Esther Lesson 4: The New Queen :: By Sean Gooding

Published on: by RR7 Category:General Articles, Sean Gooding

Chapter 2:10-18

“Esther had not revealed her people or family, for Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it. 11 And every day Mordecai paced in front of the court of the women’s quarters, to learn of Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her.12 Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after she had completed twelve months’ preparation, according to the regulations for the women, for thus were the days of their preparation apportioned: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women. 13 Thus prepared, each young woman went to the king, and she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the women’s quarters to the king’s palace.

“14 In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who kept the concubines. She would not go in to the king again unless the king delighted in her and called for her by name. 15 Now when the turn came for Esther (the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king, she requested nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the custodian of the women, advised. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her.

“16 So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17 The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so, he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 Then the king made a great feast, the Feast of Esther, for all his officials and servants; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the generosity of a king.”

Last week we talked about true beauty, the kind that is more than skin deep. We have all met people that are beautiful at first; their speech seems lovely, they seem to be a joy to be around, and they are even physically attractive. They could be either gender, male or female. But as you get to know them more, you begin to see that beneath the façade is a mean person, a person who is looking for an angle and who uses their charm to take advantage of others. God’s people should not be this way; we should be genuine. Be truly loving and kind, and not for gain; just be that way.

We are about to explore more about Esther. There are so many little details about this young woman that I have overlooked in the past, and as I am going through them now, it is hitting me. As I may have mentioned in previous articles, I am currently reading through the book of Proverbs; the goal was 12 times this year. But I am just about 5 times through it already, and it is changing the way that I see people. It has certainly helped me to see some things about Esther that, even though I knew, they did not weigh in my assessment of the story.

  • She was obedient, submissive to authority, verse 10

Esther was a Jew. But she had been born and raised in Babylon and most likely looked and spoke like she was from Babylon. Her uncle Mordecai told her not to reveal her heritage, and she obeyed. That simple; she obeyed. The Jews were hated by pagan cultures. Satan has done a good job of trying to eradicate the people that would bring our Savior. He continues his mission in our time, as the Jews are still the most hated people in the world. The Muslims hate Jesus because He is not Ishmael, and they cannot ever have the Temple Mount as long as there are Jews in the world. And the Globalists like Biden and Clinton hate the Jews because – if Jesus is real and they know He is – He will one day rule the world, and they will have to submit to Him.

But, back to Esther, she was told by her uncle Mordecai not to reveal her heritage, and she did not; that simple.

Wow! What if we were all like this as teenagers? What if we just did what we were told? In North America the teenage years are seen as the right of rebellion; the excuse ‘well, they are just teenagers’ is often used. I use it with my kids. But the Bible has a very different view of rebellion. In 1 Samuel 15:23, we are told that rebellion as far as God is concerned is the same as witchcraft, a sin punishable by death. We should think carefully about that when we look the other way at rebellion in our kids and, to some degree, encourage it. But you can’t fix rebellion at 14; you must begin at day 1 to teach submission and obedience. This will carry kids further than anything else you teach them in life, except that they need to be saved.

Esther was equipped and ready to stand and be submissive to authority as a teenager. And as such, she was equipped to change the world and be the heroine of her people, but the foundation as submission. As such, she was equipped to be queen, unlike Vashti, who forgets her place, Esther was equipped to remember her place, and this put her in place for success. Too many of us forget our place in life, and we constantly seek something that God did not have for us. We want to push boundaries and break barriers, but many forget that God put these barriers in place for a reason.

  • She understood, she did not know everything, verse 15

Esther listened to Hegai’s advice. This man served the king personally, and he knew the king. As such, it was wise for Esther to listen to him and take his advice. In the world of Google, it is not hard for the average teenager to think that they know more about life than their parents. Just because you know the answer to the questions does not mean that you know how to apply the solution. This takes skill. I can Google what is wrong with my fridge and even order the part, but I need an expert to show me how to install it right.

Esther understood that the adults in her life knew more than she did, and she sought their counsel. This is an essential lesson to learn in life; even as adults, we need to seek the wise, godly advice of others. Proverbs 12:1 says that “Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge.” Esther loved instruction; she was set up for success by her uncle Mordecai. She wanted to know. Why learn the hard way when there have been others who have traveled that path before and know the pitfalls?

In contrast, it would seem the other young ladies, relying on their charm and physical beauty, went in unprepared to meet the king’s needs. This was obviously more than sexual. In any relationship, the emotional highs and ‘googly’ eyes eventually calm down, and the real work begins. Once you get back to work and life from the honeymoon, the frequency of sex will drop down, and things like fatigue and kids can get in the way. The role of the king was a draining one; he was always on call; he had the weight of millions on his shoulders, and wars were normal in that day. He needed more than a pretty face; he needed an Esther. God sent him an Esther, and his life was never the same again.

Do you and I make this kind of difference in the lives of people? Are we the solutions that they are looking for? Do we know how to ask for advice from other godly men and women? Do we seek God’s advice in the Word? Do we want to know more, or are we happy in our ignorance?

Sadly, many Christians are happy in their ignorance; they have a cursory knowledge of the Scriptures and don’t want to go any further. The Bible offers godly wisdom and instruction for any and all endeavors of life, from marriage to parenting to being a good friend, how to run an honest business, and how to behave before royalty and those in power. It tells us how to be kids, how to be adults, and how to be grandparents. The Bible tells us who made us and to whom we will answer once this life is over. Unlike Esther, most of us simply don’t want to know. Knowledge takes work, wisdom takes discipline, and success is more about endurance than talent most of the time. Learn to want to know more, learn to ask Godly men and women that know God’s way of life, and follow the advice.

  • She became the Queen, verse 16-18

Esther won the king’s heart. This is very important; it was not often that marital relationships like these were based on love. Most were marriages of convenience for political power or for peace. Esther offered neither, but the king loved her and made her queen. As we discussed before, Esther’s physical beauty was eclipsed only by the fact that she was lovely. She was submissive, and she was not full of herself; these were the qualities the king was looking for, and he did not find it in any of the women he had been with before Esther.

From the time that Esther arrived at the palace to the time she became the queen was more than a year. She had been observed by the people around the king, she had been pampered beyond all that a poor Jewish girl could ever expect, and now she was the queen. God was preparing her to make a big difference in the lives of the Jewish people. But there are steps to being where God wants you to be to make a big difference.

We, like Esther, need to learn to be submissive and obedient to those in authority; we need to be willing to seek the knowledge and wisdom of the godly people in our lives and the Word of God. Most of us want to make an ‘impact’ in other people’s lives, and as a child of God, we should be light in this dark world. But we have to live in the complete opposite of the world. Too many of our Christian young people are trying to make an impact for God by living as the world system. But God’s way is the only way He blesses; God is not interested in your ideas; He is looking for your obedience and submission to Him and His ways. Submission is almost a swear word in our modern vocabulary, but it is a very important word if we are to be useful to the Lord.

Are you wanting to make a difference? Then learn to submit, seek Godly wisdom, and obey. See 1 Samuel 15:22-23,

“So Samuel said: ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”

God bless you,

Dr. Sean Gooding

Pastor of Mississauga Missionary Baptist Church

How to Connect with Us

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Email: missionarybaptistchurch76@yahoo.ca

The Gospel According to Luke: Part 65 :: By Dr. Donald Whitchard

Published on: by RR7 Category:General Articles

An Exposition

Luke 22:39-53: ‘Agony, Betrayal, and Injustice”

“And He came out and went, as was His custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him. And when He came to the place, He said to them, ‘Pray that you might not enter into temptation. He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw and knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me. Nevertheless, not My will, but yours be done. And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground. And when He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow and He said to them, ‘Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you might not enter into temptation.’

“While He was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss Him, but Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?’ And when those who were around Him saw what would follow, they said, ‘LORD, shall we strike with the sword?’ And one of them struck the servant of the High Priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, ‘No more of this!’ and He touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against Him, ‘Have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple you did not lay hands on Me. But this is your hour, and the powers of darkness” (Luke 22:39-53, ESV).

The Passover seder has ended, and now the LORD and the eleven disciples head to a familiar place near the Mount of Olives. This place will be a silent witness to a drama that begins with Jesus’ full emotions on display as He wrestles with the oncoming task that He will undertake and to which He submits in accordance with God the Father’s will. The wrath of God the Father that should have been poured out upon us for our sins, rebellion, and wickedness against Him, starting in Eden, will be put upon the perfect, sinless Son of God as the Passover sacrificial Lamb, dying in our place so that we might be reconciled with God.

He did not have to do this work of mercy, grace, and love on our behalf. Because of our depravity, we deserve just and eternal punishment in hell. We are owed nothing by the Sovereign God of all creation, and we deserve nothing. He could have allowed us to go on with our wickedness both here on Earth and on into eternity, and He would be perfectly right to do so. Yet, He chose to redeem us and rescue us from such a fate. He loves us enough to open the door to receiving eternal life and the forgiveness of our sins once and for all, along with the undeserved honor of being with Him and the redeemed of all time in heaven for all eternity, free from the bondage of corruption and sin forever.

This gift of salvation is available for all who come to Him in repentance and total surrender of their lives to His Lordship. No other religion or philosophy can guarantee this peace and assuredness of salvation, and you cannot accomplish it on your own or on your terms.

Jesus Christ said that He was and is the ONLY way to peace with the Father. No one else can make that claim. See these scriptures:

  • Isaiah 9:1-7, 52:13–53:12
  • Matthew 11:28-30
  • John 3:16, 10:28-30, 11:25, 14:6
  • Acts 4:12, 16:31
  • Romans 3:10-18, 5:6-11, 8:31-39, 10:9-10
  • 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
  • Ephesians 2:8-9
  • Philippians 2:5-11
  • Colossians 1:15-20
  • 1 Timothy 1:12-17
  • Hebrews 7:25
  • Revelation 1:12-20, 19:11-21

If He had merely died on a cross like any other accused criminal or insurrectionist, He would not be remembered nor acknowledged by anyone, forgotten to history, or mocked as a delusional sage whose words were legends and lies. If He is Who He claimed to be and willingly did what He did for our sakes, we have no right or reason to do anything but bend the knee in submission and thanksgiving for a love we do not deserve, yet was and is given to us freely and will never be taken away from us (John 10:28-30).

This is what is at stake as our LORD goes before the Father and agonizes over what will come to Him both physically and within His pure, sinless soul as He takes upon Himself the sins and wickedness of all who will receive Him as Lord and Savior. He will face the unmitigated wrath of the Father as this burden and its terrors are placed upon Him for the hours He will endure on the cross, beaten, torn, bleeding, mocked, and derided by all who see Him hanging there naked and open before a world and people who will either embrace His sacrifice or reject it over the course of human history. He will endure and agonize not just the unbearable pain of being on a rough cross, but also the pain of abandonment by the Father as He turns away from the sin that His Son will represent and bear.

While in those dark moments, Jesus will quote the 22nd Psalm as He cries out for His Father, but will receive only silence until the task of redemption is finally and forever completed, of which He will declare openly before the people who witness His last breath. It will be both a dying thief and a pagan Roman soldier who will affirm and declare that He is the Son of God and the righteous King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

As Jesus receives the hypocritical and loveless kiss of feigned friendship from Judas, a scene of violence and rage occurs from the disciples that ends with one of the individuals who came to arrest Him wounded and then healed in an act of mercy and compassion. Even in this, the priests and officers solidify their hearts and minds against Jesus.

He is nothing more to them than a troublemaker and someone who has exposed them for their hypocrisy and true nature underneath the robes of religious pomp. They want Jesus dead and gone from the scene and things to get back to what they consider “normal.”

This vicious attitude has not gone away after two thousand years. The world would love nothing more than to rid itself of every follower of Jesus Christ and to have His name and influence wiped off every page of history, every church destroyed, every Scripture eliminated, and the idea and being of God wiped out of the memory of people forever. Hatred for Jesus is so widespread and ingrained in people today that they will literally attempt to kill Him as He comes back to Earth. This murderous and reprobate attitude is obvious and widespread and is a clear sign of the end times as described in Scripture.

There are some of you reading this exposition who fall into that category, and you know it. You have mocked, blasphemed, hated, and ridiculed the name and person of Jesus Christ for most, if not all of your life. So, what has it gotten you so far? Approval from your colleagues and friends? A smug attitude of intellectual superiority that will not listen to or study the evidence about Jesus Christ that proves otherwise? Are you afraid of a bruised ego or loss of pride? Are you worried about what others might think of you?

It is time for you to stop, shut up, and get a dose of reality. You will die one day, and you know deep down that life does not end with you pushing up the daisies until the world runs out of energy and withers away. You will be held accountable for what you have done, said, and thought, and do not kid yourself otherwise.

Any thought you might have about there being no God or Being outside of space, time and matter is nothing more than a foolish and wasted time of wishful thinking on your part, and you need to face that blunt, real, honest fact. If your unbelief is wrong and you end up in the hell that the Bible claims to exist, it will be too late for you and anyone who thinks like you. If you hate God so much that you want nothing to do with Him in this life, He certainly is not going to allow you to share His heaven forever, and there is no “ghetto heaven” that you can move into and try out until things get better.

There was a show on one of the “Discovery” networks whose title will fit you like a glove if you reject the free offer of salvation given to you by the Lord Jesus Christ. It was appropriately titled Dude, You’re Screwed!

I do not want that for you, your family, or your friends, and for those of you reading this who have drifted away from the LORD or think that you do not deserve His love. You need to stop and get this fact in your head and soul: God loves you if no one else does. He offers you the opportunity to turn away from your unbelief, secret sins, failures, wickedness, witchcraft, or whatever is holding you captive. Ask Jesus Christ to save you from your sins, turn away from the things that you know are wrong, and surrender your life to Him NOW (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Get a copy of the Bible (I recommend a translation such as the English Standard, New King James, New American Standard, or King James), read these passages, and think on what Jesus went through for your sake and out of love and mercy for you. Talk to Him as a Friend and be honest. Let Him take your wounded heart, your doubts, anger, unbelief, sorrow, grief, bad memories, loneliness, and sins away. He bore all of that for you, and it is time to lay all of that at the cross today. You have nothing to lose and real peace to gain. Jesus is waiting with open arms. I want you in heaven with me, my friend, and so does He.

donaldwhitchard@gmail.com

www.donaldwhitchard.com