“Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus which reigned from India even unto Ethiopia over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces), and in those days when the King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces being before him; when he chewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days in the court of the garden of the king's palace; where were white, green and blue hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble. And they gave them drink in vessels of gold (the vessels being diverse from one another) and royal wine in abundance according to the state of the king. And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel; for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure." (Esther 1:1-8).
It has sometimes been thought that the book of Esther ought not to have a place in the Scriptures, chiefly because ' it does not have the name of God once in it. But it has all the external evidences that the other books of Scripture have, of a right to its place, and has always been received by the godly Jews as of the canon.
But, to one acquainted with the peculiar grace of God, it gives token everywhere of being His, for it tells the story of His heart. It is His manner alone. None other could counterfeit His style, for none had the glory of His Son before him always. There is a peculiar cleanness, and a blending of righteousness and grace, that show Him throughout as Light and Love, as rising in the resources of His own wisdom and grace, above everything that hinders, in man. Some of these things may be made apparent as the Lord in grace opens these chapters to us; the desire here being to illustrate by the beautiful pictures in this book the wonderful gospel of the grace of God to lost sinners.
The first thing brought to our notice is a great feast held by one whose kingdom was universal, which came in the third year of his reign. This was to show the "riches of his glorious kingdom, and the honor of his excellent majesty.”
God is meaning to show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards us through Christ Jesus, taking up poor lost men that are dead in trespasses and sins, for the praise of the glory of His grace. In the Epistle to the Ephesians we get all this set forth with clearness. And it is because He has raised up Jesus from the dead and seated Him upon the throne at His right hand. This corresponds to the "third year of the reign," God having marked off the "third day" as the expression of resurrection. It is to the risen Christ we are called and for His sake, and resurrection gives the character of our blessing. It is not to enjoy anything in our old nature, but in the new, and we become a new creation in Christ Jesus. He is now calling out a special company, "partakers of the heavenly calling," "fellows" with His own Son, themselves sons of glory; and to these He would make known all His counsels and purposes concerning the future glory of Christ, which is here prefigured. These are the "nobles and princes," those who shall reign with Him, and share in all that pertains to Him as the head of the kingdom. What a wonderful thought for wretched and vile ones, far off from God by their own ways!
But this feast was extended to more than the nobles. “When these days were expired, the king made a feast unto mil the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both into great and small, seven days " Here is Owl's perfect number, seven, looking to the complete telling out of His love. And who are the objects of this love? All, great and small. It would seem He cannot have His joy alone.
He has found one object of delight, the perfect One who is all the glory of heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ; and He would have all to know Him. The character of all is perfection. While we have nothing but imperfection and ruin and vileness and sin, all is beauty and grace and glory that He provides.
It was "in the, court of the garden of the king's palace" where the feast was held. Man was driven out of the garden into which God first placed him, to make his own home and joy. But from the paradise of God, the wonderful garden of infinite blessing which God provides and which Christ says He went away to prepare for His own, there will be no more going out. The description given in Rev. 22:1-3 of the heavenly city, tells of the tree of life given back to those who enter there, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit every month. It is the full, rich, infinite enjoyment of the new life, the life in Christ, in the gladness of His own presence.
“The hangings" which were "white and green and blue," tell of the perfect purity and spring-like freshness, and the heavenly, gracious character of the whole scene where God is, and to which the needy are invited, while the cords of fine linen and purple, and the silver rings and pillars of marble point out in typical language the righteousness and majesty established in redemption.
In the precious things of Christ there are ever freshness and newness. You may see no beauty in Him that you should desire Him, but God discloses ever new wonders to those who listen to Him. In Heb. 1 There is a rich cluster of glories pointed out; that He is the express image of God's own person, the One whom He has appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds, and who upholds all things by the word of His power. Are there not ever fresh surprises in these? But these would be nothing to us were it not for the statement that follows, "When He had purged our sins." That is what brings these brilliant qualities before us, and gives us a right to behold them. And then we learn that as the Sin-Purger He is raised up to the right hand of the Majesty on high; and there lie sat down. The glory of Christ in heaven is connected with, and follows His work on the cross for lost sinners! Just as you see these splendid hangings had their place, were held up by the silver rings. How needful the rings! How solid the pillars reflecting on their richly polished surface the beauty of the rings and the hangings!
And what is that price but the precious blood of Christ? "Ye are bought with a price," is the condition of the redeemed. Surely this has a voice for you, beloved friend, who may be thinking of your condition as a sinner. God will tell out His reason for each one's presence in the glory of heaven, in the blood of the Lamb slain. Your claim upon God, your warrant for an interest in Christ, is your state as a sinner. All that God has, all that Christ is, is offered to you freely, without price. They who have part with Him must be redeemed, and the redeemed must have been sinners.
But we have still another mention of silver. The couches upon which they reclined at the feast were of gold and silver. Thus, you see, that gold, which was that of which all the vessels that suited God, that were divine in their: use, were made; and silver, which is redemption; here go together. What a place to rest upon! How well the guests might feel secure in their places, with the solid foundation of alabaster, and marble of varied glories and preciousness of value. Firm and secure; and only to recline there and enjoy! Will you not say—
"On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand
But we find another element of great delight. In vessels of gold there was proffered in abundance royal wine, according to the state of the king. Now, in Judg. 9:13, we find that wine "cheereth God and man.", While the hangings and the couches tell us of the glory and excellence and righteousness of the presence of God, and the solid resting place for the soul, the thorough settlement of the whole question of sin and sins; the wine tells of joy. But the blessedness of it is, that it is a joy that God can have with the guest. Now man would fain have his joy alone, away from the presence of God, a guilty joy. But God accomplishes a work by which He can bring us to His own presence, and Himself find delight in us. This goes beyond all things; that He should not only receive sinners, but rejoice in them. This is a righteous, a holy cheering, God's wine, that He sets forth.
“According to the state of the king" is the measure and the style of pouring forth the wine. Now look at 1 Peter 1:3,4, and read, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant merry hath begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance in. corruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you." Here we have the abundance according to the state of the king and the unfading freshness of all—the green hangings, again.
Do not all these things of, this feast rebuke and deny all your thoughts, of God and salvation? Turn to Matt. 221:10, and Luke 14:16-24, and you will see mention made A the great feast that God is preparing, and you will find that He does, all the preparing. "All things are ready," it, the announcement the servants are to make, and He longs a have His table filled. Oh how His heart goes out after 'on, dear soul, waiting and longing for you. All that is needful to enjoy a feast is to be hungry for it. And are you not hungry and empty of all joy, needing all things?
In this feast of Ahasuerus, there was no law about drinking; each was to drink according to his own pleasure. So this sweetly sets forth the richer feast of heaven. The measure—the law of it all—is the capacity of the vessel. Some love much, for they have much forgiven. Some may say, with Paul, "of whom I am a chief," when they think of their sins. But they shall know the excellency of the power, and the glory of the Person, according to their capacity to hold. But all shall be satisfied. The pardon is abundant, the grace is His exceeding riches, the joy is unspeakable, the rest is God's own, the life is everlasting, the liberty is that of sons, the fellowship is with the Father and His Son. All things are ready, and ready for you as a sinner. Will you take your place then, as such, and receive of the fullness of God's own heart and hand?
Ah! if you only knew, if you only would believe that heaven and Christ are just adapted to the sinner, as the father's house was just fitted to the prodigal coming back in ruin! It had all the things necessary for him, not according to his expectation, for he was thinking only of the "bread enough" and a servant's place; but according to the father's heart. And now be reminded that that house stands ready, waiting-waiting for the lost ones, for you. Come, for all things are ready!