Esther 2:1-12 – See the note below.
1 Later when the anger of King Xerxes [or “Ahasuerus”; 325- “I will be silent and poor”] had subsided, he remembered Vashti [2060- “beautiful”] and what she had done and what he had decreed [1504- “to decree, decide, to cut down/off, to divide, to snatch”] about her. [See chapter one when Vashti lost her “royal position” before the king for refusing to enter His presence when summoned. It was determined that it would be granted to someone “more worthy” than her. (v.19) See the article The Summons Of The King.]
2 Then the king's personal attendants [5288- “a lad, a youth, a servant”; see Matthew 22:13 in NIV] proposed, "Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. [KJV – “…the king’s servants that ministered unto him…”]
3 Let the king appoint commissioners [6496- “one who looks after, a commissioner, a deputy, an overseer, an officer”] in every province [4082- “jurisdiction, region, district”] of his realm to bring [6908- “to collect, gather, assemble”] all these beautiful girls into the harem at the citadel [1002- “a palace, castle, temple”] of Susa [7800- “lily”]. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments [8562- “a scraping, rubbing, a remedy for an injury; (lit. “the days of their (bodily) rubbings”; i.e. the year’s preparation of girls for the harem”] be given to them.
4 Then let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it. [See the Bible study Well Pleased.]
5 Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai [4782- “little man”, or “worshipper of Mars”; see the Bible study The Mordecai Ministry] son of Jair [2971- “he enlightens”], the son of Shimei [8096- “famous, renowned”], the son of Kish [7027- “a bow, bent”],
6 who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah.
7 Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah [1919- “myrtle”; a Jewish name], whom he had brought up [539- “to build up or support, to nourish, to confirm, to be faithful”] because she had neither father nor mother. This girl, who was also known as Esther [635- “star”; a Persian name], was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.
8 When the king's order [1697- “word, matter, a thing, utterance”] and edict [1881- “a decree, a law, a regulation, a rule”] had been proclaimed [8085- “to hear, listen, obey, publish”], many girls were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king's palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem.
9 The girl pleased him and won his favor [2617- “loving-kindness, steadfast love, grace, mercy, faithfulness, devotion”]. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments [8562] and special food. He assigned to her seven maids selected from the king's palace and moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem.
10 Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.
11 Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.
12 Before a girl's turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete [4390- “to fill, to be full, to accomplish, to complete”] twelve months of beauty treatments [8562] prescribed [1881; def. in verse 8] for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics [8562].
NIV
Esther 2:12
12 Each young woman's turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after she had completed [4390] twelve months' preparation [8562], according to the regulations [1881] 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.
NKJV
In Esther we have a type and shadow of what will occur at the end of this age. The “little man” ministry, at least in the eyes of many spiritual leaders, will, like Mordecai, be the ones who are used to help prepare the Esthers in the body of Christ to become the Bride of King Jesus. Queen Vashti refused to come into the presence of the king at his summons, causing her to be removed from her position of authority seated next to him. She would be replaced with Esther. As the Lord revealed to me, this is a picture of His replacement theology within His kingdom (see the Bible study Queen Vashti’s Rebellion, for more detail insights on this.) Those of His followers who refuse to come into His presence, per His summons, will be removed from their place in Him.
Another Old Testament type of this can be seen through what happened to the children of Israel after the Lord released them from their enslavement in Egypt. As with all Christians, they were set free from their bondage. But this alone would not allow them automatic access into the Promised Land. Along the way they would rebel against the leading of God, resulting in their deaths in the wilderness, before crossing over. God would then replace all of them, except for Joshua and Caleb, with a new generation who would enter in. This is occurring today. Many in the church have become rebellious against the lordship of Jesus Christ over them and are now numbered among those in the great apostasy that Paul prophesied would happen right before the return of Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). They will not be in the snatching away of the Bride of Christ and her attendants, but will be left, to their horror, to experience the life-threatening dangers of the tribulation. (For more on the preparation of those who are looking for the return of Christ and are obediently submitting to the Holy Spirit’s refining, sanctifying work, see the Bible study They Will Be Mine.) Like the “beautiful young virgins” mentioned in this passage, they are now immersed in “beauty treatments” under the Spirit’s care so as to be made ready to enter into the King’s presence. No one can cross over without going through this (see the Bible study Jacob And The Dance Of Two Camps).
The following passages are from the Bible study Queen Vashti’s Rebellion;
The Days Of Our Beautification MUST Be Completed BEFORE Going In To The King's Presence
Esther 2:12 – As with Esther and the other virgins, there is a process of beautification (i.e. sanctification) that must occur within us, by the Holy Spirit, before we are allowed into the presence of King Jesus. IT IS A PROCESS. We must submit to the process of God through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit or we CANNOT ENTER IN! If you wait too long, you won't find Him in a day. (See the Bible study Noah; A Sign Of The End.)
Notice that it was Queen Vashti’s refusal to enter the king’s presence at his command that launched the search for her replacement. The younger was ushered in because of the older one’s rebellion. This is what’s happening right now in our generation. The older Christians who have been with King Jesus have been in rebellion against Him for years and, because of their lack of repentance, are therefore being replaced with a new generation of young people who will enter in. This also occurred in the wilderness journey of the Israelites. When the older generation rebelled against the leading of the Lord (i.e. lordship), God destroyed them and raised up a new generation to enter into the Promised Land, along with the faithful ones, Joshua and Caleb (see the Bible study The Sons Of Jephunneh).
12 Now when the turn of each young lady [5291- “used of any young woman”] came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations [1881- “a decree, a law, an edict, a rule”] for the women-- for the days [3117- “day, time, moment”] of their beautification [4795- “scraping, rubbing; the harems bodily rubbings”] were completed [4390- “to fill, to be full, to accomplish, to complete”] as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women--
(NAS)
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 – Paul declares that salvation comes to those He calls “through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” This is another example of the process of inner “beautification” that every believer must go through so as to be made ready to enter the King’s presence. See the Bible study Jacob And The Dance Of Two Camps to see this in type through Jacob’s wrestling with God right before he came before his elder brother, Esau. Christians are about to stand before our “elder brother,” who is Christ, as well.
13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen [138- “to take for oneself, to choose, prefer”] you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification [38- “consecration, purification, holiness’] by the Spirit and faith in the truth.
14 And it was for this He called [2564- “to call aloud, to invite one, to call by name”] you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(NAS)
1 Peter 1:1-2 – Peter speaks of the “chosen’s” sanctifying work of the Spirit which is His beautification process.
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen
2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying [38] work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: may grace and peace be yours in fullest measure.
(NAS)
The following passages are also from the Bible study Queen Vashti’s Rebellion;
The Purpose Of Sanctification; The Bride Presented Back To Himself
Ephesians 5:25-27- The Lord takes the initiative in cleansing His bride to present her back to Himself! (Through the presentation of Eve back to Adam by God in the garden of Eden, see the Bible study Eve; The Life Giving Bride for a picture of the Bride of Christ being presented back to Him, the second Adam, “having no spot or wrinkle.”)
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;
26 that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.
(NAS)
Isaiah 62:1-7
1 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not keep quiet, until her righteousness goes forth like brightness, and her salvation like a torch that is burning.
2 And the nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD will designate. [For more on this “new name” from the Lord, see the Bible study White Stone Overcomers.]
3 You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 It will no longer be said to you, "Forsaken," nor to your land will it any longer be said, "Desolate"; but you will be called, "My delight is in her," and your land, "Married"; for the LORD delights in you, and to Him your land will be married.
5 For as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you; and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you.
6 On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; all day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves;
7 And give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
(NAS)
Esther 4:12-16- Queen Esther was used to bring about a great deliverance of God’s people. She put her life on the line to save them by entering the king’s presence.
12 When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai,
13 he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape.
14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
16 "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."
NIV
In Summary:
Whenever God calls you into His presence and you resist His call in willful rebellion, you run the risk of ending up as Queen Vashti, cast out of your high position, in Christ, never to be summoned again! There is a sifting taking place today. God is calling His servants into His presence this very moment. Those who obey and consecrate themselves by faith will be the chosen ones, among the chosen, that will be used to bring about a glorious end time deliverance of God’s people, just like Esther was!
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