Esther's Royal Garments*

We just finished observing the feast known as Purim that comes from the Book of Esther. Purim celebrates a great victory over an enemy whose intention was to destroy all of the Jews living in Persia. The enemy's name was Haman, who developed a bitter hatred for a Jew named Mordecai because Mordecai had failed to pay him the honor that Haman felt was his due. Haman drew lots, or pur, to determine the date of the Jews' destruction, when he would go to the king, and enact his plan for revenge against Mordecai (Est. 3:7). These lots, or pur, is where the name of the feast Purim comes from. So, in order to destroy Mordecai, Haman persuaded the king to give an order that would mean the destruction of all of the Jews, even paying money to those who would carry out his order (Est. 3:5-6, 8-9). We will see how this enemy was defeated, and how God's people were delivered from a death sentence. The account starts with the replacement of a queen. The king of Persia had required that his wife, Vashti, who was very beautiful, come and make an appearance before his party guests, who all had been drinking for seven days. Vashti refused, and the king was advised to set aside Vashti, and obtain a more biddable wife, lest all the wives in the kingdom rise up against their husbands as Vashti had done! (Est. 1:5-19). The search for the most beautiful maidens in the kingdom began. Mordecai, a Jew, had raised his niece, Esther, as his own daughter after her parents had died. Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai to hide her Jewish heritage. As the most beautiful women were gathered to the palace, Esther was included. She found favor with the chamberlain who was "the keeper of the women" for the king, and he treated her with kindness (v. 4-9). Esther found favor with all who dealt with her there because she was agreeable and obedient to what the chamberlain told her to do. She was brought before the king, who loved her above all women. Esther found "grace and favor" in his sight, and she was made queen instead of Vashti (Est. 2:15-18). Esther still did not reveal herself as being one of the Jewish people "as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him." (v. 20). (note: Although the name of God does not directly appear in the story of Esther, His name appears in acrostic form. When Mordecai heard of the order that Haman had persuaded the king to enact that would mean the destruction of the Jewish people, he immediately sat before the king's gate in sackcloth and ashes, crying with a loud voice. All of the Jews did so also (Est. 4:1-3). Mordecai was repenting before God for the deliverance of His people. Esther became alarmed by Mordecai's behavior, for it would surely offend the king, and sent servants to inquire why her uncle was doing such a thing. He passed the information about the king's edict to Esther, and charged her "that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people (v. 5-8). Esther sent her servants to answer Mordecai that she had not been called for by the king for thirty days, and she could be killed if she went to him without his invitation. Mordecai sent this response: "Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (v. 13-14). Mordecai felt confident in the LORD's deliverance, because he had fasted and prayed for it. Shouldn't we also understand the importance of fasting, repentance and prayer, as commanded by God in 2 Chron. 7:14? Esther answered Mordecai that he should tell all the Jews to fast with her for three days and nights, and then she would go to the king without his invitation. She said, "...and if I persiah, I perish." (v. 15-17). "Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on (her) royal (apparel), and stood in the inner court of the king's house.: and the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house...And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen...she obtained favor in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre." (Est. 5:1-2). Regarding the phrase "her royal apparel" in the above verse, the words "her" and "apparel" were added to the original Hebrew to help in translation. However, the Hebrew says that Esther "put on her royal", with all of the kingdom authority that that Hebrew word for "royal" (malkut/malak - kingdom, reign, royal, sovereign power, dominion/ascend to the throne) carries. Esther again obtained favor from the king, granting her whatever she asked (v. 3-4). To add to Haman's further anger and humiliation, Mordecai received an honor from the king that Haman felt should come to him. For saving the king's life, Mordecai was given the king's own royal apparel to wear, the king's personal horse to ride, and the royal crown set upon his head (Est. 6:6-12). Eventually, Haman's plot against the Jews, and therefore against Esther herself, was exposed by Esther before the king at a banquet. The grace and favor of God towards Esther and the Jews appeared several times in the story of Esther, and worked for the deliverance of the Jews. The Torah and the Prophets reflect the grace of God, as I have mentioned in previous messages. The apostle Peter described the same royal apparel of Esther in regards to the believers in Christ: "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood...a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." (1 Pet. 2:5, 9-10). This royal people who believe in Christ as the chief cornerstone, are obedient to Him, and to His Word (v. 7-8). We saw this same obedience of a royal Esther to Mordecai's aleph-tav commandments to her (see above). Grace and mercy flowed as a result. Peter also wrote to the royal believers: "...abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." (v. 11-12). Peter wrote that the lusts of the flesh war against your soul. There is a war going on, as the war of Haman against the people of God foretold. Scripture says that the devil has come down having great wrath against the people of God. Jesus said that the days before His return will be like the days of Noah. We must be prepared to enter the Ark provided by God, clothed in our royal apparel. Peter also wrote that we were to have the grace and peace of God multiplied to us, the righteousness of God (not our own), as well as all things that pertain to life and godliness, these exceeding great and precious promises, through the knowledge of God and Jesus. We attain this knowledge through His Word. In this same knowledge is our escape from "the corruption that is in the world through lust...give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:1-11). An entrance is made for us, in the same way that an entrance was given to Esther by the king's grace and favor, and the royal sceptre was extended to her. Our royal apparel was described by the apostle Paul: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places...Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perserverance and supplication for all saints." (Eph. 6:10-18). Our enemies, like Haman who sought to destroy all life, are spiritual powers, and our armor and royal apparel is spiritual, including truth, the righteousness of God through Christ, the ministry of the Gospel to all, our faith which is the faith of the Son of God, our salvation, a gift to us by grace, and the Word of God, which establishes all of the above. Not forgetting, the prayers, supplications, including repentance, for all of the saints, just as the Jews of Persia interceded before God, and received His miraculous deliverance. We need our royal apparel today more than ever as we see the wickedness of Haman increasing around us. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 3/12/23 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and END TIME SCHOOL, also on Facebook. 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