we turn to God's Word in the
portion of Holy Scripture that we read in the book of Esther
chapter 5 and reading again at the second verse in Esther chapter
5 and verse 2 and it was so when the king saw Esther the queen
standing in the court that she obtained favor in his sight And
the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his
hand. So Esther drew near and touched the top of the scepter. In Esther chapter 5 and verse
2. And I want us to consider something
of the blessings of the golden scepter. It was so when the king
saw Esther the queen standing in the court that she obtained
favor in his sight. And the king held out to Esther
the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near
and touched the top of the scepter. I'm sure you're aware that this
is quite a remarkable portion of Holy Scripture, the book of
Esther, because it's a book in which we never find any mention
specifically of the Divine Name. And yet, in a sense, the book
is full of the doctrine of God and God's sovereign overruling
providence and we see it in such a remarkable sense in the words
that we have at the beginning of the next chapter, chapter
6 we see how when Ahasuerus is denied his sleep that God is
in this. There was an incident where Mordecai,
the Jew, had exposed the treachery of two of the king's chamberlains. This man, Bithana, and this man,
Teresh. And although Mordecai had been
faithful to Ahasuerus in exposing these men, he'd receive no reward. But then, God, in his mysterious
providence, denies sleep to the king, and he calls for the chronicles,
the records that were kept concerning events in his kingdom. There
in the opening part of chapter 6, on that night, could not the
king sleep? and he commanded to bring the
book of records of the Chronicles and they were read before the
king and it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bacchana
and Teresh, two of the king's chablins, the keepers of the
door, who sought to lay hand on the king Asuerus. And the
king said, what honour and dignity has been done to Mordecai for
this? Then said the king's servants
that ministered unto him that there is nothing done for him. And you can read what follows,
how that this man is to be exalted but the king consults with Haman,
the great enemy of Mordecai and the Jews and Haman in his vanity
imagines that the person that the king is referring to, the
man whom the king would honor must indeed be himself. How grave he was then when he
discovered it was not to be himself but Mordecai and of course the
outcome was that eventually the Jews are delivered from the cruelties
of Haman and the decree of the king which according to the Lord
of the Medes and of the Persians could not be revoked yet that
decree was turned around and the Jews were spared and Haman
is to be hanged upon his own gallows. There at the end of
what we had read, the end of chapter 5, we're told the wife
of Haman, Zeresh, had suggested they should make a gallows 50
cubits high and that there they should hang Mordecai. And he
goes, therefore, with great pleasure and causes the gallows to be
made. And yet we see how at the end
of chapter 7 he is hanged on his own gallows. They hanged
Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then
was the King's wrath pacified. How God's providence is so prominent
in the dealings that he has with the sons of men, and particularly
with this man Haman, the great enemy, and also with Mordecai
and with the Jews, there is a great deliverance. And so, whilst there
is no mention of the Divine Name, no mention of God specifically
in the Book of Esther, yet we see God's overruling hand in
all these events, but surely we're to discern something more
than God's providence are we not also even in this book to
discern something of the Lord Jesus Christ we're never to forget
Christ's words to the Jews in chapter 5 of John's Gospel verse
39 search the scriptures he says in them you think that you have
eternal life and these are they that testify of me. Are we not to desire to discern
something of Christ in all of the scriptures? We know that
whatever things were written aforetime were written for our
learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures
might have hope. And where is that hope? It is
surely to be found only in the Lord Jesus Christ and so as we
come to consider these words that I've read for our text in
chapter 5 and verse 2 I trust that we will be able to discern
something of the ways of God not only in providence but also
in grace as he comes to us in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Now we observe here something
concerning the Persian court at that time, and what restrictions
there were in that court. We're told in the opening words
of chapter 4 that when Mordecai had received the information
concerning this decree that had been passed and sent through
every part of the Empire that the Jews were to be killed on
a particular day and Mordecai rent his clothes and put on sackcloth
with ashes and went out into the midst of the city and cried
with a loud and a bitter cry and he comes to the king's gate
we're told none might enter into the king's gate clothed with
sackcloth let alone entering into the court one could not
even enter into the gates of the king's house if he was clothed
in sackcloth and this was the case with Mordecai on previous
occasions we see quite clearly that he was there it was because
he was about the king's gate that he discovered that conspiracy
that was being made against Asuleiros Oftentimes he was there in chapter
2, for example, verse 19, Mordecai, we're told, sat in the king's
gate. Again there in verse 21, it was
while Mordecai sat in the king's gate that he becomes aware of
what these two men are doing as a plot and scheme against
the king. But now he's in great mourning
because of what has been decreed, and he's in sackcloth and he
cannot even enter into the king's gates. There were many restrictions.
Even concerning Esther, the queen, she was like a daughter to Mordecai,
but now she is unable to deal directly with Mordecai, but this
man Hatak is the one who must mediate between the Queen, who's
part, of course, of the royal court. There must be one to mediate
between her and such as Mordecai. We see that again in what we
read in Chapter 4, The verse 5, we are told how Esther called
for Hathak, one of the king's chamberlains whom he had appointed
to attend upon her and gave him a commandment to Mordecai to
know what it was and why it was. She has to send through this
man to obtain information from Mordecai concerning what is happening
with regards to the Jews. And we're told in verse 9 there
in chapter 4 how this man Hatak came and told Esther the words
of Mordecai. There's no immediate contact
between Mordecai and Esther. Hathak comes and tells her the
words of Mordecai and then Esther speaks again unto Hathak and
gives him a commandment to take back to Mordecai. There are these restrictions,
you see, with regards to the royal court. Mordecai has no
right of approach even to Esther who was so closely related to
him but then even Esther herself has no free access to the king
and this is what Mordecai desires of her that she should go and
plead for her people the Jews But what does she say there in
verse 11 of chapter 4? All the king's servants and the
people of the king's provinces do know that whatsoever man or
woman shall come unto the king into the inner court who is not
called, there is one lord of his to put him to death, except
such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter that he
may live. But she says, I have not been
called to come into the King these 30 days, for a month. She
has seen nothing of the face of the King. Though she was a
great favourite with the King. The King had seen her and loved
her and chosen her to be his wife. as we're told there back in the second chapter. There were these various restrictions
then that were constantly made in the royal court of the Persians. In a sense, the emperor, Agios
Ioannis, the king, it is virtually impossible for anyone to venture
into his presence. Now of course we know also, when
we think of the one who is the great King of Kings and the Lord
of Lords, even God himself, in the Old Testament we see that
there were many restrictions and limitations with regards
to the manner in which any could approach before him. And are
we not reminded of that when Paul writes to the Hebrews concerning
the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant
there in Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 7 we read out into
the second that is into the Holy of Holies on the second vial
into the second went the high priest alone once every year
not without blood which he offered for himself and for the errors
of the people only the high priest could ever go into the holy of
holies and he could only go on the great day of atonement and
when he went he must take with him the blood of sacrifice. This is the law that pertains
under the Old Testament covenant. And we're told there at verse
8, the Holy Ghost is signifying that the way into the holiest
of all was not yet made manifest while as the first tabernacle
was yet standing. There was no open access into
the very presence of God under the Old Testament dispensation. And what I'm saying really is
something that is reflected in what we see here in the Persian
court. There's no freedom of approach
unto the King, unto the Old Testament. There was no freedom for the
people to come into the very presence of God. And there is
a striking contrast when we think about it. between what we have
concerning the worship in the Old Testament and what we see
in the New Testament because the heavenly court is freely
open as we see in the New Testament we may draw near to God so freely
in fact are we not those who should feel that we must draw
near we must seek to come where God is and we must make our confessions
before Him. We're bidden, are we not? Let
us therefore come boldly, it says, to the throne of grace
that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of
need. We can come with boldness. We've remarked previously on
the significance of that word there in Hebrews 4.16, to come
boldly. Let us therefore come boldly. It's one of those compound words.
It's two words really. in the original and literally
it means all words. Let us come with all words, take
with you words and turn to the Lord and say take away all iniquity
and receive us graciously. There is that freedom of accents
when we come in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. or in him
we have that boldness and that access with confidence by the
faith of him as the Apostle expresses it in Ephesians chapter 3 and
verse 12 boldness and access with confidence but all by and
through him who is the only mediator with God and not only so but
we also discover in God's gracious dealings with sinners, that mourners
are welcome. Mordecai, clothed in sackcloth
and ashes, lamenting the decree that had been passed, he was
not permitted even to enter into the king's gate. But how mourners
can approach unto God. How we see it Even in the Old
Testament Scriptures, remember the manner of Daniel's approach
when he makes that great prayer that's recorded in the ninth
chapter of his book. And there in Daniel chapter 9, verse 2, we read that it was
in the first year of the reign of Darius that Daniel understands
by books the number of the years where of the word of the Lord
came to Jeremiah the prophet that he would accomplish 70 years
in the desolations of Jerusalem. Here is the prophet and his reading
in the book of Jeremiah and he understands the 70 years that
God had decreed concerning the period of the exile and that
period is now fast coming to its end. And he tells us then,
I set my face unto the Lord God to seek my prayer and supplications
with fasting and sackcloth and ashes and I prayed unto the Lord
my God and made my confession. Oh he can come you see as a mourner.
He can come lamenting sins, his own sins and the sins of his
people. He comes and he supplicates and
here he is clothed in sackcloth and ashes and he is free to approach. Oh, this is the great wonder,
is it not, with regards to the heavenly court. Sinners can come. Sinners must come. If we say
that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not
in us. If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned,
we make Him a liar and His Word is not in us. Or if God's Word
is anything to us, if God's Word and the truth of it comes to
us, we must come as sinners. we must come as mourners before
him and so we can come." Here then is the contrast between
what we see recorded in the book of Esther concerning all those
restrictions and limitations that pertain to the Persian courts,
these pagan courts, and yet that freedom of access, that bonus
with which sinners can come to that royal court of God in heaven. But let us come to consider something
of what is written here in this second verse concerning the blessings
of the golden scepter. It was so when the king saw Esther
the queen standing in the court that she obtained favour in his
sights And the king held out to Esther the golden scepter
that was in his hand. So Esther drew near and touched
the top of the scepter. Now isn't in a sense the approach
of this woman Esther to the king a pattern to us of what prayer
is? All to obtain favour in God's
sight, to be those who would come before him in believing
prayer. How she comes, how she draws
near, how she approaches onto this heathen monarch. How Mordecai had told Haytack all
that had happened, the sum of money that Haman had promised
to pay to the king's treasuries, for the Jews to destroy them and he gave him the copy of the
writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them
to show it unto Esther and to declare it unto her and to charge
her that she should go in unto the king to make supplication
unto him and to make request before him for her people. This
is what Mordecai wanted to do to supplicate to supplicate And
this is what prayer is, is it not? Prayer is supplication. Prayer is that pleading with
God. Prayer is that importunity. And now, we see Mordecai urging
us to do this thing for the Jews, to go before Hesuerus, and to
make known the great injustices that have been done, to plead
for our own people. he sends his message there at
the end of that fourth chapter verse 13 think not with thyself
that thou shalt escape in the king's house more than all the
Jews for if thou altogether hold us like peace at this time then
shall their 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 all she is to be that one who will appear on
behalf of her people and she is to plead for them and this
is what she does and I say in a certain sense we can see her
as a pattern of what it means to go before God and to plead
with God and to supplicant and there we see her in a sense coming
carefully as she comes by by degrees there is a banquet initially
when she obtains favour and touches the top of the sceptre and the
king asks what will Queen Esther, what is thy request it shall
be given thee to the half of thy kingdom the answer she gives
is that she would desire that the king and Haman should come
to the banquet that I have prepared for him And so they appear at
this banquet, this banquet of wine, and then she makes another
request, and the request is simply that they come again on the next
day to another banquet. And she says in verse 8, If I
have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please
the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let
the king and Haman come to the banquet, and I shall prepare
for them. and I will do tomorrow as the
King hath said. She comes so carefully, she comes
by degree, she doesn't make everything known as it were at once and
then we see her even coming and prostrating herself before the
King as she pleads for the Jews. In verse 3 of chapter 8, Esther
spake yet again before the king and fell down at his feet and
besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman, the
Agagites, and his device that he devised against the Jews. And then the king held out the
golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before
the king. For she comes, you see, in all
humility. She pleads with us. Do we not
see here that that reminds us of what Christ tells in that
parable of the impertunate widow? There in the opening verses of
Luke chapter 18 we read of how that widow comes to the unjust
judge and how he answers her. Why? Because he wants to be free
of her continual coming. That's what the Lord speaks of. The way in which that judge,
and he was not a just man, he was an unjust man, that's what
it says. He said, because this widow troubles
me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary
me. And the Lord said, hear what
the unjust judge said. And shall not God avenge his
own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear
long wisdom? And doesn't what we read concerning Esther and
the way in which she approaches Ahasuerus remind us of this?
Oh, that heathen man, that pagan monarch Ahasuerus, is pleased
to receive Esther and to hear her request and to grant her
the thing that she requires of him. We see here then something
of what it is to be one who would be a pleader with God as she
comes to plead for her people the Jews. But they're not only
a pattern of prayer but here we're also reminded of the way
in which God is pleased to deal with us under the ministry of
his words. In a sense there is a pattern
here of what preaching is. The king we're told held out
to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther
drew near and touched the top of the scepter. There is some significance in
the holding out of the golden scepter. that that's spoken of
again there in chapter 4 and verse 11 remember the end of
that verse there is one Lord of the kings to put him to death
except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter
that he may live. All the golden scepter and the
blessings of that golden scepter. It represents the the king's
authority, of course that's the significance of the scepter,
is it not? which reminds us of the authority, the power of the
person who holds it, the monarch as a scepter, a rod and we read
of a rod even when we come to the book of the Revelation, where
In the 11th chapter John tells us it was given me a reed like
unto a rod and the angel stood saying rise and measure the temple
of God and the altar and them that worship therein. This rod,
this reed like a rod is for the measuring of the temple and the
worshippers in the temple. It is really a sort of scepter
that he has there. And what is the scepter for?
What is that rod for? It's for the measuring of the
temple and the worshippers. It reminds us, does it not, of
the word of God. And God's word is that, that
is to regulate the worshippers there in the temple. The words
of the Lord Jesus, Now he said, God is a spirit, and the true
worshippers worship the Father in spirit and in truth. True worship is spiritual worship. True worship is that that comes
from the heart, it's not the externals of religion. It's that
that is inward, that is so important. It's that godly sincerity, it's
that singleness of mind, it's that setting of affections on
things above, not just going through a certain ceremony or
certain rituals. Real worship is spiritual in
its very nature, but it is also that that is in accordance with
truth. And what is the truth? I word is truth, says the Lord
Jesus. God's true word is that then
that must regulate those who are the worshippers of God. And
I say that the reed, like unto a rod, sets before us that idea
of the word of God, the word of God's truth. But the golden
scepter, that golden scepter more specifically, represents
to us the preached words. When we think of the language
of Scripture in the Psalms, in Psalm 110, the Lord shall send
the rod of thy strength out of thine. Rule thou in the midst
of thy people. Thy people shall be willing,
it says, in the day of thy power. David Dixon The great Scottish
commentator says of Christ that he has the word of God preached
for the ensign of his princely power and preeminence. Oh God,
you see, as a scepter. And God's scepter is his word
and it is that word preached. And how we read of it in the
scriptures. in the books of the prophets.
They speak of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah
chapter 11 and verse 4, "...with the rod of his mouth and with
the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked." The rod
of his mouth and the breath of his lips. Again in 2nd Thessalonians
chapter 2 and verse 8 it says, "...the Lord shall consume them
with the spirit of his mouth What is the spirit of his mouth?
It's his word. It's his word. The rod of his
mouth, the breath of his lips. Again, when we come to the revelation
there in chapter 19 and verse 15, we read, "...of that sharp
two-edged sword that comes forth from the mouth of him that sits
upon the horns." The Lord Jesus Christ, it's His Word. And with
that Word, what does He do? Why, He comes and He comes to
convince sinners. And He comes to slay sinners. The Lord Jesus is that One who
comes to call sinners to Himself. We know that all are sinners.
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There
is not a just man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not. but how few have any awareness.
But the Lord, you see, comes and what does he do? He deals
with the sinner. He makes the sinner to understand something
of his sinnership. In this way he slays the sinner,
he convicts the sinner, he brings the sinner to the end of himself.
He brings him to that place where he must despair of any hope in
himself, any confidence in his own works. And that's ministry
that is exercised by and through the law of God. Isn't that the
great purpose of the law of God? By that law is the knowledge
of sin. For whatever things were written
aforetime, they were written to bring us to that realization. To show us our sinnership. convince
us of our need as those who are sinners before God, but the great
thing is that that Lord of God is meant to serve the gospel. In writing there in Galatians
chapter 3, we see how that Paul makes it plain that the gospel
has priority over the law. because that's gospel promise
that was given to Abraham Paul says was 430 years before the
promulgation of the law at Mount Sinai Galatians chapter 3 and
verse 17 and so we can go on later to speak about that Lord
is therefore a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ oh yes that's rod of his mouth
the breath of his lips with which he slays the wicked, that conviction.
The purpose is to bring the sinner ultimately to see that his only
hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior of sinners. And it's interesting, whereas
the law proceeds from Sinai, that is the law to convince the
sinner to reprove the sinner of the error of his ways, we
also read of a law that comes out of Zion. There in that verse
in the 110th Psalm we've already made some reference to. He sends
the rod of his strength out of Zion. That's what it says in
that Messianic Psalm. The Lord shall send the rod of
thy strength out of Zion, not Sinai. Out of Zion rule thou
in the midst of thy people. And then again, in the language
of the prophet Isaiah we have the same truth, the Gospel being
spoken of in the second chapter. The word that Isaiah the son
of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It shall come
to pass in the last days, says the Prophet. And the last days,
of course, is referring ultimately to the Great Gospel Day. In the
last days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established
in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the
hills, and all nations shall flow onto it. And many people
shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain
of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will
teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For out
of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from
Jerusalem." It's the law out of Zion. And it's that word of
God that comes out of Jerusalem. And it's the Gospel. It's the
gospel. And the Lord, as I've said, is
that that serves the gospel. The Lord Jesus has come, not
to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. The gospel is
for those who know that they are sinners, who are brought
to that point where they see that there is nothing that they
can do of themselves Christ has come and by the word of His mouth
He has slain the wicked to all trust in the flesh, to all confidence
in themselves or they despair of themselves and then they have
that good news of the grace of God in the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ And now, in reaching out this scepter, God is the
one who is addressing the sinner, you see, in such a gracious,
such a tender fashion. We're told concerning Ahasuerus
how the king held out to Hester the golden scepter that was in
his hand. Wonderful representation of how
God holds out his grace. in the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Here we see how Ahasuerus just
holds out the scepter. How different it is when we think
of the manner in which God holds out that grace that is in the
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why? God himself draws near. It is God himself who draws near.
Holds himself forth, as he were, to sinners. He comes ultimately,
we see, in the person and work of His Son. When the fullness
of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman,
made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law. Well, that is that last time,
those last days that the prophet Isaiah is speaking of there in
that second chapter. That Lord that comes out of Zion. That Word of the Lord that comes
forth from Jerusalem. It's the coming of the Lord Jesus
Christ. It's God, as it were, holding
out the golden scepter in the person of His only begotten Son. And so Christ has come, and what
has He come to accomplish? Why He's come to accomplish a
great work of redemption to save His people. from their sins. And that's an historic fact,
is it not? It's a blessed truth that we're now living in this
Gospel day because Christ has accomplished that great work.
And so what is to be proclaimed is a
full salvation and a free salvation that that has already been accomplished
in the life and the death and the resurrection from the dead
of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has finished that great work
that the Father had given to him in the eternal covenant. But then you know there is that
sense in which Christ also comes to his people in their experience. He comes to them in a very real
and personal sense, does he not, under the ministry of the Word?
Those words that the Apostle speaks to the Ephesians in chapter
4 at verse 20, he tells them, Ye have not so learned Christ,
if so be that ye have heard him, and been taught by him, as the
truth is in Jesus. Here is Paul addressing believers
at Ephesus in Asia Minor. The Lord Jesus Christ was never
in Asia Minor. His ministry was confined to
Palestine. There's no record of him exercising
ministry outside of Palestine. And yet What is Paul saying to
those who had come to faith in Ephesus? That they'd learned
Christ, they'd been taught by Christ, they'd heard Christ.
Oh, how the Lord Jesus, you see, He comes. He comes in and through
the ministry of the works. There is this holding forth.
of the golden scepter. The Lord shall send the rod of
thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thy
people. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." And
isn't that scripture fulfilled when the Lord does indeed come
in this day of grace, coming to the soul of some sinner? and
that sinner is dealt with so graciously just like Esther she
obtained favor in his sight the king held out to Esther the golden
scepter that was in his hand so Esther drew near and touched
the top of the scepter. Oh when the Lord Jesus thus comes
he tells us so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth
it shall not return unto me void but shall accomplish that where
to I am pleased to send it and shall prosper in the thing where
to I send it His words will ever accomplish that that God has
purposed. God Himself draws near. He comes
primarily there in the person and the work of His Son, the
Lord Jesus Christ. But then also God the Father.
God the Father comes. God the Father teaches. Remember
the words of Christ in John chapter 6, no man can come to me except
the Father which hath sent me, draw him. And I will raise him
up at the last day, says Christ. No man can come except the Father
draw him. It is written in the prophets,
they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath
heard and learned of the Father cometh unto man." Oh, it's not
only God the Son, it's God the Father who also comes as that
One who will teach His people. Was it not so in the experience
of Simon Peter when he makes that great confession of his
at Caesarea Philippi? Thou art the Christ, the Son
of the Living God. Remember the words of Christ,
Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jonah, flesh and blood hath not revealed
it unto them, but my Father, which is in heaven. Oh, it is
a revelation. He pleases God, says Paul, to
reveal His Son. Oh, when He pleased God to reveal
His Son in man. Oh, there is that inward revelation. There is the gracious work of
God the Father. as well as that gracious visitation
that comes by God, the Son. But then also we believe in a
Trinity, for there is also the work of God, the Holy Spirit. And doesn't the Spirit Himself
come and seal all of these things? Paul tells the Ephesians twice,
he says, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise and
then again he says, grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby
ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Oh, there is that
work of the Spirit, how he seals all that the Father has purposed
and all that has been procured by God the Son. Oh, it is the
Spirit's great work to come and to illuminate the darkened mind
of the sinner and to unstop his deaf ears, to open his blind
eyes. It's the Spirit's work, is it
not, to do in that sinner that regenerating grace. The sinner
born again by the Spirit of God. and so then brought to faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ when Peter speaks of his ministry
there in 1st Peter chapter 1 and verse 12 he says he preached
the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven
or there must be that preaching that holding forth as it were
of the golden scepter with the Holy Ghost with the Holy Ghost
sent down from heaven. What is all preaching without
the ministry of the Holy Spirit? Why? It's meaningless. Except
the Spirit himself is pleased to come and to take the word
and apply the word. When Paul writes to the Thessalonians
he reminds them, does he not, of the manner of his preaching
amongst them. He tells them our gospel came
not unto you in word only but He says, in power and in the
Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. Oh, there must be that blessed
ministry of the Holy Spirit. It is all the persons in the
Godhead, you see, that come where there is that faithful ministry
and that fruitful ministry of the Word of God. As Yahshua just
holds out the scepter, but in the Gospel, our God Himself,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, how God is in all these things. Here we see then something represented
to us, I would say, in what is recorded in this remarkable book,
this strange book of Esther. As I said at the outset, there's
no specific mention of the divine name we find that rather strange
we might say as this is part of the inspired text of Holy
Scripture these words given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit
himself and yet the book clearly sets before us the wonders of
God's providence the sovereignty of God's providence in preserving
his ancient people Israel but also to discern something of
the grace of God. And we have, as it were, this
example in the blessings of that golden scepter, where God himself,
one so much greater than this pagan monarch as you are, that
God himself should come to us in his work and as it were a
hole before us, that golden scepter of the gospel. It was so when
the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court that she
obtained favour in his sight. And the king held out to Esther
the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near
and touched the top of the scepter. Then said the king unto her,
What wilt thou, Queen Esther, and what is thy request? It shall
be even given thee to the half of the kingdom. Oh, but what
is that that this man is prepared to offer to the queen? What is
that compared with all that God is pleased to bestow upon poor
sinners in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ? Well, the
Lord Be pleased to bless His Word to us today.