Praise the Lord, pastor. I watch your messages with enthusiasm and they are blessing to me and my ministry. I praise God for you and your ministry. And here I wish to quote one fact regarding Artaxerxes. Artaxerxes and Ahasuerus (Gk., Xerxes) were two different persons. Ahasuerus's reign was 486-465. Artaxerxes's reign was 465-424. Artaxerxes was the third son of Ahasuerus-Vasthi (NIV-SB notes on Esther 1:9). Esther became Ahasuerus's wife in stead of Vasthi (Gk., Amestris) and thus stepmother of Artaxerxes. When Artaxerxes succeeded his father, his mother Vasthi again came to power as queen-mother and Esther lost her power as queen. However, according to Open Bible, she might have been an instrument in appointing Nehemiah as cupbearer to Artaxerxes, her stepson.
