuerus" and is the husband of Queen Esther?

The battle of the movie takes place between chapters 1 and 2 of the book of Esther. The reason for the great feast of chapter 1 is to prove to the "Persian Empire" that Xerxes has the wealth and might to carry out such an endeavor (after his predecessor, Darius had failed at the battle of Marathon.)

Then chapter 2 begins with "after these things" which is the battle where he was soundly defeated. He comes back mad and "whipped" (returning with only about 5,000 of the 2,000,000 soldiers he left with) and remembers, "Uh! I don't have a wife to come home to..." and thus the "beauty pageant" to choose the new Queen commences...

I don't know how much besides the "Spartan's Last Stand" is covered in the movie, but basically the Spartans lose the battle, but win the war over the Persians. This marks the beginning of the end for the Persian Empire and paves the way for the next world power - the Greeks, who will be led by Philip of Macedon, followed by his son Alexander the Great. (The city of Philippi in Macedonia, was the location of the church to whom Paul wrote the Letter to the Philippians - it was named after this Philip of Macedon.)

Isn't Bible History fun?!

To read a sermon I did on Esther click here Doctrine of Divine Providence or Bloom Where You are Planted this is part one. You'll need to click on the archives for October to get the rest of the sermon. (I broke it up into 4 parts so each wouldn't be so long.)

Betty