Welcome. We are currently going through the entire Old Testament, from Genesis all the way through to Malachi. We are studying this Statement from Jesus, John 5:39.
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,”Today we find ourselves in the Book of Esther. As we look into this more closely, you will see that we can see shadows of Jesus in the Life of Mordecai and Esther. Let’s begin.
First, notice that God is never even mentioned by name, in the entire Book. Yet we can clearly see that God’s Hand is in all situations involving Esther. We also see their reliance on nothing more than God in their Fasting and Praying. Fasting was, and still is, a way of reaching out to God, of humbling oneself and acknowledging complete dependence on Him.
This Fasting took place when now Queen Esther, learned of the Plot by the Haman to kill all the Jews because Mordecai refused to bow down to and worship him. You can read of this in Chapter 3 and 4. This follows the Contest to Crown a New Queen of which Esther Won.
Now in Chapter 6, we read this.
“On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. And it was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. And the king said, “What honor or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” The king's young men who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.””Now at this time, Haman was plotting to Hang Mordecai for his perceived disrespect. He even went so far as to have Gallows made for this purpose. He goes in to ask the King to permission to, read on from Verse 4
“And the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king's palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him. And the king's young men told him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?” And Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor, let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown is set. And let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king's most noble officials. Let them dress the man whom the king delights to honor, and let them lead him on the horse through the square of the city, proclaiming before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.’” Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry; take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned.” So Haman took the robes and the horse, and he dressed Mordecai and led him through the square of the city, proclaiming before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.”Now several things come to mind with just this one passage. First, we see the original Sin here. Pride. The King made Haman a person of great authority. However, he was NOT the King. Yet, he desired to be worshiped as the King and became enraged when this did not happen. Think Lucifer.
Second, it was the King who Honored Mordecai. Not Mordecai himself. Look at this warning that Jesus warned us of in Luke 14:8
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”Mordecai was just being obedient and following God. As Peter writes, we should all do this as well. 1 Peter 5:6
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,”Third, we can also see Jesus in the role of Mordecai as well in this situation. Again, he was simply following God and going about God’s Will when Mankind, AKA Haman, sought his life. In this case, the King, in Jesus case, the King of Kings, God Himself, Glorified his faithful Servant in the end. He will do the same for us. Interesting side note, Hanam is hanged and Judas hung himself.
In Chapter 8, we see Esther go before the King on behalf of God’s Chosen people. She falls at the King's feet and Prays to the King for the Salvation of the Jews.
“If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. For how can I bear to see the calamity that is coming to my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”Jesus bowed Himself down and Prayed to THE King for the Salvation of His People. Both Jews, and all of those that accept Jesus’s Sacrifice. John 17
“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.Not only can we see Jesus in the Life of Esther, but Mordecai as well. As we see at the end for Esther.
I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
“For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.”We know that Jesus has overcome all and is now sitting on the Right Hand of God.
“So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.”Join us next time as we examine the Book of Job. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.
"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"
That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}
If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}
Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!!
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