Alright, now go with me if you
would to Esther chapter 2. Esther chapter 2, just before
the book of Job. We have commentaries on the scripture. that different men have written.
I have a bunch of them in my study there. And we read them. They help us. We want to see
what the Lord has revealed to these men before us. The Lord
opened up the Scripture, opened up the Word to some of these
men before us, and we try to see what we can glean from them
in all of these books. But I believe it was Rolf Barnard
who said one time, He said, you know, the Bible will shed a lot
of light on those commentaries. You just keep reading that right
there. You just stay in the word, stay in the scriptures, and it'll
make a lot of sense out of those commentaries. And he's right.
And he said, if a man is going to preach, all he needs is a
Bible and a dictionary. That is what he said. We are
going to take his advice tonight. I want us to see the Lord Jesus
Christ in Esther chapter 2. We are going to read this word
and we are going to use our dictionary. You remember in chapter 1, Vashti
sinned against the king and she was cast out. Chapter 2 verse 1, it says, After
these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was appeased,
he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what was decreed
against her. Malachi 3 verse 6 says, I am
the Lord, I change not. And because of that fact, because
I changed not, therefore He said, you sons of Jacob are not consumed.
That is the reason that you sons of Jacob are not consumed. Did
you know that's the same reason the sons of Adam are consumed?
That's the very same reason. The Lord changes not. He will by no means clear the
guilty. He will not just forget and just
sweep under the rug the sin against Him. He won't do that. In Adam,
all die. All die. Verse 1 says, After
these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was appeased,
He remembered Vashti and what she had done and what was decreed
against her. Then said the king's servants
that ministered unto him, let there be fair young virgins sought
for the king and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces
of his kingdom that they may gather together all the fair
young virgins unto Shushan the palace to the house of the women,
unto the custody of Hegi, or Hegi, as he's referred to throughout
the rest of the chapter. This is the only time it's Hegi.
Verse 3, the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women, and let
their things for purification. They were given oils, we'll see
later on in the chapter, oils of myrrh and sweet odors or spices. and Hegi the king's chamberlain,
keeper of the women, and let their things for purification
be given them, and let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen
instead of basti, and the thing pleased the king, and he did
so." Now, everybody who was to come before the king. Do we understand
what was being said there? Vashti was cast out and they
said let's gather these young maidens together and they're
all going to be kept with this eunuch, this chamberlain, Hegai. He's going to keep them and give
them their things for purification and one by one they're going
to go before Him and whichever one the king is pleased with,
that one will be queen instead of Vashti. Everybody who was
to come before the king, everybody who was to come before the king
was under the charge of Hegai. Everybody. And He was the one
who gave each person what it would take to purify them. That's God's Law. Alright? That's God's Law. Every soul
who is right now on this earth waiting their turn to go stand
before the King is under the custody and the rule of God's
Law. And God's Law has given to us. God's Law has clearly laid out
for us what it's going to take to be pure in His sight. What
it's going to take to be purified when we stand before Him. Alright,
now verse 5 says, In Shushan the palace there was a certain
Jew whose name was Mordecai. A few weeks ago we saw how Mordecai
and Esther both reveal Christ to us. They are both, throughout
this entire story, beautiful and perfect pictures of Christ.
Both of them together. Mordecai means, his name means,
when we look it up in the dictionary, his name means little, and his
name also means man. The God-man was born of a virgin. A little child. A small child, a little infant,
yet still at that same moment, king of kings. He never stopped
being the absolute king of kings. The king of kings, the man, the
God-man, made himself to be little, made himself to be a little child.
He took that upon himself. He did not begin that way. He
humbled himself. made himself to be a little child.
So verse 5 says, in Shushan, the palace, there was a certain
Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair. His name means,
he enlightens. The enlightener. He is light. That's Christ. He is God's glory. Hebrews 1 verse 3 says, who being
the brightness of His glory. He is light. He's the one who
reveals God's glory. He is light. He is the enlightener. We preach this gospel knowing
that He is the gospel. We preach this light knowing
that He is the light. If anyone is going to have their
eyes open to it, He's going to have to do it. He's going to
have to do it. We preach this knowing, and it's
so relieving to me. I'm so glad to know that another
poor sinner's salvation is not in my hands. I'm going to take
this task upon myself with all the ability God will give me.
And I'm going to preach it as fervently and as often as He
will let me. But at the same point in time,
I am so relieved to know that the light is the enlightener.
And if God is going to open somebody's eyes, God is going to open somebody's
eyes. And He's going to do it on purpose. He's going to do it in His time.
And that is the glory of the message to me. He enlightens. Thank God, He enlightens. And
in spite of my darkness, He still enlightens. Verse 5 says, Now
in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew whose name was
Mordecai, the son of Jeir, the son of Shimei. His name means
a hearing, something heard, an announcement, a loud report,
good tidings. Any idea what that is? That's
the Gospel. The preaching of the Gospel.
It pleased the God-man. to enlighten through the hearing
of the gospel. Verse 5 goes on to say, Shimei
is the son of Kish. Kish means bent, bowed down. That's what happens when the
God-man enlightens through the preaching of the gospel. Sinners
become broken. That is a beautiful, beautiful
thing to me. That's my favorite thing to see.
Sounds strange, doesn't it? I adore seeing sinners become
broken. Humbled, humbled heart, humbled
spirit. Lord, that's all we want to be.
Humbled, broken. Whoever will fall on this stone
will become broken. Whoever doesn't, this stone is
going to fall on him and break him, grind him to powder. Lord,
break us through your gospel. Break us. Religion is so full
of pride. It's just so full of arrogance.
It's so full of self-righteousness. It's not of God. It is the opposite
of God's spirit. It's the opposite of God's work.
The message of God breaks people. Just breaks people. The spirit
of God breaks people. The enlightenment that sinners
receive of who God is, That true enlightenment, who God is, who
I am, that just breaks men and women. Isaiah saw God and he
fell down crying, woe is me, woe is me. Saul of Tarsus saw
God. He fell down in the dirt. It
says, trembling and astonished, crying, Lord, what would you
have me to do? The apostle John saw God on the
Isle of Patmos. He fell at his feet as dead. And I love that. The Lord laid
his hand on him. Fear not. I'm the first and the
last. When the God-man enlightens through
the preaching of the gospel, it breaks men and women. It really
does. But this is what he said, The Lord is nigh unto them that
are of a broken heart. Isn't that wonderful? He said,
He saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. The Lord does the work
and then rewards the work. He said, a broken and a contrite
heart I will not despise. I hold to that as a promise to
all of us. He said, I will dwell with and
revive the spirit of the humble and contrite ones. Broken and
humble is a good place to be before God. That's a good place
to be. The end of verse 5 says, a Benjamite. That name means a son of the
right hand. In Christ, right now, we're the
sons of God. Sons of God. Verse 6 says, Who
had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity, which had
been carried away with Jeconiah. His name means Jehovah will establish. King of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar,
his name means protected. The king of Babylon had carried
away, and he brought up, Mordecai brought up Hadassah, this young
girl, that is, or her name is also Esther. And her name means
a star, a bright star, a morning star. And she and Mordecai, they
are truly clear pictures of Christ. He brought up Hadassah, that
is Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor
mother. And the maid was fair and beautiful,
whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for
his own daughter. So it came to pass, when the
king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens
were gathered together unto Shushan, the palace, to the custody of
Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house to
the custody of Hegi, keeper of the women. Christ made himself
to be under the law. All right, this decree went out,
that all of these maidens are going to be gathered together
to this man Hegai, the law, all under the law, under the custody
of the law. Well, Esther was under the custody too. Christ
made Himself to be under the law, just like His people. He
was brought to the law, made to be subject to the law, just
like His people. And verse 9 says, and the maiden
pleased Him. The law looked at Jesus Christ
and said, well done. You think about his walk on this
earth, 33 and a half years. Every step he took, the law said,
well done. Every step he took. That law
right there condemns, condemns, sinner, sinner, sinner, sinner,
sinner. Every step he took was well done,
well done, outstanding, perfect. Could not be better. Just well
done. I'm just so pleased. Perfect. Verse 9 says, And the maiden
pleased him, And she obtained kindness of
Him, and He speedily gave her her things for purification,
with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens which
were meat to be given her out of the king's house. And He preferred
her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women."
I love how Psalm 47 starts out by saying, Oh, clap your hands. And I've mentioned that before.
We don't do that because we don't want to distract the worship
of God Almighty. But one of these days we're going
to have the spirit without measure. There will not be one distraction
in the assembly. We were just singing songs a
minute ago and my mind wandered. And I thought, I wonder what
glory is singing right now. Wonder what song they're singing
right now. There's going to be no distractions. And when our
king and pastor and God walks into the room. I don't think
we're going to be able to help, but I believe we're going to,
oh, clap our hands. The king is here. Clap your hands. Well done. That was what the
law felt towards Christ. Clap your hands. Well done. And it said that she received
kindness of him. The law was favorable to Christ. That's what kindness means, favorable.
and speedily gave the things for purification. The law said
you have clean hands and a pure heart. Yes, you do. You have
not lifted up your soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully.
You're worthy. Thou art worthy to stand in the
presence. You're ready. Go on up. You're
worthy to stand right now in the presence of God Almighty.
And verse 10 says, Esther had not showed her people nor her
kindred, for Mordecai had charged her that she should not show
it. Even though Christ walked this
earth in absolute perfection as only the God-man could. Who
could walk like that but God? Who could walk like that but
God? Who could do these things but God? But even though he walked
this earth in absolute perfection, while he was here he veiled himself.
People didn't know who he was. Verse 11 says, And Mordecai walked
every day before the court of the women's house to know how
Esther did, and what should become of her. Now when every maid's
turn was come to go in to King Ahasuerus, after that she had
been twelve months according to the manner of the women, for
so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to know six months
with oil of myrrh and six months with sweet odors and with other
things for the purifying of the women. Then thus came every maiden
unto the king whatsoever she desired was given her to go with
her out of the house of the women unto the king's house. In the
evening she went and on the morrow she returned into the second
house of the women. to the custody of Shea Ashgaz,
the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines, she came
in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and
that she were called by name." Every single one of them had
an appointed day. Every one of them. They all brought
with them what they thought would be pleasing to the king. Whatever
they desired to go present before the king was given to them. They
all brought whatever they thought would be pleasing to him, but
it didn't make a bit of difference. Not one bit of difference. If
they were not called by name, then they had to depart from
his presence. They had to be called. That's the only way they
could come back in. Verse 15 says, Now when the turn of Esther,
the daughter of Abihael, and his name means, My father is
might. When the turn of Esther, the
daughter of Abihael, the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her
for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required,
that word means desired. wanted. She wanted nothing but
what Hegai, the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. That means commanded. That's
it. When Christ went in to stand
before the judge, He required, He desired nothing more and nothing
less than what the law commanded." That's it. Whatever the law commanded,
that's all He desired. Verse 15 goes on to say, "...and
Esther obtained." That word obtained means to lift, to bear up, to
carry up, to endure, to be lifted up, to lift oneself up, to cause
one to bear, to take away. That's what our Lord did when
He stood before the judge for us. He caused Himself to bear
our iniquity. And He said, If I be lifted up,
if I carry your sins up and endure the punishment, I'll take it
all away. End of verse 15 says, And Esther obtained favor. That means acceptance. Favor
in the sight of all them that looked upon her. So Esther was
taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth
month, which is the month Tebeth. That means goodness. He was taken
in in goodness. In the seventh year of his reign.
And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained
grace and favor, kindness and acceptance. in His sight more
than all the virgins, so that He set the royal crown upon her
head and made her queen instead of Basti." I love how the Queen
of Sheba said to Solomon, when she came and saw him, and she
brought all of her things that she was going to give to him,
and then she saw who he was, what he had, what he'd done,
the love and unity of his kingdom. Everybody had their own vine.
Everybody had their own fig tree. There was peace on all borders. The attendance of his servants,
his cupbearers, their apparel, the ascent by which he ascended
his throne. And this is what she said, because
the Lord loved Israel forever, therefore made he the king to
do judgment and justice. Because God loved these people,
he made you king. Kindness, acceptance, grace,
favor. And King Ahasuerus said it in
the middle toward the end of verse 17. He set the royal crown. That word crown means diadem. Bring forth the royal diadem
and crown him Lord of all. Set it upon her head, made her
queen instead of Vashti. Then the king made a great feast
unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast. The king threw a feast. He threw
it in her name, in her honor, and God the Father has done the
same thing. He made a feast in honor of His Son, in honor of
His name. It's called the marriage supper
of the Lamb. It's all in glory and honor of
Him. And verse 18 goes on to say,
He made a release. That word means a rest. He made a feast in His name and
He made a rest. That word means to cause to rest,
to obtain rest. He made a release to the provinces
and gave gifts, that means portions, a reward according to the state
of the king. Now that is what happened. All right? That is what happened.
And the last few verses here are going to tell us how it happened.
And I think this is wonderful. This is just so wonderful. Verse
15 said that Christ obtained acceptance. Esther obtained. Christ obtained acceptance for
us according to the law. Esther went in and required nothing
more, nothing less than what the law commanded. All right?
How did our Lord do this? Verse 19 says, And when the virgins
were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the
king's gate. Esther had not yet showed her
kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her. For Esther did
the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought
up with him. In those days, while Mordecai
sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigden
and Teresh, big than means in their wine press. T-resh means
strictness. in their winepress in strictness."
That's the judgment and the punishment of God's law. The strictness
of the law required the blood of the winepress. Verse 21, In
those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the
king's chamberlains, Bigthon and Tiresh, of those which kept
the door, were wroth and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. Why lay hands on the king? Why
would they want to lay hands on the king? Well, there is only
one God. There is only one God. We speak of one, we speak of
all three. There is only one God. King Ahasuerus
reveals God the Father to us, but he also reveals God the Son
to us. His name means, I will be silent
and poor. I'll be silent and poor. Christ
as a lamb before her shearers is dumb. opened not his mouth,
and he made himself to be sin for us. I'll be silent and poor.
He made himself to be poor for us, that we through his poverty
might be made rich. Verse 21 says, In those days,
while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains,
Bigthin and Tiresh of those which kept the door, were wroth and
sought to lay hand on King Ahasuerus. And the thing was known to Mordecai,
who told it unto Esther the queen, and Esther certified the king
thereof in Mordecai's name." This transaction was certified,
ordered and sure in His name. Certified in His name. The apostle
Peter said, "'Neither is there salvation in any other, for there
is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must
be saved." Only one name. Certified in one name. Ordered
and sure in one name. Verse 22 says, And the thing
was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen. And
Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name. And when
inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out. Therefore,
they were both. The strictness and the winepress,
they were both hanged on a tree. Both of them. The strictness
of the law and the winepress. Both of those were hanged on
a tree. O death, where is thy sting?
Who is he that condemneth? It's Christ that died. Everything
against us was hanged on a tree. Verse 23 says, When inquisition
was made of the matter, it was found out. Therefore, they were
both hanged on a tree, and it was written in the book of the
Chronicles. The word Chronicles means Word. It was written in the book of
the Word, and here we hold it, before the king. Write it down,
let it be recorded, let it never be forgotten. The strictness
and the wine press are dead and gone. Write that down. Write
it down in the book of the Word. The strictness and the wine press
are dead and gone. Christ put them away. That's
the good news, isn't it? That's the gospel. That's what
the enlightener uses to enlighten the eyes. Set them free, put
it away. Under the strictness, under the
wine press, until Christ comes and puts it away. May God bless
us with that and bless more with it. Let's all stand together.