Immortal woman of Shunem! Home-builder for the prophets of the Lord; the saints in glory salute thee to-day, and the saints on earth are thrilled with thy worthy example. There is scarcely a story in the Old Testament which is more beautiful than the one related of this “great woman” in White Raiment, who built a prophet’s chamber in her own house at Shunem, where the servant of the Lord might turn in out of the glare of the noontide sun and find rest.
From the incidents connected with the beautiful life of the rich woman of Shunem, to the time of Queen Esther, there is a period of about four hundred years, and they are years of turbulance on the part of the people and admonitions on the part of God, until finally He suffered them to be led away into captivity.
The scene of our next woman in White Raiment is in the reign of Ahasuerus, son of Xerxes, who lived B. C. 462. After several severe conflicts he was settled in peaceable possession of the Persian Empire, and, in honor of his victory, appointed a feast in the city of Shushan, which continued for one hundred and eighty days, after which he gave a great feast to all the princes and people who were in Shushan for seven days.
HADASSAH IN THE PERSIAN COURT.
Queen Vashti, at the same time, made a like feast, in her apartment for the women.
On the seventh day of the feast, Ahasuerus commanded the seven chamberlains to bring Queen Vashti before him, with the crown royal on her head, that he might show to the princes and people her beauty.
This she refused, for the act would be contrary to the usage of Persia, very indecent and unbecoming a lady, as well as the dignity of her station. Whereupon the king was incensed, and fearing the influence among the people of the realm in encouraging women to disobey their husbands, called a council of seven, to determine what should be done. The council advised putting away the queen, and she was removed from her high position as queen, and a collection of virgins was ordered throughout the realm for the selection of a successor.
There lived at this time in Shushan a Jew named Mordecai, a descendant of Babylonish captives and who was a porter at the royal palace. Mordecai, not having children, brought up Hadassah, his uncle’s daughter. Her life opened like a cactus flower on the thorny stem of the captivity, but nevertheless is an exquisite jewel with a royally superb setting, and gleams and sparkles in Hebrew history.
Her mother named her Hadassah, for the myrtle tree, which was not only beautiful, with its glossy, dark-green leaves and luxuriant clusters of white bloom, but was useful for perfumery and spice. It was the emblem of justice, and bearing it may have added strength to her character. Her Persian name was Esther, for the planet Venus. Orientals held the myrtle sacred to the goddess of Love.