I turn it into a country song,
they make it good. I'm gonna preach to all of them
next Friday, a week from Friday, and I'm looking forward to it. Go with me back to Esther chapter
eight. Esther 8. In chapter 7, we saw the end
of Haman, the adversary. He was the adversary of Mordecai. He could not stand Mordecai,
and therefore his people. Mordecai representing the spirit,
and the spirits people, spiritual Israel. Haman, he devised a law
of destruction against the Jews. He wanted to destroy the Jews,
and he made a gallows to hang Mordecai on. His intent was to
put an end to all of them. But Esther, who was rich in mercy,
For her great love, wherewith she loved Mordecai and her people,
she made intercession for them. And she did that by identifying
herself with them. She declared to King Ahasuerus
her union with them. She told the king in chapter
seven, verse four, if you look at chapter seven, verse four,
She said, we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to
be slain, and to perish. We are sold, I and my people. That's exactly what Christ cried
on the cross of Calvary. He said, we are sold, I and my
people. together, in this union together. And his intercession for us by
identifying with us and declaring union for us, that's what brought
deliverance to us. That is the reason we obtained
deliverance. By the intercession of Christ's
cross, victory was secured. Our captivity was ended. Our adversary and our captor,
he was judged and condemned. And Haman ended up being hung
on the very gallows that he made for Mordecai. And the very tree
that the adversary thought would be the end of Christ ended him. It ended him. So, starting in
chapter 8, The spiritual picture here is the work of the cross
is finished. All right, it is finished. And this just, this makes me
wanna laugh out loud. It's just so happy to me. Just
in case anybody doesn't know this, the work of the cross is
finished, okay? Yeah, that's finished. That's
settled, okay? That's settled and done. And
this is the result that it brought. With that being finished, this
is the result it brought. Here is the result of it with
the Godhead, and the result of it to God's people, okay? With
that being finished, that happened. It was all hung on the tree,
finished, okay? Now look at chapter eight, verse
one. It says, on that day, On that glorious day, on that
victorious day, did the King Ahasuerus give the house of Haman,
the Jews' enemy, unto Esther the queen? On that day, God the
Father placed everything in Christ's hands. On that day, God the Father
gave Christ the heathen for his inheritance. I love how the angel announced
to Mary that the scripture says that the angel came to Mary to
announce the birth of our Lord. And he said that Christ would
reign over the house of Jacob. That's what he's going to do.
He's going to reign over the house of Jacob, the sinner, the
trickster, the supplanter, and Haman, representing the adversary,
the original sinner and trickster and supplanter. Verse 1 says,
On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman, the
Jew's enemy, unto Esther the queen. He led captivity captive. The one who had God's people
in captivity, Christ came and liberated them, set them free,
and held him captive. And it goes on to say in verse
1, Mordecai came before the king for Esther had told what he was
unto her. He was her family. And now the
king was her family. So they were all family in Esther. They had union in Esther. And that's how it is in Christ.
The Godhead dwells together as family in Christ. And they do that along with their
people who are made to be members of their family. Every soul in
Christ is family. Every soul in Christ is family. You're my family. You're my family. I have relatives. It's wonderful when your relatives
are also your family. But that's a real bonus. But
this is my family. Verse two says, And the king,
the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman. Okay,
on that day. On that day of deliverance, you
know it. The adversary said I'm going to. I'm going to Isaiah
14. I'm going to exalt myself. I'm
going to be like the most high. He said no, you're going to be
cast down to the pit and on that day they're going to say is this
the one who tormented the nations? Is this the one who brought all
that trouble to the Earth? Well, verse two says. The king took off his ring which
he had taken from Haman. On that day of deliverance, all
power and authority that had been given to the adversary was
taken away. The king took off his ring which
he'd taken from Haman. and gave it to Mordecai. And
I love that. That is what happens in every
child of God when salvation and conversion comes. Salvation's
already finished. Salvation was finished in eternity
past in the mind and will of God. Salvation was finished on
the cross of Calvary. But salvation comes and is physically
applied on a day of conversion, a day of quickening. And I don't
know when that day is. For me, that day's been about
the last 30 years. But that's what happens in every
child of God when salvation and conversion comes. The spirit
of wickedness and rebellion to Christ And sin is what we are. Sin is what we're conceived in.
We have sin till the day we die. But there is a rebellion to God's
word. I will not have that man reign
over me. There's a wickedness and rebellion
to Christ that on the day that conversion comes, a new spirit
takes over. A new spirit reigns. A new authority
takes over. That old wicked rebellion that
once ruled the heart, it's replaced by the Spirit of God that now
reigns and rules in the heart of God's people. And they love
Christ and they bow the knee to Christ. And they're still
sinners, but they hate what they are. They used to love what they
are. And now they hate what they are. There's still a war that
continues, that old sinful authority and that new holy authority,
but the sinful one is not the one that's going to have dominion
in the end. The spirit is the one who will reign and have its
dominion. So verse 1 says, On that day
did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman, the Jew's enemy,
unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the
king, for Esther had told what he was unto her. And the king
took off his ring, which he'd taken from Haman, and gave it
unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over
the house of Haman. Christ caused his spirit to reign. And that's how it works in the
Godhead. Everything that happens is set
in place by the Godhead. Verse 3, and 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 Agagite
and his device that he had devised against the Jews." I love that
so much. Now listen to this. The intercession
of Christ is what brought the cross in the first place. The intercession of Christ is
what bore the cross. But even though the cross is
over, the intercession continues forever. The intercession will
never stop. It will never stop. Scripture says Christ ever lives
to make intercession. That just warms my heart so much. Verse 3, 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 Agagite, and his
device that he devised against the Jews. Then the king held
out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood
before the king and said, If it pleased the king, and if I
have found favor in his sight, and the things seem right before
the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to
reverse the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hamadatha,
the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews, which are in
all the king's provinces. Or how can I endure to see the
evil that shall come upon my people? Or how can I endure to
see the destruction of my kindred? She said, for my sake, for my
sake. Verse five, she said, if I have
found favor, if I be pleasing, if what I've done is acceptable
and worthy and right in your eyes, Be merciful to them for
my sake. Be merciful for my sake. That
reminds me of what Paul wrote to Philemon. Again, it's a picture
of Christ. You can hear Christ's words in
this. But he said, if you count me
therefore a partner, receive Onesimus, this sinner against
you, as myself. You receive him as though it
was me coming to you. Turn over to Ephesians 2. Ephesians 2 verse 11, it says,
wherefore remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in
the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision
in the flesh made by hands. That at that time you were without
Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers
from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God
in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you
who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace who hath
made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even
the law of commandments contained in ordinances, or to make in
himself of twain one new man, so making peace. And that he
might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having
slain the enmity. Thereby, by himself, in himself,
through himself, because of himself, he made peace. He made peace. Look at Colossians chapter one. Colossians 1 verse 19 says, For
it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell,
and having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him
to reconcile all things unto himself. By him, I say, whether
they be things in earth or things in heaven, And you that were
sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works,
yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through
death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable
in his sight. Wonderful, isn't it? Turn over
to Hebrews 10. Hebrews 10 verse 5, it says,
wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, sacrifice
and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared
me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices
for sin, thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, lo, I come, in the
volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, O God. Above when he said sacrifice
and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin, thou wouldest
not, neither had pleasure therein, which are offered by the law.
Then said he, lo, I come to do thy will, O God. I had you turn
here for this next sentence. He taketh away the first. that
he may establish the second. That's what Esther was doing
for her people. Putting away the first and establishing
the second. Putting away the first law of
ordinances against her people and establishing a second law
of ordinances. Go back to Esther 8. Verse 3 says, 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 Agagite,
and his device that he had devised against the Jews. Then the king
held out the golden scepter toward Esther, so Esther arose and stood
before the king and said, If it please the king, and if I
have found favor in his sight, and the things seem right before
the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to
reverse the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hamadathah,
the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews, which are in
all the king's provinces. Or how can I endure to see the
evil that shall come unto my people? Or how can I endure to
see the destruction of my kindred? Then the King Ahasuerus said
unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, behold, I have
given Esther the house of Haman. And him have they hanged upon
the gallows because he laid his hand upon the Jews. I love this. Verse eight. Write ye also for
the Jews as it liketh you. In the king's name and seal it
with the king's ring. For the writing which is written
in the king's name and sealed with the king's ring may no man
reverse. King Ahasuerus, representing
the father, he said to Esther, representing Christ, thy will
be done. Whatever you want, you write
it. You write as it liketh you. Whatever you like, that's what
I like. And you write it in my name as though I wrote it. And then
he said to Mordecai, representing the spirit, whatever Esther writes,
you seal it. Seal it with the authority and
the power of the King Himself. Spiritually speaking, whatever
is written, you seal it and confirm it as the Word of God Almighty
Himself. Whatever is written, confirm
it as the Word of God Himself. Not the private interpretation
of man. but the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit of God himself. And he said, whatever God writes,
nobody can reverse. Ecclesiastes 3 says, whatsoever
God doeth, it shall be forever. Nothing can be put to it nor
anything taken from it, and God doeth it that men should fear
before him. His word shall stand forever. His word, this is the word of
Christ. His name is the word of God. In the beginning was the word,
sealed by the spirit, and therefore not one word is gonna fail. Verse
nine. Then were the king's scribes
called at that time in the third month, that is the month Sivan
on the three and 20th day thereof. And it was written according
to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews and to the lieutenants
and the deputies and rulers of the provinces, which are from
India unto Ethiopia and 127 provinces unto every province according
to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language,
and to the Jews according to their writing, and according
to their language." That is a spiritual picture of this Bible. This Holy
Word from the Spirit of God has gone out to the whole world,
every province in the king's dominion. Every tribe, nation,
kindred, tongue, language, and people, have they not all heard? Verse 10 says, And he wrote in
the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring,
and sent letters by post on horseback. and riders on mules, camels,
and young dromedaries. Those riders wrote as they were
moved by Mordecai, representing the Spirit. The riders wrote
as they were moved by the Spirit. And then their letters, they
wrote letters. Know anybody else who wrote letters?
Apostle Paul wrote a letter, he just wrote a letter. Then
he'd give it to a young girl, you know, named Phoebe, and ask
her, would you bring this to the, when you head that way,
would you? They wrote letters, and then the writers of the letters,
those letters were given to the postman. They had a post office
back then. hosts on horseback, and riders
on mules, camels, and mares, according to the dictionary,
a dromedary is a mare. They represent preachers, preachers
of the gospel that run far and wide with urgency to declare
this word directly from the king. They run crying, this is a word
Directly from the king. Directly from the king's mouth. This word of deliverance, this
word of victory is called the gospel. The glorious news of deliverance
for Christ's sake. You have deliverance for Esther's
sake. Verse 10 says, He wrote in the
king Ahasuerus' name and sealed it with the king's ring and sent
letters by post on horseback and riders on mules, camels,
and young dromedaries, wherein the king granted the Jews, which
were in every city, to gather themselves together and to stand
for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish
all the power of the people and province that would assault them,
both little ones and women. were allowed to do this. And
to take the spoil of them for a prey. None of your enemies
are going to prevail over you. This gospel, it was for all of
God's people. All of them. Male, female, young,
old. And it declared that the king
has not just given his people deliverance, but also victory. Not just deliverance, but victory. Not just deliverance from our
enemies, but victory over our enemies. That victory is in Christ. He got the victory. He gave it
to us. But that's what we have in Christ.
And that's what they had in Esther. All because of Esther. For Esther's
sake. Verse 12, it says, upon one day
in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, namely upon the 13th
day of the 12th month, which is the month Adar. That's a particular
day. That was an appointed day. Verse 12, upon one day in all
the provinces of King Ahasuerus, namely upon the 13th day of the
12th month, which is the month Adar, the copy of the writing
for a commandment to be given in every province was published
unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against
that day. Be ready against that day. to
avenge themselves on their enemies. On a particular appointed day,
this news was to be given. This news was given to Esther's
people. And that's how it is with Christ's
people. There is a particular appointed
day. And again, I can't tell you what
day it is. Today is the day. Today is the
day. But there is a time that God
has purposed for this news to come to each one of his people. There is an appointed time, there
is an appointed day. The Apostle Paul said in Galatians
1, I was such a fool, I was so lost in religion. But when it pleased God, on an
appointed day, At His exact appointed time,
He revealed His Son to me. He revealed His Son in me. He
revealed His truth to me. So verse 12, upon one day in
all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, namely upon the thirteenth day
of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, the copy of the
writing for a commandment to be given in every province was
published unto all people. And that the Jews should be ready
against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. So the post
that rode upon mules and camels went out being hastened and pressed
on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan
the palace. This came from this commandment
and decree came from heaven itself. Verse 15, and Mordecai went out
from the presence of the king. He moved. Mordecai went out from the presence
of the king in royal apparel of blue and white and with a
great crown of gold and with a garment of fine linen and purple. And the city of Shushan rejoiced
and was glad. Mordecai, representing the spirit,
in all of his godliness, he moved, he presided over the publishing
of that word to his people. And the city of Shushan rejoiced. I love how the scripture says
that Joy erupts in heaven among the angels every time a sinner
repents. That means every time a sinner
is given a changed mind. Every time that moment comes
and it is made, and when it happens, it's made clear to everybody.
Everybody knows. And the angels know too. They
desire to look into these things. And the moment a heart is converted
and somebody sees Christ as God Almighty, and the finished savior
that he is. And not this little wimpy helpless
man, but the king on the throne. The moment that happens, the
angels just boom. Glory to God in the highest.
Shushan was just so happy. Mordecai moved in all of his
royal apparel and that royal crown and all of his purple and
all of his linen. He presided over this declaration
going out. The spirit presided over this
declaration going out. And as it started reaching his
people and this news started being made known to his people
and these people started hearing it, Shushan broke out into rejoicing. Can you just imagine the rejoicing? Can you imagine the rejoicing? When the gospel comes, God's
spirit and all of his sovereign godliness, he moves on the heart
of his own and he blesses the word of Christ and he blesses
the message of the gospel. And this is what happens. The
child becomes glad. Heaven becomes glad. God's child
becomes glad. Everybody gets glad. Verse 14
says, So the post that rode upon mules and camels went out being
hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment and the decree
was given at Shushan the palace and Mordecai went out from the
presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white and
with a great crown of gold and with a garment of fine linen
and purple and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. The Jews
had light. That's what happens. Light is
given. Their eyes were opened, their
spiritual eyes of faith, they were opened and they believed
and they were given. Verse 16 goes on to say gladness
and joy and honor. Happy is he that has the God
of Jacob for his help. Verse 17 says, And in every province
and in every city whithersoever the king's commandment and his
decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good
day. They said it's a good day. That's what sinners have on the
day that the gospel comes. A good day. In every province and in every
city, wherever this good news from the king comes, wherever
he sends it, wherever it comes, this commandment and decree of
good news, wherever the gospel comes, it brings joy and gladness
A feast? Can we not say that we are feasting
on fat things right now? Wine on the leaves? Wine makes
the heart glad. Everywhere the message went,
it was a good day that day. You know, the post had already
been tacked up for all to read on that particular day. you're
going to die. That old was taken down and a
new was posted up. And it was a good day. Such a
good day. And. Everywhere the message of
Christ goes, it's a good day, and I'll tell you this, no matter
what. It's a good day every day thereafter. We'll realize that at some point.
We'll realize, but it's good, right? It's good. Verse 17 goes on to say, and
many of the people of the land became Jews. I want to become a spiritual
Jew. Aren't you a Gentile? Yeah, but I want to be a Jew. Many of the people of the land
became Jews for the fear of the Jews fell upon them. The fear
of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It's also the beginning
of victory and gladness and joy. So Esther wrote it, Mordecai
sealed it, and the people were glad. That's our gospel. That's the gospel of our salvation.
Amen.