Christian Churches of God

No. 63z

 

 

Summary:

Commentary on Esther

(Edition 2.0 19940824-20000122)

The implications contained in the book of Esther have great significance for modern Christianity.

 

 

 

Christian Churches of God

PO Box 369, WODEN ACT 2606, AUSTRALIA

E-mail: secretary@ccg.org

 

(Copyright ã 1994, 1998, 2000 Wade Cox)

(Summary by Patti Gambier edited Wade Cox)

This paper may be freely copied and distributed provided it is copied in total with no alterations or deletions. The publisher’s name and address and the copyright notice must be included. No charge may be levied on recipients of distributed copies. Brief quotations may be embodied in critical articles and reviews without breaching copyright.

This paper is available from the World Wide Web page:
http://www.logon.org and http://www.ccg.org

 

Commentary on Esther

This is a wonderful story about a lady who became a queen, and saved all her people. It is also about the Church of God, Christ, God the Almighty and the millennial reign of the Kingdom of God.

God is nowhere mentioned. The power of God is exercised under the identity of the King of Persia, Ahasuerus. His laws are immutable, as are the Laws of God.

Esther 1:1 introduces Ahasuerus, who is also the Xerxes who ruled after Darius 1 (Ezra 4 and related papers).

When the king put on a party lasting 180 days his wife Vashti refused an order by the king to show herself to the assembled guests. The concept is that she and her maidens, as select females of the king, represent Israel as selected by God as distinct from the other nations. The Church is also a woman. Thus Israel refused the invitation of God, and is in rebellion.

Haman, a leading figure in the story is an Agagite and Agag was an Amalekite; people in ancient enmity to the Israelites. He is therefore seen as Satan, the adversary, intent on destroying the people of God.

So Vashti is judged by law, and another woman is to be found to replace her by decree of the king. In Esther 2:1 the king remembers Vashti. The concept being God does not forget His people Israel, though we have rebelled.

Many women were to be gathered from far and wide in the king's realm, brought to the palace and prepared to have audience with the king. That is to say, people from every nation were thus called (not only Israelites) to be part of God's household. They are given food and sustenance to be made ready. The food being the word of God and the knowledge of the Law of God through the Holy Spirit.

Enter Mordecai, the Jew who is the uncle of the chosen Queen, Esther. He has been her guardian, guidance, teacher and protector since she had no father or mother, just as Christ looks after the Church, where genealogy does not count for selection in the priesthood after the order of Melchisedek.

It is to be noted that Mordecai is a descendent of Saul, son of Kish who was responsible, by his clemency to Agag, for the birth of Haman who hated Mordecai. His actions affected a result many hundreds of years later, whereby the whole Jewish people were up for slaughter and by order of an Agagite/Amalekite.

When Esther was called to the king, she required nothing more than what she had received during her preparation, to become a bride. The Church is the bride of Christ and we are given everything we need for our salvation.

Esther did not reveal her nationality to the king or the people. She was obedient to Mordecai's instruction - as the Church obeys Christ. Thus their relationship was unknown, as the full relationship of the elect to each other is not known. Most of the Church, who is spiritual Israel, remains hidden until the last days, so that the elect could be drawn out over the years, with protection. Mordecai checked on Esther every day, as Christ keeps a close eye on His Church.

During these days, Mordecai uncovers a rebellion in the palace and the conspirators are taken and hanged. This represents the rebellion in the Host of two of the covering cherubs.

Also the king advances Haman, a servant of Satan, who becomes synonymous with Satan, and is later called the adversary. All the people were required to reverence Haman, and bow to him. Mordecai did not. This concept then takes us to the war in the desert, where Christ refuses to bow to Satan, even though Satan had been placed in that position by God.

Haman hates Mordecai and devises a plan to kill, not only Mordecai, but also all of Judah throughout the realm.

Why? Because they adhered to the Law of God, which is indeed totally opposite to the law of Satan, who rules the earth. This was to be an act of genocide by Satan, to prevent the birth of the Messiah through the line of David.

Mordecai dons sackcloth with ashes and goes to the king's gate. He cannot approach the king in sackcloth. This represents mortal man (as Christ became), and no one can go before God as a human being. "Flesh and blood cannot enter the Kingdom of God" (1Cor. 15:50).

Mordecai charges Esther to approach the king and make supplication for her people. This is the Church preparing to go before the throne of grace in prayer. But she cannot approach the king without being called. Once called, the Church can enter the Holy of Holies to intercede for the people.

Mordecai points out that there is no place of safety for Esther as a Jewess, even in the palace. If she doesn't go, another will be found to go in "and who knoweth whether thou are come to the kingdom for such a time as this" (Est. 4:14). Likewise, we do not know when our calling may be crucial for the survival of many.

After three days of fasting and praying by Esther and her entourage, and all the Jews in the city, she enters the gate and is received by the king, who extends the golden sceptre to her. Through Christ's sacrifice we can enter the Holy of Holies and be received.

The king is gracious to Esther, and asks her requests. She asks the king and Haman to dine with her on two days. This represents the two banquets of the marriage supper, at the first and second resurrections. At the second we are also dealing with the judgment of the fallen host.

Haman is filled with pride and arrogance at these invitations and plans to hang Mordecai the second day. The significance of the invitations is that the Church (Esther) deals with the enemies on demand.

The king reads of Mordecai's uncovering of the assassination plot, and plans to honour Mordecai, and chooses Haman to carry out the ceremonies. This is completely humiliating for Haman, who hates Mordecai. Mordecai is to have the king's robes, and to ride the king's horse. This is to say, he will be as king, and ride in the power of the king. This is an appointed capacity and not one born into.

Thus Haman (Satan) is replaced by Mordecai (Christ) as the Morning Star of the planet. Satan has to acknowledge this fact, and is angry beyond human belief.

At the second banquet Esther denounces Haman as the adversary and enemy of her people. He represents Satan who wants to destroy the Church as a spiritual force and overthrow God, and take command of the universe.

Mordecai takes over Haman's property, i.e. Christ becomes Morning Star and ruler of the planet and the Church with him.

Haman is hanged on his own gallows - a fate he was to mete out to Mordecai. Thus the wicked are paid in their own coin.

All the appointments and the death of Haman's 10 sons are the decrees of the king – i.e. the will of God. The 10 sons of Haman represent the concept of the empirical system of the last days. The church deal with this system right through to the end.

Letters were sent to all the provinces, granting the Jews permission to fight to save themselves against the forces set up by Haman. We are thus getting ready for the end time wars. Christ will return as King Messiah with the sword of Truth on the horse of the power of God.

Nothing of the Satanic system will be taken into the Millennium, as seen by the Jews touching nothing of the spoils (Est. 9:15,16).

The last chapter of Esther establishes the absolute subordination of Christ, as Mordecai, as second to the king – i.e. God.

The temple tax on the Day of Atonement is reintroduced, which man pays, and is entered under the Kingdom of God and salvation is extended to all people under payment of this temple tax.

So the book of Esther has great allegorical meaning and shows the whole structure through Christ and the Church emerging hand in hand in order to save the planet.

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