The book of Esther takes place after the captivity of Israel, and during the time between the 6th and 7th chapters of Ezra. King Ahasuerus was almost certainly the Xerxes of history, one of the most powerful of the Persian monarchs, who reigned when the Persian empire was at its height. It is generally accepted that he began to reign in the year 485 B.C., and most historians feel that he reigned until perhaps 465 B.C.—a total of twenty years. He was then succeeded by his son Artaxerxes. However, a careful look at the chronology by those who have devoted themselves to it, has shown that he probably reigned only eleven years, being assassinated in the year 474 B.C. This agrees with the chronology of Scripture, and is therefore most likely to be accurate.
More than fifty years before this time, under the Persian king Cyrus, the Jews had been given the opportunity to go back to the land of Israel, and to re-establish themselves there. A number took advantage of this opportunity, but fewer than 60,000—a relatively small number, considering the vast population that had been carried into captivity. Thus a large number of Jews were found living outside of Israel, first under the Babylonian kings, then later under the Medes and Persians. At the time of our story, we find Esther and her guardian Mordecai living in Shushan, the capital of the Persian empire. Its ruins are still visible in Susa, or Shush, in modern day western Iran. Mordecai was in Shushan, and evidently had some employment there. More than this, he sat in the king’s gate, and was a keen observer of what went on at court. He had graciously brought up Esther, who was his uncle’s daughter, and an orphan. Here we have the setting, not only for an exhibition of God’s providential care of His ancient people, but a dispensational type of the ways of God in His testimony in this world.
The Feast
The story begins with a great feast by Ahasuerus, probably one which was not only meant to display his power and glory, but also to usher in a campaign against Greece, in order to avenge a defeat suffered at their hands by his father Darius 1 in 490 B.C. (It is of interest that while he had some success with this venture, he also sustained a resounding naval defeat at the hands of the Greeks, an event that is considered to be the beginning of the decline of the Persian empire.) At the same time, his queen Vashti also made a feast to the women in the royal house. At one point during these two feasts, when the king was evidently very much under the influence of wine, he commanded that Vashti come before the invited guests, to show them her beauty. Her refusal was very unusual in those days, for kings held the power of life and death, and one word from Ahasuerus would have meant her execution. Yet she did so, and so greatly was the king angered and embarrassed, that she was eventually removed from her position as queen.
For God’s Pleasure
All this is very instructive for us. God has created us for His pleasure (Rev. 4:1111Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11)), and in particular has chosen certain peoples at times in the world’s history, to display the beauty of His ways, and to be His testimony in the earth. Israel was given this responsibility in the Old Testament, having received “the oracles of God” (Rom. 3:22Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. (Romans 3:2)). But did they display God’s character in the earth? No, they failed greatly in this, and in two ways. First of all, they fraternized with the heathen nations around them, instead of being separate, and then adopted their idolatrous ways, worshipping idols instead of the true God. Their sin became so great that they were removed from that place of testimony. Their captivity in Babylon, and later under Persian and other rulers, was the result of their removal, because God had written “Lo-ammi” over them—“Not my people” (Hos. 1:99Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. (Hosea 1:9)).
Now we have a Gentile ruler taking precedence in the world, who has a Gentile bride, Vashti. It is recorded that “she was fair to look on” (Esther 1:1111To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. (Esther 1:11)), but she refused to display her beauty. From a human point of view, our natural feelings are on her side. Doubtless she felt insulted and outraged, to be commanded to appear before a group of inebriated men, simply to display her feminine beauty before them. As queen, she felt that she had enough influence and power to refuse this command, even though it came from the king. Evidently her life was spared, but as we have seen, she was subsequently removed from being queen.
The Dispensational View
Dispensationally, we see that when Israel was removed from the position of testimony in this world, God substituted the Gentile. This is clearly brought out in Romans 11, where we see the imagery of the olive tree, figurative of God’s testimony in this world. The two olive trees of Revelation 11:44These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. (Revelation 11:4) also speak of testimony in a coming day, during the Great Tribulation. The root of that tree was Abraham, whose faith made him the father, in that sense, of all that believe. The root remained, but as the result of the failure of Israel, some of the branches of that tree were broken off, and others grafted in, from a wild olive tree (Rom. 11:1717And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; (Romans 11:17)). The Gentiles were this wild olive tree, for they were “having no hope, and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:1212That at that time ye 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: (Ephesians 2:12)). They were brought into the place of blessing, while Israel as a nation was set aside. But have the Gentiles been a better testimony than Israel in the earth? We are speaking now of Christendom and the Christian dispensation, not of the church. No, for considering the light and blessing given now through the revelation of God in Christ, and the blessings through His finished work, Christendom has failed even more signally than Israel. Like Vashti, Christendom has utterly failed to display God’s character, for it has fallen into the same sins as Israel. Like Israel of old, Christendom has mixed with the world around it, instead of remaining faithful to the Lord. Likewise, the idolatry of Israel answers to the Christian profession being characterized by loving “the things that are in the world” (1 John 2:1515Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15)). All this has made Christianity lose the sense of its heavenly calling, and made it a worldly religion. Again, we emphasize that we speak of profession, not of the reality among true believers. God continues to save both Jews and Gentiles, and to add them to the church. But sad to say, true believers have fallen into similar thinking, and lost their testimony to the world.
The Gentiles
What will God do about this? The church—that which is real—will be taken up to glory when the Lord comes, and He will see it in that day as “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing” (Eph. 5:2727That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:27)). However, what is left will be nothing but outward profession, and having failed to display the beauty of God’s character, will be removed, like the Gentile queen Vashti. But will there be no testimony after that? Yes, for as we read again in Romans 11:22-2422Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? (Romans 11:22‑24) that God is able to graft Israel again into the tree of testimony. In the millennium Israel will be God’s testimony in the earth, and this time they will not fail, for they will render their testimony in the power of God, not by human energy. Previously they failed nationally; in the millennium they will be faithful, as a “remnant according to the election of grace” (Rom. 11:55Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. (Romans 11:5)). As another has said, “The root of the tree begins with Abraham, and goes on throughout the millennium.”
The Beauty of Esther
Esther, in her natural loveliness, was also “fair and beautiful” (Esther 2:77And 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. (Esther 2:7)), and was evidently of a gracious character too. She is chosen of the king to replace Vashti, and she does display the king’s beauty, not only in the natural and physical sense, but also in a character of grace, sympathy, selflessness and courage. As a result, the Jews were saved from utter destruction, which was determined upon them by Haman, no doubt a type of the antichrist. But he comes to his end, and Mordecai, a type of Christ reigning in millennial blessing, is brought out of obscurity and exalted to the highest place.
Well might we say with the Paul, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!... For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Rom. 11:33,3633O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33)
36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)).
In all that we have stated, it should be emphasized that we are in no way speaking about individual reality, or individual faithfulness, for doubtless there have been many faithful ones in the church down through the ages, whose character and testimony have greatly honored the Lord. Rather, we are speaking about the Gentile dispensation, their testimony in the earth, and only in the earth. Israel failed, and now Christianity has failed, but God will restore Israel to that place. In His power they will not fail the second time.
W. J. Prost